Prospective Students
Joining the St. Clair Lab
Graduate students
I currently mentor five Ph.D. students. I currently have funding for an additional Ph.D. student and an M.S. student. If you are interested in joining my lab as a graduate student please contact me directly at stclair@byu.edu for more information. Information regarding our graduate programs can be found at BYU’s Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences.
Undergraduate Research Mentoring
I work with 5-10 undergraduate students on mentored research projects each semester. I encourage the involvement of dedicated undergraduate students in my research program. Please contact me for opportunities on mentored research projects for undergraduate students.
Mentoring Teams
Students in the St. Clair lab work in mentored research teams designed to provide graduate students and experienced undergraduates with opportunities to mentor, while giving new students good training and direction as they start their research experience. This mentoring environment allows students to become fluent in the scientific method and familiar with current protocols and analytical techniques that we use in our research.
Field Research
Field work is an important part of the scientific experience in our lab. Student researchers are provided with abundant opportunities to participate in field research. Each year we take dozens of field research trips to the mountains and deserts of Utah, which provides a lot of opportunities to learn biology first hand in some of the most beautiful places on earth.
Scientific Experimentation
During lab meetings, office discussions and travel time, student researchers participate in the process of designing scientific experiments. Students then participate in setting up and conducting research experiments.
Data Analysis and Science Communication
Research teams work together to produce the data for which they have responsibility. With mentoring from Dr. St. Clair, each research team conducts a statistical analysis of their data, produces graphs and tables, presents the results at scientific meetings, and prepares manuscripts for publication. A majority of undergraduate students mentored in the lab have given oral presentation and/or are contributing as a co-author on a scientific publication.