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Cornell University

3CPG

Cornell Center for Comparative and Population Genomics

Prospective Recruits to Cornell

Graduate and Postdoctoral Study

Cornell has many outstanding opportunities for graduate and postdoctoral study in comparative and population genomics. The range of research in this general area is remarkable, encompassing model and non-model systems, animals, plants and microbes, evolutionary and functional approaches, and experimental and computational methods.

Formally, graduate study at Cornell occurs through designated graduate fields (see below). However, many students who study comparative and population genomics find that their true “home” is in the broader community of researchers served by 3CPG. There is a tremendous spirit of interaction and collaboration within this community, allowing students to learn not just from a single research group, but to pick up a broader set of tools, skills, and perspectives through interactions with other groups.

In addition to serving as a catalyst for collaboration, 3CPG also supports graduate students and postdocs in more direct ways. Students meet with and attend seminars by world-class visitors from outside Cornell in the 3CPG Seminar Series and have the opportunity to participate in 3CPG-sponsored symposia and retreats. In addition, students and postdocs in 3CPG-affiliated labs benefit from various funding opportunities, including fellowships, priming grants, and travel grants.

Graduate Fields at Cornell

The graduate school at Cornell consists of more than a hundred fields of study. Admissions for graduate study are handled through these fields. The graduate fields are also responsible for establishing curricula and granting degrees.

Because the graduate fields are completely separate from academic departments, the field system makes it easy for students to collaborate across departmental lines and form interdisciplinary dissertation committees. However, the field system can be confusing for prospective students. An important role of 3CPG is to help prospective students in comparative and population genomics navigate this system, for example, by fielding questions from prospective students and holding information sessions during recruiting events.

It is possible to do research in comparative and population genomics from many different graduate fields at Cornell, and 3CPG does not exclude any graduate fields from support. However, certain fields are of particular interest to 3CPG faculty members, including the following:

Prospective students in comparative and population genomics are encouraged to contact 3CPG faculty members in their fields of interest for guidance in applying to graduate programs at Cornell.  General questions may also be addressed to individual faculty of interest.

Graduate and Postdoctoral Study in Genomics

Cornell has many outstanding opportunities for graduate and postdoctoral study in genomic sciences. The range of research in this general area is remarkable, encompassing model and non-model systems, animals, plants and microbes, evolutionary and functional approaches, and experimental and computational methods.Formally, graduate study at Cornell occurs through designated graduate fields (see above). However, many students whose training includes a significant focus on genomics find that their true “home” is in the broader community of researchers served by university-wide centers such as the Cornell Center for Comparative and Population Genomics (3CPG), the Cornell Center for Vertebrate Genomics (CVG) and others. There is a tremendous spirit of interaction and collaboration within this community, allowing students to learn not just from a single research group, but to pick up a broader set of tools, skills, and perspectives through interactions with other groups. It is possible to do research in genome sciences from many different graduate fields at Cornell. However, certain fields have a particularly strong genome sciences focus, including:

Other fields have individual faculty whose research includes a genomic perspective. Check out the following:

Profiles of Current and Past 3CPG Grad Students and Postdocs

Click here to read profiles of several current Graduate Students and Postdocs in 3CPG labs.

Dozens of graduate students and postdocs have gone on to successful careers in academia or industry after studying comparative and population genomics at Cornell.  See this page for a partial list of alumni.  Some individual faculty lab pages contain more complete listings for their groups.

Staying Informed

Read through our events page to find information on seminars, workshops, journal clubs, and list-serves that might interest you.

Courses of Interest

Cornell offers many excellent courses in comparative and population genomics and related disciplines. These courses are offered through a variety of different departments, but a summary of relevant courses is available here: 3CPG_CourseList_8-23-2024. Additional information can be found on the online Courses of Study catalogueClick here to learn more about Personal Genomics courses being taught by 3CPG members.

Links of Interest

The following links provide information about life in Ithaca and at Cornell, and may be of interest to prospective graduate students and postdocs.