Prospective Students
Before contacting me about potential research opportunities in the lab, please browse through and familiarize yourself with our ongoing work. If the type of work we do is of interest, our lab might be the place for you. In general, I am interested in supervising both undergraduate and graduate (Master’s) students provided that they fulfill a few minimum requirements. First and foremost, I am looking for students who are serious about science and their careers (although a career goal in academia is not a prerequisite). I do not require students to work with salamanders, lizards, or snakes, however, these are taxa with which I have the most experience and knowledge. I am open to supervising students working with other organisms (animals), provided that the questions are related to ongoing work in the lab, are of mutual interest, and for which funding is available or can be secured.
I have high expectations of all in my lab, which ensures everyone involved gets the most out of our interactions and experiences. Below I have included a brief list of these expectations so you know what you have before you if you join the lab.
Expectations:
I expect my students to be dedicated to their research project. For Master’s students, graduate school is a full time job and requires the same intensity of quantity of work that any other career would (often more). Therefore, I expect my students to put in a lot of time and hard work, which sometimes requires working nights and weekends. However, keep in mind the amount of time necessary is directly proportional to efficiency, and so varies from person to person. I don’t include this to scare off potential students, but rather to be clear about expectations. Ultimately, good science is fun but requires hard work.
Success in any field requires communication. In science, communication of results occurs through written publications and conference presentations. A critical component of your scientific career development will be your publications. Everyone in the lab will be expected to publish the results of their research when it is ready (this includes undergraduate researchers). I expect that all students submit their work for publication within a year after leaving the lab. I use this policy because it is to your career benefit to get your work out there and I feel it is of utmost importance to get good science published. In addition, I will encourage all students in the lab to present their work at regional (MHA – Missouri Herpetological Association, KHS – Kansas Herpetological Society) and national/international conferences (JMIH - Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, SICB – Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology). I will do everything in my power to try to help you secure funding to attend and present at these conferences.
It is expected that both undergraduate and especially graduate students actively try and raise funds for their research through grants. The experience of writing successful grants (even unsuccessful ones) is very important for your career development and the money obtained will allow you to conduct your research without having to make adjustments because of financial constraints.
Above all, I am passionate about science and I hope to provide a setting where scientists can come together to address questions of mutual interest, contribute to our knowledge of the natural world, and, most importantly, have fun.
If you’re still with me after reading this and you think that our lab sounds like a good fit for you…Please contact me. Email is the best mode of contact. In your inquiry, please include a brief statement of your interests and why you think our lab is a good fit. *Potential graduate students, please additionally provide contact information for two references, a brief statement of your research experience and goals, a CV, and GRE scores if available.
MASTER’S PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
The Department of Biology at UCA offers graduate opportunities leading to a Master of Science degree. Admission requirements and application procedures can be found by following the link on the department website.
PROGRAM APPLICATION DEADLINES:
March 1 for Fall semester entry
November 1 for Spring semester entry
I have high expectations of all in my lab, which ensures everyone involved gets the most out of our interactions and experiences. Below I have included a brief list of these expectations so you know what you have before you if you join the lab.
Expectations:
I expect my students to be dedicated to their research project. For Master’s students, graduate school is a full time job and requires the same intensity of quantity of work that any other career would (often more). Therefore, I expect my students to put in a lot of time and hard work, which sometimes requires working nights and weekends. However, keep in mind the amount of time necessary is directly proportional to efficiency, and so varies from person to person. I don’t include this to scare off potential students, but rather to be clear about expectations. Ultimately, good science is fun but requires hard work.
Success in any field requires communication. In science, communication of results occurs through written publications and conference presentations. A critical component of your scientific career development will be your publications. Everyone in the lab will be expected to publish the results of their research when it is ready (this includes undergraduate researchers). I expect that all students submit their work for publication within a year after leaving the lab. I use this policy because it is to your career benefit to get your work out there and I feel it is of utmost importance to get good science published. In addition, I will encourage all students in the lab to present their work at regional (MHA – Missouri Herpetological Association, KHS – Kansas Herpetological Society) and national/international conferences (JMIH - Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, SICB – Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology). I will do everything in my power to try to help you secure funding to attend and present at these conferences.
It is expected that both undergraduate and especially graduate students actively try and raise funds for their research through grants. The experience of writing successful grants (even unsuccessful ones) is very important for your career development and the money obtained will allow you to conduct your research without having to make adjustments because of financial constraints.
Above all, I am passionate about science and I hope to provide a setting where scientists can come together to address questions of mutual interest, contribute to our knowledge of the natural world, and, most importantly, have fun.
If you’re still with me after reading this and you think that our lab sounds like a good fit for you…Please contact me. Email is the best mode of contact. In your inquiry, please include a brief statement of your interests and why you think our lab is a good fit. *Potential graduate students, please additionally provide contact information for two references, a brief statement of your research experience and goals, a CV, and GRE scores if available.
MASTER’S PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
The Department of Biology at UCA offers graduate opportunities leading to a Master of Science degree. Admission requirements and application procedures can be found by following the link on the department website.
PROGRAM APPLICATION DEADLINES:
March 1 for Fall semester entry
November 1 for Spring semester entry