Dear potential PIs,
Because we get the opportunity to accept and mentor up to a handful of students for graduate degrees per year, there is a right and wrong way to approach those applying to our labs. So here goes:
Don’t just expect potential mentees to understand the outdated, unwritten, and archaic way we expect folks to contact us about positions in our labs.
And don’t outright reject any prospective students not following unwritten rules.

Instead, demystify the process for folks, not just with a Twitter thread for those who don’t understand our weird rules, but by communicating upfront what you expect.
For example, have a section on your website that tells prospective students exactly what you want from them when they contact you.

For my lab’s example, see here: hjones82.wixsite.com/website/apply
Encourage your department’s graduate school page to also have explicit instructions for potential applicants.

Here’s an example of that: niu.edu/clas/biology/a…
Don’t expect students to just find funding out of the blue. Instead push your institution to provide students a living wage to be the engines of research that they are.
f you don’t have funding and neither does your institution, wait to take students until you/your institution do/does. Expecting students to hunt for funds on unpaid time just guarantees only privileged, affluent people will enter the science enterprise.
Once you’ve ensured your expectations of prospective applicants have been made clear, then point prospective students to that information if their first contact doesn’t meet your expectations instead of dismissing folks out of hand.
Remember that in academia pretty much everyone is fairly smart. What sets people apart is their kindness and generosity, especially to those new to the field or trying to get in. So try to email uncompetitive prospective students back and help them by giving them feedback.
Lastly if you’re a PI you have an opportunity to ensure your institution is passing on all the information about our unwritten rules to students who may be interested in grad school.
Better yet you can work to undo the systemic barriers (like weird arcane unwritten rules) that prevent folks underrepresented in sciences from being welcome in the enterprise. Maybe focus your energy on that? /end

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More from @DocHPJones

28 Oct
THIS IS HUGE!!!!

It's not over, but still HUGE news!

@FlyRFD says construction on Bell Bowl Prairie is "suspended until further consultation is completed." Consulting with @USFWS and the FAA on Rusty-patched bumblebee is going forward.

#SaveBellBowlPrairie
@FlyRFD @USFWS It looks like they plan to try to redesign the expansion to save the prairie!! We still need to make sure they do but it's such a relief they're talking about doing the right thing here.

#SaveBellBowlPrairie
@FlyRFD @USFWS “During the coming months, we will continue to work with the FAA, IDNR, and the USFWS to ensure the project continues and we can plan and develop in compliance with the Federal and state regulations for the endangered species." - @FlyRFD

#SaveBellBowlPrairie
Read 4 tweets
8 Jan
Well, we’re between coup attempts and attempts to throw out a seditionist president, so I’m going to take the opportunity to describe this research that was recently accepted in @SERestoration for the grassland ecology SF.
Led by @Blackburn_RC and in collaboration with @barberecology and others not on the Twitters, this work was from Ryan’s MSc research @NIULive. I say research and not thesis, dear reader, bc it didn’t make it into his thesis.
Truth be told, this was an epic battle of computer vs researcher and many times, it felt like computer won. I encourage students in my lab pick a risky part and less risky part of their research. Drone imagery was Ryan’s risky part.
Read 20 tweets
1 Jul 20
I am pleased to announce that research on bison diet @nachusa led by @Blackburn_RC, along w @barberecology and me in @SERestoration journal, Restoration Ecology is out on early view! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/re…
@Nachusa @Blackburn_RC @BarberEcology @SERestoration Ryan worked hard on this project as part of his MSc thesis in my lab. For it, we really wanted to know what bison were eating since they were the first herd to be studied that had been reintroduced into restored prairie, rather than on remnant (never plowed prairie).
Of course, we thought they’d eat grass (duh). That’s why managers wanted to reintroduce them! @Nachusa there is a lot of burning to maintain prairie, but that gives competitive advantage to grasses over forbs.
Read 22 tweets
27 Jun 18
Starting in August, I’m an associate professor!

I learned a lot in my first 5 years of professordom. Here are a few, for any of you starting out or interested in becoming faculty. Curious to hear others’ takes.
Create a streamlined research program and if projects fall outside it, say no to them. I spent the first year chasing various funds and projects. That’s ok but don’t do that for more than a year.
Establish meaningful collaborations. Ones that fill you up and help you learn more things. This increases research productivity, but for me the best part was connecting with new people.
Read 16 tweets
28 Feb 18
A thread: I am SO HAPPY to announce that our paper on #Restoration and Recovery of Earth's Damaged Ecosystems is out in @royalsociety Proceedings B! rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/285/18… We are in the process of making it #openaccess but HMU if you want a PDF.
It has already received some media coverage and I'll try to keep this thread updated with more. Here's the first story: chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-ec…
I am extremely proud of this work. I have been building a database of studies that look at restoration/recovery for nearly 10 YEARS now. And I got to work with amazing co-authors @josemreybenayas @KDHoll5 @iheartnitrogen and other non-tweeps.
Read 34 tweets

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