Thanks for your interest in working in our group. My laboratory typically comprises one faculty assistant and 3-4 graduate students. We are part of the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, a venerable 85 year-old marine laboratory, which since the early 1970s has been a member of a consortium of three research laboratories: The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. Graduate degrees are awarded through the University of Maryland (College Park campus) Marine, Estuarine, and Environmental Sciences Graduate Program - the MEES Program. This program administers admissions, curriculum, matriculation, and graduation requirements. The MEES Program supports several Areas of Specialization. I am affiliated with the Fisheries Area of Specialization.

Joining our laboratory requires several steps, which are reviewed below:
1. Initial MEES Application: All applicants seeking to work in my laboratory must initially apply to the MEES Program and should specify the Fisheries Area of Specialization. Pre-requisites for admissions are given on the Fisheries AOS web-page.
You should also indicate that you have contacted me (and perhaps
others in our program) when you apply. Your application will be
reviewed and evaluated by an Admissions Committee within the Fisheries
AOS, as well as the Director of the MEES Program. 2. Accepted - Awaiting an Advisor: After initial acceptance into the MEES Program and Fisheries AOS, a specific laboratory may accept applicants. At this
point, the MEES Director will contact faculty whom the applicant has
indicated in their original application, or may seek out other faculty
with allied interests to the applicant. Acceptance into an individual laboratory is based on
additional considerations of qualifications, interests, and
communication between the faculty member and prospective student.
Unfortunately, we see more qualified applicants than we can accept due
to a limited ability to fund and support students. Because I cannot
support all students who apply to work with me each year, students are
encouraged to identify other faculty in the MEES program, particularly
those with allied interests in fisheries science here at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory such as Drs. T. Miller, M. Wilberg, and H. Bi. | 3. Funding Sources: Typically, I can
bring in one student per year based upon research grants. In addition,
competitive students (in general, GPA > 3.3; GRE > 1200) and
students well matched with faculty interests can qualify for Chesapeake
Biological Laboratory Graduate Research Fellowships (2-3 each year). Faculty can submit a
single application for these Fellowships and Assistantships early in the
spring semester (usually by January / February) of each year, so it is
important to apply to our laboratory early if you would like to be
considered for one of these competitive Fellowships. All students receive health
insurance, and in most instances graduate students working in our
laboratory have tuition paid for. 4. Matriculation Under Fisheries AOS at CBL: Course requirements and course descriptions can be found on the MEES / Fisheries AOS web-page. Most of the faculty with specializations in fisheries science and management are located at Chesapeake Biological Laboratory. Fisheries AOS faculty interests and course offerings at CBL center on estuarine and marine fisheries science, management, and ecology. There is a strong curriculum centered at CBL comprising Fisheries Science and Management, Fisheries Ecology, Fisheries Techniques, and Population Dynamics. In addition, yearly seminars are offered on topical themes in fisheries science. The MEES Program offers a wide selection of courses in statistics, oceanography, ecology and ecosystem studies, aquaculture, marine chemistry, etc., many of which are offered over a State-wide Interactive Video Network. |