Dear Members of the QuEST Community,

We are thrilled to share that, with continued institutional support from UVM, the QuEST program is transitioning to the Biological Data Science (BilDS) program. This evolution is a strategic step towards enhancing our influence and presence in the scientific community. The Quantitative and Evolutionary STEM Training (QuEST) program was proudly sponsored by the NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) from September 1, 2017, to August 31, 2023.

We are currently proposing a new certificate of graduate study under BilDS. By offering a graduate certificate, we will widen our reach, appealing to graduate students with a keen interest in global change biology and attracting potential employers in related fields.

The BilDS program will continue QuEST's legacy of building a diverse, interconnected academic and social community. We remain dedicated to empowering scientists who are eager to address environmental and global health challenges with a similar structure in coursework, JEDI training, professional development, and community-building activities. The 6-8 week applied internship, previously a mandatory component, will now be optional, catering to individual student interests and career objectives.

In addition, we would like to inform you of changes within the BilDS leadership team. Melissa Pespeni and Lori Stevens will be stepping down from the Director and Co-Director position, with Jill Preston and Yolanda Chen taking over as Co-Directors. We extend our deepest gratitude to both Melissa and Lori for their invaluable contributions to the QuEST community during the past six years. Melissa will continue to be on the leadership team and teach the QuEST seminar. Lori Stevens is set to retire in spring 2024. Steve Keller is transitioning off of the leadership team and will continue as a participating faculty. We also welcome Joaquin Nunez as the newest member of our leadership team.

We are excited to embark on this new chapter with BilDS and are enthusiastic about the enhanced opportunities it offers both our current and future students.