To prospective graduate students --
Thank you for your interest in my research group. I am currently recruiting students and if you are interested in potentially working with me, there are a couple of important things to consider.
(Please note that the information here is accurate to the best of my knowledge and that definitive policies on the EEB graduate program are available via the program webpage.)
Thank you for your interest in my research group. I am currently recruiting students and if you are interested in potentially working with me, there are a couple of important things to consider.
(Please note that the information here is accurate to the best of my knowledge and that definitive policies on the EEB graduate program are available via the program webpage.)
EEB Program:
At the University of Minnesota, graduate students apply through graduate programs (which are related, to but separate from, departments). I currently only accept graduate students through the graduate program in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior (EEB). Applications are due in early December of each year. The admission process is fairly competitive and generally requires good GPA and GRE scores (for averages, see here), solid letters of recommendation and previous research experience.
However, admission also requires finding a suitable 'fit' for a potential advisor among the EEB graduate program faculty. Although graduate students do sometimes change advisors during their first year, admission to the program generally requires that a student be excited about a particular faculty member, who is also excited about working with them. Prospective students should indicate in their application which faculty member(s) they are most interested in potentially working with.
However, admission also requires finding a suitable 'fit' for a potential advisor among the EEB graduate program faculty. Although graduate students do sometimes change advisors during their first year, admission to the program generally requires that a student be excited about a particular faculty member, who is also excited about working with them. Prospective students should indicate in their application which faculty member(s) they are most interested in potentially working with.
My group:
Since I study evolutionary and behavioral ecology questions typically using theoretical approaches, I will be the best fit as an advisor for prospective students with strong quantitative background who are interested in developing theory-related projects. I expect grad students to be independent, self-motived and to develop their own research projects with my support and guidance along the way.
Prospective students should have a strong quantitative background, as evidenced by experience with theoretical modeling, having taken math or applied math classes in differential equations or beyond, and/or strong quantitative GRE scores. If you would be interested in only doing a small modeling project as part of your graduate work, I would be happy to work with you, e.g. as part of your graduate committee, but would be less suitable as a primary advisor. I am very open to graduate students in my group having an empirical side to their work as well, although this is likely to work best with support from a coadvisor in the department (read about other EEB graduate program faculty members here) or support from a collaborator, since I do not have my own empirical systems.
If you would like to apply to the EEB graduate program and potentially work with me, please get in touch while you are applying so that I can keep an eye out for your application.
Prospective students should have a strong quantitative background, as evidenced by experience with theoretical modeling, having taken math or applied math classes in differential equations or beyond, and/or strong quantitative GRE scores. If you would be interested in only doing a small modeling project as part of your graduate work, I would be happy to work with you, e.g. as part of your graduate committee, but would be less suitable as a primary advisor. I am very open to graduate students in my group having an empirical side to their work as well, although this is likely to work best with support from a coadvisor in the department (read about other EEB graduate program faculty members here) or support from a collaborator, since I do not have my own empirical systems.
If you would like to apply to the EEB graduate program and potentially work with me, please get in touch while you are applying so that I can keep an eye out for your application.
Funding sources:
Graduate research requires funding to cover tuition and stipend (living expenses etc) during the academic year, summer stipend, as well as direct research expenses.
Admission to the EEB graduate program comes with the guarantee of five years of tuition and stipend support, as long as the student is in good academic standing. The sources of support vary from student to student but are generally a combination of teaching assistantships (from the department), research assistantships (from the advisor), and external fellowships. While on a teaching assistantship, a student is required to assist with the teaching of a single course per semester. Students are guaranteed one year of support without teaching, which means that students may teach anywhere from 2 semesters (the minimum EEB program requirement) to 8 semesters (if no other sources of funding are available) during 5 years. While on a research assistantship, a student will be required to work on a specific research project (to satisfy the conditions of the grant providing the funding). To ensure yourself maximum flexibility (in terms of research time and topic), it is in your best interest to apply for external fellowships. The most common are NSF graduate fellowships, which provide 3 years of support. Other fellowship opportunities can be found here.
Information on summer stipend support can be found here.
Research also requires funding support for direct expenses including equipment or supplies needed for theoretical, lab or field work, as well as conference costs and publication costs. I have some funding available but expect students working with me to apply to external funding sources as well (see funding opportunities here).
Admission to the EEB graduate program comes with the guarantee of five years of tuition and stipend support, as long as the student is in good academic standing. The sources of support vary from student to student but are generally a combination of teaching assistantships (from the department), research assistantships (from the advisor), and external fellowships. While on a teaching assistantship, a student is required to assist with the teaching of a single course per semester. Students are guaranteed one year of support without teaching, which means that students may teach anywhere from 2 semesters (the minimum EEB program requirement) to 8 semesters (if no other sources of funding are available) during 5 years. While on a research assistantship, a student will be required to work on a specific research project (to satisfy the conditions of the grant providing the funding). To ensure yourself maximum flexibility (in terms of research time and topic), it is in your best interest to apply for external fellowships. The most common are NSF graduate fellowships, which provide 3 years of support. Other fellowship opportunities can be found here.
Information on summer stipend support can be found here.
Research also requires funding support for direct expenses including equipment or supplies needed for theoretical, lab or field work, as well as conference costs and publication costs. I have some funding available but expect students working with me to apply to external funding sources as well (see funding opportunities here).
