Descriptions and Contact Information

BEES fosters basic and applied interdisciplinary research in the broad areas of behavior, ecology, evolution, and systematics, enriched by strong links with the Smithsonian and other institutions in the metro DC area.

The Program
Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics (BEES) is one of four Concentration Areas within the University of Maryland’s Biological Sciences Graduate Program (BISI). BISI offers outstanding opportunities for research and discovery within and across contemporary disciplines.Faculty mentors in BEES help students investigate exciting questions, in directions driven by each student’s interests and curiosity in advancing and applying science. The curriculum is individualized, tailored to each student’s background and goals.

Students apply to the BISI program, selecting BEES as their Concentration Area of interest. Admission requires a strong academic record, letters of reference, and standardized test scores, and preferably some research experience, though the field of research is unimportant. The application deadline is December 15. In addition to BEES, the Biological Sciences Graduate Program offers Concentration Areas in:

Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, and Genomics (CBBG)
Molecular and Cellular Biology (MOCB)
Physiological Systems (PSYS)

The Faculty
BEES consists of over 60 distinguished faculty from ten departments in five Colleges at the University of Maryland, including adjuncts from several nearby research institutions, such as the Smithsonian Institution, United States Department of Agriculture, and the National Institutes of Health. Together these individuals have expertise in behavioral ecology, neuroethology, physiological ecology, community ecology, conservation biology, population ecology, evolutionary ecology, evolutionary development, quantitative genetics, population genetics, evolutionary genetics, molecular evolution, systematics, and functional genomics. Faculty members are located on the College Park campus of the University of Maryland as well as at nearby Federal Institutions, including Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History, the National Zoo and USDA. Graduate students can have co-mentors at more than one institution.
The Research

Some of the ongoing research conducted by our faculty includes:

Quantifying the genetic basis of adaptations
Quantifying the processes underlying Angiosperm diversification
Quantifying the origins of sexual selection
Quantifying ecological processes governing community assembly

The Facilities
State-of-the-art facilities, unparalleled collections of living and preserved organisms, and access to temperate and tropical field sites involving diverse habitats and a wide range of organisms are available to BEES students to conduct research. Students can also acquire training and conduct research at several sites off campus:

Smithsonian Institution and National Zoological Park
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Beltsville Agricultural Research Center
Organization for Tropical Studies in Costa Rica
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama

The University
In addition to being a vibrant hub of science, mathematics, technology, physical and earth sciences, biotech, medicine, and environmental research and policy, the D.C. area’s rich and diverse culture make it an especially lively, friendly, accessible community for students to thrive professionally and personally. The campus is “inside the beltway,” situated 20 minutes (by convenient Metro ride from College Park) from the heart of the nation’s capital.
The University offers unique opportunities for research and collaboration with many neighboring institutions, including:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Smithsonian Institution, including the National Zoo
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

More Information
2101 Bioscience Research Building
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742

301.405.6905
301.405.6991
biologicalsciences@umd.edu