I am eager to build a lab group comprised of hard-working, passionate, and productive young ecologists. I am willing to advise students on projects that span a broad range of ecological questions, but I would be the best fit as an advisor for those students interested in questions concerning food web structure/function and predator-prey interactions. I am open to explore potential projects in a variety of aquatic ecosystems, but I currently have in place the best framework to develop projects in Bahamian and Floridian coastal ecosystems.
It is always fun to seine piranhas!
As part of the rapidly growing Marine Science program at FIU, I continue to be contacted by numerous potential students. In my first couple of years at FIU, I plan to accept only 1 (maybe 2) students a year, and thus competition for positions in the lab will be very high. The best candidates will have research experience within their sub-discipline of interest, and should be able to clearly state what questions/concepts they want to examine as part of my lab. Because of the extent to which I seek to integrate science and education in my work, I am also looking for those students that demonstrate a capacity to extend their research interests to local communities and novel educational frameworks.
Please contact me by email if you are interested in joining the lab. In the first correspondence, please include the following:
- A succinct 3-4 sentence summary of what type of research collaboration you would like to have with me if you were to join the lab.
- Identify the 2 most important experiences/accomplishments you have had that would make you a valuable addition to the lab group and/or that have prepared you to be a research collaborator with my students and me.
- CV (including GRE scores).
I will respond in a relatively short time period and let you know whether I suggest you pursue an application to FIU to work in my lab. For those of you that will apply, here are a couple of other general suggestions:
- I will be very hesitant to accept a student who I have not met in person. I think that even a short person-to-person meeting is invaluable for both student and advisor. I am aware of the financial and logistical constraints of traveling to each university you may be considering, but since this is such an important decision in your life, I strongly encourage you to find a way. This is also an opportunity to meet other students in the department, see our fantastic new marine research facility, etc.
- Contacting other graduate students in my lab and the department will give you a valuable perspective on what it would be like to work with me, and provide insight into the graduate program as a whole. I weigh my current lab members' impressions of potential students very highly.
- Like it or not, GRE scores are extremely important in admission to (any) grad school, for national graduate awards (STAR, NSF), and in many other ways. It is well worth extensive study for the test, as well as re-taking the test if your scores are not at the level you would want.
- There are many exciting aspects of being part of FIU's young, rapidly growing, marine program. We are positioned to be the leader in coastal ecology studies in Florida and the Caribbean, and I encourage you to explore all the potential benefits of becoming a part of this program.
- Here is another document that may be of interest if you are considering graduate school. It is a set of suggestions on "How to Succeed as a Graduate Student".