Join Us

I am currently recruiting a graduate student for fall 2020. Please e-mail me (zach-dot-gompert-at-usu-dot-edu) if you are interested in joining the Gompert lab at Utah State University. I am looking for students that share research interests with me, but not necessarily that work on the same systems or questions as I do. Moreover, I am interested in advising students with diverse academic backgrounds (e.g., students with degrees in biology, statistics, or computer science are welcome to apply), various career plans (e.g., academia, education, government agencies, or industry), and with research interests in basic or applied evolutionary genetics. Read more about my mentoring philosophy, application deadlines, and opportunities for financial support below.

Undergraduates at Utah State University that are interested in obtaining undergraduate research experience in evolutionary genetics or genomics are also encouraged to contact me. Competitive funding for independent undergraduate research projects is available through the Office or Research and Graduate Studies (URCO; SURCO).

Mentoring philosophy and expectations

My role as a mentor or advisor is to help the students in my lab identify and pursue their research interests, develop as scientists, and achieve their career goals (each student is different and my specific role as a mentor will depend on the student). Along these lines, I view students in my lab as junior colleagues. Each student in the lab is invited and encouraged to take ownership of their research, and I expect PhD students to develop semi-independent research projects (this often includes applying for research funding). With that said, research is a highly collaborative endeavor, and I strongly encourage collaboration within and outside of the lab.  And students in the lab can expect me to be interested and engaged in their work even if it does not directly align with my core research program.

Applying to the graduate program at Utah State University

Utah State University does not have an official application deadline for its graduate program. But interested future graduate students should contact me during the fall semester before they wish to enroll, and should submit their applications no later than January 15th. Prospective students need to submit a pre-application to the Biology Department, followed by a full application to the University. Additional information about applying to the USU graduate program can be found here.

Financial support

Graduate students accepted into my lab are provided financial support through Teaching Assistantships (TAs) or Research Assistantships (RAs). I strongly encourage interested students to apply for graduate research fellowships, such as the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, as well. Importantly, you are eligible to apply for some graduate research fellowships in your final year as an undergraduate student. Additional funding exists for graduate student student research and travel to scientific meetings.

photo of Logan Canyon (a few miles from campus) by L. Lucas