Join the Lab
We are interested in creative and motivated individuals joining our group. See below for more information on how to join the lab.
Prospective Graduate Students
Our group seeks creative individuals who are excited about community ecology, collaborative research, and solving challenging problems relevant to society. We are good fit for motivated individuals with prior ecological research experience, interest in advancing fundamental questions in ecology, and applying ecological theory to develop novel solutions to environmental issues. We are not the best fit for those with little prior research experience or who want to work on only applied issues not rooted in basic science. Graduate students in our group are expected to develop and lead their own independent research projects and therefore will need to be highly motivated.
My primary roles are to help you define your goals and create a plan that best positions you to be successful in graduate school and prepare for the career that most interests you. I believe in a flexible mentorship approach that centers you to be in control and respects the approach that works best for you. I will provide advice, encouragement, and a respectful collaborative environment for each student to develop their research questions, build a professional network, develop important skillsets, and gain critical experience to lay the foundation for their careers in ecology.
If you think our group may be a good fit for you, email Chris Catano (ccatano[@]ucr.edu) with a copy of your CV and a cover letter describing why you are interested in our group, what research questions are you most excited to pursue, why you want a PhD and how you see it helping you reach your career goals, and anything else you think is relevant about your background. Students can join my lab through the graduate programs in either the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences or the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology (EEOB). Preference will be given to those interested in joining through EEOB. Please review the graduate programs' websites for more information and deadlines for applications.
Postdocs
Individuals interested in conducting postdoctoral research with the Catano Lab should either apply to advertised positions (posted here and on ECOLOG). I am always happy to work with individuals to develop a proposal if they are interested in pursuing their own funding (e.g. Smith Fellows Program, USDA AFRI Postdoctoral Fellowship, NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology). In this case, please email me with a copy of your CV and a brief summary of your research interests and career goals. Please see this database of other postdoc fellowships in biology.
Prospective Undergraduate Student
We are always interested in providing opportunities for excited undergraduate students interested in gaining experience in ecological research. Opportunities span laboratory and greenhouse research, data collection and experiments at field sites, and/or data processing tasks. Students can engage by volunteering, for course credit, or through guided research experiences (e.g., honors or capstone thesis project). Paid positions will depend on funding but will typically require volunteering in lab first. Contact Dr. Catano via email to discuss current opportunities.
Location
We are based at the University of California Riverside, located in the heart of the Inland Empire in southern California, with access to 10,000 ft mountain peaks, the Pacific Ocean and coastal ecosystems, the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts, and vibrant cities. UCR is an amazing place to explore questions at the interface of fundamental ecology, biogeography, and conservation!