About the lab
We are an active and supportive research group, who are excited about ecology and conservation, natural history. We are field ecologists who conduct research in several different systems, usually spending our summers in the field. We work on the effect of environmental change on species interactions and how altered interactions affect community and ecosystem processes.
In the lab, we embrace and respect diversity of individuals concerning sex, gender, race, ethnicity, age, citizenship, sexual orientation, nationality, socioeconomic status, religion, physical ability, mental ability, and expression. Our lab is a friendly and supportive environment, conducive to learning and research. As a group we are committed to treating each other with respect and ensuring the lab is a place where everybody feels welcome and appreciated. I am dedicated to recruiting and mentoring diverse lab members, especially of underrepresented groups in science, and to be an advocate for diversity in the department and on campus.
Our lab is in the Department of Biological Sciences at Binghamton University. BU is a part of the State University of New York System and is one of the top ranked public Universities in New York. BU is in the "very high research activity" Doctoral University (R1) Carnegie classification category. We have a vibrant Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior group in a broader Biology Department.
Prospective graduate students
I am looking for graduate students to join the lab, who are excited about ecology, fieldwork, and doing science! Prospective students with interests in how environmental change affect species interactions, how altered interactions affect community and ecosystem level processes, and restoration of functionally important interactions - would fit well in my lab. Our expertise is mainly in plant and insect systems, with on-going projects in a couple of different study systems (see Research page) for more details. Students should be self-motivated, hard-working, and enthusiastic. A lot of our science is done in the field, which means prospective students should like to be outdoors, should be willing to be flexible and dedicated to their project, and should like working as a part of a team.
As a mentor, I work closely with students throughout the whole scientific process - from formulating worthwhile and feasible ideas, to helping out with designing experiments in the field, to providing feedback on proposals, manuscripts and presentations, and in advice for finding a position after graduate school. I am a supportive mentor, and I will provide guidance and support for projects, feedback on grant and fellowship proposals, papers and presentations, help with going to conferences, connections with other scientists or stakeholders, and to continuously communicate and work with you to achieve your post-graduation goals.
From my students, I expect that they will take ownership and responsibility for their projects. Students should be committed to conducting high-quality science, publishing their work, presenting at conferences, and applying for grants and fellowships. I expect graduate students to treat graduate school like a full time job and to be dedicated and professional. I expect my students to be active members in the lab and in the Department. They should attend Department seminars, discussion groups, and lab meetings.
Students are supported on teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or fellowships, and admittance to the program and my lab is competitive. Contact me directly in the Fall (kprior@binghamton.edu) before the year that you want to start, sending a cover letter, your CV, and transcript(s). If we decide that you are a good fit for the lab, applications are due in mid December
Check out these great resources about graduate school:
www.esa.org/esa/education-and-diversity/ecology-as-a-career-2/
https://dynamicecology.wordpress.com/2013/02/05/thoughts-on-applying-to-grad-school-for-prospective-students-and-their-mentors/
http://www.uwyo.edu/benkman/files/studentsuccess.pdf
Prospective undergraduate students
I welcome undergraduate researchers who are interested gaining research experience in ecology and conservation. I expect that students will join the lab, not to just get a reference letter from me, but who genuinely want to be a part of a research lab and gain experience. Thus, students should be motivated, responsible, take ownership of their project, and be productive and engaged members of the lab. Positions in the lab are competitive, and I will prioritize students with genuine interests in ecology, who are considering graduate school, and who will commit to at least 3 semesters in the lab. For motivated students who are willing to put in time (multiple semesters, and potentially field seasons) there are opportunities to develop independent projects and to be on publications - which will help students have competitive applications for graduate school. I will work with students to help identify and apply for grants and fellowships, and to present at internal and external conferences, along with providing students with advice, contacts, and letters for opportunities after graduation. We hold lab meetings, and expect students to attend and engage.
If you are interested, please contact me (kprior(at)binghamton.edu) with a cover letter describing your interests, your resume/CV, GPA, and relevant coursework.
Prospective postdoctoral associates
I am happy to discuss and work with potential applicants to obtain funding to work on research related to my lab.
We are an active and supportive research group, who are excited about ecology and conservation, natural history. We are field ecologists who conduct research in several different systems, usually spending our summers in the field. We work on the effect of environmental change on species interactions and how altered interactions affect community and ecosystem processes.
In the lab, we embrace and respect diversity of individuals concerning sex, gender, race, ethnicity, age, citizenship, sexual orientation, nationality, socioeconomic status, religion, physical ability, mental ability, and expression. Our lab is a friendly and supportive environment, conducive to learning and research. As a group we are committed to treating each other with respect and ensuring the lab is a place where everybody feels welcome and appreciated. I am dedicated to recruiting and mentoring diverse lab members, especially of underrepresented groups in science, and to be an advocate for diversity in the department and on campus.
Our lab is in the Department of Biological Sciences at Binghamton University. BU is a part of the State University of New York System and is one of the top ranked public Universities in New York. BU is in the "very high research activity" Doctoral University (R1) Carnegie classification category. We have a vibrant Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior group in a broader Biology Department.
Prospective graduate students
I am looking for graduate students to join the lab, who are excited about ecology, fieldwork, and doing science! Prospective students with interests in how environmental change affect species interactions, how altered interactions affect community and ecosystem level processes, and restoration of functionally important interactions - would fit well in my lab. Our expertise is mainly in plant and insect systems, with on-going projects in a couple of different study systems (see Research page) for more details. Students should be self-motivated, hard-working, and enthusiastic. A lot of our science is done in the field, which means prospective students should like to be outdoors, should be willing to be flexible and dedicated to their project, and should like working as a part of a team.
As a mentor, I work closely with students throughout the whole scientific process - from formulating worthwhile and feasible ideas, to helping out with designing experiments in the field, to providing feedback on proposals, manuscripts and presentations, and in advice for finding a position after graduate school. I am a supportive mentor, and I will provide guidance and support for projects, feedback on grant and fellowship proposals, papers and presentations, help with going to conferences, connections with other scientists or stakeholders, and to continuously communicate and work with you to achieve your post-graduation goals.
From my students, I expect that they will take ownership and responsibility for their projects. Students should be committed to conducting high-quality science, publishing their work, presenting at conferences, and applying for grants and fellowships. I expect graduate students to treat graduate school like a full time job and to be dedicated and professional. I expect my students to be active members in the lab and in the Department. They should attend Department seminars, discussion groups, and lab meetings.
Students are supported on teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or fellowships, and admittance to the program and my lab is competitive. Contact me directly in the Fall (kprior@binghamton.edu) before the year that you want to start, sending a cover letter, your CV, and transcript(s). If we decide that you are a good fit for the lab, applications are due in mid December
Check out these great resources about graduate school:
www.esa.org/esa/education-and-diversity/ecology-as-a-career-2/
https://dynamicecology.wordpress.com/2013/02/05/thoughts-on-applying-to-grad-school-for-prospective-students-and-their-mentors/
http://www.uwyo.edu/benkman/files/studentsuccess.pdf
Prospective undergraduate students
I welcome undergraduate researchers who are interested gaining research experience in ecology and conservation. I expect that students will join the lab, not to just get a reference letter from me, but who genuinely want to be a part of a research lab and gain experience. Thus, students should be motivated, responsible, take ownership of their project, and be productive and engaged members of the lab. Positions in the lab are competitive, and I will prioritize students with genuine interests in ecology, who are considering graduate school, and who will commit to at least 3 semesters in the lab. For motivated students who are willing to put in time (multiple semesters, and potentially field seasons) there are opportunities to develop independent projects and to be on publications - which will help students have competitive applications for graduate school. I will work with students to help identify and apply for grants and fellowships, and to present at internal and external conferences, along with providing students with advice, contacts, and letters for opportunities after graduation. We hold lab meetings, and expect students to attend and engage.
If you are interested, please contact me (kprior(at)binghamton.edu) with a cover letter describing your interests, your resume/CV, GPA, and relevant coursework.
Prospective postdoctoral associates
I am happy to discuss and work with potential applicants to obtain funding to work on research related to my lab.
