Pep talk for students in the undergraduate diversity program

at SSB/SSB 2008

Evolutionary biology

Microbiology

ZoologyEcology

Genetics

Physiology

Botany

Agro-ecology

USDA/EPA/Forest Service

Public healthEpidemiology

Conservationbiology

Pharmaceuticalindustry

Math

ComputationalBiology-genomics

proteomics

AcademicsTeaching

Museums

Research as an undergraduate…..• Get involved in research early• Consider trying to publish your results• Surprise your mentor with your curiosity!• Subscribe to a journal/read lots/join a society• Practice writing/summarizing your results• Find out what you like• Determine strengths/weaknesses

Getting into graduate school• Good grades• Research experience• Aim high -- seek out the best programs/faculty• Follow up: write letters/call -- no email!• Consider jumping directly into a Ph.D. program• Have research ideas, yet be flexible• Visit top choices• Make sure your program will support you -- RAs/TAs

External fellowships for graduate school

• Always apply

• NSF Graduate Fellowships (no Masters)(http://www.nsf.gov/home/menus/grads.htm)

• Howard Hughes Predoctoral Fellowships(http://www.hhmi.org/)

• Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowships(http://www4.nas.edu/osep/fo.nsf)

• Gates Millennium Scholars Fund(http://www.uncf.org/scholarship/gates.asp)

• UNCF/Merck Fellowships for African Americans(http://www.uncf.org/Merck/)

• Fellowships from country of origin

In graduate school

• Begin research early• Seek out training -- in and out of class• Set publishing goals• Tailor your research to your career goal• NSF Dissertation Improvement Grants• Other funding -- Sigma Xi, Explorer’s Club

Beyond graduate school• Consider your options carefully

• Postdocs -- opportunities for expanding your toolkit– NSF Bioinformatics Postdocs– NSF Minority Postdoctoral Fellowships– NIH Postdoctoral Fellowships– NIH Minority Supplements– Opportunities overseas

• Faculty positions

• Other fields requiring evolutionary expertise

Carpe diem! (‘seize the day’)

• Changing demographics of job opportunities• Abundant opportunities for minority scholars• Get to know funding programs and program officers at

NSF, NIH, USDA-- they are there to help!• Seek advice!