First, the people. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona - the first evolutionary biology and ecology department in this country - is home to some of the best and most original thinkers in evolution and ecology today.

Second, the place. Southwestern Arizona is a dream. A very vivid one, too. Everything is here - from stunning mountains to colorful Sonoran desert to subalpine forests. You will need several lifetimes to explore this diversity. Most people are lucky to spend their long-earned vacation here. You can live here.

Third, the resources. University of Arizona is a major research university, complete with a medical center, around twelve different biology departments, Bio5 Institute, the Biosphere, and the state-of-the art research facilities. Plenty of expertise and modern research equipment to go around. On weekends, UA launches its very own Mars Explorer Missions and even has the Institute for the Study of Planet Earth (with other planets as controls). What else you might possibly need?

Why my lab?

Well, where else would you have an opportunity to do fieldwork in some of the wildest and most beautiful places in the world, while asking some of the most important questions in science, and becoming versatile with an impressive array of sophisticated laboratory and field techniques?

 

If you are interested in becoming a member of my lab, you should:

1). Read about the lab's research areas and the research statements of people currently working in the lab.

2). Read some of the papers that we have published in recent years. For conceptual approaches, read papers on this list. Representative examples of empirical work are here.

3). If, afer (1-2), you are still interested, then please send me a detailed letter in which include the following:

• The reasons for your interest in graduate research in general and in our lab in particular. Why do you want to be a scientist? What excites you about science?
• Include your resume, any publications (or references to published work), relevant qualifications, classes, and any additional material (e.g., proposals) that you think may be useful for your application
• The names and institutions of the people you will ask for letters of recommendation (letters are not necessary at this time)
• Include your GPA and GRE (%), a list of the math or statistics classes you have taken, and any experience with molecular/physiological and other laboratory techniques and methods

4). About a week after you send the materials above, please e-mail to inquire about your suitability and likelihood of acceptance to the lab, and further instructions. (Please note however that the ranking and acceptance decisions are made by the entire faculty).

5). To apply and for general information on the graduate school, application forms, required exams, and related materials please consult the UA and EEB graduate school web pages (start here).

What to expect?

I seek students who are highly motivated and serious about science, who enjoy being productive and creative, and who view their work as a continuing progress driven by the constant expansion of their knowledge and ability. I invest a great deal of time in helping such students to succeed. I strongly encourage students to develop the ability to present their work and ideas in the most clear and succinct manner, and to design an interesting and non-trivial research program. While you can expect me to be very helpful in these areas, I am not particularly interested in intervening into minute details of your daily graduate work or progress. I am however, very interested in providing you with time and resources to develop and conduct your own study.

In our lab we have a large molecular genetics lab, fully functional biochemical HPLC laboratory, a setup for steroid and other hormone assays, large indoor/outdoor aviaries, as well as modern morphometrics and microscopy equipment. You are very unlikely to be limited by empirical logistics here and there is a rare opportunity to design and conduct sophisticated integrative studies within the lab as well as to learn a wide variety of modern research techniques.

 

Design, maintenance, code. and non-human animal photos are by Alex Badyaev © 2002-2008