Do you find yourself wondering why some people are human GPS systems while others get lost in their own neighborhood? Do maps make you unreasonably happy? Are you passionate about research that could help save lives? You might be our kind of people.
The Geospatial Cognition Lab is always interested in hearing from motivated students who want to understand how people think about and navigate space, especially in high-stakes situations like emergencies and disasters.
We accept PhD and Master's students through the Fire & Emergency Management Administration program. Our students come from all walks of life: some are active fire administrators or practitioners balancing work and school, others are coming straight from undergrad. We welcome both traditional and non-traditional paths.
Graduate students are typically supported through teaching or research assistantships at the Program and College level. Students are encouraged to pursue outside funding through sources like NSF GRFP, FEMA's Higher Education Program, EPA STAR, or discipline-specific fellowships.
Graduate Program Info →Undergraduates can gain research experience through independent study credits, honors theses, or volunteer positions. This is a great way to explore research before graduate school.
We typically look for students who can commit at least 2 semesters.
Contact Us →Experience with GIS, programming, emergency and disaster science, or cognitive science is a plus, but honestly, we can teach skills. We can't teach curiosity. Bringing real-world fire service or emergency management experience? That's a perspective we value.
Interested students should email Dr. McWhorter with: