Opportunities for joining us

We are always seeking self-motivated students to join our group, particularly those with strong background and/or interest in environmental microbiology and environmental engineering. To apply, please contact Dr. Ran Mei with your CV and a brief statement of your research interests.

For those considering attending our graduate program, you have to apply through CEE Illinois (find all details here). Please indicate on your application that you are interested in working with Dr. Ran Mei. Prospective graduate students are encouraged to apply for fellowships (some are listed below). It develops your scientific thinking and writing skills, and offers you greater freedom in research activities that align better with your personal academic passions.

For current undergraduates, we strongly encourage you to participate in the Grainger College of Engineering Illinois Scholars Undergraduate Research (ISUR) Program and the CEE Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program. These programs offer a valuable opportunity to gain hands-on research experience, setting a strong foundation for your future academic and professional career. You're very welcome to talk to me about those opportunities!

Opportunities for career development

Professional Development Workshops

• Microbial Summer Programs, Harvard University
• Marine Biological Laboratory, The University of Chicago
• Workforce Development, Joint Genome Institute

Fellowship Opportunities

• Study in the U.S.
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Graduate College Fellowship Finder
• NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• The Hertz Fellowship
• Fulbright U.S. Student Program and Foreign Student Program
• Study abroad
• JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research in Japan
• Humboldt Research Fellowship
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships
• Newton International Fellowships
• Scholarships For Development
• Human Frontier Science Program
• XPLANE
• Japan Student Services Organization Fellowship for Attending Graduate School Oversea

Additional Resources

• Life in academia
• HigherEdJobs
• CEE Job Fair
• Hire Illini
• The Career Center
• The Research Park
• The Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP)
• The Japanese Graduate Student Association in the United States (JGSAU)