Undergraduates interested in evolutionary biology research are always welcome to come discuss their interests. There are several ways undergraduates can participate in the lab. Normally, students at USC begin in the lab by volunteering or working on an Independent Study project (BIOL 399 or ENVR 399). It's important to remember that you shouldn't squeeze in research into your schedule -- if you need to squeeze, you probably don't really have the time to make a serious commitment. And you should have a clear idea of your reasons for participating (just to be able to write something on your med school application is not a good reason).
As students progress, there are a variety of programs that can fund summer research participation including the Howard Hughes program, the Magellan program, the Honors College and a few others. These all need to be planned for well in advance, so you normally would need to be working with us for a semester before applications are due.
Here is a sample of the projects undergrads have pursued in my lab:
Mat Sebastian: Flood frequency and the population genetic structure of Daphnia obtusa at Congaree National Park.
Andy Schumpert: Establishing cell lines in Daphnia and the effects of stress on gene expression.
Danny Brown: Physiological and life historical divergence between ecologically distinct clones of Daphnia magna: reaction norms of growth and respiration.
Madeline St. Julien: Ecologcial divergence of gene expression in ponds and lakes.
Darius Sanders: Interspecific variation in the allometry of eyes and its relationship to predation risk.
Jay Grant: Demography and community structure of zooplankton in floodplain ponds at Congaree National Park.
Christine Sheffler: Molecular variation of aging-related genes in Daphnia.
Ed McAssey: Spatial genetic structure of Spartina alterniflora.
Alice Zhang: Divergence of D. pulex and D. pulicaria as seen with microsatellite markers.
Chris Brandon: Genetic variation of growth rate reaction norms in Daphnia obtusa.
I'm always interested in hearing from prospective graduate students who are interested in the general themes of integrating ecology, evolution and genetics in natural systems as described on the Projects page. My view is that graduate education needs to be flexible enough to accomodate the different backgrounds and talents of students. Usually, graduate students will get their feet wet by working on a specific project that is a core component of our ongoing work. As they progress, I expect them to become the intellectual drivers of connected, but largely independent, projects that they develop.
Prospective applicants (our deadline is in early February) should contact me directly well in advance (dudycha <at> biol {dot} sc {dot} edu) of the application deadline to introduce themselves and open a conversation about the intersection of our research interests. It is very helpful if you provide an academic resume or CV, along with a copy of some sort of personal statement explaining A) your general interest in pursuing an advanced research degree and B) your specific interest in working with me. Note that I say "with me" and not "for me." I take the student-advisor relationship quite seriously, and some more thoughts can be found on the Ethics page.
Post-docs are a whole other ball of wax, because funding is either tied to specific grants (in which case I will advertise the positions on Evoldir and Ecolog-L) or driven by the prospective post-doc themselves. If you think my lab might be the right home for your post-doctoral experience contact me directly (dudycha <at> biol {dot} sc {dot} edu).
We are currently recruiting two post-docs as part of an NIH-funded project, "Characterization and Genetics of Aging in Daphnia."
It is also possible for interested candidates to write postdoctoral fellowships. Individuals interested in a project with a mathematical component (e.g., bioinformatics, quantitative genetics, energetic modelling) or one involving environmental chemistry are potentially eligible for the NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Intersection of Biology and Mathematical and Physical Sciences (proposal due Oct. 19th). Indivduals interested in our Antarctic work or including Arctic Daphnia (e.g., at Toolik Lake) may consider applying for one of the Postoctoral Fellowships in Polar Regions Research (proposals due 0ct. 18th). Individuals interested in a postdoc addressing ethics and values in science may be interested in a Science, Technology, & Society postdoctoral fellowship (Due Feb. 1st). Finally, individuals with a conservation focus could address conservation issues at Congaree National Park through a Smith Fellowship (due Sep. 24th).
Interested in joining us as an undergrad, grad or post-doc?
Some of our amazing ponds and lakes in South Carolina, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Photos of our favorite Daphnia.
Information on clones used by the Daphnia Genomics Consortium
Protocols for Daphnia maintenance and molecular wizardry.