Become cool like us
M.S. student, Ph.D. Student, and post-doctoral
Students apply through the Applied Plant Sciences, Plant and Microbial Biology, or the Land and Atmospheric Sciences inter-departmental graduate programs here at the University of Minnesota.
As funding for graduate study gets harder and harder to obtain, competition for such positions increases. It is sadly often the case that no funds are available to support outstanding prospective graduate students. While I try to respond to each request individually, the number of requests I receive from prospective graduate students is beyond the time I have to respond. If you have emailed me and you do not receive a response, it likely means that no funds are available to support a new student at the time. We appreciate your interest in our lab!
I typically have extensive communication with students prior to their admission into my lab. Many prospective students are in touch with me in the fall prior to the year they wish to begin graduate school at UMN. As admission criteria, I expect that prospective students come with research experience, either in a previous academic program or in the field, and have a strong interest in learning how soil microbial processes contribute to building a sustainable agriculture system. I try to ensure that admitted students are guaranteed a stipend for a majority of their standard-length graduate program. I look forward to discussing funding options, including Research Assistantships (RAs) funded by grants in our lab; fellowships such as the Diversity of Research and Experiences (DOVE), CFANS Diversity Scholars program, and the Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change (ICGC); or a combination. If you feel you qualify for a diversity-based fellowship, please communicate this to me when we talk. Prospective post-docs apply directly through contact with me followed by the formal job application process.
Undergraduate (from UMN or Other Colleges and Universities)
If you are a UMN undergraduate interested in working in our lab or conducting research with us, please reach out! Be prepared to discuss what type of experience you are looking for (paid lab research assistant, independent research), and if research, how you are hoping to fund such research. We have supported many students with funds from CFANS undergraduate research programs such as UROP and Research Assistantship Program, as well as the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture’s Johnson Undergraduate Research program. To be best prepared, look into these and deadlines before contacting us.
We occasionally have the ability to support exceptional students from other colleges and universities in summer research experiences. Currently, our SOAR-REEU summer research program supports one student in our lab each summer from around the U.S., and we have been thrilled to support students from Macalester and Carleton Colleges in Minnesota for many years.
