PhD at UC Berkeley

Just in case I really need to go to Berkeley, I think I need to go do a statistics class this semester. S/U shouldn't be a problem right? Choose one that is useful to my current research as well. That should be good.

The downside about Berkeley is that there is no guaranteed amount of fellowship available. I need to apply apply and apply, unlike Yale. Bah. Money seems to be hard at Berkeley. 18,000/year for the fellowship. Well it's as simple as this - if no money, no go lor. The faculty is also somewhat lack lustre.

"We make every effort to support our entering and continuing students from a variety of resources including University Fellowships, Departmental Restricted Fellowships, and Graduate Student Research Assistantships (GSRs). We also encourage our students to apply for Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) positions. We make our financial support offers at the time of admission."

On the other hand, the relevant faculty all seem to be women! Possible ones under the Division of Society & Environment in the Department of Env Sci, Policy and Management in the College of Natural Resources include:

Sally Fairfax
Professor, Henry J. Vaux Distinguished Professor of Forest Policy
"the role of artisenal agricultural production as an element of land conservation in a transforming rural economy. I am personally focusing on cheese and dairy, and organic production generally."

Nancy Lee Peluso
Professor, Society & Environment Chair
Sociologist / Anthropologist working with Peter Vandergeest on Malaysia / Thailand / Indonesia on forest and agrarian politics
- the Indonesian powerhouse and Berkeley ChATSEA fella, OG aka Pak Api, is working with Peluso. Sigh. I'm intimidated.

Jeffrey Romm
Professor
"Our group studies how the dynamics of social distribution, economic growth, and ecosystems interact and respond to alternative forms of policy and organization." Works on Southeast Asia as well but focuses more on specific projects and phenomenon as well as impacts of policies on resources and environmental possibilities.

Alastair T Iles
Asst Professor (PhD in Env Law and Policy)
Works on sustainable industry and consumption as well as sustainability learning. Working on developing tools to educate consumers, etc. This could really be something I want to move into.

Dara O'Rourke
Assoc Professor (PhD in Energy and Resources)
Works on Environmental, Social and Equity impacts of global production system. Again, some what relevance to what I am doing now.

David E Winickoff
Asst Professor (Trained in Law)
Bioethics, representations, institution governing of food, etc.

Funding in the Geography department in Berkeley on the other hand, appears to be a lot more encouraging. However, the professors are seriously limited.

Louise Fortmann
Professor of Environmental Science, Policy and Management and Geography
However she works in Africa mainly although some of the topics seems quite interesting. Natural resources related of course.

Gillian Hart
Chair of Undergraduate Major in Development Studies
Works in Southeast Asia and Africa on gender, development and agrarian issues.
On top of that, she is also a ChATSEA advisor!!! Ok this is good potential.

Jake Kosek
Assistant Professor
If I want to move into critical theory stuff then this is probably it. Also very active in NGO outside academia so maybe can relate a bit better to each other but I'm not sure I want to be so airy fairy. And to work with an Asst Prof!

Richard Walker
Professor; Chair, California Studies Center
If I want to venture into the realm of economic geography and california studies, this will be it probably. He reminds me of some professors we know...

Michael J. Watts
Professor
He's doing oil and islam terrorism but also in social and cultural theories and development. Marxist theories and what not. If I really want to go into my theoretical track, why not? But I might not be cut out for it. I don't know.

One thing I learnt by looking through other people's research topic is the idea of "alternative paradigms and alternative systems". Also Fortmann's name keep popping up at the ones where I'm interested in. Peluso as well. Hart is also on my radar. Why all women? Hmmm