Thank you for your interested in our Plant Computational Genomics group in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology located at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT. I am a computational biologist with related interests interests in genomics and evolutionary biology.
I am interested in attracting students who are passionate about the integrative potential of big data and apply this to questions related to genome biology and evolutionary biology in non-model plant species. The current list of research projects for the lab is available here. We can support a limited number of applicants and ask that students submit documentation that supports strong communication, analytic, and quantitative skills. To apply for positions in our group, please provide:
(1) Cover Letter/CV
(2) Contact information for at least three references
(3) Transcripts (unofficial), GRE scores, and TOEFL scores if appropriate
(4) Research Statement (2 pages in length)
- This is the most important portion of your application. Please summarize your previous interests/work but more importantly put together 2 or 3 (mini) proposals for your future research that is well supported by current literature and shows (some) connection to what we do here in the lab. We welcome topics that are related and not actively addressed here. We look forward to supporting your ideas!
Student Expectations:
You are interested in a fun research team working hard to apply innovative solutions to challenging problems in complex non-model plant systems! What next?!
- Publish! A minimum of one paper from your research during their tenure in my lab.
- Present! All students should attend and present at regional and national scientific conferences.
- Teach! This is also often your source of funding. It is an important step toward becoming a productive academic.
- Read! Regularly review, discuss, and present relevant articles to your research.
- Apply for Funding! Apply for internal/external grants as applicable as well as travel funding opportunities. Many will be shared with you but there is an expectation for you to also seek them out.