Join the Lab

Note that much of this content is influenced by the website of the Bennet Lab.

I am actively seeking to fill two positions at the SURF-Lab. Details on both positions below. You can also write me  unsolicited inquiries from potential graduate students. 

Fully-Funded Ph.D.

I am seeking a Ph.D. student for the Fall 2026 intake. Ideally with an industrial ecology, systems engineering, geography, ecological economics, or related background. More details here.

Start: September 1, 2026

Application deadline: December 1, 2025 via Rackham Graduate School. Details about the SEAS Ph.D. program and admissions process here. 

Master's Thesis

I occasionally supervise master's theses. Feel free to contact me about about the possibility of doing a thesis if you are accepted into the SEAS MSc program or have just started the program (i.e., first term). 

I am often seeking new students and postdocs for the SURF Lab.  I am largely agnostic as to your educational background. I don't care if you are an architect, economist, engineer, human geographer or something else entirely. I encourage applicants from a diverse range of academic and personal backgrounds to apply to the lab. 

What I want you to bring to the lab is an interest in our core research areas, a passion for cities and the environment, and an openness to exploring urban sustainability through multi-disciplinary research. Some background knowledge on cities, quantitative methods, and sustainability are a prerequisite for joining the lab, but you are also coming here to learn, so you need not be an expert in those areas. I also appreciate strong written skills, although this is something we can develop together.

I want to help you achieve you career and life goals. Upon joining the lab, we will sit down and design an effective path towards these goals. We will meet occasionally to track your progress and reorient as needed. 

I believe that research is a social enterprise. The days of the lone scholar in the ivory tower are long behind us. Our lab holds weekly meetings to share progress and ideas. You will also meet with me on a weekly basis to discuss specific problems and maintain momentum in your research. 

I believe in a healthy work-life balance. I have two young children and strive to be a meaningful presence in their lives. Academics can be productive and take time for themselves. In fact, I believe that downtime is essential to fostering creative thinking and being a well-rounded academic and individual. You will not be expected to work yourself to the bone, but you you will be expected to meet the milestones we set for you. 

Please email me a one page description of the research you would like to do at the SURF Lab. Be clear about the topic of interest, your level of knowledge, and how your skills and training provide a foundation for the research you want to do. Please note If you have funding or leads for funding. Also include your full CV in the email. 

Regarding funding, self-funded students will have maximum leeway on research topic and scope. Funded positions will often be tied to a specific project. Common funding resources for domestic students and postdocs (domestic and international) are listed below. International students should note that there are often multiple funding options in their home country and in Canada to study at Canadian research institutes. See here for a non-exhaustive list of funding sources.  

PhD

• December 1st of every year for Fall Admission
• More information here on the application process