Strauss Lab

Opportunities

Seven members of the Talek field team standing arm in arm beneath the trees at camp
Talek camp field team photo, lab photo to come! Photo by Andrew Andrawes

In the Strauss Lab we help each other identify and achieve our goals. We emphasize discovery because people and their goals change over time. We welcome people from all backgrounds because we feel that our team and our work are strengthened when everyone has a seat at the table. If this sounds like a group you'd like to join, see below for opportunities.

Not actively recruiting graduate students — inquiries still welcome

At the moment, I am not actively recruiting new graduate students. That said, I welcome contact from prospective lab members who have, or are interested in seeking, fellowship funding—see the graduate and postdoc fellowship lists below. I'm always glad to hear from prospective lab members, and happy to give feedback on fellowship applications.

Go to: Graduate students Postdocs Undergraduates

Graduate Students

I take PhD students through the Department of Integrative Biology at MSU, and I'd like to hear from you before you apply so we can talk about fit and funding well ahead of the deadline.

Emailing me

The best way to start is to read a few of our recent papers so you have a feel for the work, then send me an email that covers:

  1. How you see your interests intersecting with the lab's work.
  2. What you want to learn, gain experience with, or explore during your time in the lab.
  3. Your career goals, and how joining us will advance you towards those goals.
  4. Your CV.

A thoughtful note along these lines tells me far more than a generic one—and it's good practice for the applications ahead.

Apply through MSU

  • Integrative Biology (IBIO) — my home department. Applications are due November 15th to start the following year.
  • Ecology, Evolution & Behavior (EEB) — My graduate students also join this interdepartmental program to connect with other young scholars with similar interests. EEB offers a scientific community as well as multiple funding and engagement programs.

External fellowships (strongly encouraged)

A fellowship lets you pursue your own project with fewer teaching or other obligations and also builds your CV—two great things! I encourage every prospective student to apply for independent funding. I'm happy to work with you on ideas and to read and provide feedback on drafts. Some relevant fellowships:

  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP) — for U.S. citizens, nationals, and permanent residents; open to college seniors, bachelor's-degree holders, and first-year graduate students. Three years of support. Deadline is typically early–mid November.
  • Simons Graduate Fellowship in Ecology & Evolution — for students entering a U.S.-based PhD program in ecology/evolution; no citizenship requirement. 3-5 years of support. Letter of interest (LOI) deadline typically late June–July.

This is not an exhaustive list. Deadlines shift year to year—always confirm the current date on each program's official page.

Postdocs

I welcome inquiries from postdocs applying for fellowships, NSF grants, foundation awards, etc. Get in touch early and we can shape a project and proposal together! Please also consider the following funding opportunities:

MSU EEB Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship

A competitive two-year fellowship for early-career scholars, from finishing PhD students to current postdocs. Projects must bridge the interests of two or more EEB faculty, and each sponsor submits a support form—so contact me (and any other potential mentors) well before the deadline.

Deadline: typically a fall deadline with interviews in January/February. See the fellowship page for the current call and the position details.

Researchers from Germany: Humboldt fellowships

As an alum of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, I'm an eligible host under AvH Foundation's Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship, which supports researchers based in Germany who want to carry out a research stay abroad with a member of the Humboldt Network. Postdocs within four years of the PhD can be funded for 6–24 months, and more experienced researchers for 6–18 months.

Undergraduates

Undergraduates are a central part of the lab. Depending on your interests and experience, you might help annotate behavioral video and audio, work with our long-term database or biorepository, build coding and quantitative skills in R, or take on an independent project or honors thesis.

Undergraduates in the lab are typically involved through one of MSU's programs aimed at integrating undergraduates into research on campus: the Professorial Assistantship (PA) program in the Honors College, or the IBIO Emerging Scholars program. These programs support student research through stipends, work-study hours, or course credit.

The best first step is a short email telling me what draws you to the lab and what you'd like to get out of the experience, with an unofficial transcript and (if you have one) a CV attached.

Thanks for your interest

Whatever stage you're at, I'd love to hear from you.

Email: estrauss@msu.edu