The  Organismal Biology, Ecology, & Evolution (OBEE) 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, OBEE retains a strong emphasis on the organism. Specifically, we foster faculty and students whose research investigates patterns of natural variation and the processes that generate them. OBE has long been outstanding in conservation biology, ecology, and functional morphology; more recently, we have added new strengths in evolutionary genomics.

With world-class faculty and unparalleled access to the intact ecosystems of the Northern Rockies, OBEE is an ideal place to explore the processes that create biological diversity and shape its distribution across landscapes.  The hallmark of OBEE is integration, both as a community of researchers with shared interests and in individual research programs that cut across scales from molecules to ecosystems. OBE offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in the field of Organismal Biology, Ecology & Evolution.