Opportunities in the Weir Lab
The Weir Lab is dedicated to the study of biodiversity—and we believe that diversity is just as essential within our team as it is in the ecosystems we study.
We value the diversity of our team members and the variety of perspectives they bring. While university environments can sometimes lean toward homogeneity in thought, the Weir Lab actively fosters a culture that embraces viewpoint diversity. We believe that engaging with a broad range of perspectives enhances our ability to think critically and conduct high-quality science. Learning to interact respectfully with those who hold different views also helps us grow as individuals.
Diversity of lived experience plays an important role in shaping diverse perspectives. We warmly welcome individuals from First Nations, Black, Jewish, LGBTQ+, Asian, and other minority communities, as well as those from non-minority backgrounds.
As is common in university settings, our team members often lean toward more liberal viewpoints. However, we equally value and encourage individuals with conservative viewpoints to join our lab. A truly diverse team includes ideological diversity, and we believe this strengthens both our community and our science.
Membership in the Weir Lab is based on individual merit. We consider a range of criteria, including academic achievement, research and leadership potential, relevant skills and experience, critical thinking ability, and—crucially—the capacity to engage respectfully with differing viewpoints.
Post-doctoral Fellows
UTSC offers a fellowship for prospective Post-doctoral fellows. NSERC postdoctoral fellowships are available to Canadians and the NSERC Graham Bell postdoctoral fellowship is available to both Canadians and international applications. Schmidt fellowships are another possibility. Contanct me for more details.
Graduate Students
Prospectve PhD students should e-mail a CV (including a statement of research interests), an example of academic writing (preferably a publication if a MSc has already been completed), copies of academic transcripts (undergrad and MSc if applicable), and a brief statement of programming experience (in R or other). Canadian applicants are expected to apply and be competative for NSERC fellowships. The Weir lab has been fortunate to have a number of international students join the lab, drawn mostly from Central and South America where much of our lab's research focus occurs. Many countries in this region offer competative fellowships to study abroad and prospective students will need to apply for these.
Undergraduate opportunities
Undergraduate opportunities include independent research courses (BIOB98 and BIOD98). Interested UTSC students should have a strong academic transcript (generally an "-A" average) and have an interest in genetics, ecology or evolution. BIOD98 students must apply in August and September of the year of study. BIOB98 students may apply just prior to each semester.
Volunteer opportunities
We are not able to accommodate volunteers in the lab at this time.