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Program Overview

The Drexel University master’s degree in Ecology, Evolution and Earth Systems (EEES) offers full- and part-time plans of study to meet the needs and career goals of students, such as those who would like to gain work experience while in school. Applicants should have a bachelor of science degree in science, mathematics or engineering. They also should have completed a year each of general biology and general chemistry, as well as one semester of calculus. Experience in organic chemistry and physics may be useful, depending on student interest. These requirements are in addition to the general requirements for Drexel applicants. While the majority of students pursue a non-thesis option, a Master's program with thesis option is available.

Graduate Student Handbook (PDF)

Program Faculty

Department faculty are dedicated mentors who expertly guide graduate students in building programs of study to meet their academic and career interests. Faculty encourage students to immerse themselves in research opportunities, discover world-class facilities and explore essential field sites. In addition, faculty help prepare students to become effective communicators, advocates and leaders who confidently share research findings with their peers and make science more accessible to the public.

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	Faculty Member	Expertise
	Edward (Ted) Daeschler Professor; Curator and Chair of Vertebrate Zoology, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103 ebd29@drexel.edu	Vertebrate Paleontology History of the Earth Late Devonian fossil vertebrates Origin of tetrapods Fossil collecting Museum curation
	Jon Gelhaus Curator and Department Chair, Entomology Department, Academy of Natural Sciences Department of Entomology, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University jkg78@drexel.edu	Taxonomy Systematics Entomology Biodiversity Water Quality Museum Collections
	Danielle Kreeger Visiting Research Associate Professor in the Department of Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Sciences PISB 315 dak29@drexel.edu
	Tatyana Livshultz Associate Professor; Assistant Curator of Botany, Academy of Natural Sciences ANS tl534@drexel.edu	Botany Phylogenetic reconstruction Evolution of plant specialized metabolism Plant-insect interactions Plant functional morphology
	John G. Lundberg Professor Emeritus of Biodiversity, Earth & Environmental Science; Curator Emeritus, ANS jgl43@drexel.edu	Most of my research concerns the diversity and diversification of fishes. I seek to document and interpret the character (morphological and molecular) and taxonomic diversity of living and fossil fishes in the interrelated fields of systematics, faunistics and biogeography, and paleobiology. My work has a significant field component with exploration and collecting in poorly-known tropical freshwater habitats and regions.
	Michael O'Connor Professor; Chair, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee PISB 318 oconnomp@drexel.edu	Thermal, hydric, & energetic effects on the activity and distribution of reptiles and amphibians Physical constraints on heat and mass exchange by reptiles and amphbians Physiological and physical constraints on gas exchange in sea turtle nests - effects on metabolism and development
	Sean O'Donnell Professor PISB 324 so356@drexel.edu	Brain plasticity and the evolution of brain structure Social behavior and division of labor, especially of eusocial Hymenoptera Thermal ecology and thermal physiology Network models of social group organization Behavior and ecology of bird-army ant interactions Human-safe insecticides
	Daniel Otte Professor Emeritus of Biodiversity, Earth & Environmental Science; Senior Curator Emeritus, ANS Entomology, ANS do332@drexel.edu	I am a taxon scientist who specializes on the the taxonomy and biogeography of Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, katydids and their relatives), but I concentrate mainly on grasshoppers (Acridoidea) and crickets (Grylloidea). My principal interest, besides discovering new taxa, is in studying the origin of species. Over my career I have worked mainly on large faunal treatments of crickets (crickets of Australia, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Fiji, and New Caledonia) and grasshoppers (North America and southern Africa). I have discovered and named approximately 1600 species and have discovered nearly 25% of the World’s 5000+ cricket species. My main emphasis has been in studying the earliest stages of speciation. In crickets I use mainly the songs for initial recognition of species. This allowed me to discover large numbers of species that could not be distinguished by morphology alone. I spent approximately 15 years assembling major online catalogs to the world’s species of Orthoptera, Mantodea, Phasmida and Blattodea. All told, the catalogs cover about 45,000 species. The databases are almost unique in biology in scope; they cover all known species and have begun to accumulate everything known about the world’s species (images, distribution, habitat, ecology, life cycles, etc). The Orthoptera Species File is now financially endowed and will be supported in perpetuity. No other taxonomic databases are as comprehensive. I am currently attempting to complete two faunal treatments of grasshoppers: an all-species taxonomic treatment of North American grasshoppers, covering the entire continent (plus the Caribbean basin), plus an all-species treatment of the grasshoppers of Southern Africa (from the Zambezi southwards). Each volume will contain approximately 1000 species (of these about 20% of the species are expected to be new to science). I spend much of my time working in museums that have good holdings of North American and southern African grasshoppers (Berlin, London, Madrid, Paris, University of Michigan, California Academy of Sciences, and the National Insect Collection in Pretoria).
	Marina Potapova Associate Professor Curator of Diatoms, Academy of Natural Sciences mp895@drexel.edu	Water quality Algae, Protists Diatoms Aquatic Ecology Biological Collections Environmental Pollution
	Gary Rosenberg Professor; Pilsbry Chair of Malacology, Academy of Natural Sciences Malacology, ANS gr347@drexel.edu	Malacology Systematics Evolution Taxonomy Nomenclature
	Jacob A. Russell Professor PISB 325 jar337@drexel.edu	Roles of bacterial symbionts in ant evolution Function, stability, and dynamics of heritable symbiont communities in aphids Genomic mechanisms driving correlations between symbiosis and insect ecology Coevolutionary histories between insects and their microbes
	Alexis Schulman Assistant Research Professor; Director of the Environmental Studies and Sustainability Program Dolan Fellow for Innovation in Water Science, Patrick Center for Environmental Research, Academy of Natural Sciences Patrick Center 336 as5293@drexel.edu	Environmental policy and politics Urban planning Sustainability and resilience transitions Policy implementation Local knowledge and community science
	Jocelyn A. Sessa Associate Professor; Associate Curator, Invertebrate Paleontology Department, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103 jsessa@drexel.edu	Ocean acidification Mollusks Climate change Paleobiology
	Loÿc Vanderkluysen Associate Professor PISB, Room 322 loyc@drexel.edu	Volcano remote sensing and monitoring Volcanic gasses Igneous petrology and geochemistry Large Igneous Provinces
	David Velinsky Professor The Academy of Natural Sciences, 2nd Floor 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA velinsky@drexel.edu	Fate and transport of chemical contaminants Stable isotope and nutrient biogeochemistry Sediment geochemistry and deposition Water quality
	Jason D. Weckstein Associate Professor Associate Curator of Ornithology, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Ornithology Department 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19096 jdw342@drexel.edu	Phylogenetics Host-parasite coevolution; Ornithology Systematic biology; Comparative biology Biodiversity surveys Genomics

Career Outcomes

Careers for graduates with a master's degree in Ecology, Evolution and Earth Systems (EEES) are found across many industries. For instance, candidates with a master's in EEES are especially sought after in sectors such as environmental research or policy. Though master’s degrees are research-focused, Drexel offers both thesis and non-thesis options. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that employment of environmental scientists and specialists is projected to grow 8 percent from 2020 to 2030. Graduates with a master’s degree earn higher wages and have a competitive advantage for advanced technical positions.

People with careers in the public, private and nonprofit sectors can benefit from an advanced degree in EEES. With a master’s in EEES, graduates can find jobs in the public sector, including federal, state and local government agencies. Private companies and corporations also increasingly employ EEES master's degree graduates to improve sustainability practices, research government regulations, apply for government incentives and more. An EEES degree has many applications in nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations dedicated to protecting the environment. 

There are a variety of careers that fit each individual’s skill set, experiences and interests. Professionals in the EEES field include:

• Environmental consultant
• Environmental scientist
• Ecologist
• Natural resource scientist
• Research technician
• Wildlife biologist

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Non-Thesis Option

The Ecology, Evolution and Earth Systems (EEES) master's program non-thesis option is a coursework-based degree for those looking to advance in their fields but not desiring direct research experience. Students will devise a plan of study suited to their individual needs in consultation with the Graduate Advisor before submitting the plan to the Graduate Program Committee. The Graduate Advisor must approve all courses and annual meetings with the Graduate Adviser are required.

Thesis Option

The master’s in EEES thesis option is for students interested in advanced graduate coursework and experience in completing an original research project. Students who pursue the Master's with a thesis complete their coursework requirements as well as an original research project under the mentorship of a departmental faculty member. Admission is dependent upon the identification of a specific faculty member to serve as an adviser.

Students must be formally accepted into the research program of a faculty member to enroll in the master's with thesis program. They should contact potential advisers prior to enrolling in the program. In some instances, faculty members can act as co-mentors if students can perform master's thesis research in their place of employment. Students should contact potential advisers before enrolling in the program to begin their original research project in ecology, evolution, biodiversity, conservation, earth systems science, or environmental science during the first year. The findings of this work should be publishable in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. The selected Thesis Adviser, the Thesis Research Committee and the Graduate Program Committee guide progress toward these degree requirements.

Curriculum

Students in an EEES graduate program must devise a plan of study in consultation with the Graduate Adviser by the end of their first term. The plan of study is submitted to the Thesis Committee for final approval.

Key Components and Milestones

• Research: Students must be accepted into the laboratory of their Thesis Advisor prior to enrolling in the program.
• Research Committee: The Thesis Research Committee must be formed by the end of the second quarter.
• Thesis Proposal: Thesis proposal acceptance by the Thesis Research Committee must be successfully completed by the end of the first year.
• Coursework: Master's in EEES coursework should be completed in the first two years of study.
• Thesis: The thesis should be developed in consultation with the Thesis Advisor.
• Thesis Defense: Each student should complete his/her thesis defense within two to three years.

Drexel Library: Theses, Dissertations and Projects