Fully Funded MS and PhD Assistantships at Illinois State University

Cities are reshaping wildlife in real time. Raccoons, in particular, have become masters of navigating human-dominated landscapes—solving novel problems, learning from experience, and adapting their behavior in ways that reveal fundamental insights into animal cognition. At Illinois State University, Dr. Lauren Stanton’s research group is offering fully funded MS and PhD positions that place students at the center of this work. These urban animal cognition graduate assistantships provide an exceptional opportunity to investigate how animals perceive, learn about, and respond to the challenges of urbanization while contributing to practical strategies for human-wildlife coexistence.

The lab’s current focus is the Bay Area Raccoon Project, an ongoing study of urban raccoons (Procyon lotor) in San Francisco, California. The project already includes a substantial dataset of GPS, biologging, physiological, behavioral, and spatial data. Students will use and expand this resource to ask questions about individual differences, activity patterns, health, risk-taking, movement, social interactions, and cognitive performance in city environments.

Scholarship Summary

Host Country: United States
Host University: Illinois State University
Scholarship Type: MSC Scholarships/PhD Scholarships
Eligible Countries: All countries
Scholarship Benefits: Full tuition fee waiver, monthly living stipend (commensurate/negotiable), health insurance reimbursement, and substantial research support through graduate assistantships
Application Deadline: January 15, 2027

Why These Positions Matter for the Future of Wildlife Research

Urbanization is one of the most rapid and widespread forms of environmental change on the planet. Understanding how animals cope with it requires more than traditional ecological surveys. It demands research that integrates cognition, behavior, physiology, movement ecology, and human dimensions. These fully funded MS PhD positions in urban wildlife research allow students to work at that intersection.

The lab values partnerships with local communities and treats community science and public engagement as essential components of both scientific discovery and equitable coexistence strategies. Students will have the chance to develop independent questions while contributing to a collaborative research program that connects Illinois State University with ongoing work in California.

MS Student Opportunity (1 Position)

The MS student will primarily analyze existing GPS and biologging data from the Bay Area Raccoon Project. This role is ideal for someone interested in integrating behavioral, telemetry, and geospatial datasets to generate new insights.

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Potential research topics include:

Individual- and neighborhood-level differences in raccoon activity, health, and risk-taking behavior
Novel analyses of movement and space use using existing tracking data
Integration of behavioral observations with environmental or health metrics

Previous research or field experience is expected. Basic familiarity with R and statistical analyses is required. Experience with GIS, data analysis, scientific writing, or science communication is highly desirable.

PhD Student Opportunity (1 Position)

The PhD student will contribute one or two dissertation chapters to the existing Bay Area Raccoon Project while developing two or three additional independent investigations. Experimental work will likely include additional fieldwork and data collection with raccoons in San Francisco. Complementary research in Illinois or with other species may also be possible.

This position offers substantial independence at the intersection of animal behavior, cognition, urban ecology, and human-wildlife interactions. Competitive applicants will demonstrate experience developing hypotheses, conducting independent research, analyzing data, and communicating findings through presentations or publications. Proficiency in R and statistical analyses is strongly preferred. Evidence of research productivity (such as a publication or manuscript in preparation) is highly desirable.

Who Should Apply?

The lab seeks motivated, creative, and collaborative students. Competitive applicants typically bring some combination of the following:

Strong interest in animal cognition, wildlife behavior, movement ecology, urban ecology, and conservation biology
Previous experience in an academic research laboratory, field project, or related setting
Hands-on experience with animals in field, zoo, wildlife rehabilitation, veterinary, or similar professional environments
Basic knowledge of R and statistics, with interest in multivariate analyses, machine learning, GIS/spatial analysis, or computational approaches to classifying behavior from biologging data
Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills suitable for both academic and public audiences

Enthusiasm, curiosity, and a collaborative mindset are especially valued.

Scholarship Benefits and Funding Details

These Illinois State University animal behavior scholarships are structured as graduate assistantships. At Illinois State University, graduate assistants receive a full tuition waiver for the semesters of appointment, a monthly stipend, reimbursement of the student health insurance fee (when enrolled in the university plan), and a partial waiver of mandatory student fees. The salary is commensurate/negotiable and the positions require at least 40 hours per week. Starting date is after July 1, 2027.

This package allows students to focus on research and degree completion with significantly reduced financial burden.

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How to Apply for Fully Funded MS PhD Positions in Urban Wildlife Research

Interested applicants should email Dr. Lauren Stanton at lastanton@berkeley.edu with a single PDF labeled with the applicant’s last name. The PDF must include:

A CV or resume
A brief statement describing research interests, relevant experience, quantitative skills, and reasons for wanting to join the lab (clearly indicate MS or PhD interest)
Contact information for three references

Use the subject line “Application for ISU graduate position.” Application review begins immediately. Selected candidates will formally apply to the graduate program by February 1, 2027.

Additional information about graduate studies at Illinois State University is available at https://illinoisstate.edu/academics/graduate. Details on the School of Biological Sciences can be found at the university’s biology program pages.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

These urban animal cognition graduate assistantships combine access to an established, data-rich field project with the freedom to develop independent research. Students will work with a researcher whose prior work has examined problem-solving, individual variation, and cognitive flexibility in urban carnivores. The dual locations—Illinois for the home institution and California for primary fieldwork—create unique training opportunities in both data analysis and hands-on wildlife research.

If you are passionate about understanding how animals think and behave in cities, and you want to contribute to solutions for coexistence, these fully funded MS PhD positions in urban wildlife research offer a direct path. The January 15, 2027 priority review date is approaching, so prepare your materials soon.

For more on related urban wildlife research themes, explore Dr. Stanton’s previous work on raccoon problem-solving and the broader literature on human-wildlife interactions in cities.

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