Joining My Lab

We have many opportunities in the Walters Lab.

Whether you are interested in pursuing postdoctoral studies, graduate studies, field assistant positions on one of my projects, volunteer opportunities in my lab in Norfolk, Virginia, or undergraduate opportunities; we have something for you. Please stop by my office or send me an email and we can talk more.

1. Graduate Studies

If you are interested in a graduate position with me, please send me the following:

• a letter of interest;
• an unofficial university transcript (your undergraduate GPA should be >3.5);
• your Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores (verbal and quantitative should be >1300 on the old system, >316 on the revised test; ALL applicants, no matter what country you are from, must take the GRE);
• your CV

If English is not your native language, you must also take the TOEFL or IELTS.

Graduate students will be supported in one of four ways:

• A Dominion Scholarship (PhD applicants only) is available to qualifying applicants (undergrad GPA=3.2 (overall), 3.5 (in the major) and a GRE >1200), a stipend of $18,000 per year (no teaching required) and full tuition exemption;
• A teaching assistantship (PhD or MS applicants) stipend of $15,000 per year (teaching required) and full tuition exemption;
• An external fellowship / scholarship (e.g. NSF GRFP);
• Self-funded.

Please indicate what category of support is applicable to your application. Students with external fellowships or those that are self-funded, for example, have a much greater likelihood of being accepted into the program.

NOTE: As of Spring 2012, my lab is relatively full. But, I will consider exceptional candidates with their own funding (e.g. NSF GRFP). Please note that the deadline to apply for a PhD position is Feb 1st of each year. The MS position deadline is Feb 1st (summer and fall admission), Jun 1st (fall admission), or Oct 1st (spring admission).

In order to be considered for a position in my lab, all prospective applicants must visit me at ODU and meet with me face-to-face. I will not accept students that I have not met in person. Please plan accordingly.

Please also read my Primer On Getting Into Graduate School.

2. Field Assistants

All of my projects require field assistants. They are the bread & butter of any research program. I have a number of field projects that need field assistants. Because these positions are quite competitive, you will need to have some sort of experience (beyond having worked at an animal rehab facility, a pet store, a field course in some exotic land, or a veterinary hospital). I want individuals with field experience and a strong interest in behavioral ecology, conservation biology, or community ecology. Typically I hire individuals in their "gap year" - those that have recently graduated and are in the process of applying to graduate schools. To find out what opportunities are available, please refer to my employment page. Please also read The Top 5 Mistakes Undergraduates Make When Applying For Field jobs.

3. Volunteers

We have lots of opportunities for volunteers. Whether you want to gain field experience or help out in the lab, we have plenty of projects on the go. What we do require is that you make a commitment for an entire semester, preferably putting in at least 10 hours per week. In return, you will either get academic credit and / or future letters of recommendation; not to mention valuable research experience and a feeling that you are doing a good thing to help the environment and your career.

4. Undergraduate Studies

Many students graduate from college without any research experience. This is your chance to gain research experience while earning academic credit. Why not do something you enjoy and get credit for it? It's a win-win situation. Come speak to Dr. Walters about potential projects and how you can help your career while making an important contribution to our overall research program. If you are contemplating graduate school, undergraduate research experience is a must. See my Primer On Getting Into Graduate School for more information on this.

5. Research for Undergraduates in Math & Science (RUMS)- Undergraduate Research Apprentice

We have at least two openings for sophomore or junior ODU students, starting in the summer of 2012, for a project that will examine the role of avian taxa as hosts and vectors of tick-borne disease. The project will involve surveying avian taxa for ticks and assessing both avian species richness and tick host specificity at the study site. One student will work directly with Dr. Walters and others to mistnet and collect ticks from birds sampled locally. A second  student will assist with the development of quantitative models to make population estimates of each resident avian species caught in the nets. Through repeated sampling, mark-recapture methods will be employed to create taxon-specific population estimates and rarefaction curves will be developed to determine species-area relationships at local study sites. These quantitative approaches will be used to assess the relative abundance and density of potential tick hosts and will allow a determination of which avian species are likely to serve as important vectors in tick-mediated disease transmission. The RUMS program provides a $3,000 stipend plus support for research expenses as part of an intensive 2 year research experience at the interface between math and biology. Interested undergraduates should contact Dr. Walters for more information. Applications are due by March 16, 2012.

6. Postdoctoral Positions

I am always interested in working with prospective postdoctoral candidates that share common research interests. I am happy to discuss possibilities for postdoctoral positions, but these will likely involve writing proposals to acquire funding. If you are interested in working in my lab, please contact me and include a CV and a brief synopsis of your research interests and what ideas you have for the direction you'd like to take for your postdoctoral work.

7. Foreign Exchange / Placement

Many foreign programs require that students find a potential advisor to gain research experience. While I am interested in sponsoring such foreign students, I do not have financial resources to support them. If you wish to work with me as a foreign sponsor, you will need to have your own funding for your time in my lab.