Dovciak Lab in Plant Ecology
State University of New York, College of Environmental Science & Forestry, Syracuse, NY
Department of Environmental and Forest Biology — SUNY ESF — 1 Forestry Drive — Syracuse — NY 13210
Opportunities
 
Prospective Postdoctoral Scientists
I am interested in bringing post-doctoral scientists with research interests in plant or forest ecology into our lab. I am happy to discuss collaborative ideas and help develop a proposal for funding. To initiate discussion, please send me an e-mail with a short description of your research interests and please attach your CV and a sample publication (if available).
Prospective Graduate Students
I am currently accepting graduate students with interests in plant or forest ecology who would like to pursue PhD, MS, or MPS degrees in Ecology, Conservation Biology, Applied Ecology, or Plant Science. I am generally interested in self-motivated students with good academic record, prior research and field experience, and good quantitative and writing skills. Graduate studies can be funded either by a research assistantship associated with a funded research project (please check with me, availability varies), a competitively awarded departmental teaching assistantship, or a graduate fellowship (such as EPA-STAR or NSF-predoc). To initiate discussion, please send me a brief email summarizing in one short paragraph your research interests, qualifications, and professional goals. Please include your previous degrees, relevant job experience/skills, GPA, GRE (if available) and attach your resume. Details on graduate studies at SUNY-ESF and how to apply can be found here.
Life in the Lab Group
Our group meets once a week with other plant ecology labs during ‘Ecolunch’ seminars; these provide a sounding board for ideas and foster a stimulating and collaborative environment. I strive to create an open, honest, engaged, and supportive atmosphere in daily interactions with all lab members and expect everyone to contribute equally to this effort. I meet individually with lab members on a regular basis and provide significant feedback during all stages of their education and research. These individual meetings may occur once a week, or less frequently, depending on the actual need at any particular time. I provide feedback and direction for students to succeed, but I expect them to take an active role and show significant personal drive and independent work between the meetings. As a major component of graduate training, I require students to develop a research proposal for funding and to publish their research in respected peer-reviewed journals. MS students should plan to complete their degrees in 2-3 years, and PhD students in 4-5 years.
 
Some Reasons for Joining Our Lab
  • We are a young, dynamic international group focused on globally important contemporary issues – effects of climate change, biodiversity loss, and plant invasions (more...).
  • Our lab provides excellent collaborative and networking opportunities – our research includes variety of ecosystems and collaborators from top-flight labs (more...).
  • SUNY-ESF is one of the largest groups of faculty and graduate students in the U.S. dedicated to environmental and ecological research. Syracuse University (just across the street) provides additional collaborative opportunities (more...).
  • SUNY-ESF has some of the most extensive college-owned research properties in the nation in truly beautiful natural settings (more...).
  • Syracuse couples cultural offerings and urban trappings with its proximity to the great outdoors in the Adirondacks, Catskills, Finger Lakes, and Lake Ontario (more...).
Please contact Martin Dovciak at mdovciak@esf.edu if you have more questions or are interested in joining our lab.
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