Join our lab

The Angert Lab is a supportive and collaborative group dedicated to advancing the science of evolutionary ecology. We value diverse viewpoints and approaches, and we are committed to building an inclusive and welcoming environment (see our lab pledge here). As a mentor and advisor, Amy’s goal is to help you become broadly trained in ecology, evolution, and their application to conservation while developing an independent body of research that is in line with your interests and career goals. You may work on your own system or under the umbrella of one of the lab's research systems, but in either case it is important that you learn to identify interesting questions and creative, feasible approaches as an independent researcher. This process is fun and rewarding, but it is also a lot of hard work. To succeed you must be committed to your project and the process of graduate school. In return, Amy is committed to mentoring and will be available for regular one-on-one meetings and advice. You should plan to be engaged in lab meetings, journal clubs, and seminars and to interact with other lab groups on campus. Read more about lab philosophy and expectations here.

 

Undergraduates:There are a variety of ways for UBC undergrads to gain hands-on research experience:

  • BUDR: The Biology Undergraduate Diversity in Research program offers a micro-experience program for students without prior research experience. To become eligible, you should first join the mentorship program.
  • Work learn: In April and August, Angert Lab usually recruits 2-4 students for work learn positions in the summer and winter, respectively; apply for these at here by submitting your resume and a cover letter explaining why the Angert Lab is of interest to you.
  • Summer fellowships: (USRA, SURE, WLIRA). USRA are full-time research fellowships valued at $9000 (typically 16 weeks of full time work, May - August) for students who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Internal deadlines via the Botany department are typically in mid February, so contact Amy in January to discuss the application process. Applicants for the USRA are simultaneously considered for the SURE (an UBC equivalent of the federal NSERC USRA award, also only avaialble to Canadian citizens or permanent residents). The WLIRA is for international students who are not eligible for the USRA; it is meant to be a similar experience to the USRA but the application process is distinct.
  • Directed Studies: Undergrads may conduct a small research project for 3-6 units of Directed Studies credits. Prior to the registration deadline, contact Amy to discuss your research interests and possible projects. More information is available here
  • Honours theses: Amy is always keen to mentor Honours student theses. Please contact Amy to discuss your research interests and possible projects.


Graduate students: We are recruiting MSc or PhD students for fall 2025. We are particularly interested in prospective students with interests in the following:

  • Population dynamics and life history variation along climate gradients in scarlet monkeyflower (MSc or PhD level) [collaborative project with Seema Sheth]
  • Genomics and ecology of evolutionary rescue during climate extremes in scarlet monkeyflower (PhD level)
  • Experimental evolution using duckweed mesocosms to test hypotheses about range shifts, range limits, or coexistence (MSc or PhD level)
  • Biotic and abiotic factors promoting/limiting range expansion of alpine plants (PhD level) [collaborative project with Courtney Collins]
  • Climate resilience for riparian restoration projects (PhD level)
Prospective grad students may apply to the Angert Lab through either the Department of Botany or Department of Zoology. Guidelines for applying to each department are posted here and here. HOWEVER, it is not recommended to apply to the graduate program until you have identified a prospective supervisor who has an opening in their lab and has encouraged you to apply. To express your interest in Amy as a prospective graduate school supervisor, please complete this webform Amy reviews submitted responses ~biweekly from Sep - Dec and will contact some prospective applicants for a phone or zoom interview.


Postdocs: There are many excellent funding opportunities for postdocs at UBC that are open to applicants of any nationality. These include the Killam, Banting, Biodiversity, Mitacs Elevate, and Liber Ero Postdoctoral Research Fellowships. Please email Amy to discuss research interests and potential collaborative projects if you are interested in applying for one or more of these fellowships. Please note that some of these (e.g., Killam, Banting) require a nomination letter from Amy and involve an internal selection process within the Botany Department that happens earlier than the general program deadline.