Join
Interested in getting involved with restoration ecology research? Read below for opportunities to join our group!
Graduate Students
I am interested in creative and motivated individuals joining our group to pursue Ph.D. work at MSU. The Brudvig Lab seeks to build linkages between basic ecology and its application to ecosystem restoration and I will encourage students to conduct strong, theory-driven science with clear application to pressing environmental problems. My primary objectives are to help you define and work toward goals as you succeed in graduate school and prepare for a career that excites you. I do not have a one-size-fits-all approach to this, but, rather, seek to provide the necessary advice, encouragement, and collaborative environment for each student to develop their own research questions, address these with strong science, communicate their findings, build a professional network, develop important skillsets, and gain important experience in their chosen career track. In short, I want to help our students lay the foundation for their own careers in ecology.
Interested individuals should contact me early in the fall semester (September is ideal) of the year before they would like to begin graduate school to discuss opportunities with our group. When you write, please provide a description of your research interests and past experience and a copy of your CV. First, however, please take a look at some of our publications and research projects. A strong match in research interests is very important, though I do not require students to work within our existing projects (but they certainly can). I expect Ph.D. students to develop their own research questions – I won’t give you a project, but will help you along the way to finding one.
Please also look over the Department of Plant Biology's website for information about our graduate program and details about how to apply and note that our application deadline is in November.
Postdocs
Individuals interested in conducting postdoctoral research with the Brudvig Lab should either apply to advertised positions (posted here and on ECOLOG) or contact me via email with a copy of their CV and a brief research proposal IF THEY ARE INTERSTED IN PURSUING THEIR OWN FUNDING (e.g., Smith Fellows Program, USDA AFRI Postdoctoral Fellowship) or would like to discuss sponsorship for the EEB Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship.
Technicians
Individuals interested in joining the Brudvig Lab as a technician should apply to advertised positions (posted here and on ECOLOG). Technician positions will typically be for full time work and located either in Michigan or South Carolina, assisting with ongoing research projects.
Undergraduates
MSU undergraduates interested in gaining experience in ecology should contact me via email to discuss opportunities. There are two general ways to become involved: 1) By conducting undergraduate research or 2) by becoming a research technician in the Brudvig Lab. During the academic year, technician opportunities might include various laboratory and data processing tasks, whereas during summer months, work will likely be in assisting with field data collection at research sites in Michigan or South Carolina. Please see descriptions of research projects for more details and note that we do not provide volunteer opportunities, owing to their inequitable availability across individuals of differing socioeconomic status.