Diversity and inclusion are more than just words for us. These are central in guiding how we come together as a research team, cultivate excellence, and go forth into the world to share our discoveries and our love of our work. If this sounds good to you, then please inquire about joining the lab!
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS
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If you'd like to discuss working as part of my research group, please email me to indicate your research area(s) of interest and exactly how your interests are compatible with our research in behavioral ecology / evolutionary ecology. You must have a strong background of basic research in these areas. Everyone in my research group works on leaf-footed bugs, Family Coreidae, so that we can help each other and share ideas. With approximately 3000 species globally, we likely won't have a hard time finding a species (or several) that should work for your interests.
Funding: right now NSF has some Postdoctoral Fellowships that would be quite suitable. If you are interested in writing a fellowship proposal, please contact me as far in advance of the deadline as possible. When you write, please attach to your email your CV and a PDF of a publication from your M.S. or Ph.D. research. Successful applicants will have one or more high quality publications. |
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PROSPECTIVE GRADUATE STUDENTS
Fall 2021 admissions: I am hoping to bring on one student via a Ph.D. fellowship through the UF Graduate School. Unfortunately, I do not know of any available UF funds for a M.S. student for Fall 2021. If you are interested in applying to my lab for a Ph.D. with fellowship funding you should have a strong research background with research presentations and/or authorship on peer-reviewed manuscript. A previous M.S. degree is a real asset when applying for this prestigious fellowship, though it is not essential. Inquiries before October 31st, 2020 will receive my full consideration, though I will also try to consider later requests. When contacting me about graduate school possibilities, please send 1) a description of the kinds of research questions that you would like to pursue, 2) how these fit in with current lab research and/or priorities below, 3) a brief overview of your previous academic and research experiences, 4) a CV, 5) unofficial transcripts, and 5) why you think you are qualified to start a Ph.D. at this time. My approach is to sort through applications and hold interviews before students apply to the UF Graduate Program (to save students some time and money).
Priority research directions over the next few years include (1) The composition and material properties of weaponry; how weapon structure influences male-male fighting behavior (2) Resource allocation priorities within the animal: how are they influenced by environmental conditions, and how do they evolve? Check out recent papers, Miller et al. 2019 and Joseph et al. 2018.
Please do contact me even if your research interests are a little outside these areas. Would you like to work on an experimental evolution study? Sounds great! Fascinated by autotomy? We have several more projects planned in this area (see our publication list for recent findings). Would you like to work at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama doing fieldwork? Let me know what you would like to do there, and how that fits with the other lab research. I'm open to hearing your ideas, and I'll let you know if I think we might be able to make it work. Just note that we all tackle our research questions using leaf-footed bugs, Family Coreidae.
Priority research directions over the next few years include (1) The composition and material properties of weaponry; how weapon structure influences male-male fighting behavior (2) Resource allocation priorities within the animal: how are they influenced by environmental conditions, and how do they evolve? Check out recent papers, Miller et al. 2019 and Joseph et al. 2018.
Please do contact me even if your research interests are a little outside these areas. Would you like to work on an experimental evolution study? Sounds great! Fascinated by autotomy? We have several more projects planned in this area (see our publication list for recent findings). Would you like to work at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama doing fieldwork? Let me know what you would like to do there, and how that fits with the other lab research. I'm open to hearing your ideas, and I'll let you know if I think we might be able to make it work. Just note that we all tackle our research questions using leaf-footed bugs, Family Coreidae.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTS and TECHNICIANS
Undergraduate research positions are available for work on behavior, morphology, and evolution in the leaf-footed bugs (Chelinidea vittiger and Narnia femorata) and many other related species. Much of this work is done in the greenhouse or the field at the Ordway-Swisher Biological Station (http://www.ordway.ufl.edu/). Academic credit is available. Many undergraduate students have achieved great success in the lab. For example, over seventeen undergraduate students have conducted research through the University Scholars Program, two have received the UF Howard Hughes Science for Life Awards, one student received the University-wide Journal of Undergraduate Research Best Paper Award for his independent project, and five students received the prestigious Turner Award that provides all-expense-paid trips to the national Animal Behavior Conference. We have high standards for our undergraduate researchers, and the sky is the limit in terms of undergraduate successes. This lab is a great place to start your scientific research career!
We also occasionally hire research technicians, often recent graduates who wish to gain additional experience, so inquire if you are interested. Successful applicants to our undergraduate research program are motivated, hard-working, and inquisitive. Those applicants with previous work experience (in any kind of job) are favored.
We also occasionally hire research technicians, often recent graduates who wish to gain additional experience, so inquire if you are interested. Successful applicants to our undergraduate research program are motivated, hard-working, and inquisitive. Those applicants with previous work experience (in any kind of job) are favored.
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