Graduate Opportunities

So you're thinking about graduate school?

Some things to consider when looking for a graduate advisor:

Find someone who is publishing frequently.
Look at the current graduate students in a lab as your best estimate of how successful you will be if you join that lab.
Ask about financial support during the academic year, but also during the summers.
Ask whether the lab is supported by major grants.
Determine how much latitude you will have in selecting your research project.
Contact the graduate students in the lab and ask them about their experience.

Rick's philosophy in selecting graduate students

Students are encouraged to develop their own research ideas. Graduate student research must always be both important and novel, but you need to find an area of research that excites you enough to keep you passionate about your work and continually pushing yourself.

Given the lab’s expertise in aquatic systems, it makes the most sense for members of the lab to work on aquatic organisms.

Smart students are easy to find. Hard working people that are friendly and get along with everyone else in the lab are harder to find. We are looking for the latter.

If you are going into science for the money, you should become a plumber. The hours are shorter and the pay is better. :)