OpenFieldFrostburg State University is a premier regional public university situated in the Appalachian highlands of Western Maryland, celebrated for its Wildlife & Fisheries biology, sustainable energy engineering, and recreation management.
Part of the University System of Maryland, Frostburg State boasts specialized research centers including the Appalachian Laboratory (UMCES partner), the Gira Center for Communications and Information Technology, and state-of-the-art materials testing and watershed ecology laboratories.
Undergraduate admissions evaluate high school GPA, curriculum rigor, and extracurricular achievement (test-optional). Graduate applicants must possess an accredited baccalaureate degree with minimum 3.0 GPA, program-specific prerequisites, and professional letters of reference.
Field-based graduate degree investigating Appalachian montane biodiversity, freshwater trout stream restoration, wildlife population genetics, and invasive species management.
Professional curriculum focused on fisheries population dynamics, wildlife habitat GIS spatial modeling, radio telemetry tracking, and state/federal wildlife agency compliance.
Collaborative program with University of Maryland College Park, covering wind turbine aerodynamics, photovoltaic system design, geothermal heat pumps, and microgrid power management.
Summer graduate fellowship conducting ecological field research in Savage River State Forest and Cranesville Swamp, monitoring microclimate changes and endangered bog turtle populations.
Graduate program covering distributed cloud architectures, big data mining, parallel computing algorithms, and cyber defense protocols in the Gira Center computing labs.
Endowed scholarship recognizing high-achieving undergraduate students majoring in fine arts, music, theatrical design, or environmental humanities.
Professor of Wildlife Ecology and IUCN Otter Specialist Chair · Department of Biology
Prof. Dr. Thomas Serfass is North American coordinator for the IUCN Otter Specialist Group, pioneering river otter and fisher restoration across eastern North America and evaluating non-invasive hair snaring techniques.
View research profile ↗Professor of Ethnobotany and Forest Ecology · Department of Biology / Ethnobotany Program
Prof. Dr. Sunshine Brosi investigates Appalachian non-timber forest product harvesting sustainability, partnering with Native American tribal nations on traditional ecological land management and American chestnut blight recovery.
View research profile ↗Chair and Professor of Physics and Engineering · Department of Physics and Engineering
Prof. Dr. Jamil Abdo researches advanced tribological surface coatings, wear diagnostics in wind turbine mechanical gear trains, and enhanced thermal conductivity nanofluids for deep geothermal energy recovery.
View research profile ↗University profile compiled from official Frostburg State University academic bulletins and institutional directories reviewed on 2026-10-16. OpenField is an independent research guide.