Welcome!
Thanks for your interest in joining the research group. This page provides information on what I am looking for in prospective lab members as well as information on available opportunities. My general lab guidelines are available here.
Research group members work on a range of projects. I am open to developing existing themes further and to identifying new projects that are broadly related to the scope of the lab. I especially enjoy exploring new interdisciplinary approaches.
Students and postdocs who contribute to the research group’s variety of backgrounds, opinions, and approaches are especially welcome. I encourage you to contact me if you are a first-generation college student or a student from a low-income background, if you are a member of a racial or ethnic minority, if you identify as a woman or as LGBTQIA2S+, or if you have a disability. MSU has many support resources on campus for people who are historically underrepresented in the sciences.
GRADUATE STUDENTS:
I take PhD students through the Integrative Biology Graduate Program at MSU. Students who are accepted and enrolled can then apply to the Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior Program. This article by Estien et al. unpacks the “hidden curriculum” of graduate school applications and is a great resource for individuals considering graduate school.
If you are interested in working with me, please send me an email that includes: 1) a description of your research interests, experience, skills and abilities, and career goals 2) a copy of your CV or resume. I will respond to you as soon as I can, but please be patient, as I receive many inquiries each year. I may ask to meet, but I am unfortunately not able to meet with every prospective student.
If you and I decide the lab would be a good fit, I must have sufficient funding to cover your tuition, benefits, and living stipend before I can accept you as a student. The Integrative Biology department at MSU can help support you with teaching assistant positions for a maximum of 2.5 years during your PhD. Other possible sources of funding are research grants that I have applied for and obtained or fellowships that you have obtained. Students funded under my research grants are typically expected to contribute directly to the specific project that has been funded and can develop additional research alongside it. Obtaining a fellowship allows you to focus on a project of your choosing and to reduce other research and teaching commitments. Each year MSU offers a few highly competitive fellowship awards to graduate applicants. You do not need to take any additional action to be considered for them - simply ensure that your complete application for the PhD program is submitted by the program deadline. I also strongly encourage applicants to apply for external fellowships, such as the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, the Ford Foundation fellowship, and other Ph.D. fellowship opportunities.
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS & RESEARCH SCIENTISTS
When I have funding available to support postdocs and research scientists, I will post it here. Currently, I am recruiting and the job posting is available at careers.msu.edu/en-us/job/517851/research-associatefixed-term
I am always open to new opportunities to collaborate and develop funding proposals. Writing a proposal and funding your postdoctoral research is a fantastic way to increase your competitiveness on the job market. Please get in touch if you are interested in developing a proposal for a research grant or fellowship. Here are some fellowship opportunities:
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
The lab often has both paid and unpaid opportunities for undergraduates to get involved in research. If you would like to learn about ways to join our research group to gain undergraduate research experience, please contact me as early as August 2024.
Credit: Thanks to Alex McInturff for his excellent website from which I have drawn and to Briana Abrahms, Sarah Converse, Kaitlyn Gaynor, Brian Harvey, and Mark Scheuerrell for their excellent websites and resources, from which Alex McInturff drew.
Research group members work on a range of projects. I am open to developing existing themes further and to identifying new projects that are broadly related to the scope of the lab. I especially enjoy exploring new interdisciplinary approaches.
Students and postdocs who contribute to the research group’s variety of backgrounds, opinions, and approaches are especially welcome. I encourage you to contact me if you are a first-generation college student or a student from a low-income background, if you are a member of a racial or ethnic minority, if you identify as a woman or as LGBTQIA2S+, or if you have a disability. MSU has many support resources on campus for people who are historically underrepresented in the sciences.
GRADUATE STUDENTS:
I take PhD students through the Integrative Biology Graduate Program at MSU. Students who are accepted and enrolled can then apply to the Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior Program. This article by Estien et al. unpacks the “hidden curriculum” of graduate school applications and is a great resource for individuals considering graduate school.
If you are interested in working with me, please send me an email that includes: 1) a description of your research interests, experience, skills and abilities, and career goals 2) a copy of your CV or resume. I will respond to you as soon as I can, but please be patient, as I receive many inquiries each year. I may ask to meet, but I am unfortunately not able to meet with every prospective student.
If you and I decide the lab would be a good fit, I must have sufficient funding to cover your tuition, benefits, and living stipend before I can accept you as a student. The Integrative Biology department at MSU can help support you with teaching assistant positions for a maximum of 2.5 years during your PhD. Other possible sources of funding are research grants that I have applied for and obtained or fellowships that you have obtained. Students funded under my research grants are typically expected to contribute directly to the specific project that has been funded and can develop additional research alongside it. Obtaining a fellowship allows you to focus on a project of your choosing and to reduce other research and teaching commitments. Each year MSU offers a few highly competitive fellowship awards to graduate applicants. You do not need to take any additional action to be considered for them - simply ensure that your complete application for the PhD program is submitted by the program deadline. I also strongly encourage applicants to apply for external fellowships, such as the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, the Ford Foundation fellowship, and other Ph.D. fellowship opportunities.
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS & RESEARCH SCIENTISTS
When I have funding available to support postdocs and research scientists, I will post it here. Currently, I am recruiting and the job posting is available at careers.msu.edu/en-us/job/517851/research-associatefixed-term
I am always open to new opportunities to collaborate and develop funding proposals. Writing a proposal and funding your postdoctoral research is a fantastic way to increase your competitiveness on the job market. Please get in touch if you are interested in developing a proposal for a research grant or fellowship. Here are some fellowship opportunities:
- MSU EEB Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship (2 year fellowship)
- National Science Foundation (NSF) Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology or Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (3 year fellowship)
- David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship (2 year fellowship)
- Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (1 year fellowship)
- L’Oreal USA for Women in Science Postdoctoral Award – $60,000 towards research or salary
- Fulbright Scholarscareers.msu.edu/en-us/job/517851/research-associatefixed-term
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
The lab often has both paid and unpaid opportunities for undergraduates to get involved in research. If you would like to learn about ways to join our research group to gain undergraduate research experience, please contact me as early as August 2024.
Credit: Thanks to Alex McInturff for his excellent website from which I have drawn and to Briana Abrahms, Sarah Converse, Kaitlyn Gaynor, Brian Harvey, and Mark Scheuerrell for their excellent websites and resources, from which Alex McInturff drew.