Join the Lab

Interested in Joining the Stillson Lab?

We welcome undergraduate students interested in insect ecology, microbiology, environmental biology, and computational biology. Research experience is not required, and projects can be developed around a student's interests, experience, and academic goals.

Research projects are designed to give students increasing ownership of their work while addressing meaningful scientific questions. Depending on the project, students may participate in field collections, insect rearing, microbial culture and assays, and genomic analysis.

What can students work on?

Insect Ecology

Students may participate in insect rearing, field collections, and experiments measuring host fitness and responses to stress.

Microbiology

Students may culture bacterial symbionts, measure microbial growth, and characterize phenotypic differences among microbial isolates.

Genomics & Bioinformatics

Students may work with genomic datasets, conduct comparative analyses, and interpret biological patterns using tools such as R and accessible bioinformatics platforms.

Expectations

Undergraduate research requires a consistent time commitment and a willingness to learn new skills, troubleshoot experiments, keep organized records, and communicate regularly about research progress. As students gain experience, they will be encouraged to take increasing responsibility for their projects, including developing questions, analyzing results, interpreting findings, and presenting their work.

Interested in Joining the Lab?

Students interested in joining the Stillson Lab should complete the undergraduate research application below. Applications help Dr. Stillson learn more about your research interests, goals, and availability. Submission of an application does not guarantee a position, as opportunities depend on current projects and mentoring capacity.

Submit an application

Google Sites

Report abuse