The Fish Biology Laboratory runs on the power of dedicated lab personnel. We welcome graduate and undergraduate students in a variety of roles. Volunteers are also commonly welcome to help out with our projects.
Check this page for formal position postings as they become available.
If you are interested in joining the laboratory, contact Dr. Jill Leonard at jileonar@nmu.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the requirements for becoming a
graduate student in the Fish Biology Lab?
A: Graduate students may be recruited for a particular project or may
bring a project to Dr. Leonard. All students are expected to
conduct research projects as part of their Master's degree. For
admission, you should first contact Dr. Leonard and discuss the
possibility of joining the lab. Graduate students must also meet
all requirements for admission to the NMU Biology graduate program.
Check out the NMU College of Graduate Studies and Biology Department web
pages for more information.
Q: When are graduate students accepted?
A: Technically, you may enter as a graduate student at any time.
Practically, most students enter the program in the fall when the fall
semester starts. It is fairly common for Fish Biology graduate
students to start as summer technicians in May to get a head start on
field work before they formally become a graduate student in the fall.
You should plan on contacting Dr. Leonard initially in the fall semester
or early winter semester in the year prior to your anticipated start
date for a program.
Q: What types of opportunities are
available for undergrads?
A: Undergraduate students may join the lab at any stage in their career.
Initially, students often like to try out the lab by volunteering for a
day in the field or helping out with other projects. They may then
work with other students on a collaborative project or perhaps a project
of their own. Most students receive some type of credit for
extended participation in the lab. We also often have funding to
support work-study students through NMU. For work study students,
we are particularly interested in students with some training/interest
in Biology.
Q: What opportunities are available for
non-students in the lab?
A: The NMU Fish Biology Lab has a long history of working with
volunteers from the community. Most commonly, volunteers have
joined us on trips to the field and have participated in electrofishing
surveys. Opportunities depend on the time of year and active
projects in the lab. Give us a call or drop an email - we would
be happy to hear from you!