I accept students interested in completing MS and PhD degrees in vertebrate paleontology.  Students are expected to have demonstrated research experience, with a preference placed on research experience in some aspect paleontology or evolutionary biology.  If you are an advanced undergraduate student intending to apply to graduate programs in paleontology for a MS degree, I recommend pursuing research opportunities with faculty before applying to graduate programs.  The Zanno Lab generally accepts doctoral students who have already completed a Master's Degree, have a demonstrated publication record, and outstanding references.

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What you need to do: Students interested in pursuing a degree in the Zanno Lab should email a copy of their c.v., the names of three references, and a paragraph describing their research interests to lezanno@nscu.edu before filling out the application for graduate acceptance on the NCSU website.  If you appear to be a good fit for the lab I will arrange a phone call with you and encourage you to submit a formal application.  Be aware that the graduate program at NCSU requires a minimum 3.0 GPA for acceptance.

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Timeline: I generally get serious about reviewing graduate applicants in December and invite students to visit the lab in the spring semester. Students who have contacted me in the preceding summer or early in the fall semester are may not hear back until late in the year as I am often in the field through the summer and fall.

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Expectations: Incoming students that have not already applied for or received a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship are expected to do so within the first year of graduate work.