We are looking for motivated undergraduate students and Masters students to join the lab. Currently the lab is focusing on studies of praying mantises. A bit about what we do in the lab can be found under the lab page and publications can be found here. You should take a look at some of our papers and research to get an idea of what we do and if you are interested.
Prospective Master’s students: If you are interested in pursuing a Master’s in the lab at Towson University, please send me an email with your research interests, any previous research experience or experience working with animals. Also include your GPA. There are opportunities at Towson for TAships and funding. More information about the department can be found here:http://www.towson.edu/biology/. More information about the graduate program and its requirements can be found here: https://www.towson.edu/fcsm/departments/biology/gradbiology/
Prospective Undergraduates: If you are interested in working in the lab, please send me an email with any previous research or animal care experience, your research interests and what you hope to do after graduation. Research in the lab varies from volunteering and helping out (BIOL 490) to independent research (BIOL 491). Conducting research is very different than course work, especially research on live animals as they need to be fed and checked every day (they don’t have weekends or holidays). I treat live animal husbandry similar to zoos and aquariums, daily checks, feedings and cleaning.
If you are conducting independent research, I expect you to take care of your animals and be self motivated to collect your data, there is often not a set time to come in and work, as it depends on the animals. I am often busy and cannot keep constant tabs on you, so it is up to you to make your own schedule to collect and analyze data. I am often around to help, and unless you disappear will not be with you every time you collect data.
Please note: I do not take undergraduate students participating in BIOL 491 in the lab for one semester as it is not enough time to get the full research experience. If you are interested in BIOL 491, you need to do a semester of BIOL 490 in the lab first.
Contact info:
Department of Biological Science
Towson University
Towson, MD 21252
office phone: 410-704-3743
email: coufiero – @ -towson.edu