Interested in Joining the Devolab?

Research in the Devolab lies at the intersection of Computer Science and Evolutionary Biology. Group members push the bounds of our understanding of evolutionary dynamics and discover new techniques to apply evolutionary principles to problem solving. We are always on the lookout for exceptional people to join the group, particularly those with skills in related areas. We have had people with an wide range of backgrounds working in the lab, including Biology, Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, and Philosophy.

Prospective Students

We have an assortment of PhD students, Masters students, and undergraduate researchers working in the Devolab on many different projects. If you are interested in joining, you should contact Dr. Charles Ofria or go through the web pages of the faculty members affiliated with the lab and contact one of them directly. Send an e-mail including some information about yourself, such as:

Also include other information, such as your CV, GPA, GRE scores (if you've taken them), the names of your references (we don't need the letters yet), etc. We try to respond to serious requests soon, but do sometimes get buried in e-mail. If you don't get a reply in 2-3 weeks, please don't hesitate to send a followup e-mail.

When exploring departments that you would like to apply to, please consider the following:

In most cases, the departments require you to submit a second application in addition to the one for the university; please read over the departmental application proceedures carefully. Many students in the group choose to pursue dual-PhDs jointly between a main department and the Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior Program. This track requires extra courses in Evolution, Ecology, and Quantitative methods, all of which should prove useful in strengthening your research skills.

Prospective Postdocs

Postdoctoral positions are often available in the Devolab, and you should not hesitate to inquire if you are interested. Please contact either Dr. Charles Ofria or go through the web pages of the faculty members affiliated with the lab and contact one of them directly to inquire about particular projects. Send an e-mail including some information about yourself, and in particular describe your previous research (toward your dissertation or otherwise) and what types of research you would be interested in persuing for your postdoc. We try to respond to serious requests soon, but some do get buried in e-mail. If you don't get a reply in 2-3 weeks, please don't hesitate to send a followup e-mail.

Prospective Volunteers

Volunteer help is very much appreciated, particularly with software development. Unfortunately, we are often ill-equiped to coordinate or train people at a distance. If you are local, please contact us, and we can discuss possibilities in the lab. If you are distant, we may not be able to provide you with much assistance in getting up to speed, but we're always interested in code contributions to the Avida software.

For questions about or contributions to the devolpment of the Avida Software, please contact David Bryson (brysonda@cse.msu.edu).