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Graduate Programs
Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Management
College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
*Descriptions below are my guidance for students interested in pursuing a Master's degree in my lab, and do not represent the views of the department. Please see department guidelines for application deadlines, application package guidelines, etc.
Lab Member Desirable Attributes: When reviewing a potential lab members' CV I look for 1-2+ years of extended technical experience with specific skills that will allow a student to hit the ground running on their research project, such as banding birds, animal/plant surveys, data analysis and interpretation, genetics lab experience, use of R for modeling and statistical analyses, GIS mapping and spatial analyses. These skills may be obtained through coursework or training during the MS program, but a background in at least 2-3 of these skills prior to entering the program, particularly those necessary for your proposed research, increase likelihood of success. A potential student should have excellent writing skills, since students are expected to publish their thesis in peer-reviewed journals. More importantly, I'm looking for reliability, time-management skills, follow-through, and a good work ethic, as it takes quite a bit of perseverance to complete an MS. Finally, it's really important to me to have a low-drama lab where people get along, are respectful to each other, the local community, and their collaborators, take initiative and work independently, help each other with fieldwork, experimental design, reviewing drafts, etc., and engage in "paying it forward" through mentoring others with the skills and knowledge gained.
MS Plan A: For this program you need to pre-identify the research adviser you will work with. Most, like me, do not accept students into the MS program without funding (you need to be able to eat and pay the bills while doing your research). In my lab, most students work with me for a year prior to beginning the program to submit 3+ large grant proposals ($50,000+) that could potentially fund their research. In all situations where potential students have worked with me on this route, they have been funded by the time they began their MS program, allowing them to hit the ground running on their research. Sometimes you get lucky and I have funding sitting around waiting for the right student, but it's still useful for you to have proposed an outline of the research you plan on completing in the program. Students in this program and PhD candidates have priority hiring for Teaching Assistant positions in the department, but TA positions are competitive, and limit the time available for completing thesis research.
MEM: The Master's in Environmental Management program is a capstone-based course-heavy program with 36 credits of course work. Students working with me in this program will be expected to produce one peer-reviewed publication based on their capstone project. Students may choose to enter this program without funding in place, but THIS IS NOT ADVISED, as you still need to eat and pay the bills. Teaching Assistant positions are competitive and are not guaranteed. Graduate Assistant positions working on others' research are sometimes available, but should not be depended upon. Though not required, my advice is that you should have savings in place, or a job secured to pay the bills, prior to entering this program. Do not "figure it out as you go," or you will have unnecessary stress during your graduate program.
Lab Member Desirable Attributes: When reviewing a potential lab members' CV I look for 1-2+ years of extended technical experience with specific skills that will allow a student to hit the ground running on their research project, such as banding birds, animal/plant surveys, data analysis and interpretation, genetics lab experience, use of R for modeling and statistical analyses, GIS mapping and spatial analyses. These skills may be obtained through coursework or training during the MS program, but a background in at least 2-3 of these skills prior to entering the program, particularly those necessary for your proposed research, increase likelihood of success. A potential student should have excellent writing skills, since students are expected to publish their thesis in peer-reviewed journals. More importantly, I'm looking for reliability, time-management skills, follow-through, and a good work ethic, as it takes quite a bit of perseverance to complete an MS. Finally, it's really important to me to have a low-drama lab where people get along, are respectful to each other, the local community, and their collaborators, take initiative and work independently, help each other with fieldwork, experimental design, reviewing drafts, etc., and engage in "paying it forward" through mentoring others with the skills and knowledge gained.
MS Plan A: For this program you need to pre-identify the research adviser you will work with. Most, like me, do not accept students into the MS program without funding (you need to be able to eat and pay the bills while doing your research). In my lab, most students work with me for a year prior to beginning the program to submit 3+ large grant proposals ($50,000+) that could potentially fund their research. In all situations where potential students have worked with me on this route, they have been funded by the time they began their MS program, allowing them to hit the ground running on their research. Sometimes you get lucky and I have funding sitting around waiting for the right student, but it's still useful for you to have proposed an outline of the research you plan on completing in the program. Students in this program and PhD candidates have priority hiring for Teaching Assistant positions in the department, but TA positions are competitive, and limit the time available for completing thesis research.
MEM: The Master's in Environmental Management program is a capstone-based course-heavy program with 36 credits of course work. Students working with me in this program will be expected to produce one peer-reviewed publication based on their capstone project. Students may choose to enter this program without funding in place, but THIS IS NOT ADVISED, as you still need to eat and pay the bills. Teaching Assistant positions are competitive and are not guaranteed. Graduate Assistant positions working on others' research are sometimes available, but should not be depended upon. Though not required, my advice is that you should have savings in place, or a job secured to pay the bills, prior to entering this program. Do not "figure it out as you go," or you will have unnecessary stress during your graduate program.