Opportunities:
Postdoc
Graduate students
Postdoctoral fellows
I always welcome hearing from interested postdocs. The Tucker lab is looking for a thoughtful, motivated and collaborative researcher interested in using traits to understand ecological processes. Key questions we’re interested in include: Can individual traits predict the outcome of species interactions? Can traits predict population- or community-level responses to climate change? And how can we better describe species phenotypes using multiple traits? We address these questions using both plants and freshwater zooplankton systems, and use a wide range of approaches, including experimental microcosms, statistical analysis of observational data, and numerical simulations.
Graduate students
I always welcome hearing from prospective PhD. students! You are strongly encouraged to contact me directly before applying to discuss details around applying to the graduate program in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology at UNC-CH.
The Tucker lab works on a broad range of questions under the umbrella of community ecology. Students should be interested in developing both quantitative and experimental skill sets, since the lab combines theoretical and empirical work to answer ecological questions. See the Research and Publications pages for an idea of the kind of research we are currently excited about. The real benefit of a PhD at the EEOB program at UNC is that students are encouraged to develop their own research projects (rather than take on existing projects). There is flexibility in terms of projects and students are strongly encouraged to develop their own projects and research directions within the lab’s general area of work. Students interested in using laboratory-based aquatic microcosms are particularly welcomed.
I would encourage students to have or obtain quantitative skills (e.g. some college-level math or statistical courses) or be willing to gain them as part of their PhD. It is strongly desirable for students to have previous research experience and some coding experience (R, python, Mathematica, etc). Students are funded with a combination of teaching and research assistantships. If you have a strong academic/research record, you should strongly consider applying for the NSF GRFP program.
Chapel Hill has a lot to offer students, including world-class research opportunities with a good (and relatively inexpensive) quality of life. Chapel Hill, along with Durham and Raleigh, forms the Research Triangle region of NC, which attracts a diverse group of people and cultures. Chapel Hill has a warm climate with mild winters, is within hours of both mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, and is home to a great diversity of flora and fauna.
Please email me at carolinetucker@unc.edu and provide some information about your past research experience and your research interests going forward. Also please provide include your GPA, GRE scores, and any relevant information about your education.