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 various types of anthropogenic change affect species interactions, the outcome of altered interactions on communities and ecosystems, and in how to manage or restore ecological systems threatened by anthropogenic change would fit well in the lab. Our expertise is largely 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 my students throughout the whole scientific process - from formulating worthwhile and feasible ideas, to helping out with designing experiments in the field, to providing feeding back on proposals, manuscripts and presentations, and finally in advice for finding a position after graduate school. I am a supportive mentor, and I will try my hardest to provide good guidance on your project, support for your project, feedback on your grant and fellowship proposals, papers and presentation, 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 and meaningful science, and to publish papers, present work at conferences, and apply for grants and fellowships. I expect that students will treat graduate school like a regular job, in which they act professionally, put in “face time” or work regular-ish hours to overlap with me, and others in the lab and department. Part of training is to be able to communicate with various scientists, and to this end, students should engage in the lab and department as a whole, attending seminars, discussion groups, and lab meetings. I value work-life balance, and in treating graduate school like a full time job, I do not expect students to work on weekends or holidays (*), and that they should take suitable vacation-time. Note, however, that science (especially ecology during the field season), often happens off-hours, and students need to be dedicated to their projects first and foremost. *Note - undergraduate days off (i.e., reading breaks) are not holidays. In fact, they are excellent times for researchers to get research done!
Binghamton University is set in a beautiful location in the Southern Tier of New York. We have a vibrant Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior group with ~25 EEB graduate students in a broader Biology Department. Students are supported on teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or fellowships. Contact me directly in the fall prior to 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 January.
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
Undergraduate Students
I welcome undergraduate researchers who are interested ecology and conservation in my lab. I will work with students to find suitable projects, and if students are interested and show that they are motivated, I will work with students to help them develop more independent projects. I understand that students have busy schedules, and I expect that students schedule lab time within their class schedule, and stick to this schedule. Students are expected to spend 5-6 hours in the lab a week at minimum (this varies pending if students are volunteering in the lab, taking research credits, or have a paid position). I work with students to help them 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. I expect that students will join the lab, not to just get a reference letter from me, but who genuinely want to gain research experience. Thus, I expect that students will be motivated, responsible, take ownership of their project, and be productive and engaged members of the lab. We hold lab meetings, and I expect that undergraduates attend these meetings, where we will talk about research papers and the science going on in the lab.
If you are interested, please contact me (kprior@binghamton.edu) with a cover letter describing your interests, your CV, GPA, and relevant coursework.
Postdoctoral Associates
I am happy to discuss and work with potential applicants to obtain funding to work on research related to my lab.
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 various types of anthropogenic change affect species interactions, the outcome of altered interactions on communities and ecosystems, and in how to manage or restore ecological systems threatened by anthropogenic change would fit well in the lab. Our expertise is largely 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 my students throughout the whole scientific process - from formulating worthwhile and feasible ideas, to helping out with designing experiments in the field, to providing feeding back on proposals, manuscripts and presentations, and finally in advice for finding a position after graduate school. I am a supportive mentor, and I will try my hardest to provide good guidance on your project, support for your project, feedback on your grant and fellowship proposals, papers and presentation, 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 and meaningful science, and to publish papers, present work at conferences, and apply for grants and fellowships. I expect that students will treat graduate school like a regular job, in which they act professionally, put in “face time” or work regular-ish hours to overlap with me, and others in the lab and department. Part of training is to be able to communicate with various scientists, and to this end, students should engage in the lab and department as a whole, attending seminars, discussion groups, and lab meetings. I value work-life balance, and in treating graduate school like a full time job, I do not expect students to work on weekends or holidays (*), and that they should take suitable vacation-time. Note, however, that science (especially ecology during the field season), often happens off-hours, and students need to be dedicated to their projects first and foremost. *Note - undergraduate days off (i.e., reading breaks) are not holidays. In fact, they are excellent times for researchers to get research done!
Binghamton University is set in a beautiful location in the Southern Tier of New York. We have a vibrant Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior group with ~25 EEB graduate students in a broader Biology Department. Students are supported on teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or fellowships. Contact me directly in the fall prior to 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 January.
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
Undergraduate Students
I welcome undergraduate researchers who are interested ecology and conservation in my lab. I will work with students to find suitable projects, and if students are interested and show that they are motivated, I will work with students to help them develop more independent projects. I understand that students have busy schedules, and I expect that students schedule lab time within their class schedule, and stick to this schedule. Students are expected to spend 5-6 hours in the lab a week at minimum (this varies pending if students are volunteering in the lab, taking research credits, or have a paid position). I work with students to help them 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. I expect that students will join the lab, not to just get a reference letter from me, but who genuinely want to gain research experience. Thus, I expect that students will be motivated, responsible, take ownership of their project, and be productive and engaged members of the lab. We hold lab meetings, and I expect that undergraduates attend these meetings, where we will talk about research papers and the science going on in the lab.
If you are interested, please contact me (kprior@binghamton.edu) with a cover letter describing your interests, your CV, GPA, and relevant coursework.
Postdoctoral Associates
I am happy to discuss and work with potential applicants to obtain funding to work on research related to my lab.
