Bassem AllamMarine animal diseases
GRADUATE OPPORTUNITIES AT SoMAS
Join Us and Make Scientific Research Count at Stony Brook University!
Welcome to the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University. We are working on the most important problems on the planet, and want you to be part of the solution!
SoMAS provides future scientists and policy makers with the education, training, and skills to take you wherever you want to go. Our graduate students and faculty explore topics such climate change, extreme weather, marine and atmospheric pollution, fisheries management, clean water technology, harmful algal blooms, feeding patterns of marine mammals and birds, tropical meteorology, and much, much more.
Graduate students at SoMAS have access to top flight faculty researchers and facilities both at SoMAS, in other Stony Brook graduate programs in the basic fields of science, math, and medicine, and at nearby national laboratories. Our location is in close proximity to a wide range of coastal and open ocean habitats.
We are one of the premiere coastal marine science and atmospheric schools in the country, with classrooms, labs, and facilities on the shores of the Long Island Sound, Great South Bay and the Atlantic, and the main campus at Stony Brook. The National Research Council ranks SoMAS in the top 10 marine and atmospheric science programs in the United States.
No previous marine science experience is required! We encourage applicants with strong backgrounds in biology, chemistry, geology, physics, and applied math to apply to our M.S. and Ph.D. programs, and those with strong backgrounds in political science, economics, and public policy to apply to our M.A. program in Marine Conservation and Policy.
The SoMAS graduate faculty listed below may have a research focus that aligns with your interests--join us at SoMAS!
JOIN US AT SoMAS!
Josephine AllerMarine benthic ecology
Robert AllerMarine biogeochemistry
Katherine AubrechtSustainable and green chemistry
Steven BeaupréMarine Biogeochemistry
David BlackPaleoclimatology, paleoceanography
Henry BokuniewiczCoastal groundwater hydrology
Robert CerratoBenthic ecology
Edmund ChangAtmospheric dynamics
Yong ChenFisheries ecology
Kirk CochranMarine geo-chemistry
Brian ColleCoastal meteorology
Jackie CollierPhytoplankton physiological ecology
Mary CollinsEnvironmental Health Inequality, Environmental Justice, Socio-Environmental Systems, Quantitative Methods, Data Synthesis and Visualization
Ali FarhadzadehNearshore hydrodynamics
Donovan FinnCommunity-based planning
Nicholas FisherMarine phytoplankton physiology
Charles FlaggContinental Shelf Dynamics
Roger FloodMarine geology
Michael FrenchSupercell and tornado dynamics
Michael FriskFish ecology
Christine GilbertScience communication
Chris GoblerCoastal ecosystem ecology
Sultan HameedClimate change
Sara HamidehCommunity resilience
Guanyu HuangSatellite remote sensing, atmospheric chemistry, environmental health, and environmental justice
Sung-Gheel (Gil) JangGeographic information systems
Marat KhairoutdinovCloud microphysics and parameterization
Daniel KnopfMicrophysics and Chemistry of Atmospheric Aerosols
Pavlos KolliasCloud Microphysics and Dynamics
Ping LiuClimate change, dynamics and modeling
Darcy LonsdaleEcology and physiology of marine zooplankton
Kamazima LwizaRemote sensing oceanography
John MakTrace gas emissions
Jack McSweeneyEstuarine dynamics
Mariko OueMixed-phase clouds microphysics
Emmanuelle Pales-EspinosaShellfish physiology
Brad PetersonCommunity ecology of seagrass dominated ecosystems
Ellen PikitchOcean conservation
Sharon PochronSoil Health, Ecotoxicity, Glyphosate, Roundup, Microplastics, Earthworms, undergraduate STEM Education
Roy PriceHydrothermal vents
Minghao QiuAir quality; Climate change impacts; Climate change and health; Energy and climate policy evaluations
Kevin ReedClimate Change Attribution
Paul ShepsonAtmospheric Chemistry
Oliver ShipleyBulk and compound specific stable isotope systems, food-webs, ecological niches, community dynamics, ecosystem ecology, energy flow
David TaylorEnvironmental humanities
Gordon TaylorMarine microbiology
Lesley ThorneBio-physical and trophic interactions in marine ecology
Nils VolkenbornSediment biogeochemistry
Zhien WangCloud physics, atmospheric remote sesning, multi-sensor remote sesning, global aerosol and cloud distributions, Airborne Raman lidars
Joe WarrenAcoustical oceanography
Laura WehrmannMarine Biogeochemistry
Christopher WolfePhysical oceanography
Karina Yager Impacts of climate change in mountain environments
Minghua ZhangClimate modelling
Qingzhi ZhuEnvironmental Analytical Chemistry
Students with bachelor’s degrees can apply directly to the M.A., M.S. or Ph.D. programs. Students with M.S. degrees can also apply to the Ph.D. program, but an M.S. is not required for entry to the Ph.D. program.
Students with backgrounds in math and the sciences, particularly those with strong quantitative backgrounds, are encouraged to apply. We help students apply the tools of math and science to solve complex environmental issues.
Qualifications for Admission
-
All Programs
- Completion of a B.A. or B.S. with a cumulative G.P.A. of at least 3.0 (a B)
- International students without English as their native language must have acceptable scores on the TOEFL (paper: 600, computer: 230, iBT: 90) or IELTS (6.5).
- The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required; however, we will accept and consider scores for applicants who feel it strengthens their application.
M.A. in Marine Conservation Policy
- At least 4 semesters of college courses in math or science, including at least one course in biology.
M.S. and Ph.D. in Marine, Atmospheric, and Sustainability Sciences
- A B.A. or B.S. degree in a discipline related to the intended field of study, or coursework equivalent to such a degree.
- At least 8 semesters total of some combination of introductory coursework in mathematics, biology, chemistry, geology, physics, sustainability, and/or related disciplines, with more advanced coursework in at least one of these disciplines.
Admission Application Deadlines
M.A. in Marine Conservation Policy
To ensure full consideration for scholarships and fellowships for Fall 2025 admission, applications should be received by January 15th 2025. The final deadline for application is March 15th 2025.
M.S. and Ph.D. in Marine, Atmospheric, and Sustainability Sciences
Applications for Fall 2025 admission received by December 15th 2024 will receive full consideration for scholarships and fellowships. Applications received before January 5th 2025 will be reviewed, but full consideration for financial assistance is not guaranteed. For Spring 2025, applications must be received by October 18th 2024; please note that admission to begin in spring is rare and financial support is generally only available for students beginning study in the fall semester.
To Apply
- Fill out the online application to the Stony Brook University Graduate School.
- Prepare your personal statement.Tell us why you want to earn a graduate degree (MS or PhD) in Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. How would your time in our program help to get you from your previous experiences to where you hope to be in 10 years? If relevant, describe how any prior research experience has prepared you for graduate school. Additionally, tell us about other life experiences that have prepared you for graduate work by building transferable skills (e.g., project management, coding, budgeting, work ethic, ability to work in a team, ability to work independently, etc.). Describe your research interests as specifically as you can, including which SoMAS faculty you would like to work with to pursue those interests. Although contact with potential advisors is not required before applying, it is very strongly encouraged. Our program embraces and supports diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); please describe if and how your experiences and goals are connected to DEI. Finally, tell us anything else you would like the Admissions Committee to know in evaluating your application. Aim to be concise; an effective personal statement is often less than two pages. Please note that you will be prompted to upload your personal statement from the 'checklist' page that will appear after you have submitted your application (and paid the application fee) in Slate.
- Identify 3 people to provide letters of reference, and make sure they submit them when prompted by Slate.
- Have ETS send Stony Brook University your official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (Stony Brook’s code for score reporting is 2548). International students must submit your TOEFL/IELTS scores to Stony Brook (code 2548).
- Arrange to have one official transcript from each universityattended sent electronically or mailed to:
Christina Fink
Educational Programs Office
Endeavour Hall, Room 107
School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000
* Note: Item 4 applies to all transcripts other than Stony Brook University transcripts. SBU transcripts do not need to be mailed in. Also, the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences does not require supplemental information from applicants.
For additional information on graduate programs, please contact:
Director of Graduate Programs
Jackie Collier | somas_gpd@stonybrook.edu
Faculty Director of the M.A. Program in Marine Conservation and Policy
Ellen Pikitch | mcp_somas@stonybrook.edu | 631-632-9599
Graduate Programs Assistant, for questions regarding application status or process
Christina Fink | Christina.Fink@stonybrook.edu | 631-632-8680
Take a VIRTUAL TOUR of SoMAS
Below are projects in which SoMAS faculty are seeking new students to participate – this could be you!
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