Thank you for your interest in joining my lab. I regret that I am not able to reply to every email that I receive inquiring about opportunities. Please know that I read them all and give them due consideration. However, I am only able reply to those inquiries that indicate a strong match between the profile of the applicant that I am interested in recruiting and the content of the materials submitted in your inquiry. Please note: I will NOT be recruiting new students for the remainder of academic year 2023 (fall 2022 - summer 2023) or for academic year 2024, but I am willing to consider particularly strong applicants with external funding already in hand.
This page is intended to provide guidance to prospective applicants interested in joining the WHET Lab, whether undergraduate interns, graduate students, or postdoctoral candidates. Please read the relevant section below.
Compatibility is essential for a successful mentor-mentee relationship. The profile of the applicant that I am interested in recruiting has three key components:
A strong quantitative background1 and proficiency2 in a scientific programming language;
A high level of maturity, as demonstrated by clear, goal-oriented thinking, responsibility in the timely completion of tasks assigned, and an ability to work independently and to communicate clearly and on a regular basis;
A sincere desire to work as part of a team, get along with and respect the opinions of others, and foster a welcoming and collaborative environment.
1By quantitative background I mean having a formal degree at the appropriate level in Math, Computer Science, Biostatistics, Ecology, or Environmental/Marine Science.
2Proficiency refers to having a working knowledge of scientific programming languages (e.g., R, Python, Matlab), including an ability to read and write programs that are logically correct (in terms of following modern best practices and syntax rules).
Occasionally, I recruit undergraduate student interns to participate in a research project, particularly during summer months. However, note that these opportunities will be coordinated exclusively through existing internship programs at OSU. The list of current opportunities and application instructions is available on the Hatfield's Undergraduate Scholarships and Internships page. Specifically regarding the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at OSU, further information for prospective undergraduates interested in interning in my lab is provided on the page describing the research areas of interest.
I also welcome hearing from students in OSU's Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences undergraduate internship program who are interested in doing a research internship with me. However, provided that the student matches the profile, I will require several months of lead time to make the necessary arrangements, so it is unlikely that I will respond to last-minute requests.
I hope to recruit 1–2 graduate students every year through the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, but this will be largely dependent on funding availability. There are several possible funding options:
All prospective students will also have to meet Departmental and Graduate School admission requirements.
Finally, I am currently focusing on advising students seeking a thesis-oriented degree (MSc or PhD), so for the moment I am NOT accepting students applying for the departmental Fisheries or Wildlife Management Graduate Certificate, the Professional Science Master's in Fisheries and Wildlife Administration programs, or the multi-departmental Master of Natural Resources degree offered online.
I will be able to fund a postdoc (i.e., pay for your salary and benefits) only if I have an existing grant that covers these costs. Any open position will be advertised here and will be filled on a competitive basis.
Alternatively, prospective postdocs are encouraged to discuss with me the joint preparation of a research proposal to external funding agencies that support postdoc salaries.
Finally, prospective postdocs are encouraged to apply to external postdoctoral fellowship opportunities and to discuss with me the terms and expectations of a hosting arrangement in my lab.
We are committed to promoting an inclusive and equitable environment. Whatever your intersection of identities, you are welcome in the WHET Lab. The WHET Lab values ideas and contributions from individuals with diverse perspectives, including individuals historically underrepresented in the marine sciences, such as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, women, LBGTQ+, first-generation, military veterans, and individuals with disabilities. Our lab engages in regular discussions with the purpose of raising our awareness, becoming anti-racist, and taking actions that promote diversity and inclusion in our field. Specifically, in selecting applicants, qualifications are considered holistically in the context of our commitment to enhance diversity in our lab. Applicants from underrepresented minorities and disadvantaged backgrounds are particularly encouraged to reach out to me.
If, after reading this, you feel strongly qualified please send me an email to <daniel.palacios@oregonstate.edu> describing how you meet these expectations and what other interests and experience you bring with you that make you stand out by way of a cover letter. Additionally, please include the following as PDF attachments:
The chances of a response from me will be improved by indicating that you have read and understand the information provided in this page.
The following is the land acknowledgement that has been adopted by Oregon State University's Board of Trustees:
"Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, is located within the traditional homelands of the Mary’s River or Ampinefu Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855, Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians."
Learn more about how OSU recognizes past and present contributions of Indigenous people here.
