The Ecology and Evolution (EE) program at the University of Montana was created nearly three decades ago, with the fusion of UM Botany and Zoology programs. While founded on the principle that questions in ecology and evolution transcend taxonomic categories, EE retains a strong emphasis on organismal biology. Specifically, we foster faculty and students whose research investigates patterns of natural variation and the processes that generate them. <br><br> Field work in sagebrush country<br><br> <br>As a graduate program, EE's primary focus (beyond the questions that motivate our science) is graduate student development. This is reflected both in the structure of our M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs and in the productivity and camaraderie of our students. EE's commitment to excellence was recognized with a Program of National Distinction (PoND) award from UM, combined with generous support from the Drollinger-Dial Foundation, the PoND provides additional resources in support of the EE graduate student experience.