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Dr.
Craig F. Purchase Evolutionary
Ecology of Fishes Research
Program |
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General
I welcome
highly motivated students to join my research group. Field, laboratory and pure
data-mining projects are all possible. Students can work on a wide variety of
subjects related to fish biology or possibly highly appropriate questions in
evolutionary ecology in other taxa. I will consider
supervising any talented individual, but students with scholarships or a high
likelihood of attaining a scholarship are particularly encouraged to contact
me. I can assist in the application process for some awards.
Graduate
students
What to expect
Graduate
school is very different than undergraduate studies. A major shift occurs when
you go from learning about previously existing knowledge to creating knowledge.
It is the beginning of a career in science and can be an enlightening event for
many people. You must have a passion for what you are doing. Graduate school is
not a good place for those who pursue it because they have nothing better to
do. You do not need to have the highest grades to succeed as a grad student
(although it doesn’t hurt), but you do need interest, creativity, and
determination.
I will put
tremendous amounts of time, effort and resources into supervising students. I
expect students to work hard, and be both highly motivated and independent. You
will be an active participant of a research group, which includes individuals
from both within and outside my lab. I don’t expect people to work as slaves;
good social skills and the ability to lead a balanced life are important
traits. Follow this link for more specific
guidelines about joining my team.
Programs available
Both M.Sc.
and Ph.D. programs in Biology
and Marine Biology are
available in my department. Opportunities also exist for graduate students
under my supervision to pursue these degrees through the Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Program (CABE), a
M.Sc. or M.Env.Sci. in Environmental
Science, and possibly a M.Sc. in Aquaculture.
All potential students must meet the admission guidelines set by the School of
Graduate Studies (SGS).
Funding
Graduate
students receive guaranteed funding, which can come from the student
(scholarships), supervisor (grants), university (fellowships) and other
sources. Results of my various funding applications become available at
different times of the year. However, students holding scholarships may be able
to join the research group at any time.
Of note,
there is a big financial advantage to studying at Memorial University. Major
scholarships such as NSERC awards have the same value anywhere in Canada.
Average tuition for Canadians in the country’s graduate schools was $5777 (per
year) in the fall of 2008. Memorial students pay less than half the 2008 amount
which has gone up throughout the rest of Canada since that time but tuition is
frozen here. Additionally the cost of living in St. John’s is cheap compared to
other major Canadian cities. Finally, all major scholarship holders get top-ups
for their scholarships.
My students
have had very good success with receiving RDC Ocean Industries scholarships
from the provincial government. These are valued at $20,000 per year for M.Sc.
students and $35,000 per year for Ph.D. students. If you have a NSERC scholarship,
you can get one of these RDC scholarships on top of it.
Undergraduate
students
The Biology
Department at
Other
potential opportunities for undergraduates include the Memorial Undergraduate
Career Experience Program (MUCEP), Student Work
and Service Program (SWASP),
and NSERC Undergraduate Summer Research Awards (USRA - January
deadline).
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