Good scientists have always been needed in environmental and resource management. They are increasingly needed in government, policy making, journalism, and other fields as well. I bring all of this up because I think it would be irresponsible for me, under these conditions, to accept more students than I believe have a reasonable chance of finding satisfactory employment after they graduate. Unfortunately, this raises the bar somewhat higher for admission to a competitive graduate program. My philosophy of graduate education .
Graduate education is fundamentally about becoming an independent scientist.
Both scientific development and independence are thus critical to your success. All of these activities require self-motivation and organization. Therefore, you will need to develop these skills rapidly in grad school if you are currently weak in them. I expect my students actively to seek funding for their research, and to take personal responsibility for their timely progress. I am committed to mentoring and giving my students whatever time and guidance they need, but I also fully expect independence.