Opportunities

Specific Call for Graduate Students (MS level)

The McMillan lab at Texas Tech University’s Department of Biology Sciences is actively recruiting up to two MS level graduate students for Spring 2026 enrollment with interests in medical entomology, vector biology, and/or vector-borne disease eco-epidemiology. Students would be affiliated with and supported as an Research Assistant by the Rockies and High Plains Training and Evaluation Center for Vector-Borne Diseases and will receive targeted training in medical entomology, pursue basic and applied projects related to the epidemiology and control of vector-borne disease threats, and network amongst a growing network of academic and professional public health institutions in the Rockies and High Plains region. Preference will be given to domestic students with experience (either through education, research, or professional) with vector systems of any type. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Dr. Joseph McMillan (josmcmil AT ttu.edu). Please include a CV or resume, available transcripts (unofficial is acceptable), and names and contacts of 2-3 referees. 

General Call for Graduate Students

Motivated individuals with a background in either entomology, ecology, or epidemiology/public health are highly encouraged to contact Dr. McMillan. Preference will be given to domestic students with experience (either through education, research, or professional) with vector systems of any type and a demonstrated interest in quantitative approaches. Graduate positions in the department are typically funded through TA-ships, and there are additional competitive recruitment fellowships for qualified applicants. Space is extremely limited both within the lab and within the department. Please reference TTU's Graduate Fellowship and DBS' Graduate Admissions pages for more information about TTU's graduate program. 

Undergraduate research opportunities

Texas Tech undergraduates as well as other undergraduates in the Lubbock region are welcome to contact Dr. McMillan concerning research experience. The lab offers a number of experiences and research-as-credit options for qualified individuals. The lab also works with multiple URC institutions at Tech including the TrUE Program and the Honors College. Availability and level of involvement are dependent upon university standing, current projects, and career interests. There are occasionally funds to cover internships in the summer months; however, these positions are dependent on available funds, funder rules, as well as standing with Texas Tech.

The best times to enroll in the lab for research credit are during the Summer and Fall semesters - given much of the lab uses field-based methods, these periods provide the greatest variety of experiences AND require a greater number of participating individuals. There are some hands-on projects that take place in the lab year round that would provide research experience in the Spring semesters. However, we are still building out our in-lab research projects, so students with prior experience in the lab will be given preference for research as credit opportunities during the Spring.

On-campus information

Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock campus, Biology Building

Contact: josmcmil AT ttu.edu

About the cover photo: Vorticella (a genus of cilliates) attached to a Culex spp. larvae collected from Lubbock Lake National Historic Landmark (in NOVEMBER 2024 no less). Image captured by Melissa Clawson using lab's Leica stereoscope with a Leica K3 camera. Cilliate ID credit goes to Dr. Alex Tice of TTU Biology.