Doctorate in Sciences, mention in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology: a unique approach to evolutionary biology

With more than 20 years of creation, and just days before closing its call, the doctoral program of the University of Chile offers a characteristic that differentiates it from its peers: the emphasis on the study of evolutionary biology.

Millaray Mariqueo, Science in Chile.- Although the decree creating the doctorate was issued in 2000, it has been exercised previously in the form of other programs. However, since its decree, it has focused on something more disciplinary in ecology and evolutionary biology, especially since 2015. Year in which it was obtained accreditation and a change in the curriculum that triggered the current form of study plan.

The objective of the doctorate is train researchers with a great mastery of biological sciences in the areas of ecology and evolution, especially the latter. Being able to contribute to the development of the discipline through scientific research groups and/or teaching in the area.

The Professor and General Coordinator of the Doctorate, Elie Poulin, emphasized the difference between this and other related programs, “It is the only one in the Faculty of Sciences that directly deals with the subject of natural science, ecology and evolutionary biology, therefore it occupies a unique niche within the university. Now, at the country level, there are more programs that offer quite similar subjects”. In the latter case, mention is made of academic institutions such as the Universidad Austral, the Universidad de Concepción and the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, which is more focused on ecology. “Compared to them, our stamp is more evolutionary than ecological, but little by little, the programs are becoming more similar, as the students we educate take charge of the rest of the institutions,” concluded the academic.

Main lines of research and professors assigned to each of them

• Ecophysiology: Dr. Pablo Sabat, Dr. Claudio Veloso
• Community ecology: Dr. Juan Armesto, Dr. Rodrigo Ramos
• Evolutionary Ecology: Dr. Rodrigo Medel, Dr. Herman Niemeyer, Dr. Mario Penna, Dr. Rodrigo Vásquez
• Ecology and Biological Conservation: Dr. Ramiro Bustamante, Dr. Cristian Estades, Dr. Audrey Grez, Dr. Mary Kalin, Dr. Rosita Scherson, Dr. Javier Simonetti
• Phylogeny, Phylogeography and Population Genetics: Dr. Marco Méndez, Dr. Mauricio Moraga, Dr. Elie Poulin, Dr. David Véliz
• Hydrobiology: Dr. Victor Marin, Prof. Irma Vila
• Biogeography and Paleoecology: Dr. Felipe Hinojosa, Dr. Patricio Moreno.

On average, 8 to 10 people enter the program annually, Poulin mentions that they have had years with 3 to 4 people and others with up to 17 students. In relation to this, there are several stages of selection, the first is where they apply and the Academic Committee decides whether to accept them or not. This is made up of the Dr. Elie Poulin (President), Dr. Caren Vega, Dr. Julieta Orlando and Dr. David Véliz.

Then, once they are accepted, they apply for internal scholarships and when they do not obtain them, they postpone their studies and/or return the following year.Therefore, the number that enters the program is lower than that initially accepted, and is directly related to the number of scholarships that are assigned. Therefore, the main filter factor does not necessarily fall on the requirement of the selection of the committee, but on the financing of each student.

It should be noted that the program keeps its applications open until 31 October of the current year 2022, to know the admission requirements you can visit the official website: https://ciencias.uchile.cl/postgrados/6279/ciencias-mencion-ecologia-y-biologia-evolutiva.