About the Program
Learn More About the Program
The JDPE is a doctoral degree that is run jointly by the Ecology Program at San Diego State University and the Ecology Graduate Group at UC Davis. The joint nature of the doctoral program offers two primary advantages. First, students benefit from contact and expertise in and outside of the classroom with faculty members of two strong ecology programs. Second, across the two campuses, students have the opportunity to access facilities and field sites in nearly all the major biomes of California. JDPE students spend their first year at San Diego State University with their adviser to begin preparation of a thesis proposal. The student then moves to UC Davis for additional course work and for the Qualifying Examination. On return to San Diego State University, the thesis research is completed, and the dissertation is prepared and defended. The Ph.D. degree is awarded jointly by San Diego State University and UC Davis.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Admissions and Fellowship Information
Continuing Student Fellowship: Jan 15, 2026
Admissions Actions
Program Contact Information
Primary Program Contacts
Program Coordinator
Angie Nguyen
htgnguyen@ucdavis.edu
Graduate Group Chair
Robert Hijmans
rhijmans@ucdavis.edu
Additional Contacts
Advisor: General
Anya Brown
Ecology (Joint Program with San Diego State University)
anybrown@ucdavis.edu
Advisor: General
Elizabeth Crone
Ecology (Joint Program with San Diego State University)
ecrone@ucdavis.edu
Advisor: General
Valerie Eviner
Ecology (Joint Program with San Diego State University)
(530) 752-8538 | veviner@ucdavis.edu
Advisor: General
Nann Fangue
Ecology (Joint Program with San Diego State University)
nafangue@ucdavis.edu
Advisor: General
Jennifer Funk
Ecology (Joint Program with San Diego State University)
funk@ucdavis.edu
Advisor: Primary Contact
Robert Hijmans
Ecology (Joint Program with San Diego State University)
rhijmans@ucdavis.edu
Advisor: General
Richard Karban
Ecology (Joint Program with San Diego State University)
(530) 752-2800 | rkarban@ucdavis.edu
Advisor: General
Robert Lusardi
Ecology (Joint Program with San Diego State University)
(510) 847-2713 | ralusardi@ucdavis.edu
Advisor: General
Tyler Scott
Ecology (Joint Program with San Diego State University)
tascott@ucdavis.edu
Advisor: Admissions Only
Brian Todd
Ecology (Joint Program with San Diego State University)
(530) 752-1140 | btodd@ucdavis.edu
Advisor: General
Anne Todgham
Ecology (Joint Program with San Diego State University)
(530) 752-1897 | todgham@ucdavis.edu
Advisor: General
Dirk Van Vuren
Ecology (Joint Program with San Diego State University)
(530) 752-4181 | dhvanvuren@ucdavis.edu
Advisor: General
Andrew Whitehead
Ecology (Joint Program with San Diego State University)
(530) 754-8982 | awhitehead@ucdavis.edu
Advisor: General
Neal Williams
Ecology (Joint Program with San Diego State University)
nmwilliams@ucdavis.edu
Advisor: General
Louie Yang
Ecology (Joint Program with San Diego State University)
(530) 754-3261 | lhyang@ucdavis.edu
Senior Academic Advisor
Brittney Solar
bsolar@ucdavis.edu