Are you interested in joining the Fish Ecology Lab?  I welcome inquiries from those seeking to collaborate as postdoctoral associates, potential graduate students, and undergraduates looking to conduct a senior thesis or wishing to volunteer to gain research experience.

Postdoc Positions
I do not currently have funding for a postdoc but welcome collaboration ideas that would lead to a grant proposal from those wishing to develop a position under my mentorship.

Graduate Student Positions
I receive a large number of inquiries each year from students interested in pursuing a graduate degree under my guidance.  Many students have excellent credentials, such as a high GPA and excellent GRE scores.  To be competitive, you therefore must 1) be interested in similar research themes as my current students and me (i.e., read our publications and research blurbs on this site), 2) have prior research experience (field and/or lab), and 3) set yourself apart from the pack (i.e., grab my interest).

When you contact me regarding graduate positions, please carefully follow the below instructions:
1) include a brief description of your research interests, a CV, and the names of at least three references
2) include your GRE scores and GPA
2) in the subject of the email, please use the following style: degree sought inquiry – matriculation semester (e.g., PhD inquiry – Fall 2014, MS inquiry – Spring 2015).

I will only consider applicants that make an effort to visit USF, so that we can meet face-to-face and so the applicant can meet with my current students and tour our facilities.  Please read my mentoring philosophy below.  Due to my strong commitment to existing graduate students, and because financial support must be identified before accepting new students, positions are extremely limited.

Teaching and Mentoring Philosophy
In both the classroom and lab, I emphasize two fundamental skills for my students to develop: critical thinking and effective communication.  I strongly believe that both skills are critical for any successful career, be it in science or otherwise.   My philosophy on advising graduate students is, first, to work closely with the student to help guide them towards their personal research interests.  During this time, I meet regularly (e.g., weekly) with the student to discuss primary literature, ongoing research in the lab, and their recent efforts.  I believe that it is important to give these young scientists enough room to discover their interests and research directions, even allowing for some minor failures, while not letting them stray too far from the path that will lead to success.  As the student develops feasibly testable hypotheses and the skills necessary for greater research independence, I require less frequent meetings (e.g., monthly, quarterly) and shift my role to helping with problem solving and editorial advice on their writings and presentations.