On my advising style: In advising , my style is inherently and simultaneously active, hands-off, and interdisciplinary, since my own PhD education resulted from a NSF IGERT program. (NSF IGERTs fund US citizens to explore multidisciplinary, highly independent, international, and often industrial or 'real world' PhD experiences.) As an advisor, I model my IGERT education. I seek to encourage independence, networking, and peer advising amongst my advisees and promote and encourage them in their academic and career pursuits in every way possible. Students in my group will eventually become authorities in their research topic, and I expect them to advance to a stage where they teach me about their research. I welcome and encourage students who want to take ownership of their research topics and who are interested in outreach, international experiences, and collaborative research. Contact me or see my Projects page for potential dissertation topics.

OTHER PERTINENT FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES at PITT:
  I also recommend exceptionally qualified students interested in an international experience and research component within their thesis to apply for a Mascaro Sustainability Initiative (MSI) IGERT fellowship, which pays significant stipends and offers fantastic opportunities during a semester in Brazil and the University of Campinas. (Click here for additional information about the MSI IGERT.) Nearly all projects within my research group support the MSI mission as well as the requirements for the IGERT. Students should be independent, creative, and interested in international experiences.

  MSI also offers additional fellowships, such as the GANN for Ph.D. students as well as other undergraduate research experiences. Click here for more information at the MSI website.