Michigan State University Graduate Student (Masters and PhD) Scholarship in USA

The Smith BIRDS Lab is recruiting graduate students (MS or PhD) for fall 2027 or spring 2028.  The lab has a wide range of research interests but focuses its core on farming for people and nature.

Research on co-managing farmlands for avian conservation and ecosystem service provisioning is a large portion of the lab’s efforts.

The lab currently seeks students to work on projects related to;

• ecosystem services and disservices resulting from songbird nestbox use,

• conservation outcomes of using songbird nestboxes on farms, and

• optimal prairie strip implementation and design for birds and ecosystem services.

To be considered for the Graduate Research Assistant Program, you must:

• have graduated with a bachelor’s degree in ecology or a related field by June 2027.

• be self-motivated, driven, and a good community member, with prior experience conducting fieldwork, analyzing data, and leading your own research project. 

The Graduate Research Assistant Program Benefits include;

• $31,361 graduate stipend,

• tuition waiver and

• health insurance benefits.

To apply for the Michigan State University Scholarship, interested candidates should;

• 1

  click the green button below to go to the program webpage.

• 2

  fill out this Google Form in lieu of an email submission. 

• 3

  submit applications by November 9th for full consideration.

• 4

  a subset of candidates will be contacted to conduct follow-up interviews over Zoom.

• 5

  Successful applicants will be encouraged to apply for graduate admissions by mid-December.