Welcome to the student information page for several of the Adjunct/Research Faculty at MLML.  We hope this page contains the answers you need in order to decide if one of our programs is right for you and your career plans.  This page pertains to the following faculty members at MLML:

• Dr. Dave Ebert - Elasmobranch Systematics, Demography, Life History, and Fisheries/Conservation
• Dr. Lara Ferry-Graham - Functional Morphology and Biomechanics of Fishes
• Dr. Rick Starr - Species/Habitat Associations in Fishes, Tagging and Tracking Technology
  

What is research or adjunct faculty status?
As Adjuncts we are subject to similar standards of review and promotion, however, we are still not on the "tenure-track".  Our salaries and research are supported fully or in part by grants, a.k.a. "soft money", although we try to include support for students in those grants whenever possible. 

Are you taking students?
Yes, but there are conditions that apply in this situation.  As an Adjunct, we can accept and advise students but only if there is a member of the tenured or tenure-track faculty that co-advises the student.  In many cases, this co-advisor remains "silent" and exists on paper only.  You can use the co-advisor to your advantage though if you choose wisely, and add an element to your research program that we alone cannot provide.  In all cases, if one of us accepts you, we will be your primary advisor.  You need not worry about our commitment to you or your success in the program, regardless of title.

How does admission to MLML work?
First, you need to be accepted to Moss Landing Marine Lab's program.  To apply to be a student at Moss Landing Marine Labs, you need to apply to Graduate Admissions at one of the consortium schools that are affiliated with the lab.  These are San Jose State University, California State University Hayward, Sacramento State University, Fresno State University, San Francisco State University, California State University Stanislaus, and California State University Monterey Bay.  The school that accepts you will become your "home" institution.  Acceptance decisions are usually made by the faculty at MLML and then relayed to the home institution and on to you.  In the situation of co-advising, we let the faculty member know that we want to accept a student and we sit down together and review your file.

The school that you choose as your home institution matters little in the long run.  You will spend most, if not all, of your time at MLML in residence at the lab and will likely never need to visit your home campus except perhaps to turn in your thesis.  Be aware, however, that the requirements for acceptance (i.e., GRE's or not), maintaining student status, and ultimately graduation are determined by your home institution; not by your advisor.  Also, some campuses require that students obtain another tenured CSU faculty member for their thesis committee and we have none with the necessary specialty.  Students can then go to their home institution for another committee member who potentially has some interest and advice to bestow on the project.  This usually works smoothly for all involved, but be aware of the requirement.  You should check out each of the consortium schools and decide which is right for you.  

What factors affect your decision to take a student?
As a general rule, we usually do not accept students without meeting them first.  

We can only accept new students if there is space in our "lab" for them.  Currently, we have very limited space.  This will hopefully change with building renovations that are being planned, but for now, we have to rely on the co-advisor to help us out.  This will severely limit the number of students that we can accept for the time being.  You should keep in mind that even if one of us is not your primary advisor, we can serve on your committee.  If you plan to do work directly related to one of the Adjuncts, you should try to become their student

We expect the students that we accept to have research interests that overlap with ours, or we simply cannot advise you effectively.  We expect you to have a good undergraduate GPA and GRE scores, and most importantly, good letters of recommendation.  Having some research experience is a good idea, and can make up for less than perfect grades and scores.  We are looking for students who are hard-working and dedicated and, most importantly, know why they want their MS degree in Marine Science (note that MLML cannot currently award the PhD degree).  Again, strength in these areas can sometimes make up for less than perfect grades and scores.  It will help us in our evaluation process if you include a short, concise, well written, Statement of Purpose when you contact us that outlines your research interests, why you want to get an MS degree, and why at MLML with one of us.
 
You should also realize that MLML funds few of their students.  This means that unless you are among the lucky few that lands a TA or RA position during any given semester, you will likely have to work outside of the lab to make ends meet.  We adjuncts write grants to support ourselves and try to include student support in those grants, but there are no guarantees.  

What to do next?
Make sure you have read and are familiar with the Information For Students provided on the MLML home page.  If you are still interested in working with one of us, here's a checklist to help you through the process.