It is important to understand the processes and principles of the environment - embodied in environmental science - to deal with ecological issues, such as environmental degradation and resource depletion. Understanding will come from research on the problems themselves and on the basic science underlying the problems.

The environmental science graduate program cuts across traditional academic disciplines and colleges to provide sound and effective graduate education and research on these important environmental issues.

The program emphasizes basic research on ecological processes and effects, and applied research and teaching that will contribute to solving the world's pressing environmental problems.