The Graduate Field of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology encompasses the study of biological diversity, including its origins, dynamics, maintenance and consequences. Our faculty and graduate students pursue topics across a broad span of interconnected fields, including biogeochemistry and ecosystem science, community and population biology, organismal biology, evolutionary patterns and processes, biology education research, chemical ecology, and sustainability and conservation science.

Cornell is committed to providing extensive data on each graduate program. The Graduate School publishes data on the median time it takes students to complete each degree, as well as survey data from current students. Choose Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the dropdown box to access the EEB doctoral program statistics.

A candidate for a doctoral degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology is expected to demonstrate a broad based knowledge in chosen discipline (Ecology, Evolutionary or Organismal Biology, or some combination), mastery of knowledge in the chosen sub-discipline (e.g., Ecosystem Biology, Community & Population Ecology, Evolutionary Genetics, Macroevolution, Systematics, Molecular Evolution, or some combination), and create new knowledge, making an original and substantial contribution to the sub-discipline in a timely fashion.

Proficiencies

Demonstrate broad-based knowledge in the discipline of Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Organismal Biology, or some combination

Make an original and substantive research contribution to sub-discipline

• Think originally and independently to develop new knowledge, concepts and methods
• Identify new research questions

Demonstrate advanced research skills

• Be knowledgeable of historical development and able to articulate, discuss, and synthesize concepts and evidence in sub-discipline
• Be knowledgeable of organisms and ecological or evolutionary systems pertinent to doctoral research
• Master observational, experimental and analytical methods
• Adhere to ethical standards of scientific research
• Interpret and evaluate research findings
• Demonstrate ability to communicate research findings, through oral presentation and written publications
• Demonstrate ability to write proposals for fellowships and research funding

Demonstrate two or more of the following skills

• Effective teaching skills in ecology and evolutionary biology
• Collaborative skills in research, teaching or outreach
• Involvement in departmental and university organizations
• Involvement in professional activities and organizations related to academic discipline
• Involvement in outreach activities with students or the broader public

The Field of EEB requires only one course: BIOEE 7670, Current Topics in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (aka Core Course). Students must enroll in Core Course during their first semester of graduate study. The student’s Special Committee may have other courses they recommend or require, and it’s the student’s responsibility to fulfill those requirements.

The Graduate School automatically enrolls students in a GRAD research placeholder course for 12 credits every semester. In addition to these 12 credits, students should enroll in any regular classes they intend to take and then enroll in BIOEE 9990 (PhD Dissertation Research) for as many credits as needed to reach the maximum of 30 credit hours. Students should sign up for their Special Committee Chair’s BIOEE 9990 section.

EEB has compiled a list of quantitative courses available at Cornell. Contact the GFA for access.

For information on how to enroll in classes, please visit the University Registrar’s Classes + Enrollment page and the Graduate School’s Course Enrollment page.

Doctoral students must identify a special committee chair (advisor) no later than three weeks after the first registration in the Graduate School (submitted to the Graduate School via Student Center).

Doctoral students are required to have a full special committee no later than the end of the third semester. A full committee consists of one faculty member representing their major subject and two minor members, each representing one of their minor subjects. Any member of any graduate field may serve on a student’s special committee, however the special committee chair must be from the Field of EEB.

For more information about choosing, appointing, and changing the Special Committee, visit the Graduate School’s Special Committee page.

The Student Progress Review (SPR) requirement was implemented by the Graduate School at the request of students and faculty to support the regular exchange of constructive, written feedback between advisees and advisors. It codifies a process for research degree students and their Special Committees to have at least one formal conversation per year about academic progress and future plans.

The GFA will send an email with the SPR link sometime in October. The student’s portion of the SPR will be due approximately November 30^th each year. The Special Committee Chair’s portion will be due approximately March 1^st.

For more information, please see the Grad School’s Student Progress Review website.

Admission to Candidacy (A Exam)

To advance to doctoral candidacy, doctoral programs are required by the Graduate Faculty Code of Legislation to have an A exam, which can be completed after two semesters of registration and must be completed before the start of the seventh semester. However, EEB recommends students take their A Exam by the end of the 5th semester. EEB does not require a Field-appointed member attend exams.

• Purpose and Structure: The purpose of the A Exam is to evaluate a student’s ability and preparedness to successfully conduct PhD level research, and to assess a student’s knowledge base in areas directly relevant to the thesis. A student submits a thesis proposal to the special committee two weeks in advance of the oral exam. The oral exam consists of a defense of the proposal, and a broader examination of the student’s knowledge base in areas directly relevant to the thesis. The oral exam will begin with an oral presentation of the proposal, and will be followed by questions from committee members.
• Outcomes: If the thesis proposal and defense of the proposal are satisfactory, the student passes the A Exam. If there are weaknesses in the proposal, or the defense, or the broader knowledge assessment, but the committee believes the student has the ability and motivation to pursue PhD research, the student receives a conditional pass, with a preliminary follow-up plan and time frame for completing the exam. If the weaknesses are severe, the student fails the exam, and is encouraged to 1) retake the exam at a later date, 2) complete a smaller research project and finish with a Masters, or 3) leave the program.
• Feedback: Within a week of the oral exam, a written assessment is developed by the special committee that details the student’s strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations for further development. If the student received a conditional pass on the oral exam, the assessment also specifies the follow-up plan for completion of the A Exam and an explicit time frame. The follow-up might consist of a rewrite of the thesis proposal and/or a second oral presentation of the proposal. This follow-up plan is communicated to the Graduate School. If the student fails the A Exam, the written assessment by the committee should specify the next steps for the student, and these should also be communicated to the Graduate School.

Students are required to file a Schedule of A Exam form with the Graduate School at least 7 calendar days before the exam date. They must also file a Results of A Exam form with the Graduate School within 3 business days after the exam. Both forms are available at the Graduate School’s Forms webpage.

Dissertation Defense (B Exam)

• The B Exam is an oral defense of a student’s dissertation. This exam can be taken after completing all degree requirements, but not earlier than one month before completing the minimum registered semester requirements. At least two semesters of successful registration must be completed between the passing of the A Exam and the scheduling of the B Exam. A complete draft of the dissertation must be submitted to all special committee members six weeks prior to the B exam, and a final draft is due to all members five business days before the exam.  The B exam should not be scheduled until the dissertation is complete and in final format. Additionally, the final dissertation must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than 60 days after the B exam. Enrollment in future terms is not permitted after a passed B exam.

Students are required to file a Schedule of B Exam form with the Graduate School at least 7 calendar days before the exam date. They must also file a Results of B Exam form with the Graduate School within 3 business days after the exam. Both forms are available at the Graduate School’s Forms webpage.

Doctoral students are required to submit a dissertation that is deemed acceptable in the scholarship and literary quality of the field. Acceptance of the dissertation requires the approval of all special committee members. With approval from their special committee, the Field of EEB does allow a student to submit a dissertation consisting of publishable papers that are not necessarily related. Papers may include multiple authors, but the work of the student must be substantive. For more information, please see the Graduate School’s Thesis & Dissertation website.

Launch Teams. A Launch Team consisting of three faculty members (including the advisor) and one graduate student will be assigned to each new student. More information about the role of the launch team, as well as the timing and content of the launch team meeting, is distributed via email by the GFA in August.

EEB Assessment Dialog. All EEB graduate students are expected to have basic proficiency in both ecology and evolution. The basic level of knowledge expected is equivalent to our introductory ecology (BIOEE 1610) and evolution (BIOEE 1780) courses, as well as any specialty areas relevant to thesis directions. Before the start of Fall classes, all new students will be asked to fill out a survey for their launch team meeting. The advisor/launch team will review the student’s response and fill out their own survey detailing their recommendations for ensuring the student meets all EEB proficiencies. A plan for filling knowledge gaps is developed by the launch team. Knowledge gaps can be addressed by coursework, serving as a teaching assistant, or other approaches recommended by the launch team. This plan needs to be submitted in a survey and approved by the DGS, as a mechanism to promote uniformity of standards across launch teams. The plan will be revisited at the first committee meeting and again at the A Exam; thus, it is meant as an iterative dialog between the student and the special committee about general background knowledge, with a written record. 

EEB Laboratory Guidelines and Expectations. Each lab has produced a Laboratory Guidelines and Expectations document explaining the workings of the lab, expectations advisors have of graduate students, and that grad students can have of advisors. Students have access to Laboratory Guidelines and Expectations documents in Box. Please do not share these guidelines with individuals who are not current members of Cornell EEB without the permission of the author. Contact the GFA for access.

Faculty Advancing Inclusive Mentoring (FAIM). Cornell supports the FAIM framework for faculty/student mentoring that draws upon a strengths-based and identity-informed approach to support mutual growth, development, and success (NASEM, 2019; Windchief, 2019).

The FAIM philosophy, key principles, and core mutual expectation areas for inclusive mentorship provide a foundation for fulfilling mentoring relationships by:

• supporting mentors and mentees as they seek to develop an understanding of one another’s expectations, cultures, values, and sources of motivation;
• helping mentors and mentees develop a mentorship plan better aligned to a mentor’s and mentee’s strengths, needs, and goals; and
• providing resources and tools that can be adapted and adopted by mentors and mentees to be contextually relevant.

The GFA and DGS can provide advice and help navigating mentoring challenges that may arise.

Annual Committee Meeting. Committee meetings are important opportunities to organize the student’s progress and update committee members. Students are required to have a committee meeting at least once per year.

Teaching Requirement. All EEB PhD students are required to serve as a paid Teaching Assistant (TA) for at least two semesters, working in partnership with faculty to teach undergraduate and graduate courses. Typical TA responsibilities include leading group discussions, assisting with grading, supervising laboratory or field-course exercises, and providing study assistance to students. 

Finishing Seminar. EEB graduate students present a finishing Departmental seminar on their dissertation work in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (or in another home department of their Special Committee Chair). The formal requirement is that this seminar be offered sometime in the two months immediately preceding their dissertation defense, but it usually occurs on the same day as the B Exam.

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training

Every graduate student pursuing a research degree is required to complete training on Responsible Conduct of Research, addressing issues of authorship, peer review, plagiarism, and research misconduct. Each student must complete online training through Cornell’s Office of Research Integrity and Assurance (ORIA) prior to the end of the second registered semester.

For more information, please visit the Graduate School’s Responsible Conduct of Research webpage.

EEB Course. BIOEE 7650, Professional Development in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. 1 credit. Group discussion on professional activities for academic ecologists and evolutionary biologists. Topics include: writing a CV, publication strategies, finding a postdoc, the tenure process, grant writing, manuscript reviews, networking, public speaking, and scientific collaboration.

Graduate School Resources. The Cornell Graduate School offers a suite of academic, career, professional, and personal development programs that students are encouraged to explore. These are general, suitable for students across the entire graduate school and cover all phases of the student journey from learning how to navigate graduate school to identifying and applying for jobs.

• Career and Professional Development
• Future Faculty and Academic Careers
• Careers Beyond Academia
• Pathways to Success
• Events and Workshops
• Office of Academic Affairs
• Inclusion and Student Engagement
• Student Life Programs
• Postdoctoral Studies

Six-Year Guarantee of Support

The Field guarantees six years of support (stipend, tuition, and health insurance), including six years of summer support to all of our incoming PhD students. Doctoral students will remain funded through the completion of the degree as long as they remain in good academic standing. For more information, go to EEB’s Guarantee of Funding webpage or the Graduate School’s Financial Support webpage.

TA Application Process

The Department of EEB begins to plan teaching assistant assignments for the next academic year in January. Students who wish to be considered for an EEB TA position must complete an application form. For all those requesting EEB TA positions, the Department requires that the student also complete an OUB Core Biology TA application, unless they have already taught 4 semesters of an OUB course other than BIOEE 1610. Look for an email in January or February from the GFA detailing the TA application process.

Paul Graduate Fellowship

The Andrew ’78 and Margaret Paul Graduate Fellowship in the Life Sciences helps graduate students in the EEB and NBB departments by supporting them financially (one semester of stipend, tuition, and health insurance funding) while they are away from Ithaca conducting their PhD dissertation research. To be eligible, a student must have in absentia status during the period of fellowship support. The call for applications is sent via email by the EEB Department office in the Spring semester. Questions can be addressed to the Chair’s Assistant.

Research Support

Each year, the Department of EEB offers research support from its Graduate Student Research Funds, including the Orenstein Fund. Look for an email soliciting applications from the EEB Department office sometime in the Spring semester. Questions can be addressed to the Chair’s Assistant.

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) offers Mellon/Kieckhefer Fellowships to support student research. For more information and application guidelines, visit the CALS Graduate Student Grants Proposal Information webpage.

Stipend Payments and Direct Deposit

Stipends are payments made to students to help offset expenses such as housing, room, board, and supplies. For more information, go to the Graduate School’s Assistantship and Fellowship Stipend Rates webpage. Students are strongly encouraged to sign up for direct deposit in order to receive their stipends in a timely manner.

• Fellowship stipends are paid through the bursar system and appear as refunds on student accounts in lump-sum payments near the beginning of the semester. To sign up for bursar refund direct deposit, visit the bursar website.
• Assistantship stipends are paid through the Cornell payroll system on a semi-monthly basis near the 1st and 15th of each month. To sign up for payroll direct deposit, visit the payroll website.

Summer Support

EEB PhD students are guaranteed 6 summers of stipend support. All Field of EEB students must apply for summer stipend funds even if they have external support. The GFA will send an email in early March asking students to fill out a Summer Support Questionnaire which will be due at the end of March.

Holiday and Vacation Time

Graduate students funded on assistantships (see University Policy 1.3 for details) or fellowships for spring, summer, and fall terms are entitled to two weeks (10 weekdays) of annual vacation each calendar year in addition to Cornell University holidays (when the university is officially closed); vacation time will be pro-rated for students funded for shorter periods of time. University holidays generally include 13 days: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the following day, and Winter Break (generally six working days from December 25 through January 1). Assistantship and fellowship stipend, tuition, and health plan packages are financial support for graduate study and are not reduced for holiday or approved vacation time away.

Please note that January intersession, Spring break and Fall break in the academic calendar are NOT holidays for graduate students, unless a graduate student wishes to use some of their 10 vacation days.

Awards

The Department has established the following awards which are presented annually to deserving graduate students.

• The Whittaker Award is given for the best oral presentation by a Cornell graduate student at the Graduate Student Association Symposium.
• The EEB Book Award is for the best paper given by an EEB Department/Field beginning (first- or second-year) graduate student at the Graduate Student Association Symposium.
• The Cole Award is given for an outstanding paper by a graduate student of a Department faculty member or joint appointee.
• The Department annually nominates one of its graduate students to receive a CALS Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award in recognition of superior teaching performance.
• The Department also presents its own Excellence in Teaching Award to another graduate student who has excelled as a teacher.

To view a list of previous award recipients, visit the EEB Grad Student Awards webpage.

DEIJB Working Groups

In 2020, EEB organized eight working groups focused on creating diversity and improving inclusiveness in the Department. The original eight Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Belonging (DEIJB) Working Groups are: Seminar Series; Fostering Departmental Belonging; Curriculum Content; Statement/Website; Departmental Training in DEIJ; Grad Student Recruitment; Hiring and Promotion Procedures for Faculty, Postdocs, and Staff; and Fieldwork. Students interested in joining a Working Group should contact the Chair’s Assistant.

EEB Annual Picnic

The Department Annual Picnic is held every year in August and it’s a great opportunity to become better acquainted with graduate students, staff, and faculty. Significant others and kids are welcome. Look for an email with more information from the Annual Picnic Committee sometime in July.

EEB Graduate Student Symposium

The EEB Symposium is an opportunity for all graduate students, faculty, postdocs and other researchers, and undergraduates to present and learn about current and proposed research in ecology, evolutionary biology, and related fields. Anyone interested in these areas is welcome to participate. Look for an email with more information from the Symposium Committee sometime in the Fall semester.

EEB Holiday Party

The Department Holiday Party is usually held the first Saturday in December. It is a great time to get together before the winter break and enjoy good food, some drinks, a trivia game, and general good cheer! Look for more information in November via email from the Holiday Party Committee.

Field Safety

Two EEB graduate students, Amelia-Juliette Demery and Monique Pipkin, wrote an article recommending strategies to minimize risk for all individuals conducting fieldwork. The article, “Safe fieldwork strategies for at-risk individuals, their supervisors and institutions,” was published in Nature in October 2020.

The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Belonging (DEIJB) Fieldwork working group has put together an EEB Field Safety Plan for use by members of the Department. This document is ultimately meant to provide an opportunity for focused discussion on research plans for all research projects. The idea behind the document is to get every person in every lab, from the PI to the first-year graduate student(s) and all levels in-between, on the same page with respect to the field work planned and being conducted. In essence it serves to make sure that each lab is aware of what field work is being conducted, where it is being conducted and that all participants are aware of the work being undertaken so that everyone feels comfortable with moving ahead on their plans for research. This document also serves as a reference for the many resources and courses available at Cornell for safely conducting field research, e.g. first aid, heat and cold stress safety, safety based on geography, and other aspects of field safety.

For the Field Safety Plan used in your lab, contact your advisor.

Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GPSA)

The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly ensures direct and continued involvement of graduate and professional school students in the governance of non-academic affairs of the University. The GPSA brings together Cornell’s community of graduate and professional students to address non-academic issues of common concern. Drawing upon the strengths of its diverse community, the GPSA is responsible for setting and distributing the graduate student activity fee and representatives to University committees. The GPSA is composed of delegates from each graduate field and the professional schools and nineteen voting members, elected from the larger body of field representatives.

Graduate Student Association (GSA)

The graduate students in EEB study a diverse range of taxa and subjects in evolution and ecology.  On the GSA website, you will find information about our current students’ research, as well as the social and academic events that help them stay connected as a community. 

Reporting Bias

Reporting, understanding, and preventing unacceptable behaviors such as bias, sexual misconduct, and hazing are essential to maintaining a caring community. For more information regarding reporting these incidents as well as receiving care and support, visit the Graduate School’s Reporting Bias webpage.

Research with Live Vertebrates

Graduate students whose research involves live vertebrates must seek and receive a notice of approval, through the sponsoring faculty member, of the Cornell University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee prior to ordering, acquiring, or handling animals for their research.

Student Organizations that Promotion Diversity and Inclusion

Cornell is home to a number of graduate and professional student organizations that promote diversity and inclusion. These organizations work collaboratively with the Graduate School and other campus partners on initiatives to advance a sense of community, professional excellence, and a climate of equity and inclusion for all graduate and professional students, but especially for those from backgrounds historically excluded from and underrepresented in the academy. For more information, visit the Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement’s list of Student Organizations.

Teaching Resources

Cornell’s Center for Teaching Innovation (CTI) has programming for graduate students to support them in designing and implementing the best learning opportunities for undergraduates and to prepare them for future teaching-related endeavors. For more information, visit CTI’s Graduate Students & Postdoctoral Fellows webpage. CTI also developed a Cornell Teaching Assistant Orientation program to help prepare TAs for success.

Suggested Timeline Toward Degree

	Fall	Spring
Year 1	Complete an EEB Assessment Dialog Form before meeting with Launch Team. Meet with Launch Team before classes start. Enroll in Core Course: BIOEE 7670, Current Topics in EEB. Enroll in BIOEE 9990, PhD Dissertation Research. Appoint Special Committee Chair in Student Center by the end of the third week. Review Laboratory Guidelines and Expectations. Complete a short-form Student Progress Review (SPR) by November 30.	Enroll in BIOEE 9990, PhD Dissertation Research. Complete a teaching assistant application. Complete a Summer Support Questionnaire. Complete Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training. Enroll for Summer term by mid-May.
Year 2	Enroll in BIOEE 9990, PhD Dissertation Research. Appoint full Special Committee in Student Center by the end of the third semester. Meet with Special Committee annually (fall, spring, or summer). Complete a Student Progress Review (SPR) by November 30.	Enroll in BIOEE 9990, PhD Dissertation Research. Complete a teaching assistant application. Complete a Summer Support Questionnaire. Enroll for Summer term by mid-May.
Year 3	Meet with Special Committee annually (fall, spring, or summer). Take A Exam by the end of the 5th semester. Enroll in BIOEE 9990, PhD Dissertation Research. Complete a Student Progress Review (SPR) by November 30.	Enroll in BIOEE 9990, PhD Dissertation Research. Complete a teaching assistant application. Complete a Summer Support Questionnaire. Enroll for Summer term by mid-May.
Year 4 and Beyond Until Finishing Year	Meet with Special Committee annually (fall, spring, or summer). Enroll in BIOEE 9990, PhD Dissertation Research. Complete a Student Progress Review (SPR) by November 30.	Enroll in BIOEE 9990, PhD Dissertation Research. Complete a teaching assistant application. Complete a Summer Support Questionnaire. Enroll for Summer term by mid-May.
Finishing Year	Meet with Special Committee annually (fall, spring, or summer). Enroll in BIOEE 9990, PhD Dissertation Research. Complete a Student Progress Review (SPR) by November 30.	Enroll in BIOEE 9990, PhD Dissertation Research. Give Finishing Seminar. Take B Exam. Submit dissertation by deadline.