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The overarching research mission of the Lu Lab is to uncover the simple laws behind the complexity of natural and human-dominated systems, and to cross-pollinate these laws across disparate domains for unexpected discoveries.
Our team brings together multi-disciplinary talents and believes in bottom-up processes that connect the dots, fostering the fertile soil where reckless ideas germinate and flourish. We integrate the power of data-mining, fieldwork, and remote sensing to feed into our theoretical quest for transferable organizing laws. Instead of worrying about tradeoffs, we identify and expand the boundary of constraints, hey, cross-boundary can be both fun and robust.
Prospective PhD students
I’m always glad to hear from prospective PhD students whose curiosity overlaps with the lab’s questions — simple laws across natural and human-dominated systems, biogeochemistry, urban science, and the cross-pollination between them. What I value most is curiosity and the drive to bridge domains in pursuit of new discoveries.
NYU Environmental Studies admits PhD students through NYU’s Graduate School of Arts & Science. The application deadline is December 1. See the program FAQs for details on the application process and requirements.
A note on funding. Admitted PhD students at NYU receive a guaranteed five years of fellowship support — stipend, tuition, and health coverage — funded by the university rather than tied to a single advisor’s grant from day one. That structure leaves you room to follow the question wherever it leads, including the unexpected places that often turn out to matter most.
If the lab’s work resonates, please feel free to email me at mingzhen.lu@nyu.edu with subject line Prospective PhD before applying. A short note about the questions that pull at you, and any work you’ve already done around them, helps me give you a useful response.
Inquiries about postdoc / research assistant opportunities
We welcome inquiries even when no positions are listed. We are motivated by exciting questions, not limited by systems, techniques, or domains of knowledge. We are always on the lookout for motivated and talented scientists who are excited to push the boundaries of research in ecosystem ecology, urban science, and global biogeochemistry. For inquiries about postdoc or research assistant opportunities, please contact Prof. Mingzhen Lu at mingzhen.lu@nyu.edu with the subject line: Inquiry_opportunities.
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Contact
Department of Environmental Studies 79 Washington Square East, Rm. 511 New York, NY 10012 (212) 992-9670 mingzhen.lu@nyu.edu