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Applying to lab

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Louis Collins edited this page Jul 26, 2021 · 9 revisions

Applying for graduate work

Thank you for your interest in my laboratory and my research. Unfortunately, I am not taking on any new graduate students, post-docs or fellows at this time as I have just taken on 6 new people in September 2020. I probably won’t be taking on new students in 2021 either mostly because I simply don't have enough time to properly supervise additional trainees.

However, please do not despair - I offer some suggestions below.

Other options at McGill

If you are interested in the neurosciences, then I suggest that you look at the MNI neuroscience program for more information. If imaging is more of an interest, then you could look at the Brain Imaging Cente or the department of Medical Physics and if you are interested in other domains of biomedical research, I suggest that you look at the web page for the Biological & Biomedical Engineering Department of McGill University, specifically at the staff and research pages. The BME department also offers a certificate in Translational Biomedical Engineering. Perhaps one of my colleagues might be able to accommodate you.

How to get on a prof's radar

In many departments, an applicant has to solicit the interest of a supervisor. This can be done by speaking directly to the professor at a conference for example if you are lucky enough to go to conferences. For everyone else, email will be the best way to get in touch. However, recall that profs are busy and get more than 100 emails/day so they simply can't answer everything. You need a short email that states:

  • you are looking for a position
  • what you would like to learn being in the profs lab (and not another lab)
  • how do you see yourself contributing to the profs lab
  • mention your past experience
  • explain why you think you'll be a good fit

Do not use a form letter. I hate being addressed with another prof's name almost as much as receiving some general 'I've read your papers and I am interested in your work.' Your letter has to be customized to the specific prof (and project).

Most profs will read the first 5-7 lines of an email (ie, what fits in the mail viewer window without scrolling). You can attach a CV and/or paper to your email, but don't expect a prof to look at it unless you've convinced them that you are potentially a key future member of their lab.

Many more good suggestions can be found at

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