Hi, I'm Luka

I help ecologists

Learn to use R

With the best online courses


It doesn’t need to take years and expensive university courses to feel comfortable working with R. I create courses based on what I wish I had when I started as a grad student in ecology, and I am excited to share them with you. Don’t let the R learning curve stand in the way of doing good science. Learning R can be faster, more fun, and easier than you thought. Let me show you how.

START LEARNING R NOW

Credits from R for Ecology courses now go towards the Ecological Society of America’s Professional Ecologist Certification program!

Learn more here: ESA Ecologist Certification Program

Get started with R and master the essentials through my foundational course.


This is the course I wish I had when I started as a graduate student in ecology. I've carefully selected the key topics and functions that will help you master the basics and quickly get over the learning curve with confidence, even if you are a complete beginner.

About the course

thumbnail of the video about the basics of R for ecologists course
By the end of the course you will be able to confidently:
  • Install R and RStudio
  • Use RStudio like a pro
  • Upload your data into R
  • Clean and prepare data for plotting and analysis
  • Explore your data by adding new variables, combining datasets and modifying existing variables
  • Plot your data using scatterplots, line graphs, and boxplots
  • Manage and organize entire projects with R and RStudio
  • Learn the best practices for writing clear and reproducible code in R
  • Click here to see a more detailed course curriculum

In summary, this course is a shortcut to learning R quickly but effectively. Though most content is designed and presented from my own perspective as an ecologist, all course content is also applicable to most related fields.

What this course does not cover: To cover the basics of R in an effective way, I cannot cover everything. So this course does not cover:

  • Data analysis or modeling
  • GIS or spatial visualization
  • Advanced topics in visualization such as using ggplot2

I believe that these topics are relatively easy to branch into once your foundation with the basics is in place and I plan to expand into these and other topics in future courses.


Join more than 1000 other students…

A few comments from an anonymous survey about this course:

The way this course is organized lets me feel good about learning it. Everything is extremely well explained and helpful. I couldn’t be happier

I am very happy. I find the explanations clear, the pace of the course is appropriate, and the way the instructor goes topic by topic is very understandable.

I started with no knowledge about R, and now I feel like an expert on it :-). thank you.

I like that it can be done at our own pace and that you walk us through the example problems.

I liked many things till here. First, it starts from the very basics of R. Second, it is detailed and use of every command is explained well. Third, it is self paced, thus user friendly.

Thorough explanations - the instructor never takes it for granted that we will know even the simplest steps, always explains in detail :)

I like that it starts from the ground up, so that no individual concept feels too complex, or out of reach. It helps get the learner over that wall of entry. I also like how the tools are introduced in a way that becomes applicable to personal data.

Portrait of Nishi Rajakaruna holding a snake

Luka is perfect for teaching a course on R for budding ecologists—he has a strong theoretical background in ecology, numerous experiences in field- and greenhouse-based studies, a knack for data analyses, and a life-long passion to teach. I highly recommend The Basics of R for Ecologists to undergraduate and graduate students involved in ecological research."

  • Dr. Nishanta Rajakaruna, Professor in Plant Biology, CalPoly State University


Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?

The course is a completely self-paced online course, so you decide when you start and when you finish.

How long do I have access to the course?

How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own!

What if I am unhappy with the course?

We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 30 days and we will give you a full refund.

Can I get a certificate for completing this course?

Yes, absolutely! Everyone that completes this course will receive an official certificate of completion.

What if I’m not an ecologist? Is the course still relevant?

Yes! Though the course is based on my own experiences of using R for ecology, all of the course content will be applicable and relevant for most other fields in biology if not many fields even outside the sciences. The course also uses ecological datasets, but the principles are mostly universal.

Does it matter if I use a Mac or PC?

Nope! Although the course is taught using a Mac, the content and features in R and R Studio are universal between the two operating systems and I mention anytime there is a difference between the two.

But what if I don’t know anything about R or statistics?

That’s fine! This course is designed as the first step for anyone interested in learning how to use R and the course content does not assume any prerequisites.

Are the courses captioned?

Yes! All videos are captioned with english subtitles that meet accessibility standards.



About Luka Negoita


portrait of Luka Negoita

I received my PhD in Biology from Syracuse University in 2018 where I specialized in analyzing ecological data using R. I love teaching and have mentored countless students and scientists in everything from experimental design to using R for creating figures for their publication. I present this school as my way of helping the next generation of grad students in ecology, as well as promoting data and science literacy.