I am not currently recruiting new graduate students.
Graduate Students Students interested in pursuing a graduate degree in the Lonsinger Lab lab should send me the following, as a single pdf document:
A cover letter
A CV or resume
Names, emails, and phone number for 3 references
Unofficial transcripts
Unofficial GRE scores
In your cover letter, please explain why you are interested in attending graduate school and specifically why you are interested in Oklahoma State University and my lab.
Keep in mind that I do not accept graduate students without funding to support them during their degree program (i.e., a teaching or graduate assistantship).
Undergraduate Students Highly motivated undergraduates can become involved in the Lonsinger lab by volunteering on current projects, working as a paid technician on research projects (provided funding and opportunities exist), or developing and carrying out independent research. Students interested in joining the Lonsinger Lab lab should set a time to meet with me. When we meet, plan to discuss your future career goals (e.g., do you intend to go to graduate school, do you want to work in management, research, or both). I also want to know what motivates you as a scientist and what sort of research questions interest you.
Students interested in pursuing independent research in the Lonsinger Lab should plan on making a minimum commitment of 1 year (assuming 6-8 hours per week). Students carrying out independent research will be expected to (1) develop a written research proposal (which will require approval prior to initiating the study), (2) coordinate required sampling and support (e.g., volunteers), (3) conduct a rigorous analysis of the data, (4) prepare a manuscript style report of the study, and (5) present the results of the study at a professional meeting. In reality, students should anticipate that longer than 1 year will be required to design and conduct an impactful study, and I encourage students to consider initiating potential research projects by their 3rd academic year.
Expectation for ALL lab member I expect everyone to try their hardest and to do their best. I expect students to have struggles during their research and to make some mistakes; but I will not tolerate negativity or behavior that jeopardizes the morale or reputation of the lab.
I expect lab members to be supportive of one another and to offer assistance to one another when possible. Often, we will all be working on independent projects, but we should still aim to support and learn from one another as often as possible.
I expect lab members to be honest and to communicate any concerns or needs they may have to ensure their success. I want every lab member to be happy and fulfilled by the work they do; if you are not happy, I hope you will communicate that with me so we can try to make some adjustments.
I expect professionalism from all lab members. I expect all lab members to attend all lab meetings and scheduled one-on-one meetings, and to come to these meetings prepared to engage and participate. I expect you to be professional in your interactions with support staff, the public, landowners, collaborators, managers, and, well, everyone you interact with in your professional capacity as a member of my lab.
I expect members of my lab to be committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion; all lab members should be committed to fostering an environment where diversity of background and thought is accepted and encouraged.
I expect lab member to be dedicated to their research and to do everything in their power to ensure a project's success. Competence, proficiency, and mastery require dedication. I expect lab member to be self motivated, curious, and passionate. I expect students to seek out learning opportunities, and to communicate your career goals so that I can help you achieve them.
Above all, I expect the highest degree of scientific integrity in everything you do. I expect lab members to be diligent and deliberate in their collection and handling of data, to document all data handling and analytical procedures, and to develop checks and balances to help ensure data integrity. I expect lab members to immediately notify me of any concerns related to data integrity, regardless of the cause. I expect all project data to be backed up frequently and securely, in a location that is accessible to other project personnel.