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This program aims to give students comprehensive exposure to ecological and evolutionary concepts and research methods, mainly through seminars and structured coursework, along with focused study in specific subfields (typically directed by the student's Special Committee). Each student's curriculum is customized to their individual goals. State-of-the-art laboratory facilities and nearby field sites are accessible, alongside extensive collections and library resources. Mandatory teaching experience is gained by serving as a teaching assistant for a minimum of two semesters. Prospective graduate students are encouraged to reach out to the graduate field office or faculty members with questions.
Cornell is at the forefront of Discipline-Based Education Research, an evolving field that investigates teaching and learning within specific academic disciplines like biology. This interdisciplinary approach integrates insights and techniques from social sciences, psychology, education, and cognitive science to improve both student learning and instructional methods. In EEB, ongoing research includes designing assessment tools to examine student thought processes in biology, improving classroom inclusivity through active learning strategies, assessing how different teaching approaches influence long-term STEM retention and career growth, and fostering faculty collaborations to address challenges like easing the transition from high school to college-level STEM courses. These investigations employ classroom assessments, interviews, observational studies, and surveys, analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative approaches.