GRADUATE STUDIES IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION AT VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
The Department of Biology at Virginia Commonwealth University invites applications from prospective graduate students for Fall 2010. We have an active, well-supported, and diverse Ecology and Evolution faculty engaged in research in Virginia and around the world. Graduate students may apply through our Biology Masters in Science or Integrative Life Sciences Ph.D. programs. Competitive funding and tuition waivers are available to qualified students in both programs, and may include fellowships, and research/teaching assistantships. Please visit www.has.vcu.edu/bio/ to find information about both programs. VCU is the largest public university in Virginia. We are located in Richmond, within easy reach of the Virginia coastal plain, Chesapeake Bay, James River, Virginia barrier islands and Blue Ridge Mountains, providing excellent opportunities for research in diverse natural systems. On campus research facilities include the Trani Center greenhouse, aquatics facility, and IACUC approved animal facility. A satellite lab of the Nucleic Acids Core Facility provides a broad range of support for molecular approaches. The Environmental Analyses Laboratory provides state-of-the-art analytical services to support research in the environmental sciences. The Bioinformatics Computational Core Laboratory supports several supercomputing clusters and a research laboratory with access to state-of-the-art genomics and proteomics software and databases for research applications. In addition, VCUs Rice Center for Environmental Life Sciences, located 30 minutes from campus, encompasses 342 acres of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems along the James River. It provides an outstanding resource for field-based research by both faculty and graduate students in the department. Facilities include new office and lab space, conference center, and boat house. For more information, see www.vcu.edu/rice/. Our graduate faculty in Ecology and Evolution include: John E. Anderson, Remote Sensing and Environmental Biology Bonnie L. Brown, Ecological and Conservation Genetics Paul Bukaveckas, River and Ecosystems Ecology Rodney J. Dyer, Population Genetics and Phylogeography Michael Fine, Sensory Physiology and Ecology of Fishes Rima B. Franklin, Microbial Ecology and Environmental Microbiology Gregory C. Garman, Fish Ecology Christopher M. Gough, Forest Ecophysiology and Ecosystem Ecology Karen Kester, Insect Behavioral and Evolutionary Ecology Ghislaine Mayer, Parasitology, Microbiology and Cell Biology Leigh McCallister. Aquatic Ecology and Oceanography Stephen McIninch, Fish Ecology Maria C. Rivera, Computational Evolutionary Biology and Phylogenetics Leonard A. Smock, Stream Ecology and Aquatic Entomology J. Clint Turbeville, Animal Systematics and Evolution James R. Vonesh, Population and Community Ecology Donald R. Young, Plant Physiological Ecology Competitive students have GPAs >3.0 and combined GRE scores 1,100 or greater. Experience, reference letters, and rationale for applying to the program are important elements of the application. Prospective students must apply through VCU's graduate school (http://www.vcu.edu/graduate/ps/admission.html) or through the Office of International Education (http://www.vcu.edu/oie/). For full financial consideration, applications must be received by January 15. Applicants that have identified faculty sponsors are more likely to be accepted and to receive financial support. Interested students are strongly encouraged to contact prospective mentors directly for more information, or graduate studies directors Dr. Jennifer K. Stewart (Biology MSc; www.has.vcu.edu/bio/graduate/, [email protected]) or Dr. Robert Tombes (Integrative LS PhD; www.vcu.edu/lifesci/phd/, [email protected]).
