First, the people. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona in Tucson - 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. Most people are lucky to spend their long-earned vacation here. You can live here.

Third, the opportunities. 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, including Phoenix AZ, as controls). What else you might possibly need?

On anybody's list EEB at the University of Arizona is one of the best places in each of these three categories. The combination, however, is unmatched anywhere.

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 some of the most sophisticated laboratory and field techniques?

 

If you are interested in joining our 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.
• 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 and resources in helping such students to succeed and strongly encourage students 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 equipped biochemical HPLC laboratory, a setup for hormone assays and other physiological work, 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