graduate programs in forest science and ecology

Create the Future . . . Change the World.

Graduate Programs in Forest Science and Ecology

Financial AssistanceThe School draws multi-million-dollar funding from sources such as the US Department of Agriculture, the US Department of Energy, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the USDA Forest Service, and the National Science Foundation.

A number of research assistantships are available, for which all students are considered.

Prospective graduate students are encouraged to contact faculty members in their area of interest and discuss possible research topics and funding opportunities.

About Michigan TechMichigan Technological University is a leading public research university of international stature, conducting research, developing new technologies, and preparing students to create the future for a prosperous and sustainable world. Michigan Tech offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering, forestry and environmental sciences, computer sciences, technology, business and economics, natural sciences, arts, humanities, and social sciences.

Michigan Technological University www.mtu.edu

Graduate School www.gradschool.mtu.edu

International Programs and Services www.ips.mtu.edu

How to Apply

1. Download an application form from the Graduate School webpage.

APPLY ONLINE FOR FREE!

2. Submit the completed application online, or mail or fax it to the Graduate School.

3. Track the status of your application online.

Visit the Graduate School webpage for complete details about admissions and program requirements.

www.gradschool.mtu.edu

Michigan Technological University1400 Townsend Drive

Houghton, MI 49931-1295

Graduate SchoolPhone: 906-487-2327

Fax: 906-487-2284

Email: [email protected]

School of Forest Resources and Environmental SciencePhone: 906-487-2454

Fax: 906-487-2915

http://forest.mtu.edu/gradstudies/index.htm

Michigan Technological University is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal opportunity employer. 04/08/32039

Graduate Programs inForest Science and Ecology

Michigan Tech’s graduate programs in forest science

and ecology stress understanding of ecosystem

and organismal functions. Research areas range

from climate change and invasive species to carbon

production and the dynamics of wildlife and insect

populations.

The School of Forest Resources and Environmental

Science offers Master of Science degrees in Forestry,

Forest Ecology and Management, and Applied Ecology;

a PhD in Forest Science; and the professional Master

of Forestry degree. In addition, students may enter the

Loret Miller Ruppe Peace Corps Master’s International

Program in Forestry, combining graduate education

in forestry with international service. The programs

draw students from many fields, including biology,

agricultural sciences, wildlife, geology, entomology,

forestry, pathology, soil science, microbiology, applied

mathematics, physics, hydrology, and chemistry. They

share a common interest in the ecology and economics

of our forests and natural areas, with an emphasis on

the responsible use of natural resources.

Exploring the Bounds of Forest Science and EcologyStudents in the MS programs may choose from three options when earning their degree: the thesis option, report option, and course work-only option. The Master of Forestry degree, which does not require a thesis, is for students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in another field and wish to redirect their career to forestry.

The PhD in Forest Science program is research intensive. Under the guidance of the faculty, students in this program make significant contributions to forest science.

Areas of study include forest ecology, forest soils, silviculture, tree improvement, forest wildlife ecology and management, economics, forest inventory, geographic information systems, growth and yield, wood science, and forest biology.

In addition to providing a hands-on, experimental graduate education, the School also offers one of the strongest Peace Corps graduate forestry programs in the country. Overseas tuition is waived for graduate students in the Peace Corps.

Michigan Tech is located in an area of high wetland abundance and biodiversity. It is surrounded by one of the largest forested areas in the eastern United States and enjoys multiple water resources, including Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world.

Graduates are prepared to balance the demands of a global economy within the context of healthy and sustainable ecosystems. They enter careers as forestry educators, forest ecologists, wildlife ecologists, biotechnologists, molecular geneticists, consultants, and managers of our Earth’s natural resources.

Research Areasn applied statistics, biometrics

and quantitative ecology

n conservation biology and behavior ecology

n environmental GIS and remote sensing

n environmental history and natural resources policy

n forest ecology and management

n forest vegetation dynamics and silviculture

n global climate change

n invasive species ecology and pest/disease management

n ornithology

n population ecology and molecular genetics

n soil science, productivity, and below-ground ecological processes

n wetland restoration, forest hydrology, and landscape ecology

n wood science and durability of wood-based building products

Research FacilitiesThe School offers state-of-the-art facilities dedicated to below-ground ecology, GIS and remote sensing, forested wetlands, and landscape ecology. We also enjoy the latest molecular biology and microarray functional genomics instrumentation, enabling studies of population genetics and biodiversity. A stable isotope laboratory supports research in nutrient cycling and trophic studies. Students have access to the US Forest Service North Central Experiment Station underground laboratory.

The 4,600-acre Ford Center and Research Forest supports diverse research projects, including northern hardwoods stocking level studies, regeneration and establishment of eastern hemlock, gradient studies, carbon sequestration, soil warming, and genetic diversity.

• The School’s faculty members are ranked No. 1 in the number of forestry journal citations by a study published in the Journal of Forestry.

• In 2007, our PhD in Forest Science was ranked fourth in the nation by Academic Analytics.

• Michigan Tech leads the world’s longest study on predator-prey relationships, the fifty-year investigation of wolves and moose on Isle Royale.

• The School is ranked in the top 10 percent in conservation biology research productivity among academic institutions in the United States and Canada.

• Michigan Tech leads the Aspen FACE (Free-Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment) experiment, a long-term study of the effects of ozone and carbon dioxide on northern forests.

• The School has been designated a Regional Center for Global Climate Change by the US Department of Energy.

www.forest.mtu.edu“My time at Michigan Tech and Peace Corps Bolivia working on my MS in Forestry were some of the most valuable years of my education. It was trying, wonderful, and rewarding. The friends I made and the goals I reached will last me a lifetime. This experience will always be with me.”

—Susan [Fox] Metcalfe, MS Forestry