Prospective Grad Students FAQs
Are you taking students this year?
The short answer is yes and no. I am always on the lookout for exceptional candidates to join my lab. Because our departmental graduate lines are well-funded, we accept a very small number of students each year across the whole department, and as such, I am not guaranteed a student line in all years. If you are interested in joining my lab, you should go here to learn more about the department in general and to my webpage and the Anthro Primatology at Emory webpage to learn more about our research program. Details about the application process and timeline for Emory Anthropology can be found here.
I’m interested in learning more about Emory and your research. Can we set up a one-on-one meeting?
To help level the playing field, I generally do not take meetings with prospective students before applications are due. However, I look forward to seeing your materials if you do decide to apply, and encourage you to use your personal statement to outline how the department and my lab would be a good fit for your interests. It is always a good idea to consider whether there are other faculty in the department (or in the larger Emory community) who could be part of your mentoring team. In particular, Dr. Elizabeth Lonsdorf and I often supervise students together so it may be worthwhile to check out her research as well.
What are the main research foci in your lab?
My research program focuses on social cognition and the mechanisms driving social behavior in nonhuman primates. Specifically, I’m interested in how primates make important social decisions, what underlying factors impact these choices, and why these decisions are adaptive. I tackle these questions from an evolutionary and comparative perspective while utilizing a mechanistic approach, through the integration of behavioral observations and experimental paradigms on wild monkeys at our field station, Capuchins de Taboga, in Costa Rica, and on captive capuchins at the Language Research Center at Georgia State University, and the assessment and manipulation of hormones, at our Social Endocrinology Lab at Emory.
We have several current and ongoing projects in the lab that you can find more information about here.
What do you look for in a prospective student?
There is no perfect combination of skills or experiences, but generally, I look for students with research interests that align with mine and who are intellectually curious and motivated to pursue advanced study. I work best with students who are highly motivated and independent. While not required, the strongest applicants often have previous experience conducting behavioral observations or cognitive studies on animals. Previous field experience or experience traveling or working outdoors in tropical conditions is encouraged.
I encourage applications from members of groups underrepresented in field sciences, including members of visible minorities, racialized groups, and LGBTQ+ communities. I also encourage applications from nationals of primate habitat countries.
What is it like to work with you?
This is a question that should be directed to my current and former students, as they know best. Interviewees will have the opportunity to talk with current students to get a better idea about what it is like to work with me. In general, my goal as a mentor is to work with you to develop your research interests and to make sure you have the tools to be successful in your PhD and your future academic (or non-academic) pursuits. In my lab, you should expect a vibrant, inclusive, and supportive environment. Pursuing a career in academia isn’t easy and won’t make you rich, so I firmly believe that as much as possible, it should be fun. You can find our lab's mission statement here.
On a practical level, I meet with my students every two weeks and in those meetings, we brainstorm ideas, work on existing projects, and set realistic goals and timelines. In addition to those meetings, we have bimonthly APE (Anthro Primatology at Emory) lab meetings with Dr. Elizabeth Lonsdorf's lab, and we have a monthly meetup for all primate behavior labs at Emory known as the Emory Social Primate Troop. All of my students work towards publications and submitting fellowships and grants in their first 2 years (and have been quite successful in both). I take an interdisciplinary approach to primate behavior and cognition and will encourage you to do the same in both your theoretical and methodological approaches.
I’m still interested, how can I learn more?
Feel free to check out my current publications or listen to my recent episode on the Animal Behavior podcast.
If you’re still interested in working with me, I encourage you to apply and I look forward to reading your application and meeting you during the interview process.
The short answer is yes and no. I am always on the lookout for exceptional candidates to join my lab. Because our departmental graduate lines are well-funded, we accept a very small number of students each year across the whole department, and as such, I am not guaranteed a student line in all years. If you are interested in joining my lab, you should go here to learn more about the department in general and to my webpage and the Anthro Primatology at Emory webpage to learn more about our research program. Details about the application process and timeline for Emory Anthropology can be found here.
I’m interested in learning more about Emory and your research. Can we set up a one-on-one meeting?
To help level the playing field, I generally do not take meetings with prospective students before applications are due. However, I look forward to seeing your materials if you do decide to apply, and encourage you to use your personal statement to outline how the department and my lab would be a good fit for your interests. It is always a good idea to consider whether there are other faculty in the department (or in the larger Emory community) who could be part of your mentoring team. In particular, Dr. Elizabeth Lonsdorf and I often supervise students together so it may be worthwhile to check out her research as well.
What are the main research foci in your lab?
My research program focuses on social cognition and the mechanisms driving social behavior in nonhuman primates. Specifically, I’m interested in how primates make important social decisions, what underlying factors impact these choices, and why these decisions are adaptive. I tackle these questions from an evolutionary and comparative perspective while utilizing a mechanistic approach, through the integration of behavioral observations and experimental paradigms on wild monkeys at our field station, Capuchins de Taboga, in Costa Rica, and on captive capuchins at the Language Research Center at Georgia State University, and the assessment and manipulation of hormones, at our Social Endocrinology Lab at Emory.
We have several current and ongoing projects in the lab that you can find more information about here.
What do you look for in a prospective student?
There is no perfect combination of skills or experiences, but generally, I look for students with research interests that align with mine and who are intellectually curious and motivated to pursue advanced study. I work best with students who are highly motivated and independent. While not required, the strongest applicants often have previous experience conducting behavioral observations or cognitive studies on animals. Previous field experience or experience traveling or working outdoors in tropical conditions is encouraged.
I encourage applications from members of groups underrepresented in field sciences, including members of visible minorities, racialized groups, and LGBTQ+ communities. I also encourage applications from nationals of primate habitat countries.
What is it like to work with you?
This is a question that should be directed to my current and former students, as they know best. Interviewees will have the opportunity to talk with current students to get a better idea about what it is like to work with me. In general, my goal as a mentor is to work with you to develop your research interests and to make sure you have the tools to be successful in your PhD and your future academic (or non-academic) pursuits. In my lab, you should expect a vibrant, inclusive, and supportive environment. Pursuing a career in academia isn’t easy and won’t make you rich, so I firmly believe that as much as possible, it should be fun. You can find our lab's mission statement here.
On a practical level, I meet with my students every two weeks and in those meetings, we brainstorm ideas, work on existing projects, and set realistic goals and timelines. In addition to those meetings, we have bimonthly APE (Anthro Primatology at Emory) lab meetings with Dr. Elizabeth Lonsdorf's lab, and we have a monthly meetup for all primate behavior labs at Emory known as the Emory Social Primate Troop. All of my students work towards publications and submitting fellowships and grants in their first 2 years (and have been quite successful in both). I take an interdisciplinary approach to primate behavior and cognition and will encourage you to do the same in both your theoretical and methodological approaches.
I’m still interested, how can I learn more?
Feel free to check out my current publications or listen to my recent episode on the Animal Behavior podcast.
If you’re still interested in working with me, I encourage you to apply and I look forward to reading your application and meeting you during the interview process.