The Holyoak lab is located in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at the University of California at Davis. We embrace diverse perspectives and realize the value of inclusive and international perspectives in science and training. Students usually have a strong background in ecological ideas and theory, and embrace conservation. Assets are a strong connection with natural history, strong quantitative skills and ability to write clearly. Students interested in pursuing Master's or PhD programs enter through the Graduate Group in Ecology. Some students have worked in public agency jobs (e.g. US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Geological Survey) while pursuing a PhD and having access to either existing datasets or resources (equipment, research funds) that come through their jobs. Other students have been funded through some combination of fellowships (national, international, sometimes internal) and funds obtained by the Holyoak lab for particular research projects.
In Fall 2024, I am not accepting new graduate students because of funding limitations.
Periodically we have undergraduate student internship opportunities, mostly working with graduate students in the lab on their research projects.
Marcel Holyoak teaches General Ecology (ESP 100) in Fall quarter. Course materials are available to enrolled students on Canvas. Previously I have taught the Principles of Ecology to graduate students (ECL 200) through the Graduate Group in Ecology, and general environmental science and policy courses (ESP 010, ESP 001).