Graduate Bulletin
|
|
1996-1997
|
Biology
In the College of Sciences
Office: Life Sciences 104
Telephone: (619) 594-6767
Sanford I. Bernstein, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, Chair of Department
Lawrence J. Alfred, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Michael F. Allen, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
J. David Archibald, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Frank T. Awbrey, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Carol A. Barnett, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Annalisa Berta, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Richard L. Bizzoco, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Michael J. Breindl, Ph.D., Professor of Biology (Graduate Adviser, Microbiology)
Lo-chai Chen, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Boyd D. Collier, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
George W. Cox, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Roger A. Davis, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Deborah M. Dexter, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Michael J. Dowler, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Thomas A. Ebert, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Kathleen M. Fisher, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Richard F. Ford, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Terrence G. Frey, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Christopher C. Glembotski, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Barbara B. Hemmingsen, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Don Hunsaker, II, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Stuart H. Hurlbert, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Gerald G. Johnson, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Kenneth D. Johnson, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, Graduate Coordinator, Biology
Neil Krekorian, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Skaidrite Krisans, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Leroy R. McClenaghan, Jr., Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Ronald E. Monroe, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Walter C. Oechel, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Paul J. Paolini, Jr., Ph.D., Professor of Biology, Associate Dean of the College of
Sciences
Jacques Perrault, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Charles F. Phleger, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Robert S. Pozos, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
David L. Rayle, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Roger A. Sabbadini, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Michael G. Simpson, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Constantine Tsoukas, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Susan L. Williams, Ph.D.,Professor of Biology
Joy B. Zedler, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Paul H. Zedler, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Judith W. Zyskind, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Vernon L. Avila, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology
Carol Beuchat, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology
Wayne F. Daugherty, Jr., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology
William P. Diehl, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology
David G. Futch, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology
Zac Hanscom, III, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology
Greg L. Harris, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology
Paula M. Mabee, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Biology
Kathy S. Williams, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology
Kaius Helenurm, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology
Kathleen L. McGuire, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology
Anca Mara Segall, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology
Graduate teaching associateships and graduate nonteaching associateships in biology are
available to a limited number of qualified students. Application blanks and additional
information may be secured from the graduate coordinator in biology.
The Department of Biology in the College of Sciences offers graduate study leading to the
degrees of Master of Arts and Master of Science in biology and the Master of Science degree
in microbiology. In addition, the Department of Biology offers a joint doctoral program with
the University of California, San Diego, and the ecology group offers a joint doctoral
program with the graduate group in ecology at the University of California, Davis.
A modern life science building provides facilities for graduate study in the biological
sciences. Additional facilities available in the community include the San Diego Zoo
hospital, the United States Department of Agriculture, Fish and Game Commission, the
Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute, the San Diego Natural History Museum, and the Naval
Underseas Center. San Diego State University also operates a marine laboratory on Mission Bay
and has access to research sites in the Chihuahua Valley, Fortuna Mountain, and Temecula
(Riverside County).
Section I
Master's Degree Programs
The Master of Arts degree in biology, with its foreign language requirement, is considered to
be essentially an academic degree that serves as a stepping stone to certain higher degree
programs. The Master of Science degrees in biology and microbiology are also acceptable as
preparation for more advanced degree programs. Studies for degrees in biology must be
completed in one of the research programs listed below.
In addition to the general requirements for admission to the University with classified
graduate standing, as described in Part Two of this bulletin, a student must satisfy the
following requirements before he/she will be considered for recommendation to enter the
masters program.
- 1. Meet the requirements deemed equivalent to a baccalaureate
degree in biology or microbiology at San Diego State
University.
- 2. Have a grade point average of 2.75 or better on work taken for
the baccalaureate degree.
- 3. Have a grade point average of 3.0 or better in upper division
courses (at least 24 units) acceptable for the major.
- 4. Meet biology departmental expectations on the GRE General
Test.
- 5. Have a score above the 60th percentile rank on the GRE Subject
(Advanced) Test in Biology or Biochemistry.
- 6. Be considered as capable of graduate work in the biological
sciences by two letters of reference submitted to the biology graduate coordinator.
- 7. Be accepted by a research program and be sponsored by a faculty
member of the area.
NOTE: Admission to a research program within the biology graduate program will be
limited to the number of students for which adequate facilities and faculty sponsorship are
available. Students should therefore be as specific as possible in their indication of
research interests and career goals. Individual research programs will admit students solely
on the basis of merit in relation to space and faculty availability.
Students who do not meet all of the above requirements for admission with classified graduate
standing may be admitted with conditionally classified graduate standing upon the
recommendation of the research program. Students so admitted will be advised as to the nature
of their deficiency and the time to be allowed to achieve full classified graduate standing.
Biology
All students must satisfy the general requirements for advancement to candidacy, including
the foreign language requirement for the Master of Arts degree, as stated in Part Two of this
bulletin. Satisfactory progress on the thesis research will be prerequisite to obtaining
departmental approval for advancement.
In addition to meeting the requirements for classified graduate standing and the basic
requirements for the master's degree as described in Part Two of this bulletin, the student
must complete a graduate program of 30 units of upper division and graduate courses selected,
with the approval of the graduate coordinator, from the biological sciences as listed below,
or from closely related fields. At least 15 of the units selected must be in 600- and
700-numbered courses, including Biology 799A, Thesis or Project. A maximum of six units of
the required 30 units may be selected from acceptable courses offered in the College of
Education. A reading knowledge of scientific French, German, Russian, or Spanish, and a final
oral examination in the field of the thesis and its implications in the broad fields of
biology are also required.
In addition to meeting the requirements for classified graduate standing and the basic
requirements for the master's degree as described in Part Two of this bulletin, the student
must complete a graduate program of 30 units of upper division and graduate courses selected,
with the approval of the graduate coordinator, from the biological sciences as listed below,
or from closely related fields. At least 15 of the units selected must be in 600- and
700-numbered courses, including Biology 799A, Thesis. A maximum of six units of the required
30 units may be selected from acceptable courses offered in the College of Education. A final
oral examination in the field of the thesis and its implication in the broad fields of
biology is also required.
The department expects students to complete all degree requirements within seven years. The
graduate coordinator, in some circumstances, may permit a student to validate a course for
recency only by repeating the outdated course or an equivalent course (see section of this
Bulletin on "Degree Time Limitations").
Ecology (Major Code: 04201): The overall program emphasizes quantitative approaches to
ecological research and the framing of problems within the general context of ecological
theory. Faculty and student research currently falls into the areas of limnology, marine
ecology, plant community ecology and primary productivity, physiological plant ecology,
marine aquaculture and fisheries ecology, animal population ecology and energetics,
ecological genetics, ecosystems management, and systems ecology. Program adviser, K.
Williams.
Microbiology (Major Code: 04111): A separate graduate degree is offered in
microbiology. Program adviser, Breindl.
Molecular Biology (Major Code: 04161): The program area is concerned with biology at
the molecular level, with particular emphases on the correlation of structure and function of
macromolecules, catalysis and control, molecular genetics, regulation of gene expression, and
the molecular basis of cellular architecture, cell movement, bioenergetics and membrane
function (administered through Molecular Biology Institute). Program adviser, Harris.
Physiology (Major Code: 04101): The major subareas of interest represented by the
faculty in the physiology program area include comparative cellular physiology (especially
osmoregulation, endocrinology and sensory physiology), photobiology, radiation biology, nerve
and muscle physiology, and plant ecophysiology. Program adviser, Harris.
Plant Sciences (Major Code: 04021): The areas of emphasis for graduate study in the
botany program include plant ecology, plant physiology, phycology, plant evolution, and plant
systematics. Program adviser, P. Zedler.
Systematics, Evolutionary, and Organismal Biology (Major Code: 04071): This research
program is broadly concerned with the biology, systematics, and evolution of whole organisms.
The student has a wide variety of research areas from which to choose, including morphology,
systematics, paleontology, natural history, behavior, comparative physiology, developmental
biology, population genetics, coevolution, and evolutionary theory. Many groups of organisms
are studied, including marine and terrestrial invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants. Program
adviser, Mabee.
In addition to the emphases described above, a number of faculty have active research
programs in marine biology and accept graduate students in this area.
Microbiology
All students must satisfy the general requirements for advancement to candidacy, as stated in
Part Two of this bulletin. Satisfactory progress on the thesis research will be prerequisite
to obtaining departmental approval for advancement.
In addition to meeting the requirements for classified graduate standing and the basic
requirements for the master's degree as described in Part Two of this bulletin, the student
must complete a graduate program of 30 units of upper division and graduate courses selected,
with the approval of the graduate adviser, from the biological sciences and closely related
fields.
Not less than 18 units must be selected from courses in the area of microbiology to include
not less than 15 units of 600- and 700-numbered courses. Among the 600- and 700-numbered
courses selected, the student's program must include Biology 799A, Thesis; and at least four
units of seminar. A maximum of six units of the required 30 units may be selected from
acceptable courses offered in other related areas, including the College of
Education.
A final oral examination on the field of the thesis and its implication in the broad fields
of microbiology is required.
Section II
Doctoral Programs
The cooperating faculties of the Departments of Biology at the University of California, San
Diego and at San Diego State University offer a joint doctoral program in biology (cell and
molecular). The research interests of the participating faculty members cover a wide range of
biological problems.
At SDSU, the major areas of research at the graduate level and the participating faculty
members include:
Biochemical genetics and gene expression: G. Harris.
Cell and molecular immunology: K. McGuire,
C. Tsoukas.
Cloning and gene mapping: S. Bernstein, W. Stumph, J. Zyskind.
DNA recombination and chromosome structure: A. Segall.
Membrane transport and energy transduction: A. Dahms, T. Frey, R.
Sabbadini.
Molecular biology of RNA viruses and bacteriophage: M. Breindl, J. Perrault.
Molecular endocrinology: C. Glembotski.
Regulation of metabolic pathways: R. Davis, S. Krisans.
Regulation of plant growth and development:
K. Johnson, D. Rayle.
Substructure and function in motile cells: R. Bizzoco, P. Paolini.
Applicants for admission to the doctoral program offered jointly by UCSD and SDSU must
present evidence of adequate preparation and capacity for advanced work in biology. There are
no inflexible requirements for entrance to graduate study in this program, but a strong
background in biology, mathematics, chemistry, and physics is recommended. The applicant must
have a bachelor's degree or the equivalent from an accredited institution of higher learning
with training comparable to that provided by the University of California's and San Diego
State University's undergraduate programs. Admission to the program requires acceptance by
each institution on recommendation of the participating departments at UCSD and SDSU. It is
understood that acceptance of a student into the joint program by each of the departments
will be conditioned by their respective standards for graduate admissions and also by
available facilities.
Students seeking admission to the joint doctoral program in biology should write directly to
the doctoral program adviser, Department of Biology, requesting application materials. A
complete application requires that the following information be provided:
The appropriate application form.
Three letters of recommendation (send directly to the doctoral program adviser,
SDSU).
Transcripts of academic work already completed.
Results of the Graduate Record Examination scores (including advanced biology, biochemistry,
chemistry or physics test score).
Statement of purpose.
After formal admission to the joint doctoral program, the student must spend at least one
academic year in full-time residence at each of the two campuses. The definition of residence
must be in accord with the regulations of the University of California, San Diego, and San
Diego State University.
Upon admission to the program the joint doctoral graduate adviser will establish an advising
committee for the student. This committee will consist of three faculty members. In
consultation with the student, the committee will develop the student's course of study and
will establish the student's joint qualifying committee.
There is no specific number of courses required for the doctoral program in biology, except a
one-year graduate course including genetics, cellular and molecular biology. Prior to taking
the qualifying examination, every student is expected to have a firm understanding of modern
biological principles. Usually students will be expected to complete a set of at least four
laboratory rotations, and such rotations may be fulfilled on either campus.
Coursework may be selected from offerings at either UCSD or SDSU.
The Qualifying Committee consists of five faculty members, at least two from UCSD (one of
whom must be in the Biology Department). The dissertation adviser may be a member of the
Qualifying Committee. The members of the Qualifying Committee will be selected by the
Advising Committee in consultation with the student. In order to provide continuity between
examinations, at least one member of the Qualifying Committee shall be a member of the SDSU
Executive Committee. Final appointment of Qualifying Committee members will be made jointly
by the Graduate Deans of SDSU and UCSD.
The Qualifying Committee will be responsible for carrying out the qualifying examination, and
the Chair of this committee will report the outcome of the examination and any related
academic recommendations to the Executive Committee. The Chair will also provide a written
evaluation of the student's performance. The Chair of the Qualifying Committee is responsible
for notifying the members of the time and place of the examination, and the student is
responsible for obtaining all required documents necessary for the examination four weeks
before the scheduled examination time.
The examination will be administered in one session and consists of two parts.
First Part: Oral presentation of thesis research results and proposed thesis plan
(duration is 40-50 minutes, similar to a formal seminar presentation, slides, etc.). The
student should come prepared to defend the overall experimental design, including possible
outcomes and interpretations, and be thoroughly familiar with the literature in his or her
chosen field. A major portion of this examination will be devoted to background information
so that a student can demonstrate the context in which the proposed research project lies. A
succinctly written version of the proposed thesis plan (maximum 14 double spaced pages)
should be provided to committee members at least two weeks before the presentation. Prior
written approval by all SDSU Qualifying Committee members stating that the written thesis
proposal is sufficiently developed must be obtained before the oral presentation takes
place.
Second Part: In consultation with the members of the Qualifying Committee, the
student will select two subject areas broadly related to the thesis research. Two members of
the Qualifying Committee with expertise in these areas will serve as primary mentors. The
student will carry out literature research in each of the topics and select three to four
research papers in each area to be discussed during the examination. Each of the papers to be
discussed must meet the approval of the two primary mentors. The student will be expected to
answer questions on the selected papers, relevant background, and potentially related topics.
A major goal of this portion of the examination is to test the student's ability to extract
information from the literature, to critically and objectively analyze this information, and
to formulate a thorough knowledge base of the subject area.
The joint qualifying committee may specify a course of study to strengthen any weaknesses
identified during the qualifying examination. Upon successful completion of the qualifying
examination the student must make application to the Graduate Division at UCSD for
advancement to candidacy. Upon payment of the candidacy fee to UCSD, and after approval by
the graduate deans on both campuses, the student will be notified of his advancement to
candidacy by the UCSD Graduate Division.
After a student is admitted to candidacy, a joint dissertation committee consisting of at
least five faculty members is nominated by the graduate advisers and appointed jointly by the
Graduate Deans at SDSU and UCSD. The student's dissertation research adviser will be the
chair of this committee. At least one member of this committee must be from SDSU and one
member from UCSD.
Following successful completion of the qualifying examination, the major remaining
requirement for the Ph.D. degree will be satisfactory completion of a dissertation consisting
of original and significant research carried out under the guidance of a faculty member.
Requirements currently in force at UCSD and SDSU must be met for completing and filing the
dissertation.
The Doctor of Philosophy degree in biology will be awarded jointly by the Regents of the
University of California and the Trustees of The California State University in the names of
both cooperating institutions.
The Department of Biology at SDSU endeavors to provide adequate support for all students, so
that full time can be devoted to research, training, and study. During 1994-95, support
package included tuition, a stipend, health coverage, and funds for research supplies. All
students are required to obtain teaching experience, which is normally faculty duties
obtained as a graduate teaching assistant.
The following faculty members of the cooperating institutions participate in the joint
doctoral program being available for direction of research and as members of joint doctoral
committees.
San Diego State University:
Graduate Adviser: S. Krisans
Faculty: Adams (Chemistry), Bernstein, Bizzoco, Breindl, Dahms (Chemistry), Davis,
Frey, C. Glembotski, Harris, K. Johnson, Krisans, McGuire, Paolini, Perrault,
Rayle, Sabbadini, Segall, Stumph (Chemistry), Tsoukas, Zyskind.
University of California, San Diego:
Graduate Adviser: S. Brody
Faculty: All UCSD Biology Faculty
The cooperating faculties of the Department of Biology, San Diego State University and the
Graduate Group in Ecology, University of California, Davis offer a Joint Doctoral Program in
ecology. The research interests of the participating faculty members cover a wide range of
problems and represent the interdisciplinary nature of modern biology.
At SDSU, the research projects are underway concerning:
Coastal and marine ecology: Study of estuarine wetland functions, food webs, effects of
natural and human disturbance, and interaction of native and exotic species. Population
dynamics of invertebrates (esp. echinoderms). Community ecology of coral reefs, eelgrass
beds, rocky shores, sandy beaches, the Salton Sea and other saline lakes.
Physiological ecology: Effects of global change (elevated CO2 and climate change) on
the structure and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, including local chaparral, deserts,
Alaska's North Slope, and vegetation near CO2-emitting springs. Comparative and ecological
physiology of vertebrates.
Population ecology: Reproductive biology of marine plants (algae and seagrasses).
Analysis of life history strategies in animal and plant populations. Responses of chaparral
vegetation to fire. Study of insect population dynamics and insect-plant interactions in
natural and disturbed habitats. Aquaculture of marine fish. Genetic variation in small
mammals. Food choice and adequacy of diets of animals in captivity.
Restoration and conservation ecology: Application of ecological principles to conserve
species, manage fire, restore disturbed habitats, and retain genetic diversity (esp. in
marine plants). Development of methods for assessing, restoring and creating coastal wetland
ecosystems. Evaluation of efforts to restore or create deserts, coastal sage scrub, vernal
pool, and riparian ecosystems. Role of mycorrhizae and soil biology in restoring
vegetation.
A complete list of SDSU faculty and their research interests can be obtained from the
graduate adviser of the program.
This This is Page 1 of 2 for Biology
