Join us

Interested in Joining the Lab?

Thanks for your interest in our lab. We only consider funded students who are a very strong match for the research we do and who have the background to succeed in a highly quantitative, research-intensive environment. The lab is jointly led by Dahiana Arcila and Ricardo Betancur-R., but we run separate research programs. Prospective students should therefore contact the PI whose work is the best fit and expect to work primarily with that person. 

Most of our work is computational. We use large genomic, phylogenetic, and comparative datasets to address questions in evolution. That means a lot of coding, statistics, phylogenetics, and time in front of a computer. We also work with specimens in the Marine Vertebrate Collection. We do some fieldwork, including SCUBA diving, but not very often. The Pacific Ocean is more often admired than entered for work.

We are looking for students who want to become independent evolutionary biologists and are interested in developing their own questions, learning how to analyze complex datasets, and doing rigorous science. If you are interested in joining the lab, please answer the questions below. These are not part of the formal application. They are simply a way for us to figure out whether your interests and preparation are a good match for the lab before we continue the conversation.

***Prospective students should complete the intake form here***