Prospective Students

Thank you for your interest in working in my lab. I am always looking for undergraduate and graduate students who are excited about exploring questions in phylogenetics (any group of organisms), plant-animal interactions, morphology, anatomy, taxonomy, biogeography, ecology, floristics, or other associated topics. I seek students who can work well with others, and are also able to work independently.

For undergraduates, I can supply projects and materials to work on. Undergraduates may either volunteer or earn credits for conducting research in the context of a Directed Independent Study (BIO 491) or Honor's Thesis (BIO 499). Master’s students may assist me with grant-related projects or develop their own; Ph.D. students are expected to develop their own projects with my guidance.

Graduate students in the Department of Biology and Marine Biology are primarily funded through departmental teaching assistantships and grants. Top M.S. and Ph.D. prospective students are eligible for university fellowships. I also encourage students to apply for NSF and other graduate grants to support themselves; UNCW has some internal grants in support of student research.

If you are interested in working in my lab, please send me an e-mail describing your research interests, why you would be a good fit here, and any prior field and/or lab experiences. Please also include your curriculum vitae and unofficial transcripts. For prospective graduate students, explain why you want to attend graduate school, and how earning an advanced degree fits with your career goals. I am happy to answer any questions that you may have that are not answered here.

Please visit the department’s website for information on how to apply to the graduate degree program in Biological Sciences. For excellent general advice about applying to graduate school, see these tips.