Graduate students
Prospective PhD and MS students can earn degrees through SMU Earth Sciences. Students interested in chemistry-focused projects may also apply through Chemistry, where Dr. Chase has a courtesy appointment.
Opportunities
Do fieldwork. Generate data. Build models. Ask big questions.
The Chase Lab welcomes students and collaborators interested in microbial ecology, environmental microbiology, biogeochemistry, chemical ecology, natural products, and data-driven microbiome science.
Field
research cruises · ROVs · soils · sediments
Data
metagenomics · metabolomics · geochemistry
Computation
R · AI/ML · HPC · Linux · Python
Theory
community ecology · evolution · traits
Who should reach out
multiple entry points into interdisciplinary microbiome research.
Undergraduate researchers
Undergraduates can contribute to projects involving environmental sampling, molecular biology, microbial culturing, data analysis, literature synthesis, and scientific communication.
Postdocs and collaborators
we welcome collaborations connecting microbiomes to Earth systems, natural product discovery, geochemistry, environmental change, field experiments, and computational approaches.
What you can work on
projects move from real environments to DNA, RNA, molecules, models, and ecological insight
Students can build projects that connect hands-on sampling with modern molecular, chemical, and computational approaches to microbial ecology.
Research cruises & ROV-assisted sampling
Fieldwork in marine and deep-sea systems connecting environmental context to microbial diversity and biosynthetic potential.
Marine sediments and deep-sea microbiomes
Microbial communities, chemical traits, and biogeographic structure across poorly characterized environmental systems.
Methane cycling and soil biogeochemistry
Field and experimental studies of methane oxidation, gas transport, carbon transformation, and soil microbiomes.
Metagenomics and metabolomics
Paired omics approaches linking genes, molecules, microbial traits, and environmental function.
AI/ML-assisted microbiome data integration
Computational approaches for finding patterns across genomic, metabolomic, geochemical, and ecological datasets.
Ecological and evolutionary theory
Trait-based, community, and evolutionary frameworks for interpreting microbial diversity and ecosystem function.
Why SMU?
A high-research university in the heart of Dallas.
SMU offers the scale and infrastructure of a major research university with a campus environment that remains personal and student-centered. The Chase Lab is based in the Huffington Department of Earth Sciences, with connections to Chemistry, Data Science, Research Computing, and Drug Discovery.
Students train in Dallas, one of the largest metropolitan regions in the United States, with access to academic, governmental, healthcare, technology, and industry networks. The campus is close to downtown Dallas while still offering a classic residential campus setting, green space, and nearby walking and running trails.
Research computing
SMU provides access to high-performance computing resources through the Center for Research Computing and the O’Donnell Data Science and Research Computing Institute, supporting genomic, metabolomic, geochemical, and AI/ML workflows.
AI and data science
Campus resources include advanced AI and machine-learning computing infrastructure, creating opportunities for students interested in scalable data analysis and computational microbiome research. This includes the M3 supercomputer and the new SMU NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD facilities on campus.
Biogeochemistry facilities
Students have access to the SMU Stable Isotope Laboratory and Earth science facilities supporting work on carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, methane, water, soils, sediments, and environmental change. This includes dedicated technical staff for biogeochemistry and materials characterizations (i.e., SEM)
Interdisciplinary access
Dr. Chase’s appointments and affiliations connect the lab to Earth Sciences, Chemistry, Data Science, Research Computing, and Drug Discovery resources across campus, as well as active collaborations with the Lyle School of Engineering, Maguire Energy Institute, and Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity.
Training environment
Build a toolkit that travels across fields.
Students in the Chase Lab develop projects that combine hands-on environmental sampling, molecular biology, analytical chemistry, computational analysis, and ecological interpretation. Depending on the project, students may gain experience with sequencing data, metabolomics, geochemistry, R-based data analysis, microbial ecology theory, scientific writing, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Funding and application pathways
Graduate students are admitted through SMU programs.
Prospective PhD and MS students can apply through SMU Earth Sciences. Students interested in chemistry-focused doctoral work may also apply through Chemistry. Graduate students admitted to the lab are typically supported through funded assistantships, fellowships, or grant-supported research positions, with competitive stipend support relative to comparable programs.
Before you apply
Email Dr. Chase with a short description of your research interests, relevant experience, and why the Chase Lab is a good fit. A CV or resume is helpful.
- What research questions excite you?
- What skills do you want to build?
- What field, lab, coding, or coursework experience do you bring?
- Are you interested in Earth Sciences, Chemistry, or another pathway?
Find us
Southern Methodist University
The Chase Lab is housed in SMU’s Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences in Dallas, Texas.
Chase Lab
316 Heroy Hall
Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX 75205
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