phd in science technology and society

Graduate Program

Introduction.

Established in 1991, Cornell’s Department and Graduate Field of Science & Technology Studies were formed from two previously independent Programs: “Science, Technology and Society” (STS) and “History and Philosophy of Science and Technology” (HPST). The department and graduate field brought together a group of scholars with convergent interests committed to the rigorous academic advancement of this new and exciting field.

Our aim is to bring together faculty and students with diverse backgrounds and interests in a shared effort to study science and technology with special tools for exploring distinctive questions. At the same time, these tools and questions are designed to facilitate conversations with colleagues in traditional disciplines. Our approach throughout is both descriptive (aimed at understanding how science and technology are done) and normative (for example, showing where actual practices and professed norms are in conflict).

Possible topics of investigation range from transformations in early-modern natural philosophy to the dynamics of contemporary environmental, biological, and technological change. The field transcends the boundaries of pre-existing disciplinary specialties. Such categories as “historian” or “sociologist,” are still relevant for guiding research design, but they fail increasingly to capture the transdisciplinary character of S&TS investigations.

Ph.D. Requirements

Special committees .

The Cornell graduate system requires students to assemble individually-tailored “special committees” to direct their programs of study. Graduate students must select at least two members of their three- (exceptionally four-) member committee from the S&TS field. The Chairperson must be a faculty member of the S&TS graduate field. The remaining members are chosen from Cornell’s graduate faculty as a whole. This system allows students to include faculty members from outside the field of S&TS on their committees, and thus introduces a degree of flexibility in the design of each student’s specific training and research program.

In addition, faculty members in the S&TS graduate field provide ties to other departments and programs through their own wider affiliations. Cemented through joint appointments and graduate field memberships, these include History, Communication, Philosophy, Government, Sociology, Anthropology, Information Science, Environmental Engineering, Peace Studies, Women’s Studies, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Human Development and Family Studies, and other areas of the social and natural sciences. Members of the field thus provide students with a considerable range of disciplinary expertise and perspectives.  

The core faculty members of the graduate field are particularly noted for their work in the following areas: history and historiography of science and technology; technology and society; social study of contemporary science and technology; engineering, environmental, and biomedical ethics; women in science; gender and technology; philosophy of science; politics of science and technology; and communication and popularization of science. Much of this work necessarily is historical, sociological, and political in the broadest sense, and it draws on the well-established traditions of expertise in such studies possessed by individual faculty members. 

In consultation with their faculty advisers, graduate students in S&TS take active responsibility for the development of their own academic programs within the overall disciplinary context of S&TS. Students are assigned a temporary chairperson, which is chosen by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) when they enter the S&TS graduate program. Before the end of the Fall semester of his or her first year, the student must form a temporary committee, consisting of a temporary advisor and two other members of the S&TS Field. The student will meet with this preliminary committee at the end of their first year, in an end-of-year progress meeting. After that meeting the student may reconstitute their committee, but must do so by the end of their third semester.

Course Requirements

Course requirements provide a foundation for students in S&TS, covering key questions and relevant research methods: 

Each student must successfully complete, prior to their A-exams, a one semester seminar, S&TS 7111, intended as an introduction to the field as a whole. Each student also must complete a one-semester seminar on methods, and at least four additional S&TS courses that broadly cover the field. A total of at least four of the courses taken during a student's first year should be designated as S&TS. 

All students will be expected to achieve a level of competence in one foreign language sufficient for reading the literature in the student's research area. It will be up to the special committee to decide how this competence should be demonstrated. Additional languages may be required at the discretion of the special committee.

Second Year Project

A central goal of the S&TS graduate curriculum is to prepare students for independent research. To achieve this goal, each student selects a topic related to some field of specialization within S&TS and explores it under the guidance of a faculty committee. This “Second Year Project” creates a context for students to increase their familiarity with research techniques and strategies such as ethnographic fieldwork, or primary source and archival work. Students are expected to present the results of their research in a departmental seminar and/or professional journal or meeting.

Admission to Ph.D. candidacy occurs after the student has 1) passed the A-exam (written and oral examinations in specific subject areas), 2) received committee approval of a dissertation proposal, and 3) completed any additional work required by the committee. The A-exam should be taken, at the latest, by the beginning of the seventh semester of study. Scheduling of A-exams also requires that no incomplete or failed courses appear on the student’s graduate transcript.

Admissions and Financial Aid

Applications for admission to the Graduate Field of Science & Technology Studies should be submitted on-line through the  Graduate School .

The following supporting documentation is required:

• Three letters of recommendation
• Transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended (admitted students are required to submit official transcripts prior to matriculation)
• Statement of purpose (for guidelines, see: https://gradschool.cornell.edu/admissions/prepare/statements-of-purpose/ )
• Writing sample (term paper or similar scope)

All international applicants must demonstrate proficiency in the English language. International students demonstrate proficiency by submitting official IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Academic or TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam scores. Scores must be sent electronically (e-delivery) to the Cornell University Graduate Admissions, Caldwell Hall e-download account. E-delivery may also be referred to as an e-TRF by your test center. A list of English language exemptions can be found on the Graduate School website .

The deadline for applications and materials is December 15. All supporting documentation can be attached to the online application. All applicants will be informed of admission decisions by early April, at the latest.

Applications to the field have a variety of backgrounds, including the basic sciences, engineering, anthropology, history, philosophy, sociology, and politics. Familiarity with science and technology studies is desirable. Prospective students are welcome to visit Cornell.

Extensive financial resources are available to help defray the cost of graduate study at Cornell. The majority of our graduate students receive financial assistance, either from Cornell or from outside sources each year. Support in the field of Science & Technology Studies usually comes from a combination of fellowships and teaching assistantships. Among potential funding sources are: the Sage Graduate Fellowship; external fellowships from the National Science Foundation and the Javits Foundation; fellowships for minority students; and S&TS teaching assistantships.

Resources and Activities

The most important resource available to graduate students in S&TS is Cornell University itself. Home to dozens of laboratories and research institutes, Cornell is both a public and a private institution grappling with the turbulent politics of science and technology in a rapidly changing world. At the same time, the university is home to a world-class library system that encourages and fosters historical inquiry.

In addition to superb collections in the humanities and in the natural and social sciences, the system boasts a number of specialist libraries of interest to S&TS.  Mann Library  is at the forefront of efforts to improve information management and retrieval, especially in agriculture and the life sciences.  Kroch Library’s  holdings in the history of science and technology are among the most important collections of primary-source materials on science and medicine in the United States, with claims to History of Science being the largest in number of volumes. These range from the Renaissance through the nineteenth century, and are augmented by collections of more recent scientific literature in the dedicated subject libraries, which include engineering, law, industrial and labor relations, veterinary science, physical sciences and biological sciences. Archival resources cover the full range of sciences and engineering, and are explicitly oriented toward S&TS research. Of special interest are the unique archival collections on  science writing , the  cold fusion controversy ,  DNA testing in the law  (informally known as the “O.J. archive”),  public perceptions of the Y2K episode , and the  Voting Technology Archive  (a special archival collection on the technological issues raised by the year 2000 US presidential election).  

Additional activities hosted or oriented specifically towards S&TS include Professor Suman Seth's co-editorship of the History of Science Society's journal Osiris . There is an invited lecture series; the Nordlander Lecture on Science and Public Policy (given by such notable scholars as Yaron Ezrahi, David Hollinger, David Holloway, Albert Teich, Shirley Malcom, Thomas Hughes, Khotso Mokhele, Caldwell Esselstyn, Freeman Dyson, Kathy Hudson, David Healy , and Allison Macfarlane ); lectures by postdoctoral fellows in S&TS; and weekly informal lunchtime seminars for faculty and graduate students at which local scholars, including the S&TS graduate students, may present their work.  The S&TS Department is part of a  vibrant international community  of STS programs.

STS Graduate Field Handbook

The first point of reference for students to understand the requirements for successfully completing a doctoral degree in Science and Technology Studies at Cornell is the Graduate Field Handbook. The Graduate Field Handbook is a regularly updated document designed to help graduate students in Science and Technology Studies:

• Find essential information about core requirements for their degree completion,
• Differentiate among and understand requirements of the Graduate School, the field, and the Special Committee chair and committee,
• Understand the normative timeline for completing field and Graduate School milestones
• Identify academic and professional development opportunities to support students at different stages in the program

Click here to access the STS Graduate Field Handbook

Contacts and Field Faculty

Director of Graduate Studies: Stephen Hilgartner , Frederic J. Whiton Professor of Science & Technology Studies,  [email protected]

Graduate Field Faculty Click here to browse profiles of members of our graduate field.

• Science, Technology, and Society
• Introduction

Harvard Griffin GSAS strives to provide students with timely, accurate, and clear information. If you need help understanding a specific policy, please contact the office that administers that policy.

• Application for Degree
• Credit for Completed Graduate Work
• Ad Hoc Degree Programs
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• African and African American Studies
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• Critical Media Practice
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• History of Science
• Latinx Studies
• Linguistic Theory
• Medieval Studies
• Mind, Brain, and Behavior
• Romance Languages and Literatures (French, Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish)
• Slavic Literary/Cultural Studies
• Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality
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• Year of Graduate Study (G-Year)
• Master's Degrees
• Grade and Examination Requirements
• Conduct and Safety
• Financial Aid
• Non-Resident Students

Registration

Harvard Griffin GSAS offers a secondary field in science, technology, and society (STS) to candidates for the PhD, DDes, and SJD degrees.

The STS secondary field serves a wide range of student interests and career plans. For example: A sociologist or political scientist wants to investigate the impact of emerging technologies on the distribution of power in society. An engineer or public policy analyst would like to explore why innovation occurs unevenly across nations and time periods and how to encourage innovation in high-risk domains. A law student wants to know how nonwestern societies deal with intellectual property or bioethics. An anthropologist or a geneticist wishes to investigate how DNA databases affect individual rights and group identities. A historian would like to trace the evolution of nuclear secrecy policies from the postwar to the present. Through a structured program of interdisciplinary study, STS aims to satisfy these and many comparable lines of inquiry.

Foundations

STS is a field dedicated to studying the institutions and practices of scientists, engineers, physicians, architects, planners, and other technical professionals, as well as the complex relationships between science, technology and society. STS employs a variety of methods from the humanities and social sciences to examine how science and technology both influence and are influenced by their social, cultural, and material contexts. A major area of interest is the role of technologies and technological systems in shaping the purposes, possibilities, and meanings of human existence, from the creation of novel biological organisms to the design of urban infrastructures and the management of global risks to health, food, security, human freedom, and the environment. For more information, please see  http://sts.hks.harvard.edu/about/whatissts.html .

Interested students should first consult with a member of the Executive Committee for the STS Secondary Field, who will serve as the student’s primary advisor. In case of doubt, the student should turn to the Secondary Field director, Sheila Jasanoff. Students may then be referred to an appropriate Faculty Affiliate in their Department or School for further advice. Courses required for the Secondary Field should be selected in consultation with the student’s STS advisor. Further information is available through the Kennedy School STS Program. Contact:  [email protected] .

Students should register for the Secondary Field with the STS Program at the Harvard Kennedy School by emailing  [email protected]  for further information.

Requirements

Course requirements.

Students will be required to take four courses (16 credits), distributed as follows:

(i)  One framing course  from Annex 1, Section (i). These are general courses offering an overview of STS theories and methods, as well as a broad orientation to the field. Students may take additional framing courses to satisfy requirements. **Note: Students in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences may not satisfy the framing course requirement with a course offered by their home department.

(ii)  One graduate level topical course  from Annex 1, Section (ii). These are complementary courses that deepen students’ acquaintance with STS analytic approaches as applied to different domains of science, technology, and medicine.

(iii)  Two courses of related interest  from Annex 1, Section (iii-v).

A full list of STS courses may be found at  http://www.hks.harvard.edu/sts/field/courses.html .

Other Requirements

In the course of their PhD studies at Harvard, students in the humanities and social sciences must present a talk in the STS Circle sponsored by the Kennedy School’s STS Program with support from Harvard Griffin GSAS. This talk should demonstrate the student’s capacity to present an original, theoretically informed analysis of a problem at the intersection of science, technology and society. Proposals to present in the STS Circle should be accompanied by a note of approval from the student’s STS advisor. For students in the natural sciences, a capstone project, developed in consultation with the student’s advisor, may take the place of the STS Circle presentation.

STS Courses for Secondary Field

(i) Framing Courses  (offering foundational introduction to the field)

• IGA-513. Science, Power and Politics (HKS, offered each fall)
• IGA-956Y : Science, Technology, and Society: Research Seminar
• History of Science 200, Knowing the World: An Introduction to the History of Science (FAS)

(ii) Methods Courses (deepening specialist knowledge in field)

• African and African American Studies 178. Health, Society, and Subjectivity in the American Context (FAS)
• African and African American Studies 189x. Medicine, Culture, and Society (FAS)
• Anthropology 1495. The Materiality of Culture: Objects, Meaning, the Self (FAS)
• Anthropology 1850. Ethnography and Personhood – offered alternate years  (FAS)
• DES 0343100. A Science of the Environment (GSD)
• Economics 2099. Topics in the History of Economic Thought (FAS)
• Economics 2888r. Economics of Science and Engineering Workshop (FAS)
• History 1330. Social Thought in Modern America (FAS)
• History 1940. Science and the Global Human Past: Case Studies at the Cutting Edge: Conference Course (FAS)
• History 2968. History and Economics (FAS)
• History of Science 150. History of the Human Sciences (FAS)
• History of Science 259. The History of the History of Science (FAS)
• HT 934. Introduction to Global Medicine: Bioscience, Technologies, Disparities, Strategies (HMS)
• IGA 515. Bioethics, Law and the Life Sciences (HKS)
• IGA 516. Law, Science, and Society in America (HKS)
• IGA 518. Expertise and Rulership in Law and Science (HKS)
• Sociology 114. Organizational Failures and Disasters: Leadership in Crisis (FAS)
• Sociology 128. Models of Social Science Research (FAS)
• Sociology 162. Medical Sociology (FAS)
• SW51. Politics of Nature (FAS)
• SW25. Case Studies in Global Health: Biosocial Perspectives (FAS)

(iii) Related Courses (FAS)

• Anthropology 1640. Language and Culture
• Anthropology 1698. Anthropology of Death and Afterlife: Seminar Anthropology 1876 - Society, Culture, and Modernity in Greece
• Anthropology 1882.The Woman and the Body
• Anthropology 2704. Linguistic Pragmatics and Cultural Analysis in Anthropology
• Anthropology 2785. Theories of Subjectivity in Current Anthropology
• Anthropology 2805. Biopolitics.
• Anthropology 2876. New Ethnographies in the Anthropology of Social Experience and Moral Life
• Engineering Sciences 139. Innovation in Science and Engineering: Conference Course
• Engineering Sciences 239. Advanced Innovation in Science and Engineering: Conference Course
• Engineering Sciences 201. Decision Theory
• Environmental Science and Public Policy 77. Technology, Environment and Society – offered in alternate years
• Environmental Science and Public Policy 78. Environmental Politics – offered in alternate years
• Government 1093. Ethics, Biotechnology, and the Future of Human Nature
• Government 2034. Ethics, Economics, and Law
• Government 3000. Approaches to the Study of Politics
• Government 3004. Research Workshop in American Politics
• History 1318. History of the Book and of Reading
• History 1445. Science and Religion in American Public Culture
• History 1457. History of American Capitalism
• History 2468hf. The Environment and the American Past: Seminar
• History 2951. The Environmental Turn in History: Seminar
• History of Science 135. From Darwin to Dolly: A History of the Modern Life Sciences
• History of Science 138. Sex, Gender, and Evolution
• History of Science 139. The Postgenomic Moment
• History of Science 149. The History and Culture of Stigma
• History of Science 176. Brainwashing and Modern Techniques of Mind Control
• History of Science 198. Controversy: Explorations at the Intersection of Science, Policy, and Politics
• History of Science 231.Transforming Technologies: Science, Technology, and Social Change
• History of Science 237. Postgenomics
• History of Science 248. Ethics and Judgment in the History of Science and Medicine
• History of Science 259. History of the History of Science
• Microbiology 213. Social Issues in Biology
• Philosophy 149z . Philosophy of Science
• Psychology 2450.  Affective and Social Neuroscience
• Psychology 1509. Self and Identity
• Psychology 1750. Free Will, Responsibility, and Law
• Psychology 2554r. Moral Cognition: Research Seminar
• Sociology 165. Inequalities in Health Care
• Sociology 243. Economic Sociology
• Sociology 236. Cultural Processes in the Production of Inequality
• Sociology 304. Culture and Social Analysis Workshop

(iv) Related Courses (HKS and GSD)

• API 302: Analytic Frameworks for Policy (HKS)
• DPI 201A. The Responsibilities of Public Action (HKS)
• DPI 562. Public Problems: Advice, Strategy and Analysis (HKS)
• IGA 408M. Learning from the Failure of Climate Policy (HKS)
• IGA 944. Sustainability Science: Policy Analysis and Design for Sustainable Development (HKS)
• DES 0342800. Digital Culture: Architecture and the City (GSD)
• DES 0343400. Architecture and Art: From Minimalism to Neuro-phenomenology (GSD)
• DES 0345700. How to do Things with Words (GSD)
• HIS 0435400: Imagining the City: Literature, Film, and the Arts (GSD)
• HIS 0411500. History and Theory of Urban Interventions (GSD)
• HIS 0443800. War, Maps + Cities (GSD)
• SES 0521100. Cities by Design (GSD)
• SCI 064380. What is energy and how (else) might we think about it? (GSD)

(v) Related Courses (Other Schools)

• HBS 4420. PSY 2650. Behavioral Approaches to Decision Making and Negotiation (HBS)
• HBS 1166. Managing International Trade and Investment (HBS)
• HLS 1017. The Politics of Private Law in Comparative Perspective (HLS)
• HLS 2011. The Art of Social Change: Child Welfare, Education and Juvenile Justice (HLS)
• HLS 2068. Employment Discrimination (HLS)
• HLS 2076. Ethics, Economics and the Law (HLS)
• HLS 2079. Evidence (HLS)
• HLS 2084. Family Law (HLS)
• HLS 2094. Future of the Family: Adoption, Reproduction and Child Welfare (HLS)
• HLS 2101. Global Law and Governance (HLS)
• HLS 2107. Health Law (HLS)
• HLS 2119. Intellectual Property Law: Advanced (HLS)
• HLS 2141. Law and Psychology - The Emotions: Seminar (HLS)
• HLS 2145. Law and Economic Development (HLS)
• HLS 2240. Theory and Practice of Social Change (HLS)
• HLS 2279. Critical Race Theory (HLS)
• HLS 2319. Theories About Law (HLS)
• HLS 2389. Legal Thought Now: Law and the Structure of Society (HLS)
• HLS 2402. Copyright (HLS)
• HLS 2506. The Genealogy of Continental Philosophy and Law (HLS)
• HLS 2540. Reproductive Rights and Justice (HLS)
• HLS 2545. Rethinking the Legal and Ethical Status of Humans, Animals, and the Environment (HLS)
• HLS 2549. Critical Legal Studies: A Retrospective (HLS)
• HLS 2575. Law of Research with Humans and Animals (HLS)
• HLS 2607. Genetics and the Law (HLS)
• HLS 2617. Constitutional and Health Law: Reproductive Rights (HLS)
• HLS 2620. Foundations of Justice (HLS)
• GHP 293-01. Individual & Social Responsibility for Health (HSPH)
• HPM 213. Public Health Law (HSPH)
• ID 250. Ethical Basis of Public Health (HSPH)
• SBS 506. Disease Distribution Theory (HSPH)
• SM715: Seminar in Global Health Equity (HMS)

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Department of Science, Technology, and Society

Graduate programs in the D.C. area and Blacksburg

The graduate program in science and technology studies at Virginia Tech prepares students to be productive and publicly engaged scholars, advancing research and making a difference. This program — administered by the Department of Science, Technology, and Society — has two locations that share faculty and a common curriculum. Some courses are teleconferenced across campuses. Both locations offer the master’s in science (M.S.) and the Ph.D.

The Department also offers a set of undergraduate minors and courses that can provide a supplement to a range of majors from across the University for students who are looking to engage with the social context and relevance of science and technology.

Faculty and Staff

Graduate Students

Research and Teaching Clusters

Community engaged sts.

Energy and the Environment

Engineering and Technology Studies

Health, Bodies, and Medicine

History and Philosophy of Science and Technology

Information, Computers, and Justice

Science and technology policy, news and stories spotlight.

The College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences recognized faculty and staff award recipients at an April ceremony.

Rosa, assistant professor in the Department of Science, Technology, and Society, is seeking solutions to combat data discrimination among Indigenous communities in Latin America.

Roan Parrish, a doctoral student studying science and technology studies, was named Graduate Student of the Year for 2024.

Barbara Allen, a Louisiana native and a professor in Virginia Tech’s Department of Science, Technology, and Society, has received a $600,000 National Science Foundation grant to further her research in Louisiana's Cancer Alley. The project comes after she completed similar research in two French towns located in industrial zones.

Janet Abbate, an Arlington-based professor of science, technology, and society, will discuss historical perspectives on the challenges posed by artificial intelligence during a congressional briefing on Capitol Hill on Friday.

From artificial intelligence to prison reform, Humanities Week sessions will explore critical issues and topics facing society.

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Blacksburg, virginia.

The main campus in Blacksburg offers the best fit for students interested in full-time graduate study at Virginia’s largest research university.

NCR Falls Church, Virginia

The Falls Church campus offers the same program, but with evening courses to accommodate part-time students with careers in Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area.

Secondary Field in STS

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) at Harvard offers doctoral candidates the opportunity to broaden their education through a variety of Secondary Fields . The Secondary Field of Science, Technology and Society (STS) is aimed at students who wish to deepen their understanding of the workings of science and technology in relation to other social institutions and processes. STS is available to candidates for the PhD, DDes (Doctor of Design), and SJD degrees.

The STS Secondary Field serves a wide range of student interests and career plans. For example: A sociologist or political scientist wants to investigate the impact of emerging technologies on the distribution of power in society. An engineer or public policy analyst would like to explore why innovation occurs unevenly across nations and time periods and how to encourage innovation in high-risk domains. A law student wants to know how nonwestern societies deal with intellectual property or bioethics. An anthropologist wishes to investigate how DNA databases affect individual and group identities. A historian would like to trace the evolution of nuclear secrecy policies from the postwar to the present. Through a structured program of interdisciplinary study, STS aims to satisfy these and many similar lines of inquiry.

Foundations

STS is an emerging field dedicated to studying the institutions and practices of scientists, engineers, physicians, architects, planners, and other technical professionals, as well as the complex relationships between science, technology and society. STS employs a variety of methods from the humanities and social sciences to examine how science and technology both influence and are influenced by their social, cultural, and material contexts. A major area of interest is the role of technologies and technological systems in shaping the purposes, possibilities, and meanings of human lives, from the creation of novel biological organisms to the design of urban infrastructures and the management of global risks to health, food, security, and the environment. (See also: What Is STS? )

Interested students should first consult with a member of the Executive Committee for the STS Secondary Field , who will serve as the student’s primary advisor. The student may then be referred to an appropriate Faculty Affiliate in their Department or School for further advice. Courses required for the Secondary Field should be selected in consultation with the student’s STS advisor. Further information is available through the Kennedy School STS Program.

We asked our students to share how the STS Secondary Field impacted their doctoral work and career trajectory. You can find their answers here .

For more information on the Secondary Field, you may contact the STS Program by e-mailing [email protected] .

ADDRESSING REAL WORLD QUESTIONS

The community of scholars at MIT’s Program on Science, Technology and Society bring methods from the humanities and social sciences to understanding science, technology, and medicine around the world. Our department includes lively undergraduate and graduate programs, and postgraduate training for science and technology journalists.

For undergraduates , STS courses provide vital perspective on the human factors shaping the development and application of scientific, technical, and medical knowledge and innovation. While STS does not offer an independent major, we offer students the option to concentrate or minor in STS, to join STS to any science or engineering major as a joint major, and to double major in STS and a science or engineering discipline.

For   graduate students , STS partners with colleagues in History and Anthropology to train the next generation of researchers to ask and answer important questions about historical, cultural, social, political and economic dimensions of science, technology and medicine across the globe. HASTS , our collaborative doctoral program, is among MIT’s most competitive. Graduates hold tenured and tenure track positions at institutions including Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Kings College London, National University of Singapore and pursue careers in law, business, journalism, and museum work.

STS also administers the Knight Science Journalism Program , which brings science and technology journalists to campus for postgraduate education in science, technology, and STS. Directed by Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Deborah Blum, alums of the program can be found at publications and broadcast outlets around the world including The New York Times , The Wall Street Journal , Forbes , Time , Scientific American , Science , the Associated Press, ABC News, CNN, LeMonde ,  El Pais ,  Der Spiegel,  BBC,  Times of London,  and  Sydney Morning Herald .

Diversity and inclusion are central to the STS curriculum at all levels. Our subjects examine how the people who practice science, engineering and medicine influence the knowledge and innovations produced. And they remind us that knowledge and innovation have differential implications depending on the historical, cultural, social, political and economic contexts in which they are used.

By bridging humanities, social sciences, science, technology, and medicine, our department seeks to build relationships among colleagues across the Institute in a shared effort to understand the human challenges at the core of the MIT mission.

The School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

Science and technology studies, science and technology studies, ph.d..

Making sense of social and technoscientific change requires conceptual and methodological tools honed within a vibrant intellectual community. The STS PhD program combines anthropology, cultural studies, history, and sociology to examine science, technology, media, and medicine from multiple perspectives. The program emphasizes community engagement with the politics of science and transdisciplinary investigation of research and policy cultures. We document how science and technology are shaped by social forces—and how we might shape them back!

Program Overview

Students who earn a PhD in Science and Technology Studies at Rensselaer translate new understandings of science and technology into improved scientific and technological practices and policies. Graduates of this program are known for their g lobal reach, theoretical breadth, and critical ethical engagement. They pursue research into questions and problems that extend beyond the boundaries of any single discipline. 

Our curriculum offers a robust mix of core seminars, theory and methods, and topics courses in a 2-year rotation to survey critical analytical skills and fields. Graduate students are generally supported as Teaching Assistants during course work. After that there is a range of internal and external fellowships for which students become eligible. 

The Graduate Portfolio Review is the first milestone for a PhD student. The portfolio is assembled during  coursework to document breadth of knowledge across three self-determined domains of STS. Following a successful portfolio review, and in consultation with a Doctoral Committee, students write and defend a Dissertation Proposal and Literature Review and undertake independent research on a self-defined topic. Dissertation research and writing lead to doctoral defense within 2-3 years. 

Those interested in graduate study in STS should submit an application for the PhD program. The STS Department does not accept external applicants for a stand-alone Master’s degree, but students may earn a Master’s degree while working toward a PhD.

The STS Department also offers a five-year co-terminal B.S./M.S. in Science and Technology Studies. Current Rensselaer undergraduates interested in this degree program should request further information from their faculty advisor and the STS Graduate Program Director. 

Program Outcomes

Our doctoral program in STS prepares students to conduct cutting-edge research based in three core practices:

• Scholarly analysis of historical and contemporary cultures of research and innovation.
• Critique of the public policies, social practices, and political-economic institutions that shape, and are shaped by, scientific discovery and technological design.
• Direct participation in collaborative projects that bring about change in the domains of science, medicine, design, and engineering.

STS PhDs in residence enjoy gathering in the STS Grad Lounge, which adjoins the STS Grad Seminar Room and co-located offices for STS graduate students and faculty. This includes a library, curated over time by graduate students for graduate students. The collective life of the STS department includes an STS Colloquium series, a series of brownbag lunches at which work-in-progress and professional development workshops are presented, and public events on campus and beyond. 

Our graduate students come from numerous academic backgrounds and bring with them unique perspectives on science, technology and society. Read about our current PhD students here!

After Graduation

STS graduate education empowers PhDs to engage in social and political change. STS PhDs think on their feet with theoretical grounding. They influence current dialogue over how science, technology, and medicine might be used to promote human flourishing and resilience. They work in academic and policy settings on wide-ranging topics that matter for social justice. 

Recent graduates hold postdocs or faculty appointments at: Arizona State University; College of William & Mary; Drexel University; Indiana University; Michigan State; New Mexico Tech; Rockefeller Institute of Government; Smith College; Stanford University; Temple University; University of Texas at Austin; University of Utah; Yale University; and others. Alumni are publicly engaged intellectuals all over the world: IIT Hyderabad; Nanyang Technological University in Singapore; University of Chittagong in Bangladesh; Kyung Hee University in South Korea; and Concordia University and University of British Columbia in Canada.

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Science, Technology, and Society

This Graduate Certificate offers graduate students an opportunity to pursue a program of study in Science, Technology and Society Studies (STSS). STSS is a richly interdisciplinary domain of scholarship, the goal of which is to understand the formation, current practice, and broader impacts of the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). It integrates history and philosophy of science, social and cultural studies of science and technology, and normative studies of ethics, equity, and policy issues in or involving the STEM fields.

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Degree(s)/Certificate(s) offered

• Graduate Certificate in Science, Technology, and Society Studies

Program director/interdisciplinary group chair

• Leah Ceccarelli, Professor, Department of Communication

Primary Staff Contact

• Contact program director

Interdisciplinary Faculty Group Membership

The following are the core/voting Graduate Faculty members of the interdisciplinary group.  For a complete list of faculty active in the program, see the program website.

• Sareeta Amrute, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology
• Sarah Elwood, Professor, Department of Geography
• Stephanie (Malia) Fullerton, Associate Professor, Department of Bioethics and Humanities
• Angela Ginorio, Emerita Associate Professor, Department of Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies
• Jenna Grant, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology
• Celia Lowe, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology
• Margaret Pugh O’Mara, Associate Professor, Department of History
• David Ribes, Associate Professor, Department of Human Centered Design and Engineering
• Daniela Rosner, Assistant Professor, Department of Human Centered Design and Engineering
• Phillip Thurtle, Associate Professor, CHID and Department of History
• Adam Warren, Associate Professor, Department of History
• Matthew Weinstein, Professor, Education Program, UW-Tacoma
• Andrea Woody, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy

• SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION

The PhD in Media, Technology, and Society (MTS) program is an innovative, interdisciplinary, and flexible curriculum focusing on the dynamic media and technology environment and its impact. The program encourages students to pursue their passion by designing individualized programs of study that incorporate relevant classes from across Northwestern University. The program faculty are internationally renowned for their research in areas such as:

• Children’s development
• Digital media use and effects
• Health and well-being
• Human-computer interaction
• Innovation and change
• Media institutions
• Networks and organizing
• Social media

The MTS faculty undertake research in these areas using a wide array of traditional and innovative research methods. In addition, they actively pursue opportunities to make positive economic, cultural, and social impact through their research in businesses, nonprofit, and government agencies.

Science, Technology and Policy Studies Track

In this section.

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The Science, Technology and Policy Studies track provides rigorous interdisciplinary training, drawing on methodological tools from science and technology policy, science and technology studies, policy analysis, political theory, law, and economics.

At HKS, students have access to leading scholars from across Harvard in the social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering, with specialties in areas such as security studies, energy policy, innovation and development, environment and climate, biotechnology, data science, and information. The HKS faculty includes practitioners with wide experience at the highest levels of government and industry in science and technology policy.

Graduates are qualified for academic teaching and research in public policy schools, interdisciplinary programs, and traditional social science departments, as well as for leadership positions in national and international science and technology policy in both the public and private sectors.

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• Epistemic Jurisdiction in Biofuels and Geoengineering

PhD Graduate Field in History of Science

• PhD Designated Emphasis in STS
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History of science students at Berkeley can be found in several departments, including history, art history, English, and philosophy. The Department of History offers a graduate field (MA/PhD) in the history of science. Graduate students in the history of science at Berkeley enjoy a kind of dual citizenship: not only are they enrolled in a top-ranked doctoral program, but they also have full access to the resources available in the Office for History of Science and Technology (OHST) and the Center for Science, Technology, Medicine, & Society (CSTMS).

At Berkeley, students learn to see the practice of science as related to its cultural, intellectual, and historical context. The paired resources of OHST and the departmental doctoral program provide PhD students with a strong grounding in both the special field of the history of science and the larger discipline into which it fits.

Completion of the PhD generally takes five to seven years, and upon graduation students have gone on to teach (at institutions including Harvard, Oxford, Stanford, and UC Berkeley, among many others), while others have chosen other career tracks — including careers as museum scientists, archivists, science education specialists, or even stockbrokers and software engineers. Faculty members’ research foci are described here . History of science is always interested in students with research interests outside of these areas, though, so prospective students should not be discouraged if their interests do not completely overlap with those of the faculty members. In recent years, graduate students have worked in areas as diverse as the history of modern computing, medicine in colonial Cambodia, and the creation of European scientific horticulture.

OHST and CSTMS provides graduate students with access to a wide range of professional and community resources. Through our colloquium series, production of the journal Historical studies in the physical and biological sciences , and participation in the International Summer School in History of Science, graduate students are exposed to current work in all areas of the history of science. In addition, OHST maintains a close relationship with history of science programs at other local universities, including Stanford and UC Davis, and the program in History of Health Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco.

If you have questions about the graduate offerings in history of science at Berkeley, or would like to arrange a visit to OHST, please contact us by calling 510-642-4581 or emailing Davinder Sidhu at [email protected] . If you are interested in applying to the History Department’s graduate program, contact the department for application materials and information.

Applying for Financial Support

For current Graduate Field students, grants are available for History of Science-related conferences and fieldwork. Application deadlines are once per year, May 1st. Please see the  guidelines  for more information.

Intellectual Community

CSTMS Colloquia

The CSTMS Colloquium is a seminar series of invited lectures held approximately every other Thursday from 4-6pm in 470 Stephens Hall during each semester.  They are often sponsored by research units within CSTMS, and occasionally co-sponsored by other units at Berkeley and other UC campuses. The colloquia help countervail the tendency in academic work toward social isolation and excessive specialization, and are aimed at fostering a sense of intellectual community among a group of talented young and established scholars.

The colloquia are an integral part of your intellectual life and professional development here at Berkeley. Students in their first two years are expected to attend, and advanced students, visitors, and others are warmly encouraged to. The current colloquium schedule is available under Events .

OHST Working Group

The CSTMS community also organizes a weekly OHST Working Group for its local community and visiting scholars. These meetings provide an informal forum for discussing developments in History of Science and in Science and Technology Studies, as well as your ideas, interests, and intellectual conundrums.

Science, Technology, and Society Center

The Science, Technology, and Society Center (STSC) is another part of CSTMS, and promotes research and discussion of STS issues at Berkeley. History of science students often find its offerings helpful. It also sponsors a working group in Science & Technology Studies.

Doreen B. Townsend Center

Located in 220 Stephens Hall, the Townsend Center for the Humanities sponsors interdisciplinary activities (speakers, seminars, conferences, etc.) in the humanities and social studies, including science and technology related topics. It supports many working groups for students and faculty.

Other California doctoral programs

Berkeley has an agreement for cross-registration with other University of California campuses and Stanford University. Notices of special lectures and seminar series are regularly circulated. In particular, the Program in History of Health Sciences at UC San Francisco, across the Bay Bridge, coordinates closely with Berkeley’s history of science program.

Visiting scholars

In addition to our graduate students and faculty, OHST hosts a number of visiting academics from around the world. They stay with us for as little as a week, and sometimes as long as two or more years.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i apply to the history of science program.

The Office for History of Science and Technology does not grant degrees directly. Most students intending to study the history of science at Berkeley apply to the History Department’s MA/PhD program and choose History of Science as their field of concentration.

If I apply to the Berkeley History Department, how is the history of science program structured?

Berkeley history students take courses in two fields of study in the History Department, typically history of science and a geographical/chronological field (e.g., U.S., early modern Europe, East Asia – Japan). They also study a third, “outside” field in another department. This can be a science, a humanities/social science discipline, a professional field (such as public policy), or any other course of study offered at Berkeley. The outside field allows them to gain an interdisciplinary perspective.

If I am in another department, how can I draw on the resources of history of science?

All Berkeley doctoral programs require you to make contacts outside your home department. You can choose history for your “outside” field and work with a professor in the history of science. You can take courses, prepare an oral examination field, and have a historian of science on your dissertation committee.

At Berkeley, I would get a PhD in, say, History, rather than the PhD in History of Science offered by some other universities. Does this matter?

In some ways yes, in some ways no. Berkeley graduates are trained in their larger discipline as well as history of science. This gives them access to wider intellectual circles. After graduation, the strength of their home department (at Berkeley, typically one of the top-ranked programs in the nation) also helps them in their job search. The History degree has never disadvantaged our students in the history of science field.

I want to study a topic which doesn’t correspond perfectly to a specific professor’s area of expertise. Is this a problem?

No, professors welcome students with interests different from their own. However, if your topic is widely distant from current faculty strengths — in chronological, geographical, or disciplinary terms — you may need more information to make a decision. When in doubt, just e-mail the professor with your question.

Is it possible to study the history of science if I don’t have a background in history?

Yes. About half our graduate students come from science, philosophy, or other backgrounds. There is time during your coursework to fill in gaps in your preparation. In composing your application, address your background directly. A persuasive statement of purpose and relevant writing sample will help your application.

What are Berkeley’s other attractions?

Besides a scenic setting, fantastic cultural and recreational opportunities, and exceptional weather? UC Berkeley is known for academic strength across the board. At Berkeley you can study more foreign languages than anywhere else in the country, take courses in an exceptional number of top-ranked graduate and professional programs, and encounter an amazing diversity of scholars. For more information, ask us to put you in contact with our current students , or e-mail them directly.

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Graduate Certificate in Science, Technology, and Society

STS offers a Graduate Certificate in Science, Technology, and Society for doctoral students. Similar to those offered by universities including Michigan, Brown, and Georgia Tech, this certificate encourages intellectual engagement with STS and allows students to signal competence in the field. 

To apply, Stanford doctoral students should propose at least four courses from among the areas of concentration (see below), or in another area of their choosing. The application should include a two-page rationale explaining how these courses and STS more generally complement their doctoral program of study and research. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Dr. Kyoko Sato, STS associate director, at  kyokos [at] stanford.edu (kyokos[at]stanford[dot]edu) . 

The Program records those students who are awarded an STS Graduate Certificate and showcases their work on its website.

Concentrations and Example Courses

• AFRICAAM 200N: Funkentelechy Technologies: Social Justice and Black Vernacular Cultures, Adam Banks.
• COMM 220: The Rise of Digital Media, Fred Turner.
• COMM 254: The Politics of Algorithms, Angele Christin.
• COMM 324: Language and Technology, Jeff Hancock.
• EDUC 320/SOC 330: Sociology of Science, Dan McFarland.
• EDUC 423/SOC 302: Introduction to Data Science, Dan McFarland & Sanne Smith.
• INTLPOL 221: Politics of Data: Algorithmic Culture, Big Data, and Information Waste, Paul Edwards.
• ANTHRO 233: Masculinity: Technologies and Cultures of Gender (ANTHRO 133, FEMGEN 133M), M. Kohrman.
• ANTHRO 288: Matter and Mattering: Transdisciplinary Thinking about Things (ANTHRO 188, APPPHYS 188, ARCHLGY 188, ARTSINST 198, ARTSINST 298), Ian Hodder.
• ANTHRO 366: Material Semiotics, Miyako Inoue.
• ARTHIST 431: Leonardo's World: Science, Technology, and Art (ARTHIST 231, HISTORY 231, HISTORY 331, ITALIAN 231, ITALIAN 331), Paula Findlen.
• CHINA 251B: The Nature of Knowledge: Science and Literature in East Asia (CHINA 251B, JAPAN 151B, JAPAN 251B, KOREA 151, KOREA 251), B. Wang and D. Zur.
• CHINA 371: Aesthetics, Politics, and Modernity: Critical Theory and China, B. Wang.
• FILMSTUD 259: (459) Game Studies, Shane Denson
• HISTORY 302: Technopolitics: Materiality, Power, Theory (Anthropology 302A), Gabrielle Hecht.
• HISTORY 432A: The Enlightenment, Jessica Riskin.
• MS&E 383: Doctoral Seminar on Ethnographic Research, M. Valentine
• RELIGST 367: Seminar in Religion and Material Culture, J. Kieschnick.
• EDUC 288: Organizational Analysis (SOC 271), Woody Powell
• PUBLPOL 353A: Science and Technology Policy, P. Windham.
• MS&E 383: Doctoral Seminar on Ethnographic Research, M. Valentine.
• MS&E 384: Groups and Teams, Pam Hinds.
• SOC 314: Economic Sociology, Mark Granovetter.
• AFRICAST 249: Bodies, Technologies, and Natures in Africa (ANTHRO 348B, HISTORY 349), Gabrielle Hecht.
• ANTHRO 282: Medical Anthropology, Angela Garcia.
• ANTHRO 322: From Biopolitics to Necropolitics and Beyond, M. Kohrmann.
• ANTHRO 350A: Writing as Intervention: Science, Medicine, and Ethics in Today's World, Duana Fullwiley.
• HISTORY 343C: People, Plants, and Medicine: Colonial Science and Medicine (HISTORY 243C), Londa Schiebinger.
• HISTORY 343G: Tobacco and Health in World History (HISTORY 243G), Robert Proctor.
• PHIL 267A: Philosophy of Biology (PHIL 167A), Helen Longino.
• AFRICAST 303E: Infrastructure & Power in the Global South (ANTHRO 303E, HISTORY 303E), Gabrielle Hecht.
• HISTORY 202J: Climate Politics: Science and Global Governance (INTLPOL 271), Paul Edwards.
• HISTORY 378: The Historical Ecology of Latin America, M. Wolfe.
• REES 254: Animism, Gaia, and Alternative Approaches to the Environment, E. Domanska.
• ANTHRO 367: The Anthropology of Science: Global Politics and Laboratory Life, Duana Fullwiley.
• COMM 385: Media as Ways of Knowing, Xiaochang Li.
• FRENCH 228: Science, Technology and Society and The Humanities in the Face of the Looming Disaster (ITALIAN 228, POLISCI 233F), Jean-Pierre Dupuy.
• HISTORY 202J: Climate Politics: Science and Global Governance (INTLPOL 271). Paul Edwards.
• HISTORY 304D: Advanced Topics in Agnotology (HISTORY 204D), Robert Proctor.

How to Apply

Required application materials.

The application for the Graduate Certificate in Science, Technology, and Society includes the following components:

•  A curriculum proposal, including at least four courses comprising a minimum of 16 units. Courses should be selected from the STS areas of concentration, as detailed in the example course lists (above), or another area of your choosing. The proposal should clarify the area of focus, and  may also reference possible course substitutions. If you hope to include courses not on this list, please provide the syllabus.
• A two-page statement explaining how the proposed courses and study in science, technology and society, more generally, will augment the student’s graduate program of research and study.
• All courses completed for the Graduate Certificate must be at the 200 level or higher, and be taken for a letter grade.
• Prior to submitting an application, students should discuss their curriculum plan with their home department and graduate advisor, and also with the Director or Associate Director of the STS program. Please note that participation in the certificate program should not extend time to TGR or time to degree.
• Applications for the certificate are reviewed and approved by the Director and the Associate Director of the STS Program. The Graduate Certificate is issued by the Program in Science, Technology, and Society, and will not appear on any University record, including the transcript and diploma. However, students are welcome to list the certificate on their CV and refer to it as officially awarded by the STS Program.

The Graduate Certificate in Science, Technology and Society was approved by the STS Executive Board on June 24, 2019.

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Doctorate in Sustainability – PhD (Online)*

Career paths, residencies.

• Faculty & Staff

Tuition & Fees

Emerge as an innovative leader in the field of sustainability to address socio-ecological resilience, climate change, water scarcity, food insecurity, environmental policy, economic justice, and more.

At a Glance

For the program beginning summer 2025

Residency Locations

Portugal, Tanzania

Priority Deadline

November 1, 2024, followed by rolling admissions

Final Deadline

January 31, 2025

Critical Global Issue of Study

Climate & Environment

Development & Inequality

Program Cost

Why a phd in sustainability from sit.

Developed for professionals working to create a more sustainable future, PhD in Sustainability students will investigate the social, ecological, technical, and political dimensions of sustainable transformations, the relationship of science and society in advancing more sustainable futures, and novel and inclusive approaches to community-based problem solving and sustainable development.

This online program is complemented by two 10-day international residencies across four years of part-time study. During the first-year residency, students will immerse themselves in Lisbon, Portugal, a beacon of progress in renewable energy innovation, marine conservation, and sustainability. During the second-year residency, students transition from theory to hands-on exploration through unique case studies in Tanzania’s Zanzibar Archipelago, which is at the forefront of blue economy initiatives.

Students will develop skills in research, organizational leadership, policy development, and communication in order to contribute to climate change mitigation, advocate for social equity, and innovate sustainable business practices for economic prosperity. Graduates of the program will be prepared to lead multi-stakeholder groups as they will be effective communicators in policy circles, academic and organizational contexts, and in popular science.  

SIT’s global faculty bring experience in both teaching and mentorship and applied work in many facets of sustainability, from integrative conservation, climate change, food security, environmental governance, and sustainable business and technology. With SIT’s global network and long history of experiential learning, students will gain a unique global perspective they can apply to their careers.

This program is ideal for professionals enthusiastic about producing evidence-based analysis to investigate the social and ecological dimensions of sustainable transformations, the relationship of science and society in advancing more sustainable futures, and novel and inclusive approaches to community-based problem solving and sustainable development. Career paths may include:

Climate and environment analyst

Lead sustainability designer or director

Energy policy advisor

Regenerative systems specialist

Green tech innovator

Sustainability curriculum designer

University faculty

Leadership and research roles in academic, government, NGO, and business

Read about SIT Graduate Institute alumni careers through the SIT blog and our Career Impact page.

First-Year Residency: Lisbon, Portugal

A beacon of progress in renewable energy innovation, marine conservation, and sustainability, Portugal offers a vibrant environment of breathtaking coastlines and majestic mountainous regions that will serve as your classroom. During this 10-day residency, students will explore and contribute to areas such as marine conservation, renewable energy innovations, and sustainable agriculture practices.

The program base, Lisbon, received the 2020 European Green Capital Award. The city surpassed its 2030 target for carbon emissions reduction in 2016 and aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

Second-Year Residency: Zanzibar, Tanzania

Transition from theory to hands-on exploration through case studies in the Zanzibar Archipelago, which is at the forefront of blue economy initiatives. This 10-day residency serves as a cornerstone for grounding the program themes and tools in real-world applications, where your research becomes a powerful catalyst for positive change.

Go beyond the classroom to contribute to solutions for sustainability challenges, particularly related to food production and tourism in the face of climate change. Visit key sites and interact with stakeholders to gain valuable insights into local sustainability practices and challenges. Beyond the local context, this experience extends to a global perspective as participants compare their Zanzibar experiences against similar cases worldwide.

Please note that in order to take advantage of dynamic learning opportunities, program excursions may occasionally vary.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the PhD in Sustainability, students will be able to:

• Conduct groundbreaking transdisciplinary research that cuts across systems thinking, sustainability studies, and social action.
• Design effective and successful project solutions that lead to inclusive, tenable results for the flourishing of human livelihoods and ecosystems at different spatiotemporal scales.
• Contribute to an emerging body of research and action that redefines mainstream environmental thought guided by contemporary, alternative conservation epistemologies.
• Lead organizations and initiatives in the creation and implementation of sustainable and regenerative systems that satisfy human and ecosystem needs.
• Design and carry out original, ethical research informed by relevant literature and grounded in appropriate methodologies and approaches.
• Contribute to scholarship and practice of the field through publishable research findings.

Read more about Program Learning Outcomes .

Students complete 64 credit hours of work across four years (12 semesters) of study. Courses focus on theory, research methods, applied practice, professional development, and dissertation preparation. Throughout, you will learn from professors and advisors from across the globe. This PhD draws on SIT’s 60-year history of experiential education and global partnerships to provide students with a unique and powerful learning experience.

Students can request to transfer up to 15 credits of relevant previous graduate coursework during admission, thereby reducing the overall credit requirement from 64 to 49.

With approval, students can pursue an accelerated pathway to complete the degree in 10 semesters. The research and dissertation writing phase of the program may vary, dependent on individual student progress, outside commitments, and type or scope of research.

Please expand the sections below to see detailed course descriptions and admissions information.

This is SIT

• We value active togetherness, reciprocity, and respect as the essential ingredients for building a sustainable community .

• With open minds, empathy, and courage, we facilitate intercultural understanding and respect for the commonalities and differences between people.
• We champion social inclusion & justice in all that we are and all that we do, from ensuring our community and our programs amplify the voices, agency, and dignity of all people to deliberately instilling the principles and practices of inclusion in all of our work.
• We are committed to human and environmental well-being through sustainability and contributing to a better world for all living and future generations.

Perspectives on Sustainability (3 credits)

In this course, students will delve into the foundational bodies of theory that underpin both research and practical applications of sustainability approaches. This course provides the theoretical background for the discussion and analysis of sustainability issues that range from energy and natural resources to biodiversity and global climate change. Core concepts of the course include social-ecological systems thinking, vulnerability, resilience, regenerative development, policy, and communication in the context of sustainability.

Central to the course is the interconnectedness of sustainability issues across different scales and systems. Students will gain insights into how communities, governments, organizations, social movements, private corporations, and individuals can collectively address the looming threats to sustainability. The exploration of sustainability topics spans a wide array of perspectives, fostering adaptability in addressing the complex task of reshaping human society and its relationship with nature and technology. The overarching goal is to guide individuals towards more sustainable patterns in ecological, social, political, and economic relations while preparing them to be effective communicators of hope throughout their graduate degree and beyond.

Social-Ecological-Technical-Political Systems and Integration (3 credits)

This course provides the theoretical background for the use and application of complex systems thinking and decision making for sustainability. The course content draws on diverse fields and spheres, including the social sciences, ecological systems, and technology, with a focus on how these spheres overlap, interact, and how we may further bring them together. Core concepts of the course include social-ecological systems thinking, supply-chain and networks analysis, and ethics and social justice in the context of sustainability. Students will examine interrelationships among natural, societal, economic, technological and political systems on multiple scales, and learn to identify problems and conceptualize solutions using systems thinking.

Integrative Biodiversity Conservation (3 credits)

In this course, students will examine past and current environmental conservation theories, paradigms, approaches, and practices that explore and weigh 1) the challenges and successes of resource conservation on multiple scales, 2) the role of carbon in current and future management of ecological systems, 3) the emergence of environmental governance, and 4) ecological restoration and its potential impacts on human flourishing. Holistic in its approach, the course focuses on the relationships, nuances, and sacrifices involved in balancing human use of natural resources and the maintenance and regeneration of ecological health. The course will also draw on theories and concepts from the pluriverse, environmental psychology, and notions of the inseparable duality of the human-nature mosaic.

Case Studies in Climate Change and Sustainability (3 credits)

Societies in developing countries depend on ecosystem goods and services for their livelihoods. Climate change impacts have damaged the integrity of ecosystems and placed stresses on residents’ livelihoods, public institutions, and businesses. This Praxis course addresses climate change impacts and sustainable practices in the tropics and, furthermore, shows that sustainability is a key factor of the development process. The idea of sustainability emerged in response to growing concerns about the apparent failure of conventional, state-led “development” initiatives and about the extent and pace of socio-environmental degradation, including in African settings. In general, a practice is sustainable and resilient when it can cope with and recover from stress and shocks and maintain or enhance its capabilities and assets, while not further undermining the natural resource base and its multi-sectoral linkages.

This 10-day course takes place in the Zanzibar Archipelago, a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania in East Africa. The course addresses three specific cases by experiencing examples and putting theory and skills into practice where Africa meets the Indian Ocean. During the stay in Zanzibar, we also visit key sites and meet with stakeholders about sustainability practices and challenges, for instance as linked to food production and tourism in an era of climate change. Experiences and applications in Zanzibar are compared against global cases. This course grounds doctoral program themes and tools with on-the-ground experiences and applications in the Global South.

Preliminary Review (0 credits)

At the conclusion of year one of the program, students must pass a preliminary examination. Preliminary exams demonstrate mastery of content covered in core courses and demonstrated progress towards the dissertation research proposal.

Analytical Tools and Methods in Sustainability Studies (3 credits)

Sustainability assessment balances environmental, social, and economic impacts while respecting contextual and long-term risks. This Research Methods course provides a critical and systematic review of qualitative and quantitative, but primarily mixed methods, approaches to sustainability. Previous comprehension of baseline qualitative and quantitative methods is expected of students. The course also introduces and applies diverse analytical tools essential to the assessment of sustainability cases and outcomes. A broad comprehension of disciplines, scales (space and time), data types, metrics, indicators, and the strengths and limitations of specific paradigms and approaches informs the course and its content. Sustainability evaluations can impact policy and decision-making in both natural/physical and social spheres. Enhanced livelihoods and environmental conservation and social development can result from improved scientific and technical applications that assess the synergies and tradeoffs of sustainability outcomes.

Qualitative Research Methods (3 credits)

In this course, students will be introduced to a range of approaches and methods used in qualitative inquiry. Among the approaches covered are process tracing, discourse analysis, ethnographic research, case studies, comparative historical analysis, archival research, interviewing, ethnography, content analysis, ethnographic research, political profiling, and agent-based modeling. Students will deepen their knowledge about these approaches and enhance their data collection skills by conducting surveys, analytical frameworks, designing case studies, and reflecting on each method’s strengths and limitations. Students will also learn how to code data inductively and deductively, develop codes, look for patterns emerging in data, develop overarching themes, and interpret findings.

Research Colloquium (3 credits)

The Research Colloquium gives a platform for doctoral students to present and discuss possible PhD research projects, exchange ideas, receive constructive feedback, and workshop ways to prepare and improve their dissertation research proposals. Across 10 days, students interact in a conference format, presenting their research ideas, the literature and debates attached to those ideas, and the methods they are considering using in their inquiry process. Students are also expected to critically evaluate the work of their peers, providing constructive criticism to help them advance their research agenda, operationalize their research questions(s), and identify and develop plans for overcoming challenges in the data collection and analysis phases of their research. Prior to the in-person colloquium students will work with their advisor as needed to develop their presentations.

Electives and Transfer Credits (15 credits)

In addition to the above, students must take 15 credits of elective courses prior to sitting for comprehensive exams. Elective credits can be fulfilled by two means: transferring prior graduate credits received at SIT or another accredited institution or completing an advisor approved elective offered through one of SIT’s part-time hybrid master’s or PhD programs.  

Comprehensive Exams (0 credits)

Upon completion of all coursework, students must pass a comprehensive examination and begin a prospectus (proposal) for their dissertation research. Comprehensive exams confirm students’ mastery of their chosen field of study and serve as the basis for their doctoral dissertation literature review. After passing the comprehensive examination and prospectus defense, students enter candidacy.

Proposal Defense, IRB approval (3 credits)

The proposal defense is designed to evaluate the feasibility, significance, and originality of each student’s proposed dissertation research project. It serves as a critical checkpoint to ensure that the research project is well-structured, well-developed, and has a high likelihood of success. The defense is conducted in front of the student’s three dissertation committee members: their primary advisor and their first and second reader. It consists of a formal presentation followed by a question-and-answer session. After the questioning, the committee deliberates, then provides feedback to the student regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the proposal. The outcome of the defense will be one of the following: 1) Pass: the student may proceed with their research, 2) Conditional Pass: The student is allowed to proceed, but they must address specific issues or complete requested revisions to the proposal before doing so, or 3) Fail: The proposal does not meet the required standards, and the student will be required to revise and redefend it at a later date. *Requires successful completion of comprehensive exams.

Doctoral and Professional Development Seminar 1-4 (1 credit each)

The Doctoral and Professional Development Seminars 1-4 seek to build a community of practice of PhD students as they work to complete their doctoral dissertations.  Students meet bi-weekly with each other and their degree chair to share their dissertation progress, problem solve, and share drafts of their work for feedback. The seminar will also feature occasional guest speakers who will share their own doctoral dissertation journeys and their professional transitions after receiving their PhD.

Dissertation (20 credits across 4 semesters)

At least 20 credits of the PhD program consists of research and dissertation. After completion of the dissertation, the student must pass an oral examination in defense of the dissertation. The culminating experience for the doctoral degree program is publication of the dissertation. The non-coursework portion of the program usually lasts two years.

Dissertation Defense (1 credit)

In this course, students will complete their dissertation, prepare for their oral defense. working closely with their primary and secondary advisors, and deliver and defend their work. Students will be able to present their dissertation remotely.

Admissions Criteria

Our admissions staff work one-on-one with every applicant to facilitate a highly informed and multidimensional admissions experience: applicants are required to undertake an interview with SIT faculty during the application process.    

As applicants become familiar with the attributes of an SIT education—grounded in the experiential learning model and focused on social justice and leadership skills in intercultural environments—they determine for themselves  how  SIT can help them meet their educational and career objectives.  

For the PhD in Sustainability, admissions will evaluate candidates to ensure they meet the following criteria:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution
• Strong academic writing and scholarly potential, as evidenced by a statement of purpose
• Demonstrated English language proficiency (see details below)
• Intercultural and professional experience
• A minimum preferred cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a scale of 4.0
• Demonstrated ability to use experience as a source of learning
• All applicants are required to interview with program faculty

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• statement of purpose
• three letters of recommendation
• resume or curriculum vitae
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information The statement of purpose should not exceed 600 words and should describe how the applicant’s experience will contribute to success in the program; describe how completion of the degree will support long-term professional goals; and expand on key research questions the applicant aims to address as part of the plan of study. Letters of recommendation must be from three people who can attest to the applicant’s academic and professional achievements. At least one letter should be academic in nature.

Applicants will be able to transfer up to 15 credits of related graduate coursework toward the PhD program. Please contact us for more information.

English Language Ability

Applicants whose first language is not English and who did not graduate from an English-speaking institution must demonstrate English language proficiency.

*This new program is pending accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) in accordance with the Commission's Policy on Substantive Change. The approval process is anticipated to be finalized in fall 2024.

Faculty & Staff

Sustainability – phd (online)*.

Discover the Possibilities

SIT’s Student Financial Services Office provides guidance on all aspects of funding your degree throughout the application process and during your degree program. Tuition costs vary by program and scholarships are available.

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• Soil Science, PhD

The UW–Madison Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences is one of the oldest, largest, and most prominent soil science departments in the United States. It is globally renowned for its excellence in soil research and education. The department's mission is to provide instruction, research, and extension leadership in soil chemistry, physics, biology, and pedology to economic and sustainable land use. Programs are designed to improve basic understanding and practical management of soil resources in natural, agricultural, and urban ecosystems, and to serve local, state, national, and global interests. The department implements the Wisconsin Idea to the extended community and provides all generations with an appreciation of soil as a key natural resource and thorough understanding of the scientific basis of the environment and agriculture.

Soil science entails understanding soils and applying the principles of physics, chemistry, mathematics, and biology to the sustainable management of soil and the environment. Soil science deals with the effects of climate change and its interaction with the soil, with scarcity of water resources, and the increase of food production to feed 9 billion people. The link between soils and biodiversity as well as the effects of soils on biofuel production is widely researched in the Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences.

The department is committed to integrated programs of instruction, research, extension, and outreach that address societal goals of responsible stewardship of soil and water resources.

The importance of soils in crop production, environmental issues, turf and grounds management, soil conservation, global climate change, carbon sequestration, rural and urban planning, and waste disposal are integrated into the department's course offerings and research programs. Graduate study in soil science provides the basic and applied scientific training needed for teaching, research, and other professional work in the agricultural, earth, and environmental sciences. The department office provides information concerning career placement and available vacancies.

Graduates from the department occupy leading positions in industry, government, education, and research in agriculture, natural resources, and environmental science throughout the world. Of the more than 1,000 alumni of the department's graduate program, many are deans, directors, chairs, faculty, and staff at universities in the U.S. and other countries, or in leading positions in government, regulatory agencies, research institutions, agribusinesses, chemical industries, and recreational and conservation organizations.

The number of graduate students enrolled in the program over the past 10 years has averaged 20 per year, with about half pursuing master's degrees and half pursuing doctorates. International students generally comprise about 30% of the total. Department faculty also direct additional graduate students in multidisciplinary research in soils-related programs.

Faculty Research

Research in the department focuses on an improved understanding of the soil, as well as on interactions between soil and the people of Wisconsin. The faculty have extensive and long-term experience and knowledge about the soils of Wisconsin, their genesis, properties, and management. The department has an exciting suite of research activities ranging from the molecular level to the global. Research focuses on topical themes like climate change and soil changes to land use effects of biofuel production to DNA fingerprinting of soil life.

Many field research projects on soil and water problems are conducted in cooperation with state and federal agencies, agribusinesses, municipalities, and private farmers. The department cooperates closely with the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, and the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service in conducting soil surveys and addressing problems of groundwater shortages and contamination. Relationships between soils and forests are studied at tree nurseries and in state, private, and commercial forests throughout the state in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the pulp and paper industry.

Through a long commitment of our staff to international agriculture, the department has assisted in the creation of agricultural colleges in several developing countries and has attracted outstanding international graduate students. Current research involvement includes Brazil, Chile, China, Trinidad-Tobago, Spain, Australia, Argentina, and Antarctica.

Many department faculty have been recognized nationally and globally for their contributions to soil science. Three of only four soil scientists appointed to the National Academy of Sciences are from the UW–Madison Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences. Several faculty members have received local and national academic, professional-society, trade-association, and industrial prizes and awards for teaching, research, and extension education and serve on important state, national, and international committees. Many faculty members have been recognized for their contributions by election to honorary fellowship in the Soil Science Society of America, the American Society of Agronomy, and allied professional societies.

Our faculty are heavily involved in cooperative interdisciplinary research undertakings with scientists and organizations within and beyond the university, such as UW–Madison's Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, Environmental Chemistry and Technology Program, and other science departments, state agencies, environmental consulting and service companies, agribusinesses, and trade organizations.

Research Facilities

Research in the department can be conducted in the field, in the laboratory, and behind the desktop, but is commonly conducted in a combination. The department is equipped with all necessary laboratory, computing, and field facilities for graduate training and research. State-of-the-art scientific instrumentation includes soil moisture tension apparatus; flame-emission and atomic-absorption spectrophotometers and gamma-ray spectrometers; neutron activation analysis equipment; an inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-emission spectrometer and an ICP-mass spectrometer; thin-layer, high-performance liquid, gas, and ion chromatographs; low-mass isotope ratio mass spectrometer; micro-respirometers; micro-titer-plate counters; infrared and ultraviolet spectrophotometers; phase-contrast, polarizing and epifluorescence microscopy and photomicrography equipment; eddy correlation systems for heat, moisture, and CO2 fluxes; ground-penetrating radar; high-resolution digital imaging; dynamic light scattering and particle electrophoresis equipment; flow field flow fractionation; and accelerated solvent extractor. Field equipment includes a truck-mounted hydraulic soil probe with well-drilling capabilities; a plot-field harvest combine; various production field equipment (planters, tillage equipment, rainfall simulator); differential-global position system; and particle counter.

Excellent data collection, data logging, computing, and networking facilities are available for basic research and graduate training. In addition to computing facilities maintained by individual researchers for their students, the department makes available to its graduate students a computer graphics facility for the production of sophisticated graphic output.

Specialized facilities are available for research in molecular biology, modern environmental microbiology, in vitro toxicology and bioassays, and contaminated-site remediation. Soils graduate students and faculty have shared access to major advanced physicochemical, x-ray, and electron microscopy analytical equipment through the Materials Science Center, National Magnetic Resonance Facility at Madison, National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratories, and other UW–Madison science and engineering departments. Facilities, vehicles, machinery, and instrumentation are available for conducting field experiments at ten strategically located UW Agricultural Research Stations and the O.J. Noer Turfgrass Research and Education Facility. Fieldwork for agricultural production and environmental protection is supported by daily information from the CALS agricultural weather station network as well as soils, crops, land-use, and natural resources analysis using land information systems and geographic information systems.

Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online .

Suggested Preparatory Coursework

A foundation in the basic sciences is essential for graduate study in soil science. Continuing undergraduate students are encouraged to select undergraduate courses carefully if they are considering advanced degrees in soil science. The program recommends applicants complete the suggested preparatory coursework (or equivalent) listed below. Admission without this suggested preparation is possible but may delay the completion of graduate studies. If this preparatory coursework has not been completed prior to admission, a student’s examination committee and/or advisor may require this coursework be completed during the PhD program depending on the student's academic, research, and career goal needs.

Graduate School Resources

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid.  Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Program Resources

Financial support is usually available to qualified students in the form of research assistantships, mostly funded from research grants; final decision for granting a research assistantship rests with the professor(s) supervising the research. Any assistantship for at least one-third time qualifies a student for remission of tuition (though students may be responsible for other administrative fees). The department does not offer teaching assistantships. A number of Graduate School fellowships are available to new students with outstanding records. The deadline for application for these competitive fellowships is early January of each year. The department selects the most qualified applicants and forwards their dossiers to a campus-wide selection committee. Support for graduate assistantships is available through two Wisconsin Distinguished Fellowships (the W.R. Kussow/Wisconsin Turfgrass Association and the Leo M. Walsh/Wisconsin Fertilizer and Chemical Association), the C.B. Tanner Agricultural Physics Award Fund, and the Charles and Alice Ream Soil and Water Protection Research Fund. In addition, there are two awards given annually to outstanding incoming graduate students, the O.N. Allen Graduate Fellowship for Agriculture and the Kelling Soil Fertility Award.

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements , in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Major Requirements

Mode of instruction, mode of instruction definitions.

Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.

Evening/Weekend: ​Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules.  Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.

Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.

Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats.  Contact the program for more specific information.

Online: These programs are offered 100% online.  Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.

Curricular Requirements

Required courses.

Students who take SOIL SCI/​F&W ECOL  451 Environmental Biogeochemistry may count it as either Soil Chemistry or Soil Biology credits, but it cannot count towards both categories.

 All PhD candidates must present at least two seminars in SOIL SCI 728 . One of the seminars must be on the student's prospectus.

 All candidates pursuing a Soil Science PhD shall complete a minimum of 1 credit of SOIL SCI 799 . A written plan for satisfying this requirement shall be prepared by the student in conjunction with the advisor and approved by the Certification Committee. The type and level of effort required to earn one or more degree credits in SOIL SCI 799 shall be in accordance with the guidelines and standards set forth by the CALS Curriculum Committee and approved by the UW Divisional Committees in the Spring Semester 1981.

 PhD candidates are required to enroll in at least 1 credit of SOIL SCI 990 every semester.

Graduate School Policies

The  Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures  provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.

Major-Specific Policies

Prior coursework, graduate credits earned at other institutions .

With program approval, students are allowed to count up to 12 credits of graduate coursework taken during graduate study at other institutions. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements. Students may petition the department for an appeal of the ten-year limit on a case-by-case basis.

Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison

With program approval, students are allowed to count up to 7 credits of graduate coursework numbered 300 or above from a UW–Madison undergraduate degree. The coursework may also count toward the 50% graduate coursework requirement if the courses are numbered 700 or above. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements. Students may petition the department for an appeal of the ten-year limit on a case-by-case basis.

Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)

Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.

Credits Earned as a University Special student at UW-Madison

With program approval, students are allowed to count up to 15 credits of coursework numbered 300 or above taken as a UW–Madison University Special student. The coursework may also count toward the 50% graduate coursework requirement if the courses are numbered 700 or above. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements. Students may petition the department for an appeal of the ten-year limit on a case-by-case basis.

Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.

Advisor / Committee

The Doctoral Committee, chosen by the student and major professor, is a committee of four or more members representing more than one graduate program, three of whom must be UW-Madison graduate faculty or former UW-Madison graduate faculty up to one year after resignation or retirement. At least one of the four members must be from outside of the student’s major program or major field (often the minor field) and approved by the Certification Committee. A minimum of two must be from the Soil Science faculty. At least three committee members must be designated as readers. Representation of the Minor Department (see Graduate Minor Requirements in the handbook) is at the option of the Minor Department, but the Department of Soil Science recommends that the Minor Professor be on the Committee.

The required fourth member of the Doctoral Committee, as well as any additional members, all retain voting rights. They may be from any of the following categories, as approved by the executive committee: graduate faculty, faculty from a department without a graduate program, academic staff (including emeritus faculty), visiting faculty, faculty from other institutions, scientists, research associates, and other individuals deemed qualified by the Executive Committee (or its equivalent) provided the individual has a PhD degree or its equivalent.

It is the responsibility of the student and the Major Professor to form a Doctoral Committee and schedule a meeting before the end of the second semester (not including summer sessions) of PhD graduate work.

A student who does not meet deadline requirements in this document will not be allowed to register in the subsequent semester until a written plan for meeting the requirements has been approved by their major advisor and the department Certification Committee.

Credits Per Term Allowed

Time limits.

Prospectus: The written prospectus and the prospectus seminar must be completed by the end of the third semester (not including summer sessions).

Preliminary exam: Students who obtain their MS degree in the department and who continue in the department for their doctorate must take the preliminary examination by the end of the fourth semester (not including summer sessions) of PhD graduate work. Candidates who are approved to retake a failed examination must have passed by the end of the fifth semester.

Candidates for the PhD degree who obtained an MS or MA degree elsewhere, must take the Preliminary Examination by the end of the fourth semester (not including summer sessions) of PhD graduate work. Candidates who are approved to retake a failed examination must have passed by the end of the fifth semester.

Candidates who do not adhere to this deadline must show justification for the delay to the department certification committee.

Final oral exam and deposit of dissertation: A candidate for a doctoral degree who fails to take the final oral examination and deposit the dissertation within five years after passing the preliminary examination may by require to take another preliminary examination and to be admitted to candidacy a second time.

Grievances and Appeals

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:

• Bias or Hate Reporting  
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
• Office of the Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs
• Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
• Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
• Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
• Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
• Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS)  (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
• Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
• Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
• Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences: Grievance Policy  

In the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS), any student who feels unfairly treated by a member of the CALS faculty or staff has the right to complain about the treatment and to receive a prompt hearing. Some complaints may arise from misunderstandings or communication breakdowns and be easily resolved; others may require formal action. Complaints may concern any matter of perceived unfairness.

To ensure a prompt and fair hearing of any complaint, and to protect the rights of both the person complaining and the person at whom the complaint is directed, the following procedures are used in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Any student, undergraduate or graduate, may use these procedures, except employees whose complaints are covered under other campus policies.

• The student should first talk with the person at whom the complaint is directed. Most issues can be settled at this level. Others may be resolved by established departmental procedures.
• If the complaint involves an academic department in CALS the student should proceed in accordance with item 3 below.
• If the grievance involves a unit in CALS that is not an academic department, the student should proceed in accordance with item 4 below.
• If informal mediation fails, the student can submit the grievance in writing to the grievance advisor within 10 working days of the date the student is informed of the failure of the mediation attempt by the grievance advisor. The grievance advisor will provide a copy to the person at whom the grievance is directed.
• The grievance advisor will refer the complaint to a department committee that will obtain a written response from the person at whom the complaint is directed, providing a copy to the student. Either party may request a hearing before the committee. The grievance advisor will provide both parties a written decision within 20 working days from the date of receipt of the written complaint.
• If the grievance involves the department chairperson, the grievance advisor or a member of the grievance committee, these persons may not participate in the review.
• If not satisfied with departmental action, either party has 10 working days from the date of notification of the departmental committee action to file a written appeal to the CALS Equity and Diversity Committee. A subcommittee of this committee will make a preliminary judgement as to whether the case merits further investigation and review. If the subcommittee unanimously determines that the case does not merit further investigation and review, its decision is final. If one or more members of the subcommittee determine that the case does merit further investigation and review, the subcommittee will investigate and seek to resolve the dispute through mediation. If this mediation attempt fails, the subcommittee will bring the case to the full committee. The committee may seek additional information from the parties or hold a hearing. The committee will present a written recommendation to the dean who will provide a final decision within 20 working days of receipt of the committee recommendation.
• If the alleged unfair treatment occurs in a CALS unit that is not an academic department, the student should, within 120 calendar days of the alleged incident, take his/her grievance directly to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. The dean will attempt to resolve the problem informally within 10 working days of receiving the complaint. If this mediation attempt does not succeed the student may file a written complaint with the dean who will refer it to the CALS Equity and Diversity Committee. The committee will seek a written response from the person at whom the complaint is directed, subsequently following other steps delineated in item 3d above.

Financial support is available to qualified MS and PhD students in the form of research assistantships. Most assistantships are funded through research grants, and the final decision rests with the professor(s) supervising the research. A research assistantship for at least one-third time qualifies a student for remission of all tuition. The department offers a limited number of teaching assistantships. Graduate School fellowships are also available.

• Professional Development

Take advantage of the Graduate School's  professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career. 

UW–Madison offers a wealth of resources intended to enrich your graduate studies and enhance your professional skills. Starting your very first year on campus, it is expected that you will take full advantage of the career and professional development resources that best fit your needs and support your goals. Since our alumni thrive not only in academia but also in industry, corporate, government, and non-profit arenas, we strive to be in tune, holistic, and innovative in our approach to meeting the diverse professional development needs of our students. By actively participating in these professional development opportunities, you will build the skills needed to succeed academically at UW–Madison and to thrive professionally in your chosen career.

• Learning Outcomes
• Articulates research problems, potentials, and limits with respect to theory and practice in soil science.
• Formulates ideas, concepts, designs, and/or techniques beyond the boundaries of soil science knowledge.
• Articulates testable hypotheses and conducts research that makes a substantive contribution to soil science.
• Communicates clearly in ways appropriate to the field, in oral and written forms, for scholarly and general public audiences.
• Fosters ethical and professional conduct, adhering to accepted standards such as that of the Soil Science Society of America.

Dr. Francisco Arriaga

Applied Soil Physics, Soil and Water Management and Conservation: Conservation agriculture systems; development of conservation tillage practices that enhance soil quality, soil hydraulic properties, and plant water use through the adoption of cover crops and non-inversion tillage for traditional cropping systems.

Dr. Nicholas Balster

Soil Ecology, Plant Physiological Ecology, and Education: Energy and material cycling in natural and anthropogenic soils including forests, grasslands, and urban ecosystems; stable isotope ecology; environmental education; nutrition management of nursery soils; tree physiology, production and response; ecosystem response to global change; urban ecosystem processes; invasive plant ecology; biodiversity.

Dr. Phillip Barak

Soil Chemistry and Plant Nutrition: Nutrient cycling; nutrient recovery from wastewater; molecular visualization of soil minerals and molecules; soil acidification.

Dr. Zachary Freedman

Soil microbiology, ecology and sustainability: Effects of environmental change on biogeochemical cycles; community ecology and trophic dynamics; forest soil ecology; soil organic matter dynamics; sustainable agroecosystems; bio-based product crop production on marginal lands.  

Dr. Alfred Hartemink

Pedology, Digital Soil Mapping: Pedology; soil carbon; digital soil mapping; tropical soils; history and philosophy of soil science.

Dr. Jingyi Huang

Soil Physics, Proximal and Remote Sensing, Soil Monitoring and Management, Digital Soil Mapping: Application of proximal and remote sensing technologies for understanding the movement of water, heat, gas, and solutes in soils across different spatial and temporal scales; application of physical and empirical models for monitoring, mapping, and managing soil changes due to natural processes and human activities.

Dr. Inna Popova

Environmental soil chemistry; understanding and mitigating the response of soil systems to the increased pressure of organic contaminants; application of biopesticides; development of novel separation and analyses methods for contaminants in environmental matrices.

Dr. Natasha Rayne

Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management: Manure placement, timing, and nitrogen credits; Organic soil amendments and nutrient cycling; Climate-smart and site-specific nitrogen management; Improvement of nitrogen use efficiency in cereal crop production.

Dr. Matthew Ruark

Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management: Soil fertility and management of grain biofuel, and vegetable crops; cover crop management; agricultural production and water quality; sustainability of dairy cropping systems; soil organic matter management.

Dr. Douglas Soldat

Turfgrass and Urban Soils—Turfgrass, urban soils, nutrient management, water resources, soil testing, landscape irrigation; soil contamination.

Dr. Thea Whitman

Soil Ecology, Microbiology, and Biogeochemistry: Soil microbial ecology; organic matter decomposition and carbon stabilization; global environmental change; stable isotopes; linking functional significance of microbial communities with ecosystem processes; fire effects on soil carbon and microbes; management and policy.

Dr. Xia Zhu-Barker

Soil Biogeochemistry, Land Management, and Environmental Sustainability:  Nitrogen and carbon biogeochemical cycles; greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions; nitrate leaching and runoff; innovative manure and nutrient utilization; composting; climate change mitigation and adaptation; ecosystem services and carbon markets; dairy environmental sustainability; novel methods in isotopic techniques; mechanistic exploration of soil-plant-microbe interactions; process-based modelling. The specific research topics include:

• Microbial and abiotic processes involved in the production and consumption of nitrogen and carbon gases (N 2 O, NO X , NH 3 , CO 2 , CH 4 )
• Land management practices (e.g., compost, fertilizer, cover crops, irrigation, and tillage) that change soil health, nitrogen use efficiency, crop productivity, nitrogen losses, carbon turnover.
• Process oriented modelling of carbon/nitrogen turnover in agricultural ecosystems.
• Environmental changes on the sustainability and resilience of agricultural ecosystems especially dairy production systems.
• Requirements

Contact Information

Soil and Environmental Sciences College of Agricultural and Life Sciences soils.wisc.edu

Carol Duffy, Graduate Admissions [email protected] 608-262-2633 Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences 1525 Observatory Dr., Madison, WI 53706

Julie Garvin, Graduate Coordinator [email protected] 608-262-2239 Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences 1525 Observatory Dr., Madison, WI 53706

Doug Soldat, Director of Graduate Study [email protected] Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences 1525 Observatory Dr., Madison, WI 53706

Graduate School [email protected]

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PhD position in Personalized Comfort Systems

Job Information

Offer description.

Materials science and technology are our passion. With our cutting-edge research, Empa's around 1,100 employees make essential contributions to the well-being of society for a future worth living. Empa is a research institution of the ETH Domain.

Our Laboratory Biomimetic Membranes and Textiles develops novel smart fibers, textiles and membranes for body monitoring, drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. A special focus is to develop physical and numerical skin/body models for the analysis of the interactions between materials and the human skin/body to optimize the protection and ergonomics of wearable system and to ensuring comfort and well-being.

• Simulation of asymmetric and heterogeneous thermal exposures of the occupant and his/her thermal response based on existing simulation tools and support of scientific literature 
• Systematic experimental study using full body thermal manikin and HVAC monitoring manikin of various types of PCS including data analysis and data-driven model development
• Designing and performing a human comfort trial to validate the manikin study findings
• Writing and presenting scientific contributions (journal papers, conference presentations, thesis, outreach and info events)

Your profile

• Completed MSc degree in mechanical, environmental or biomedical engineering or similar 
• Experience in physics-based and data-driven modeling is considered as an advantage 
• Good understanding of human thermal physiology and comfort and interest in experimental work
• High interest in interdisciplinary research 
• Excellent communication skills and fluency in English (both written and oral) are mandatory

Our offer A project duration of 4 years is envisaged to carry out the above research tasks in the form of a PhD project in collaboration with EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. The candidate will perform his/her research at Empa in St. Gallen and will get the PhD degree from EPFL Lausanne (with Prof. Dolaana Khovalyg, Laboratory of Integrated Comfort Engineering). The desired starting date is 1st of October 2024 or upon mutual agreement. The PhD candidate will meet a friendly and supportive team helping with quick integration in the new environment and easing learning experience.

We live a culture of inclusion and respect. We welcome all people who are interested in innovative, sustainable and meaningful activities - that's what counts.

We look forward to receiving your complete online application including a letter of motivation, CV, certificates, diplomas and contact details of two reference persons. Please submit these exclusively via our job portal. Applications by e-mail and by post will not be considered.

Requirements

Additional information, work location(s), where to apply.

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Researchers and Industry

HOME > News > Detail

May 28, 2024

Ms. Ayumu Kanzaki, a first-year master student at the Graduate School of Integrated Science and Technology, received the Student Excellence Award at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Fisheries Engineering

　Ms. Ayumu Kanzaki, a first-year master student at the Graduate School of Integrated Science and Technology, received the Student Excellence Award at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Fisheries Engineering (held 25-26 May at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology). The award is given to students who make excellent presentations at the meeting. 　Ms. Kanzaki presented her research "Experiment to control mesh-passing behavior of fish by artificial light”. This research sought conditions under which the behavior of small fish can pass through the mesh by artificial light, providing new knowledge for managing catch quantities in fisheries. The research contents, presentation skills, and the question-and-answer session following the presentation were comprehensively evaluated, leading to the award.