Ecology Undergraduate Mentorship Program

This program pairs highly motivated biology undergraduates one-on-one with graduate student mentors to conduct research under the guidance of a UCSB biology professor during the summer. This program aims to train the next generation of environmental problem solvers and provides many students with their first taste of what it’s like to be immersed in science.

It is a life changing experience for most. They take away new practical skills, a love of scientific inquiry and a deep commitment to environmental preservation and our planet’s future. College students who have close ties to faculty develop practical skills and networks through work in the lab or field and they are the most successful at applying their education in ways that benefit society. They go on to graduate and medical schools, become inspired teachers, alter the directions of government agencies and corporations, make major scientific discoveries, develop new technologies, and dedicate their lives to service.

Working with my graduate mentor Tom was a pivotal moment in my academic career.” The courses offered by UCSB are wonderful and in-depth, but nothing can compare to one-on-one mentoring. He took me through the entire research process – observing the environment, brainstorming questions and methods to address my hypotheses, conducting experiments, analyzing and interpreting the data, and finally writing up a paper for publication. I gained an enormous amount of confidence in my research abilities due to his guidance. It was exhilarating to be so involved in independent research.

Stephanie Hori, Aquatic Biology Major