Graduate Students

We accept graduate students through the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at UC Santa Cruz. To learn more about the graduate program courses and requirements visit this web page.

​I study the physiology, behavior, population dynamics, and ecology of organisms in the marine environment. While my research focuses primarily on northern elephant seals at Año Nuevo, I  welcome the possibility of working in other systems. I am currently recruiting graduate students interested in those topics who will bring diverse perspectives. Preference will be given to students with backgrounds in quantitative modeling and/or programming, experience with fieldwork, and excellent writing skills. My goal is to create a productive, team-based work environment that encourages work-life balance. 

Students will be supported by internal and external fellowships as well as Graduate Student Researcher and Teaching Assistant positions. I strongly encourage you to apply for an external fellowship (especially the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program, National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship, and Nancy Foster Scholarship Program). Securing one of these external fellowships will greatly increase your chance of admission.
If you would like to apply to the lab, please email roxanne@ucsc.edu with:
  • your CV
  • a brief statement of your proposed research project and interests
  • how your interests fit in with our lab
  • funding opportunities you’ve acquired or applied for

Postdocs

Post-doctoral researchers are encouraged to apply for external fellowships prior to joining the lab (e.g., NSF Biology Postdoc, Smith Conservation Research Fellowship, UC President's Postdoc). If you would like help with a postdoc fellowship application, or are interested in working with me on a large grant proposal that includes salary support for you, please email roxanne@ucsc.edu.

Undergraduate Students

Volunteering is a unique opportunity for individuals to gain first-hand experience with active research.  There are numerous benefits, including: training in new techniques, data management, lab and field safety, networking, independent research, and producing peer-reviewed publications.  These outcomes can be invaluable in helping you apply to graduate programs. If you are interested in volunteering in the Beltran Lab, please email roxanne@ucsc.edu.