Looking to do an MS in Biology or Marine Biology?

Good news! I supervise Masters students in both Biology and Marine Biology. Although both programs are administered within the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, they have slightly different structures. Prospective students should carefully review the requirements of their selected program before applying.

Link to information on NSU's Masters in Biology

Link to information on NSU's Masters in Marine Biology

Masters students are expected to develop and complete an original research project with guidance from their PI and supervisory committee. Projects typically (but not always!) involve some combination of lab work and field work in critical Florida habitats (coastal reefs, Everglades, mangrove swamps). Parasitology is a multidisciplinary field, so I partner with faculty who have a broad range of skills and interests: fisheries ecology, food web and trophic analyses, molecular phylogeny, fish behavior, systems biology, and modeling... as you develop your project, one of my roles will be to assemble a group of committee members and research partners with the necessary skill sets to best mentor you.

Funding: my research program is currently supported via internal seed grants (PFRDGs). Although I cannot currently offer Fellowships or RAships, graduate students can receive some support via LAships, and a limited number of TAships are available that provide selected graduate students with a $5,000 stipend and $5,000 scholarship ($10,000 total) each semester. Students also support themselves via part-time work at the university as well as a range of programs (e.g., Title V) and government and foundation grants. Lastly, there are NGOs and state-level organizations that offer grants to graduate students. I encourage you to apply to any that may be appropriate- I am happy to help you prepare your application materials.

Discuss your project ideas / goals / ambitions with me before you even apply: it's almost always best to reach out to me by email before you even apply, so we can discuss your ideas and decide whether my lab is the right "fit" for you.

Capstones vs thesis: long story short, I supervise both, although I favor thesis-type projects. Capstone students in my lab tend to end up doing a lot of meta-analytical work, doing things like data mining and building databases based on published and unpublished gray literature data.

Time commitment: Graduate research requires engagement, commitment, and sustained work. Successful students set aside solid blocks of time every week to work on their projects and make steady progress (completing course requirements, collecting samples, generating data). That doesn't mean I expect to see you in the lab every minute of every day: I understand that you balance many different commitments- jobs, relationships, coursework, sports, hobbies- and it is important to lead a balanced life. Remember to have fun: Life's more fab in a happy lab! But it is also important to keep your eyes on the prize and keep making incremental progress. If I feel that you aren't committing enough time to your project or if I am concerned about your progress in any way, I will communicate this clearly to you, and we will discuss how to address the problem and come up with strategies to help you move forward.

Teamwork: research is a team effort, and I expect my students to work together, help each other, help train new students, discuss and share challenges and opportunities. Many hands make for light work, and there will be times where many hands will be needed: field collection trips, lab cleanup, lab meetings to discuss data, sample processing blitzes, and so on. Please make every effort to participate in these activities.

Communication: When you join the lab we will establish a regular meeting time. Please keep me posted on your progress- what papers you've read, samples you've processed, field work completed. Submit regular progress reports. I also need to know if you're experiencing any difficulties with your studies or your project, so we can work together to address them. Lastly, keep me posted about any travel plans that will keep you away from the university for an extended period.

Publications / Presentations: I expect you to submit at least one peer reviewed manuscript based on your work, preferably before you graduate (ideally, before you even submit your thesis!). As a general rule you are the lead author. Additional collaborators may be granted authorship according to the guidelines outlined here. Once you have data, I also encourage you to present your work at appropriate regional and national conferences. Please note that attending conferences should not be taken for granted: such opportunities should be viewed as rewards for making solid progress on your thesis.