Opportunities
Join us!
I am always interested in hearing from potential students interested in conducting research in ecology and evolution at the graduate or undergraduate level.
If you are interested in joining the lab or learning more about what we do, read some of our recent publications to familiarize yourself with lab research, and then send me an email to introduce yourself (robert.laird at uleth.ca). In your email, describe your research interests, experience, and goals. I look forward to hearing from you!
Funding
External funding is an asset, but (typically) not a necessity for joining the lab. Students wishing to join the lab will be expected to apply for funding from funding agencies such as NSERC and the ACA Grants in Biodiversity program, among others. The lab itself is funded by NSERC.
Project ideas
Students are strongly encouraged to choose projects on topics in ecology and evolution that interest them the most. These might involve projects closely related to my research interests, or more distantly related projects. Students can do field, lab, or theoretical work - or, ideally, a combination of the three.
Supervision philosophy
Briefly, I would prefer to collaborate with my students wherever possible, but also expect that students will excercise an increasing degree of autonomy as they progress through their graduate program. I believe that science works best when it is a social, rather than solitary, endeavour.
Lab facilities
The lab is located in the Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building, a state of the art facility and a great place to conduct research. The lab itself is ready to handle diverse field projects, particularly those involving plant-insect interactions, as well as theory-based projects. See my Lab facilities page for pictures and further details
University of Lethbridge
The University of Lethbridge is a medium-sized university that highly values both teaching and research, and is an excellent place to work. The Department of Biological Sciences, which has a full graduate program, has more than 20 faculty members with a wide range of interests
City of Lethbridge
Lethbridge is a vibrant city of about 100,000, located in Southern Alberta. The city is located above the coulees of the Old Man River, and offers many parks and picturesque places to visit. Lethbridge is a short drive from an amazing diversity of natural areas including prairies, badlands, foothills, and the Rocky Mountains.