Our research interests are broad, interdisciplinary, and highly collaborative. Recent studies include quantitative genetics underlying the basis of adaptation to climate change, a photothermal model for predicting plant phenology based on environmental factors, and life history studies on germination and flowering in Arabidopsis. I’m also interested in addressing similar questions in natural populations of native California species. Please see the list of recent publications and the description of our research for more detailed information. In general, I try to recruit lab members who are intellectually broad and curious, creative, collegial, and independent problem solvers who can take the initiative on research projects. If funding is available, I am open to sponsoring postdocs with independent projects as well as projects related to my own research. I am also open to co-mentoring interdisciplinary projects with other UCD faculty.
If you are interested in joining our lab, please email me at jschmitt at ucdavis.edu
Information for Prospective Graduate Students
I am not currently accepting graduate students in the lab.
Information for Prospective Post-docs
I am always interested in recruiting talented postdocs (particularly people who bring new interdisciplinary perspectives to the lab), and I welcome inquiries about opportunities. I regularly hire postdocs to work on current research projects. With enough lead time, I am also open to sponsoring independent fellowship applications or coauthor grant proposals for projects of mutual interest. I encourage potential postdocs to look into possibilities for fellowship support. These include:
UC Davis Center for Population Biology Postdoctoral Fellowship
University of California President’s Postdoctoral Program
National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships in Biology
NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards
Marie Curie International Research Fellowships
As a past Alexander von Humboldt Foundation awardee, I am eligible to sponsor postdoctoral researchers from Germany for Feodor Lynen Research Fellowships
Human Frontier Science Program Fellowships
Information for Prospective Undergraduate Students
The Schmitt lab offers several opportunities for undergraduates to gain hands-on research experience in ecological genetics. We regularly have openings for research assistants to help with our lab, greenhouse, and field experiments, and also offer opportunities for independent projects related to ongoing research in the lab.
Information for Prospective Research Assistants
The Schmitt Lab employs people from a wide range of backgrounds and with a diversity of skills. We sometimes have openings for “post-baccalaureate” researchers – people who have just completed their undergraduate studies but would like to gain research experience before potentially moving on to graduate school or other pursuits.