Graduate Cephalopod Research

**ckeiser** · Mar 23, '09, 4:54pm

I am a senior Biology student at Arcadia University about to Graduate in May. My undergraduate thesis is titled Cephalopod Body Patterning and Polarization Sensitivity: Mechanisms for Intraspecific Communication. I am interested in the biological basis of animal behaviour, especially the evolution of animal communication.

I've applied for graduate school at one location (www.vims.edu/mollusc), but due to substantial budget cuts, the program is no longer able to take on new students. Now I find myself in a bit of a connundrum, as the deadline for application to most grad programs has passed. Does anyone know of programs or researchers on the east coast (U.S.) that focus on invertebrate behaviour (cephalopods or other molluscs, primarily) and are currently looking for students? I can submit my CV for anyone who wants to see my qualifications.

Thanks very much for the help.

**Taollan** · Mar 23, '09, 6:09pm

I am most familiar with the west cost, is that end of the country right out?

**ckeiser** · Mar 23, '09, 6:24pm

I wanted to stay Atlantic, for family/friend reasons. However, any information would be helpful at this point!
Cheers.

**Taollan** · Mar 23, '09, 7:38pm

I did my master's on Octopus rubescens at Walla Walla University under Dr. David Cowles. It is a very small, private, religiously affiliated school, but they have a substantial marine station, and a marine-oriented biology department. They are in Washington, but have a very late application deadline, which hasn't passed yet. It is a small department with only one behaviorist (Joe Galusha), but he has a good pedigree: He was the final Ph.D. student of Niko Tinbergen at Oxford. He is currently NSF funded for his gull behavior work, but it may be worth your time to shoot him an email and see if he would be interested in working with cephalopods. Drs Cowles and Nestler both work with marine invertebrates and I could foresee taking on a ceph behavioral project.
If it piques your interest:
http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/...ical-sciences/

**ckeiser** · Mar 23, '09, 9:13pm

WWU looks very interesting, I'll investigate it further and probably get in contact with Dr. Galusha Dr. Cowles or Dr. Nestler. What have you been working on since your master's? Thanks again for the quick reply.

**Taollan** · Mar 24, '09, 12:43pm

I am now working on my Ph.D. at Washington State still working with cephalopod physiology.

**ckeiser** · Mar 24, '09, 2:42pm

Were you supported through a TA during your stay at WWU?

**Taollan** · Mar 24, '09, 3:59pm

Yup, WWU supports its grad students through at TA which covers tuition, fees, and a modest stipend. TA workload is actually fairly light at WWU when compared to some other universities (my TA load increased about 50% when I came to WSU over WWU). WWU expects you to TA 1-2 labs a term, at WSU its 2-3.

**TarBay** · Apr 03, '09, 3:03pm

Look in the University of Maryland Eastern Shore or the University of Delaware.

Uni. MD Marine Science Lab at Horn Point in Cambridge has an oyster project underway. They may have other mollusk related study as well.

Contact a guy named Andy Lazarus. He will be able to point you in the right direction. Ask him about the sturgeon project.

Good Luck!!

Capt. Chad