
To be happy in my lab, your research interests should be close to mine. Read some of our articles to make sure you find what I do interesting. Visit the videos page to see montages of photos taken during our fieldwork. You can also check out what the media is saying about our work.
Research is expensive, and ecological research is no exception. We will need funding for your project, and you will need a salary. All graduate students in the department must receive a salary of at least $25,000 per year. This salary can come from a national (NSERC) or provincial (OGS, FQRNT) grant. Alternatively, you will need to secure a lab demonstration position (200 hours per year for $14,000), and I will cover the additional $11,000 from my research funds. You will be responsible for tuition fees ($8,000 per year). In any case, if your grades are very high (at least 8.5/10 on the uOttawa scale), you will receive a scholarship from the University in the form of a tuition waiver.
I firmly believe that it is essential for a researcher to publish their results in peer-reviewed journals. Therefore, I expect all my students to publish their research results. I will do everything in my power to facilitate this process, but I expect you to take the lead in the publication process. I explain my expectations in detail in this document . These articles provide excellent advice on graduate school:
Binkley D. 1988. Bull ESA 69:10-13 .
Huey RB. 1987. Bull ESA 68:150-153 .
Stearns SC. 1987. Bull ESA 68:145-150 .
Witz BW. 1994. Bull ESA 75:176-177 .
Witz BW. 1995. Bull ESA 76:100 .
Neufeld JD. 2015. Science .
Contact me by email . Tell me about your research interests, experience, grades, and why you want to work in our research group. Send me a copy of your resume and an unofficial copy of your transcript. Send me your articles if you have any. Have a few emails sent by people who can evaluate your research potential. Contact my students, collaborators, and colleagues to get their opinion of me, the Department of Biology, and the University of Ottawa. Ideally, we should try to meet to make sure we can get along.
Each summer, we hire field assistants. Sometimes our work takes place outside of Ottawa, and in those cases, the assistants remain on-site with the graduate students they are supporting. The salary is $2,500 per month. Assistants work approximately 35 hours per week, but the hours are irregular. The work is demanding, and applicants must be in good physical condition. You must also usually have a driver's license. For turtle projects, you will also typically need a Pleasure Craft Operator Card.
If you would like to work with us, please contact me by email . Tell me about your work experience, your physical condition, your qualities that will make you a good assistant, and tell me why you want to work with us. Send me a short resume that includes contact information for people who can assess your work skills.