Training in the program emphasizes fundamental and applied research in the areas of behavior, ecology, evolution, systematics, and related disciplines. While the BEES Program is administered from the College of Life Sciences , it is truly multidisciplinary with over 45 distinguished graduate faculty from ten departments in five colleges at the University of Maryland and over 20 outstanding adjunct faculty from several nearby research institutions, including the Smithsonian Institution and the the Laboratory of Genomic Diversity at the National Cancer Institute. Together these individuals comprise one of the largest groups of its kind in the country and have expertise in behavioral ecology, neuroethology, physiological ecology, community ecology, population ecology, evolutionary ecology, evolutionary development, quantitative genetics, population genetics, molecular evolution, human evolution, systematics, and functional genomics. The goals of the program are to provide access to world-class research facilities, facilitate communication and collaboration among faculty and students, and provide an incomparable environment for training the next generation of outstanding scientists. Greenhouses for research are available.
Students can also acquire training and conduct research at several sites off campus.
The Smithsonian Institution manages several research facilities utilized by BEES students. The National Zoo is a 163-acre public park with over 500 species of vertebrate and invertebrate animals on and off exhibit available for research by BEES students. The Center for Research and Conservation includes 1600 acres in large paddocks for propagation and research on 35 species of endangered birds and mammals and 1600 acres in native forest with a permanent trapping grid for small mammals. Facilities include labs for endocrinology and GIS and a dormitory for students. The Laboratory of Molecular Systematics is a research unit of the National Museum of Natural History located 35 km from campus in Suitland, Maryland.