With line-item support in the University budget, the Center's program is a major mission of the institution. Academically, a primary Center purpose is to provide a basic scientific underpinning for the basic and applied ecological programs in the Colleges of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Science. But many of its research projects address applied natural resources and environmental problems. See current projects under Current Ecology Center Projects . Center faculty are actively involved in professional advisory roles at state, national, and international levels.
Faculty members serve on an array of commissions, boards, review panels, and advisory committees.
The University maintains off-campus ecological research stations in Cache Valley and a special aquatic station at a large lake, Bear Lake, approximately 50 miles from the campus. There are well-equipped teaching and research labs on campus, including facilities for chemical analysis, fish culture research, stable isotope analyses , D.N.A. sequencing, geographical information systems and remote sensing, and BLM National Aquatic Monitoring Center . Entrance Requirements for Graduate Program Competence in ecology requires a background in a number of disciplines. Although ecologists usually have their primary training in biology, they should also have some understanding of geology, soils, meteorology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and statistics. Accordingly, incoming students who lack course work in these areas may be asked to make up deficiencies in addition to the course of studies required for the degrees themselves.