The Ecology, Evolution, Behavior, and Conservation faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences at Northern Illinois University are seeking applicants to the M.S. and Ph.D. graduate programs starting Fall 2026.
Research interests among the faculty are diverse and include community ecology, restoration ecology, conservation genetics, vertebrate and invertebrate evolution, behavioral ecology, and microbial ecology.
EEBC faculty that are taking graduate students for Fall 2026 are:
Michael W. Henson: Our lab is interested in how microbes shape, and are shaped by, changing aquatic environments. Right now, we’re tackling three big projects: The Mississippi River Microbiome, Diadama Mass Mortality (NSF Funded), and Microbial Thermal Stress tolerance: https://www.theaquaticmicrobiologylab.com/
Holly P. Jones, restoration ecology and conservation biology: https://hjones82.wixsite.com/website
Jennifer A.H. Koop, ecology and evolution of host-parasite interactions; invasion biology: https://jenniferkoop.weebly.com/
Karen E. Samonds, paleontology, skeletal biology and paleobiogeography: http://www.sadabe.org/Samonds/Index.html
Details of the graduate program and application process are available at https://www.niu.edu/clas/biology/academics/graduate-studies/index.shtml The department offers teaching assistantships including stipend and tuition waiver, on a competitive basis. The deadline for application materials is January 1, 2026. However, prospective students should contact potential faculty advisors well in advance of applying to discuss research interests and relevant qualifications. See faculty websites for how to get in touch.
Northern Illinois University is a ~15,000-student research university and Hispanic-Serving Institution situated an hour from downtown Chicago in DeKalb, Illinois. Dekalb is a diverse community of 50,000 with a low cost of living. Regional research resources include The Field Museum, Burpee Museum of Natural History, Nachusa Grasslands, Morton Arboretum, Fermilab, Argonne National Laboratory, and numerous local county forest preserves and state parks.