Dr Jeff Shima

Shima Home

Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences

Director, Victoria University Coastal Ecology Lab

Information for Prospective Students

I do not study whales, sharks, dolphins, seals or panda bears, though I appreciate and occasionally encounter these organisms while conducting science. I have a healthy respect for sharks in particular. If your interests lie primarily in one of these taxa, you should consider searching for opportunities elsewhere.

What you should do if you're interested in working with me....Please read some of my publications to get a sense of the types of questions I ask and the approaches that I take. If you are still interested, please think about the type of research questions that drive you and the type of graduate program that you'd like to be a part of.  Take a look at the interests and research programs of my current students. Then, please contact me (preferably via e-mail) and let me know: 1) what types of research questions you are interested in; 2) what experiences you've had to prepare yourself for graduate school; and 3)  your GPA.

Please note that I typically receive far more inquiries from prospective students than I am able to accommodate in my lab group, so if you're interested you'll need to put your best foot forward.

Note to prospective PhD students...I will only consider PhD students for whom a complete and suitable funding package can be identified and secured. Recent changes to NZ national laws make this more attainable for international PhD students, who now pay only domestic tuition/fee rates of about NZ$5K per year. NZ operates on a UK model for postgraduate timeframes, where 3yr is the expected time for completion of this degree. This may be a positive attribute of our programme, depending upon your perspective--though if you are committed to your research programme (as I would expect you to be), then the duration of your studies should not be a deciding factor in your decision making. There are some outstanding opportunities for PhD research topics in New Zealand; the country is generally well resourced for science and rich with ecological systems that have received comparatively little attention relative to other parts of the world.

My Philosophy:

Although I encourage students to develop independent, focused research projects, I expect them to also participate in collaborative projects, lab meetings, reading groups, and departmental seminars covering a broad range of ecological topics.  Science is not done in a vacuum, and some of the greatest scientific advancements arise from interdisciplinary interactions.  I also expect students to value critical interaction, and to seek out a diversity of scientific input.  I expect to supervise students who are self-motivated and driven by research questions rather than by a particular study system or species, and I challenge my students to combine field, lab, observational, experimental, and mathematical approaches. I am willing to consider supervision or co-supervision of student projects on nearly any study species or ecological system, provided the questions are interesting and conducive to rigorous ecological study.

There are many excellent resources and web pages that provide advice to prospective PhD students. Some resources that you may find useful include:

• John Thompson's tips on How to be a successful graduate student 
• Stephen Stearns' Modest advice for graduate students
• Results from a Survey of recent PhD students
• ESA's A Primer on How to Apply to and Get Admitted to
  Graduate School in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Last but not least, Milton Love's So you want to be a marine biologist? And the sequel: So you want to be a marine biologist: The Revenge"

Some of this information is specific to US PhDs, but much is widely applicable.

Funding Opportunities:

I currently have a modest research budget that can partially support operational costs of post-graduate research programs. Prospective students who are New Zealand residents should consider applications to organizations such as the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, for funding to help support their research programs.  Victoria University of Wellington maintains a listing of funding sources to support post-graduate education costs.  Prospective students from the United States may wish to inquire with the Rotary Club for possible international scholarships.  All prospective students from overseas should contact the VUW International Office and/or investigate the VUW Scholarships Programs on offer for potential funding sources; the New Zealand government has agreements with some overseas nations to assist with student costs.

Residents of the United States with a PhD can apply for International Post-Doctoral Fellowships (US National Science Foundation, International Programs) to study in New Zealand.

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Last updated: 09 March 2011