The program will train future leaders who will be creative agents for change to develop society's capacity to cope with, manage, and mitigate threats to our nation's oceans, including climate change, fishing pressure, habitat loss, and pollution. Graduates will be well-prepared to contribute to both the understanding and management of marine ecosystems to ensure ecosystem-based strategies for the sustainable use of living marine resources in the context of competing local, national, and international interests.

MESAS provides interdisciplinary coursework that combines elements from anthropology, ecology, economics, fisheries science, management, marine policy, and oceanography. MESAS offers faculty mentorship, opportunities to mentor undergraduate students, interaction with the terrestrial sustainability IGERT at UAF, as well as a summer internship program in areas outside each student's major discipline.

Prior to application, you must contact one of the MESAS faculty or other UAF faculty with interests pertaining to MESAS. Send the faculty member a letter of interest and copy: mesas@uaf.edu. Applicants to the MESAS program must also apply for UAF graduate admission in the PhD program in the supporting faculty member's department.

Submit the following to the MESAS program office once a faculty member agrees to sponsor your application for an IGERT traineeship:

  1. Application in electronic form (MS Word or PDF) with a brief statement (1000 word maximum) explaining why you want to participate in MESAS, your qualifications for interdisciplinary study, and how your research will relate to MESAS;
  2. A resume in electronic form (MS Word or PDF); and
  3. A letter from your prospective advisor supporting your application to the MESAS program. This should come directly from the faculty member in electronic form (MS Word or PDF).
The deadline for application is Sunday, 15 February 2009. For further information, please go to: http://www.uaf.edu/mesas

or contact the

MESAS Program at:
Email: mesas@uaf.edu  
Phone:  90...