Concordia is an english-speaking university located in Montreal. Montreal is a great place to live and study with 4 different universities scattered around the city. Our lab can therefore interact with scientists and students in other local institutions (see the QCBS website for a list of researchers in the area).
The Department of Biology at Concordia is located on the Loyola Campus, slightly away from, but within reach of, the city center. The Loyola Campus is rapidly developing into an environmentally conscious and and sustainable living place as a result of several student-led initiatives.
The Department of Biology hosts a group of researchers working at the interface of ecology, evolution and conservation, creating opportunities for inter-disciplinary projects and collaborations. Finally, but most importantly, our lab is developing several exciting projects investigating the causes and consequences of insect diversity in a changing world, and we need more people!
We are always looking for creative, enthusiastic and motivated students to join the lab. If after reading about the research we do and browsing through our publications you think you would like to work with us, then you should consider contacting us. Make sure to send your CV and write a short paragraph telling us why you are dying to join the lab and why you think you would benefit from it. But, before you press “send”, please take the time to read carefully the information below.
We currently have no funding for postdocs, but there are several funding opportunities for conducting postdoctoral research in Québec and Canadian universities. These include provincial (FRQNT) and federal (NSERC) fellowships, which are available to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Several options are also available for foreign postdocs (FRQNT, LIBER ERO, Mitacs). Deadlines for government-funded postdoctoral fellowship are usually in early October of the year preceding your potential start date (i.e. October 2015 for a postdoc starting September 2016).
“We have funding to recruit new graduate students in the lab starting starting Fall 2021“. Whether we can take you in our team or not will depend on (1) your level of enthusiasm and commitment for scientific research, ecology, insects, etc… (2) whether you already possess a set of skills that would make you an asset for the team (e.g., strong statistical skills, knowledge of insect taxonomy and phylogenetics, extensive field-work experience) and (3) the strength of your reference letters. Finally, your cumulative GPA is as important as any other criteria listed above because it will determine whether or not you might be able to bring in your own funding via applications for competitive scholarships awarded by governmental agencies.
As a graduate student in the lab, you will be expected to seek any opportunities to fund your own research and apply for governmental scholarships. These include provincial (FRQNT) and federal (NSERC) scholarships, which are available to Canadian residents. Several options are also available for foreign students (FRQNT, Ouranos). Deadlines for government-funded scholarships are usually in early October of the year preceding your potential start date (i.e. October 2015 for a MSc or PhD starting September 2016). We will be happy to help you put together the application.
Concordia University also offers fellowship opportunities for very strong candidates (GPA > 3.7/4.3). If you want to join the lab as a graduate student, you will have to apply for grad school through Concordia, and you will automatically be considered for a Concordia fellowship. Deadline for graduate school application is in late January for those planning to start in May or September of the same year. Information on the Biology graduate program at Concordia can be found here. Make sure to contact us months in advance if you plan on putting in an application to join our lab so that we can discuss opportunities and options.
Gaining some research experience at the undergraduate level is essential if you are considering graduate school as a next step. We welcome highly motivated and enthusiastic undergraduate students wanting to gain research experience in community ecology, biogeography, field-based ecology and entomology. You can obtain up to 6 credits for research done in the lab if you qualify and sign up for the BSc Honours’ program described here. Contact Ian Ferguson for more information on undergraduate research in ecology.