Thank you for your interest in joining the Seybold lab!
We are is always looking for creative, hardworking and collaborative team members to join the group! Here is some information on potential opportunities that are available to you:
Undergraduates:
- If you are a University of Kansas undergraduate who is interested in getting research experience, please contact me! We have potential work study and thesis research projects available for you.
- Check back in the spring for information about the Geohydrology Internship Program at the Kansas Geological Survey (located at the University of Kansas) in summer 2023! Information on the summer 2023 internships will be posted in January 2023. This 12 week paid internship is a great opportunity to gain experience in how to collect and analyze hydrological, biogeochemical, and geophysical data. If you’re interested in summer research opportunities, please contact me with a short description of why you are interested in joining the lab and your resume/CV.
Graduate students (M.S./Ph.D.):
If you are interested in working together on a M.S. or Ph.D., please check out the Current Openings page to see a list of the currently funded positions that are available with the lab.
If you're interested in joining the lab, please email me with (1) a short description of why you are interested in joining the lab and (2) your resume/CV. In addition to posted positions, I encourage prospective lab members to seek independent sources of funding (e.g. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program). If you’re interested in writing a graduate fellowship together, please contact me with your CV and a description of your research interests.
Postdoctoral Researcher:
I don’t currently have any postdoc positions in the lab, but am open to talking with those who are interested in writing fellowships or grants together (e.g. NSF Earth Science Research (EAR) postdoc fellowship). If you are interested in working on a fellowship application together, please email me with your CV and information about the project you are interested in developing together.
Seybold Lab Group Goals and Expectations
The information below has been adapted from the websites of my colleagues and mentors including: Joanna Blaszczak, Margaret Zimmer, Richard Marinos, Anna Braswell, Sam Zipper, and Emily Bernhardt.
Mission Statement:
The mission of our lab is to produce outstanding research in aquatic biogeochemistry while preparing lab members for diverse careers including research, teaching, management, and environmental policy. As a group, we are committed to fostering a lab community that creates an inclusive, respectful, happy, and supportive environment in all aspects of our work as scientists regardless of any member's race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender-identity, physical ability, or socio-economic status.
Our shared expectations and responsibilities:
My responsibilities as an advisor and group leader:
Lab expectations for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the Seybold Lab:
Lab expectations for undergraduate students in the Seybold lab:
Mission Statement:
The mission of our lab is to produce outstanding research in aquatic biogeochemistry while preparing lab members for diverse careers including research, teaching, management, and environmental policy. As a group, we are committed to fostering a lab community that creates an inclusive, respectful, happy, and supportive environment in all aspects of our work as scientists regardless of any member's race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender-identity, physical ability, or socio-economic status.
Our shared expectations and responsibilities:
My responsibilities as an advisor and group leader:
- Work collaboratively with students to identify, design and address research questions through a thesis or dissertation project.
- Provide financial support throughout graduate school, including summer salary and travel support for one conference a year when resources are available.
- Discuss future career goals and help students work towards those goals (to the best of my ability). Connect students to other resources and networks to foster understanding of the job opportunities in and outside of academia.
- Meet one-on-one with students either weekly or bi-weekly (depending on stage of graduate career) to discuss progress and upcoming plans.
- Hold regular lab meetings and cultivate a collaborative and supportive lab environment where students can receive feedback and mentoring, work on professional development skills (e.g. presentation, writing, and time management skills), and engage in scientific discussions (theory, diversity, etc.).
- Solicit and be open to feedback. Listen to concerns from all lab members and act as a resource and mediator for lab conflicts. Work to resolve issues through clear communication.
- Be flexible during difficult times, including (but not limited to) mental health or family emergencies and sickness.
Lab expectations for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the Seybold Lab:
- Be eager to learn and work collaboratively. Bring your sense of curiosity to your research.
- Participate actively in lab meetings and departmental events.
- Be a team player. Help your lab mates and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
- Follow through on weekly meetings and short-term goals and plans. Be on time for meetings with Erin and your lab mates/colleagues, and provide an agenda document for meetings to guide our conversations.
- Be willing to apply for outside funding. This is an important job skill both inside and outside academia!
- Be conscientious about data management and reproducibility. Back up your data frequently and notate scripts regularly.
- Submit at least one manuscript before your thesis or dissertation defense (does not need to be accepted; preferably two manuscripts or more for PhD students). Erin will work closely with you throughout your tenure to make sure this is an attainable goal.
- Participate in an annual review and career planning session with Erin, the goal of which is to ensure that you are making sufficient progress towards the skills and experience you need to meet your career goals.
- Treat your work as a full-time job, but one that may require less or more than 40h/week, depending on where one is in their path.
- Tend to your physical health, mental health and family first. Try your best to develop a healthy work-life balance so that you can enjoy doing research and not burn out. There may be times when this feels hard, and in those situations be sure to talk with Erin and your lab mates.
Lab expectations for undergraduate students in the Seybold lab:
- Show up for scheduled shifts. It’s important to remember that other people count on you showing up at the agreed upon time. If you have to miss a shift, please email Erin and whoever you are working with 24 hours ahead of time.
- We understand that there may be circumstances where you are not able to give 24 hours notice (in cases of illness or family emergencies). In cases like this, email us as soon as you are able to let us know.
- All undergrads must keep a lab notebook that lives in the lab. Keep a log of your activities in your lab notebook. Make note of what you did each shift and any questions you have. Write details for everything you do - there is no such thing as too much detail!
- Dr. Meg Duffy’s webpage has good information on best practices for keeping lab notebooks here.
- Dr. Meg Duffy’s webpage has good information on best practices for keeping lab notebooks here.
- Know that it’s ok to make mistakes. We all make them from time to time, but the important thing is to learn from them. Make note of them in your lab notebook, and notify Erin and whoever you are working with to talk about what happened and what we can do differently next time.
Photo Source: The Nature Conservancy
