Hi all! Noticed that we didn't have an Ecology and Evolutionary Biology thread for this year's round of applicants, and I'd love to see the profiles and school choices and results of the rest of the folks here applying, and open up a place for people interested in the same subjects to chat! Figured I'd head it off even if it is a bit late.
Undergrad Institution: Highly ranked small women's collegeMajor(s): BiologyMinor(s): Landscape studiesGPA in Major: 4.0
Overall GPA: 3.94Position in Class: n/aType of Student: Domestic FemaleGRE Scores:Q: 159 (73%)V: 164 (94%)W: 5.5 (98%)Research Experience:
1 summer of molecular bio research at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in the UK
2 independent half-year research projects: one was forest field ecology with my current PI, the other was remote spatial GIS/LIDAR work in plant ecophysiology
A year in my current lab, started a yearlong Honors thesis at the beginning of this fall semester off the research I'd done last spring with my PI, currently also his RAAwards/Honors/Recognitions:
Dean's list every year
School award for "Outstanding Work in Botany"Pertinent Activities or Jobs:
Horticulture summer internship at my institution's botanic garden doing non-scientific research (archival research, oral histories, etc) developing botanic garden informational portals
Member of the Botanic Garden Strategic Planning Committee (BG outreach, planning 10-year trajectory)
Campus Tree Advisory Committee (educational outreach in the arboretum)Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:
Solid with RStudio and GIS, presented a poster for a school-wide conference showcasing student research (not very impressive but better than nothing)
Special Bonus Points:
I should have strong letters of rec from at least two professors who've both had me for 2 classes each and I've done research with both, and a solid one from my lab internship in the UK. One of the recommending profs got her PhD and postdoc in the department I'm applying to for one of the schools
I think I have pretty solid statements/essays, I've gone over them extensively with current grad students, professors, career centers, and even one or two PIs and they've all given a big thumbs-up
Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:
Captain of the rugby team
Member of the Social Justice and Equity Committee (working in advancing diversity in the college and developing resources for minority students)
I've contacted at least one PI, sometimes more at every school. They are all quite strong fits with research interests aligning very well with mine, and we had reasonably extensive phone or Skype conversations with them, all seem excited for me to apply and most have helped me with the process and committed to sponsoring me. One PI told me that he would ask for my application to be transferred for free to be considered by another department as well since it would increase the likelihood of me being able to get in and work with him, another couple are writing me letters of sponsorship, and the other two have said they think I'm a competitive applicant and would be a good fit with them.
Weaknesses: I don't have any publications (though my thesis manuscript is currently in prep and I plan to submit it), and didn't take the Bio subject test, and my quantitative experience is lower than I'd like it to be. Also, my non-Honors research isn't as in-depth as I wish it was because of my liberal arts background.Applying to Where:
Areas of interest:
-plant biology and ecology
I'm super interested in exploring biotic interactions involving plants, esp. mutualistic ones and studying them in order to figure out how to incorporate more biotic interactions into climate change community modeling (my Honors thesis explores the potential for mycorrhizal mutualist-facilitated range shifts). Plant-microbe and plant-arthropod interactions are particularly exciting.
Applying for PhD programs in:
U of Arizona EEB
U Miami Biology
U Minnesota EEB and PMB (Plant and Microbial Biology)
Michigan State U Plant Biology (EEBB)
Northwestern Plant Bio and Conservation
