Dear prospective graduate students,
Thanks for your interest in my research and the Ph.D. program in Environmental Science, Policy and Management at the
My research is motivated by an interest in understanding factors limiting ecosystem recovery and using this information to restore ecosystems and in promoting ecosystem multiuse and collaboration. I have worked in a broad array of California ecosystems, including rangelands (coastal prairie, interior grasslands, coastal dunes, shrublands) and integrate field community ecology approaches, ecophysiology and some social science methods that use interviews and surveys. We explore a variety of topics related to restoration outcomes and success, improving outcomes and reslience for global change factors, promoting multiuse and ecosystem service optimization, thinking about plant sourcing approaches for restoration and considering community based, engaged restoration activities. I try to have a balance of graduate students in my lab who work across a spread of these topics. I am also interested in policy issues related to implementing the results of my ecological research. Please see my list of publications and description of ongoing research projects for more details.
I expect a great deal of independence from my graduate students, but also make every effort to be available for advice. I encourage students to pursue their own research questions within the realm of my interests. I expect my students to have a general prospectus for their research by the spring following their entry into the program and to begin preliminary fieldwork during that summer. Thus far, my students have been very successful in obtaining their own funding through fellowships and grants; some funding is available through the University in the form of fellowships, TAs and RAs. I consider taking on a graduate student as a serious time and financial commitment on my part and will work with students to obtain funding. If students chose to work in ecosystem in which I currently do not have active research then it is more difficult for me to provide funding.
I currently serve as primary advisor to one doctoral students at UCB, one master's student at UCB, and two master's students at Cal Poly Humboldt, and serve on the committees of a number of other students. UC Berkeley garuantee funding for PhD students for five years to complete their degrees.
I welcome inquiries from prospective graduate students for fall 2027. I will likely accept one PhD student but may consider one additional student if they are successful in obtaining a graduate fellowship. If you want to apply to work with me in California then you must have prior research experience in plant identification, and then some mix of either community field ecology or plant physiology. Because of the fee structure of the University of California, however, it is difficult for me to accept doctoral students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents without some of their own financial support.
The graduate program in ESPM at UC Berkeley is multidiscplinary; however it is a requirement in the Luong Lab (Restoration and Range Lab) that any interested prospective PhD student committ to conducting a interdisplinary dissertation which includes at least one chapter that employs social science methods. The ESPM Program at UC Berkeley has many course prerequisites and I personally, require my students to have a strong background in ecology and requisite courses in other sciences and math. It is essential that my students have previous independent research experience as we only have a Ph.D. program, and that they have some familiarity or experience with R or Python for statistical analyses. Our lab works extensively with undergraduate students and prospective students are expected to commit to undergraduate mentoring during their PhD, while supervising at least 2 undergraduate senior theses. Although I am strongly committed to interdisciplinary collaborations to explore policy mechanisms to implement restoration and conservation, I am primarily qualified to train students as applied ecologists and do not accept students whose primary focus is on policy questions or environmental education.
If you are interested in applying to the Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management Program at UCB under my sponsorship, I ask that you first send me a letter with the following information: (1) a description of your academic and work background, with particular reference to your past research experience; (2) what types of research questions (the more detail the better) you plan to address in graduate school; (3) why you want to do a Ph.D. and your ultimate career goals; and (4) why you are interested in ESPM at Berkeley and working with me in particular. This information is helpful to me in determining whether I would be an appropriate advisor for you. If I determine there is a good fit between your and my interests and experience then we can schedule for further interviews via zoom.
UC Berkeley also has a professional program for Rangeland Ecology and Management, for which I serve as a faculty advisor. Through this program I typically accept up to two (unfunded) master's students. Please note this is not a thesis-based science master's (although there can be some flexibility), but a professional degree program centered on coursework with a culminating oral exam by committee members. The program requires 24 units of coursework, which can be completed in 1 year, although some students elect to take 2 years. Although occasional GSI (TAship) and research assistantship positions might become available to support salary and tuition remission, it is uncommon and never guaranteed.
I hope this answers your questions regarding working with me as a graduate student. If you have specific questions about the program or the admissions process you should contact our graduate advisor at espm_gradsupport@berkeley.edu. </span>
Cordially,
Justin Luong
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