Graduate Students
My goal as an advisor is to help graduate students become broadly trained in ecology and evolution and to develop an independent body of research that serves your long-term career interests. You may work in your own system or within one of the ongoing research projects in the lab, but either way it is essential that you learn to ask your own independent, informed research questions that you can then address in a tractable way. This process is very rewarding, but does require perseverance and hard work. First and foremost, I am looking for students who are passionate and enthusiastic about ecology, as a love for the science will serve you very well through the inevitable ups and downs of research. On my end, you can expect committed mentoring, regular one-on-one meetings, and the support to develop as an independent researcher. Students are expected to take advantage of the resources available by engaging in lab meetings, journal clubs, and interactions with other research groups on campus and in the area.
I am currently interested in accepting Ph.D. students through the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program at UCLA. If you are interested in applying, I encourage you to send me your CV and a letter of interest beforehand. Departmental funding for Ph.D. students is very competitive here, so if you are eligible for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program I encourage you to apply to this at the same time. For international students, please consider applying to any fellowship programs in your home country that are available to help support you.
Postdoctoral researchers
I am always interested in having postdocs join the lab. Please email me with your CV and a letter of interest and we can discuss research interests and funding opportunities that may be available externally or through the lab.
Undergraduates
There are opportunities in the lab for motivated undergraduates to get involved with our research, particularly for students with background and experience in ecology and related fields. Please take a look at the Research page to explore what kinds of questions and projects might be most of interest to you, and please include an unofficial transcript, a resume or CV, and a brief note about your interests and goals when contacting us.
