If you are a prospective student seeking to learn from Prof. Dr. Fausto O. Sarmiento, please explore this site and see if the different areas of emphasis in Dr. S' work fit into your own goals of research and academic training. If so, please consider the following assets: Dr. S. tends to guide students from a personalized stand point, making each student obtain their best possible professional traits. If you are concerned with mountains, regardless what disciplinary field might that be, you will be trained as a Montologist. At any rate, a deep understanding of critical biogeography and political ecology will be the favored epistemological angles whatever your disciplinary focus is on physical, human or technique geographies. Dr. S. has ample experience in mountain conservation around the world, with a regional emphasis on Latin America and the Tropical Andes, and expects his students to exhibit the highest academic competence and commitment to the profession and area study. Once enrolled, you will become a critical element of the Neotropical Montology Collaboratory, and sometimes extension/outreach work could be arranged for you to travel to Latin America and the Caribbean The highest ethical standards are placed in the professor/student relations as pursuing a mutual learning with respect. Dr. S. tends to allow independent work towards your goals, and does not look over your shoulder, unless you request it. If you are a Master student applicant, expect to work hard from the beginning, as you will graduate in two years. You should also consider a graduate certificate in Sustainability, Latin American Studies or Environmental Ethics offered on campus. If you are a Doctoral student applicant, you are supposed to be a member of a professional society already. Consider joining the Association of American geographers (AAG) or the Ecological Society of America (ESA); You should consider also joining the Integrative Conservation (ICON) program on campus, as to get exposed to current issues and get trained in effective navigation of the art and science of conservation. In both cases, Dr. S. does not hire students to work on his projects, unless predetermined by the conditions of the grant or the stipulations of contracts. Each student is also trained in fund-raising to get her/his own research funding in place. Often, students with their own fellowships (such as presidential fellowship, Fulbright awards, and alike) or grants, choose to apply with their own research plan, or they develop one that ties Dr. S' own interest, so a joint proposal could be developed. Students seeking financial support for graduate degrees should apply to the competition for funds as Teaching Assistants or as Graduate School Research Assistants; in any case, the highest qualifications along with strong letters of recommendation and a sound, academically engaging statement of purpose will help in this process. Description of the process can be found in this departmental link
