Join Us

Join Us

Thanks for your interest in the Cannon Lab. This page provides information about what I am looking for in prospective graduate students, undergrads, and postdocs as well as expectations and opportunities for prospective lab members.

Graduate students

Current Graduate Students

I am affiliated with six UC Davis graduate programs: Community Development, Ecology, Geography, International Agricultural Development, Public Health and Sociology. As a member of these groups, I can be the major advisor, and a member on the thesis, dissertation and Qualifying Exam (QE) committees. I can also serve as the outside member for other graduate programs. Feel free to contact me regarding joining your dissertation committee or serving on the qualifying exam, but you will need to provide the following information before I commit. Even if the fit is strong, I may say no because I am over committed at the moment.

Prospective Graduate Students

This article by Estien et al. on the “hidden curriculum” of graduate school applications is an incredibly helpful resource for prospective students.

The Cannon Lab works on a wide range of projects, and I am open to developing existing projects further or identifying new projects. Projects that take an interdisciplinary approach to examining environmental and/or climate injustices with an applied focus are of special interest.

If you are interested in working with me, please send me an email that includes the following information:

1. a description of your research interests, experience, skills and abilities, and career goals;
2. a copy of your CV or resume that includes the names of 3 references

I will respond to you as soon as possible, but please be patient, as I receive many inquiries each year. I may also ask to meet potential students, but unfortunately I am unable to meet with every prospective student.

Graduate Student Funding

If you and I decide that the Cannon Lab would be a good fit, there are several ways that you can join the lab. I can have adequate funding in place to cover your tuition, benefits, and stipend, before I can make you an offer. This support may come from competitive research grants that I’ve secured, which vary in size and availability year by year. Students funded as a graduate student researcher (GSR) under these grants are typically expected to contribute directly to the larger project while conducting their own research. Our department can sometimes help support students through teaching assistant (TA) positions. 

Fellowships are another way to fund your graduate education, allowing you to focus on a project of your choosing and to reduce other research and teaching commitments. Each year Grad Studies and various graduate groups offer a few highly competitive fellowship awards. You don’t need to take any additional action to be eligible for these, and decisions are made in the Winter and Spring. I also strongly encourage all students to apply for external fellowships, such as the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and Ford Foundation fellowships.

Here are some lists of fellowships specific to M.S. or Ph.D. students. Grad Studies may also be able to assist current and admitted UC Davis graduate students to help identify and locate funding opportunities.

You can also join the lab if I am your major advisor or co-advisor, I serve on your dissertation/thesis committee, and your research interests align with the types of projects supported by the lab.

Postdoctoral researchers and research scientists

When I have funding available to support postdocs and research scientists, I will post it here. I am always open to new opportunities to collaborate and develop funding. Writing a proposal and funding your postdoctoral research is a fantastic way to increase your competitiveness on the job market. Please get in touch if you are interested in developing a proposal for a research grant or fellowship. Here are a few opportunities:

• National Science Foundation (NSF) Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences – 3 year fellowship
• David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship – 2 year fellowship
• Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship – 1 year fellowship
• L’Oreal USA for Women in Science Postdoctoral Award – $60,000 towards research or salary
• Fulbright Scholars

Undergraduate students

The Cannon Lab sometimes has both paid (i.e., Research Assistant) and unpaid (i.e., work voluntarily, enrolled for credit, or to fulfill internship credits, senior thesis advisor) opportunities for undergraduates to get involved in research. If you would like to learn about ways to join our lab group for undergraduate research experience, please fill out this form.

Credit: Thanks to Alex McInturff and Noli Brazil for their excellent websites and resources, which I’ve drawn from here.