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The Senko Lab is located in the School of Ocean Futures
at 
Arizona State University

Successful applicants for our lab are detail oriented and driven, demonstrate strong writing skills, and thrive in collaborative and independent settings. We seek humble team players who are highly empathetic, have strong social skills and emotional intelligence, and value diversity and inclusivity. Prospective graduate students typically apply to the lab through either ASU’s School of Life Sciences (SOLS) or School of Ocean Futures (SOF). SOLS guarantees 5 years of funding for PhD students and requires a SOLS faculty member to serve as your co-chair. Otherwise, students will typically need to secure external funding (e.g. NSF GRFP, Nancy Foster Scholarship, etc.) in order to apply to the SOF PhD program.

My approach to graduate student mentorship

I empower graduate students who are passionate about environmental and social justice. I expect lab members to become engaged, resilient, and adaptable global conservation leaders who are strong ambassadors for our lab, their projects, and the communities they work in.

How to apply

I consider new graduate students in most years. I receive many more inquiries than available positions, so the strongest PhD applicants will have a masters degree and/or previous research experience. If you are interested in joining our lab, please send the following materials to Dr. Senko ([email protected]):

  1. A copy of your CV.
  2. A statement of purpose outlining your research and conservation interests, proposed graduate research questions and study sites, and career goals. (The strongest PhD applicants will propose clearly defined research questions and, if possible, prospective study sites and/or collaborators). 

  3. A writing sample that demonstrates your ability to assimilate complex information. This could be copies of authored published papers, technical reports, or class research projects. (The strongest PhD applicants will have at least one first-authored peer-reviewed publication). 

  4. Names, email addresses, affiliations, and phone numbers of three professional references who can speak to your potential to conduct graduate-level research.