Ecosystem Genomics is an emergent discipline that integrates across biotic systems from genes to ecosystems to solve grand challenges in sustainability and innovation in a rapidly changing world. As an innovative, interdisciplinary area of study, ecosystem genomics represents the synthesis of ecosystem- and genomic sciences.
The ultimate aim of the Ecosystem Genomics GIDP is to foster a new generation of diverse transdisciplinary scientists to address the challenges of sustaining natural and managed ecosystems on which humans depend, including wildlands, agricultural systems, forests, arid lands, and marine environments. The coursework supported by this minor will help students think across scales from -˜genes to ecosystems' as they develop skills in interdisciplinarity, scientific communication, and collaboration. At is core the minor will foster and extend students' excellence in areas such as data science, microbiology, plant sciences, insect science, environmental science, atmospheric science, biosystems engineering, ecology and evolutionary biology, geography and information science, and it is intended to attract students majoring in these UArizona programs. Ultimately the minor will help students translate ideas into meaningful scientific advances while cultivating deep and broad skill sets and promises to prepare students for important roles in solving grand challenges relevant to regional, national, and international issues in sustainability and innovation.