Ecology and Evolution Graduate Program

Student Life

LaPuma Birding

Ecology and Evolution Graduate Student Association.
There are approximately 100 matriculated students in the Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolution.

Every E&E grad student is a member of the Ecology and Evolution Graduate Student Association (EcoGSA). The EcoGSA is a student organization recognized by the University with officers elected from the E&E student population. They organize and sponsor several events throughout the year including a weekly graduate student seminar series, an annual Rutgers-Penn-Princeton Student Symposium, The Run-for-the-Woods (a 5K race to benefit the EcoGSA and Helyars Woods), a fund-raising event at AgField Day and the Annual Eminent Ecologist Seminar. These are the planned and organized events, many spontaneous events occur throughout the year.

BioHazards

The E&E graduate students and some of the "younger" faculty form a softball team each spring known as the BioHazards. They play selected teams from across the university throughout the summer and have been known to win the university-wide championship. The fall 2006 semester also saw the organization of a two intramural soccer teams, a flag football team and a water-polo team. They are always scouting for new talent for each sport.

Graduate Student Representatives to the E&E Program.

Two graduate students are elected yearly to represent the student body to Ecology and Evolution Graduate Program faculty. They act as the formal liaisons between the faculty and the students at program meetings providing student input on all areas of the program workings. The by-laws of the E&E program require that there be one pre-qual and one post-qual representative elected each year.

The University

As a university strongly committed to graduate education and research, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, provides graduate programs of exceptional academic quality taught by a distinguished faculty. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers is now one of the nation's largest state university systems, with an enrollment at the New Brunswick, Newark, and Camden campuses of approximately 50,000 students. Students who choose Rutgers join a university that promises high standards, diversity, excellent academic resources, and a full complement of research, seminar, and cultural activities.

Area Attractions

Rutgers is located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, with campuses also in Newark and Camden. New Brunswick is centrally located, close to all major highways, buses, and trains and about 30 minutes from Newark International Airport.

The town of Princeton and Princeton University are a 30 minute commute to the south. Students can take advantage of the many cultural and intellectual attractions that both the town and the university have to offer.

There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors in a variety of landscapes.Three of New Jerseys more well-known areas, the Shore, the Delaware Water Gap and the Pine Barrens offer a diversity of ecological and outdoors experiences.

In addition to the variety of attractions in New Jersey, Rutgers's proximity to both New York City and Philadelphia is a notable asset for those who enjoy the cultural and academic opportunities these major metropolitan centers provide.