Google
 

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Australia : IWC Water Leader Masters Scholarships in Integrated Water Management

Each year the Water Leader Scholarships Program offer full and partial tuition scholarships for Australian citizens, permanent residents and international applicants who undertake the Master of Integrated Water Management (MIWM) Program.

Scholarships Value

For international students the scholarships will cover full tuition costs of the three semester MIWM Program as well as Overseas Student Health Cover for the duration of the Program. Scholarships for Australian citizens and residents include both full-tuition and partial-tuition scholarships for the three semester Program.

IWC Water Leader Scholarships do not include travel, accommodation allowance, living stipend, field work or course material costs. It will be the responsibility of successful applicants to cover these costs.

Eligibility

MIWM Program Entry Requirements:

  • A four year undergraduate degree in a related field of study from an internationally-recognised institution. Applicants must have completed a university level qualification which is at least equivalent in standard to an Australian four year degree. If you are unsure whether your previous university qualification(s) is equivalent in standard to an Australian four year degree, you should seek advice from the Australian Education Centre in your home country or region, or contact University of Queensland International Education Directorate.
  • Demonstrated English language proficiency (see here);
  • A minimum of two years practical experience in a related field is preferred but not required.

Selection Criteria and Process
Applicants will be assessed by The University of Queensland to ensure they meet minimum requirements for entry into MIWM Program. Students will also be assessed for the Water Leaders Scholarships by a selection panel at the International WaterCentre.

The selection panel will adhere to IWC’s policy of non-discrimination for this process. Decisions of the selection panel are final and confidential. IWC will not enter into correspondence regarding outcomes of the selection process.


Applicants are required to respond to the following selection criteria:

  • Commitment to the International WaterCentre’s mission and to whole-of-water cycle, integrated and interdisciplinary approaches to water management.
  • Leadership qualities: As demonstrated by professional, educational, community and other achievements. Leadership qualities include collaboration and team work, flexibility, initiative, communication skills, integrity and vision.
  • Academic record: Successful applicants will demonstrate a high level of academic achievement and likelihood of success in further study.
  • Professional record: As demonstrated by employment experience, awards and achievements, membership of professional bodies and professional references.
  • Potential impact and outcomes: The likelihood of positive impacts on the individual and the water sector from participating in the MIWM Program.

For further detail, please visit the official announcement page. Closing date for application is usually on 1 August each year.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Sweden : PhD position in non-equilibrium and nano physics

Department of Physics and Materials Science. Starting date: September 2008.

Within the division for materials theory, at the Dept. Physics and Materials Science, Uppsala Univeristy, theoretical studies are performed on e.g. materials properties, magnetism, non-equilibrium, transport. Studies of nanoscale system under non-equilibrium conditions are approached by means of modern field theoretical methods in order to described properties that arise due to dimension, geometry, interactions between particles, back-action, etc.

The Ph. D. student is expected to work with timely problems within nanoscience and materials theory. The work can be directed towards, e.g. spintronics, molecular electronics, nano magnetism, inelastic scattering effects, theoretical epidemiology, and network theory.

The PhD position is for four years, extendable to a maximum of five years including department duties at a level of at most 20% (typically teaching). Further information: http://www.physics.uu.se/education/gradU/

If you are interested, you are welcome to send your application including a statement of research interest, a CV, copies of exams, degrees and grades, a copy of your Master thesis (or a draft thereof), published articles or other relevant material (if applicable) to the address below. Letter(s) of recommendation may be included.
Uppsala University is striving to achieve a more even gender balance and women are especially encouraged to apply.

For more information, please contact: Jonas Fransson, tel +46 (0)18-4715864 Jonas.Fransson@fysik.uu.se. Union representatives are: Anders Grundström, SACO-rådet, tel +46 18-471 5380, Carin Söderhäll, OFR-S/ST, tel +46 18-471 1996, Stefan Djurström, SEKO, tel +46 18-471 3315.

The application should be sent to: Registrator, UFV-PA 2008/1436, Uppsala universitet, Box 256, 751 05 UPPSALA, Sweden; fax +46 (0)18-4712000 or e-mail: registrator@uu.se no later than August 28, 2008. An application by fax or e-mail must be followed by a letter containing the original documents, at the latest a week after application deadline.

Germany : Postdoctoral Fellowship

Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Salary Scale: E 13Very successful and enthusiastic researchers of all disciplines, especially in the fields of Molecular Immunology, Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Genetics can be found at the University of Erlangen/Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany. The University is strongly supporting basic, clinical as well as translational research projects.

A Postdoctoral position is available in the Laboratory of DC-Biology at the Nikolaus Fiebiger Center, at the University of Erlangen/Nuremberg. The Emmy-Noether junior research group is funded by the German Research Foundation and is part of the Department of Dermatology headed by Prof. G. Schuler. We offer a highly interdisciplinary research environment and excellently equipped facilities. We are looking for an enthusiastic scientist who would like to benefit from an attractive scientific environment and the excitement within a young research group.

We are working on antigen processing and presentation of Dendritic Cell (DCs) subsets, Pattern-Recognition receptors, as well as on DC-migration in mouse and human (Dudziak et al., Science, 2007). We are using recombinant antibodies against DCs to target antigens in vivo to different DC subsets. The candidates will analyze early and late (memory) T cell responses in vivo.

Requirements: you should have a Doctoral degree in biology, human biology, molecular medicine, immunology or biochemistry or related life sciences. Experience with standard techniques of molecular biology, biochemistry and tissue culture, as well as the willingness to work with mice are necessary. Experience with animal work is highly desirable, as is an expertise in mouse infection models, flow cytometry and genearray analysis.

The payment is on the basis of the German Public Salary System
(TL-V E13). The initial contract has a one year term.
Prolongation to a total of three years is intended. The position is starting August 1st 2008, interviews with suitable candidates will be held in the first or second week of July in Erlangen.

Contact

For further information you may contact
Prof. Dr. Diana Dudziak (contact data see below)

To apply please send your CV, certificates, list of publications, PDFs of diploma/master and PhD thesis, a description of research experience and interests, methodologies used, and references (preferably by email) directly to:

Prof. Dr. Diana Dudziak
Head of the Laboratory of DC-Biology
Emmy-Noether Research Group
Nikolaus Fiebiger Center
University of Erlangen/Nuremberg
Glueckstr. 6
91054 Erlangen
diana.dudziak@uk-erlangen.de

For attachements please include your family name and initials into the file name.

Netherlands :

Vacancy
1 PhD STUDENT (f/m)
in practical philosophy
Deadline: June 2nd, 2008
The Philosophy Department of Tilburg University seeks a candidate for a PhD
position in any of the fields of practical philosophy, including ethics
(both fundamental and applied), political philosophy, and legal philosophy.
The candidate’s application will include a written application letter with a
recent, detailed Curriculum Vitae, names and contact details of (at least)
two referees, and a sample of written work. Applicants are encouraged to
submit a written dissertation proposal in practical philosophy.
Please send applications to: Ms. Monique van Alphen, Tilburg University,
Faculty of Humanities, Personnel and Organization, Room D323, Post Box
90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands
or by e-mail to: solliciteren@uvt.nl
Applications should be received by June 2nd, 2008.
Please include the job vacancy code: 500.08.19.
Interviews are expected to take place in June 2008.
http://www.tilburguniversity.nl/faculties/humanities/dphil/vacaturephd/
http://www.tilburguniversity.nl/faculties/humanities/dphil/vacatureph… ext.pdf
Further information about research at the Department is also available via

our homepage.

Germany : Bauhaus University Weimar PhD Post-Doc Position in IR, ML, Web Technology

PhD or Post-Doc Position in IR, ML, Web Technology Bauhaus University Weimar

The Web Technology and Information Systems group at the Bauhaus
University Weimar, Germany, develops foundations and new technology in
fields of Information Retrieval, Data Mining, and Web-based
Information Systems (http://www.uni-weimar.de/medien/webis). We invite
applications for a PhD or a Post-doc research position in these
fields; we are looking for highly motivated candidates who meet the
following requirements:

* degree (Master, Diploma) in Computer Science or a closely related field
* well versed in mathematics, statistics, and algorithmic computer science
* strong programming background
* good communicative skills in German or in English.
The position is tenable immediately (however, starting date can be
adjusted)) for two years with the possibility of extension for another
two or three years. The salary will be about according to TV-L 13 up to
TV-L 14 or TV-L 15 (Post-Doc). If you are a Post-doc, the position is
associated with the management and supervision of a BMBF research
group.

Interested candidates are requested to send their application in
German or in English by June 18, 2008 to Benno Stein (see address
below), including:

1. a cover letter describing yourself and your interests
2. Your CV
3. soft copies of your publications (e.g. master thesis, conference papers)
A German version of the announcement can be found here:
http://www.uni-weimar.de/cms/aktuell/stellenausschreibungen/m0519.html
Benno Stein
Bauhaus University Weimar
Faculty of Media / Media Systems
99421 Weimar, Germany
Email: benno.steinmedien.uni-weimar.de
Web: http://www.uni-weimar.de/medien/webis

Belgium : 6 PhD Postdoc Positions

6 PhD/Postdoc positions at Optimization in Engineering Center (OPTEC), K.U. Leuven, BelgiumThe Optimization in Engineering Center OPTEC at K.U. Leuven (Belgium) invites highly motivated young interdisciplinary researchers with a solid background in numerical mathematics and computer science to apply for one of the following six PhD/Postdoc positions (described in detail on http://homes.esat.kuleuven.be/~optec/jobs.php):

1) Optimal Control Methods for Application at a Central Receiver Solar Thermal Power Plant (PhD or Post-doc Position)

2) Nonlinear Moving Horizon Estimation for Fault Detection (PhD or Post-doc Position, 3 years)

3) Convex Dynamic Programming for Applications in Robust Model Predictive Control and State Estimation (PhD or Post-doc Position, 4 years)

4) Optimization Methods for Distributed Model Predictive Control (PhD or Post-Doc Position)

5) Optimization Based Control Design for Large-Scale Systems (PhD Position)

6) Optimal Motion Control for Machine Tools (PhD or Post-doc Position)

Besides a competitive salary we offer a stimulating research environment within our young but growing “Center of Excellence on Optimization in Engineering”, OPTEC. OPTEC is well connected internationally with several high ranking international visitors every month, and encompasses groups from four different departments of K.U. Leuven [Electrical Engineering (ESAT-SCD), Mechanical Engineering (MECH-PMA), Chemical Engineering (CHEM-BioTec) and Computer Science (CS-NATW)]. OPTEC combines altogether 20 professors, 12 postdocs, and more than 50 PhD students that jointly work on bringing state-of-the-art optimization methods together with real-world engineering applications. For more information, see http://homes.esat.kuleuven.be/~optec/

The beautiful university town Leuven with its well reputed old university is located in the heart of Europe, 14 minutes from Brussels Airport and 30 minutes from downtown Brussels.

Electronic applications (by holders of at least a masters degree) including a CV, certificates with high school and university marks in mathematics, physics and computer science, a list of publications, names of two possible references, and a brief description of your research interests are most welcome. Please send them until June 15, 2008 to .

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Netherlands: PhD Student: "Effect of env. stress on ecosystem composition and functioning"

Radboud University Nijmegen Faculty of Science, Mathematics and Computing Science

Further Details

Netherlands: PhD Student: Assessing multi-stress by linking gene to population response

Radboud University Nijmegen Faculty of Science, Mathematics and Computing Science

Further Details

Netherlands: PhD Student: Ranking stresses using food web analysis

Radboud University Nijmegen Faculty of Science, Mathematics and Computing Science

Further Details

Netherlands: PhD student for Cognitive Science of Religion

Radboud University Nijmegen Faculty of Social Sciences

Further Details

Netherlands : PhD student project "Conductivity Control in Metallic Nanolayers"

University of Twente Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

Further Details

Netherlands : PhD Student Dopamine Modification of Interfaces between polymers and metals

Technische Universiteit Eindhoven Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry

Further Details

Netherlands: PhD Biofuels from Microalgae Wageningen UR / Wetsus

Agrotechnology & Food Sciences Group Bioprocess Engineering Group

Further Details

Netherlands: Ph.D. Position, The Hortus Botanicus

Leiden University Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Further Details

UK: University of Bristol PhD Scholarship in Distributed Estimation and Detection for Decentralized Wireless Systems

Department of Mathematics

Click here for Employer Profile

USA : University of Texas PhD Scholarship and Postdoctoral Fellow Positions

Position Open

PhD Scholarship and Postdoctoral Fellow Positions Available
University of Texas San Antonio
Laboratory for Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics

Position Open Until Filled

For further information, please contact:
Steve Ackley
Phone: 210-458-6793
Email: Stephen.ackley@utsa.edu

Or Hongjie Xie
Phone: 210-458-5445
Email: hongjie.xie@utsa.edu

Or visit the Laboratory for Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics at: http://www.utsa.edu/LRSG/

The Department of Geological Sciences and Laboratory for Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics at the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) invites applications for a Postdoctoral fellow and a PhD scholarship in remote sensing, spatial analysis, and modeling of Antarctic sea ice. The
project is funded by the new NASA research project “Antarctic Sea Ice Thickness from Space: Validating Estimates from the Laser and Radar
Satellite Altimeters with Ship-Based Measurements.”

Both positions have the possibility to participate in field experiments. Each will be part of a multi-disciplinary research team of collaborators
working on the characterization of sea ice thickness and extent, snow-ice interface temperature, ice concentration, sea ice related bio-geochemistry and ecosystems from both satellite remote sensing and in situ measurements, as well as ice, ocean, and atmosphere interaction and modeling. Satellite data to be used includes, but is not limited to, ICESat, AMSR-E, RADARSAT, MODIS, EnviSAT, and QuikSCAT.

Candidates for the PhD scholarship must hold a Master’s or equivalent degree in science (remote sensing, geophysics, physical geography, or
geology). Candidates for the Postdoctoral position must hold a PhD degree in science or engineering (remote sensing, geophysics,
atmosphere, civil engineering). For both positions candidates should have a strong background in research, image processing and analysis, and
spatial data analysis. Strong programming skills and modeling experiences are a plus. The advisors to this position expect a general
interest in climate studies and the Antarctic. Applicants must have good written and verbal communication skills.

To apply, please email an application to Professors Ackley and Xie, including:
1) A short description of qualifications and research interests
2) A curriculum vita that provides relevant academic, employment, and personal details
3) Authorized transcripts of course work and authorized copies of university diplomas and degrees, all translated into English
4) Three letters of support from previous employers or supervisors
5) English proficiency certification, if applicable
6) For the postdoctoral position, at least one peer-reviewed journal publication relative to the research project is required.

The position is available immediately and will be open until it is filled. The PhD candidate will be required to apply for enrollment as a
PhD student at the Environmental Science and Engineering PhD program at UTSA. Please mention this PhD scholarship announcement in your graduate school application and notify the advisors, by email, of your application.

For further information, please contact:
Steve Ackley
Phone: 210-458-6793
Email Stephen.ackley@utsa.edu

Or:
Hongjie Xie
Phone: 210-458-5445
Email: hongjie.xie@utsa.edu

Or visit the Laboratory for Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics at: http://www.utsa.edu/LRSG/

Canada : Graduate Research Assistantship

Graduate Research Assistantship - Stream Ecology//Benthic Macroinvertebrates, Louisiana State University
Graduate student and postdoc positions

Expiration Date: 1 Jul, 2008
We are seeking a highly motivated graduate student at MS level to join a project on the effectiveness of forestry best management practices on stream water quality. The successful candidate will focus on benthic macroinvertebrates as indices of water quality and work with a team of graduate students in the School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University. Field research will be in a forest-dominated watershed located in Central Louisiana. This project demands a significant level of field and lab work and the candidate should be in good physical condition, be able to work outdoors in inclement weather and withstand annoying insects. Applicants must possess a valid US driver’s license and be able to work independently and collaboratively with others.

Review of applications will begin May 2008. Ideal start date: June 2008. Starting stipend is $16,000/year + tuition waiver and health insurance coverage. Selection will be based on GPA (minimum 3.2), GREs (minimum combined score of 1100), and letters of reference from at least 3 referees. Those with a strong field-based research background in stream ecology, macroinvertebrate sampling, processing, and identification, as well as water quality monitoring and stream measurements will be given top consideration. For additional information please contact: Dr. Jun Xu
School of Renewable Natural Resources
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Email: yjxu@lsu.edu

Contact Dr. Jun Xu

Scotland: PhD Studentship Glasgow Research Partnership in Engineering (GRPE)

A three-year PhD studentship is available within the Glasgow Research Partnership in Engineering (GRPE) as part of the Joint Research Institute in Mechanics of Materials, Structures and Bioengineering at the University of Glasgow. The aim is to conduct research on Magneto-Rheological Elastomers (MRE); a ‘smart’ material that changes its mechanical behaviour when subjected to magnetic fields. These materials offer great promise in the design of simple variable stiffness devices. An understanding of the relationship between manufacture conditions, microstructure and macro-scale behaviour of MREs has yet to be fully achieved and a generalised constitutive model for MREs is lacking, making it currently impossible to simulate and optimise the design of MRE applications in a virtual environment. Given the importance of computer aided engineering in today’s design methodology, this is clearly a significant obstacle preventing widespread exploitation of MREs.

The specific goals of the PhD will be to manufacture MREs and determine the influence of manufacture conditions on the micro-structure and magnetic-sensitivity of the resulting elastomer. This experimental work is part of a larger work programme on MREs and will support parallel theoretical and numerical investigations. The successful student will be expected to:
• develop understanding of both electromagnetism and continuum mechanics
• design and manufacture MRE manufacturing apparatus
• characterise the structure of the MREs using volume imaging techniques
• perform macro-scale characterisation of the mechanical properties of the MRE

The Studentship
This PhD studentship is only open to students from the European Union. The successful candidate for this award will be an enthusiastic and self-motivated person with a 1st or 2:1 in Engineering or a Physical Science subject. The studentship will provide an annual stipend of £12,600 (to be reviewed annually) and covers payment of tuition fees.
.
Awards will be based on the merit of your application. Deadline for applications is 30th June 2008.

Further Information
For further information about the project please contact Dr Zaoyang Guo (Email: z.guo@eng.gla.ac.uk or Tel: 0141 330 3557) or Dr Philip Harrison (Email: p.harrison@mech.gla.ac.uk or Tel: 0141 330 4318)
For information on the Glasgow Research Partnership in Engineering see: http://www.grpeng.ac.uk/departments/grpeng/

Germany: PhD Position Berlin

A research group on “sacred places - sacred landscapes” has been established within Research Area C, “Perception and Representation”, Research group C III “Acts”. As the center of its research are ritual landscapes. Starting from the interaction between space and ritual acts, it investigates the construction of sacred landscapes, seeking in the archaeological findings to identify and reconstruct complex sacred landscapes and their constitution in the process of journeys of pilgrimage and of processions.The research group is striving to expand the range of sources to include archaeological excavations, historical evidence, and recent ethnological studies. By means of intercultural comparison, this will permit fundamental statements on the connection between space and time in the construction of ritual landscapes. The close interconnection between archaeological and ethnological findings opens up new paths of knowledge in this context, because they are able to answer questions about continuity and change more comprehensively.

We are accepting applications for one two-year doctoral stipend that begins on June 1, 2008 and can be extended for an additional year. We are looking for an ethnologist who is familiar with the religious cults of southern Africa; knowledge of archaeology will be helpful but is not conditional. At the center of the research is the processing of existing sources on journeys of pilgrimage to sacred sites, in particular to the many hierarchically arranged rain shrines. Expected are the evaluation of historical sources and oral traditions as well as the conducting of interviews.

The supervisor of the dissertation is Prof. Dr. Ute Luig (Institute for Ethnology, Free University Berlin).

Profile of candidate requirements:

* must have completed a Masters program in Ethnology (Anthropology)

* must be willing to collaborate in an interdisciplinary research team

knowledge of ritual theories and of a South African language is advantageous.

Begin: June/July 1, 2008

The stipend provides 1,300 euros a month. Supplements for family and child care can be granted.

Please send your application only electronically via e-mail to:

Freie Universit?t Berlin
Institut f?r Ethnologie
Sekretariat Prof. Dr. Ute Luig
Landoltweg 9-11
14195 Berlin
E-Mail: ethnolas@zedat.fu-berlin.de

Switzerland: PhD positions Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne

3 PhD positions Rock Mechanics LaboratoryThe Rock Mechanics Laboratory (LMR) of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) has opening of 3 PhD positions with full scholarship from the Swiss National Foundation. The scholarship starts at CHF 50,000 (31,000 Euro) per year in the first year for a period up to 3.5 years.

PhD Position 1: Fracturing of rock materials under dynamic loads - mechanism and analytical solutions

The research is to develop analytical and mathematical solutions for fracturing of solid brittle materials under dynamic loads, including time-dependence effects of fracture mechanism. The candidate should have strong background in mechanics.

PhD Position 2: Fracturing of rock materials under dynamic loads - numerical method and modelling

The research is to apply (may involve partial development) suitable numerical methods to model and study fracture initiation and propagation under dynamic loads. The candidate should be very keen in numerical methods.

PhD Position 3: Transmission of shock wave across multiple discontinuities

The research is to study the transmission and conversion of shock wave across 2 sets of parallel discontinuities, to develop constitutive relations between wave transmission, discontinuity network configurations, discontinuity stiffness, and other parameters. The candidate should have strong background of mechanics, physics and mathematics.

To apply, please email Professor Jian Zhao (jian.zhao@epfl.ch), in English a letter of interest and a current resume. Further information of the Rock Mechanics Laboratory at EPFL is available at http://lmr.epfl.ch/.

Review of applications will begin 1 July 2008 and will continue until the positions are filled.

Norway: PhD Position Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)

The PhD position will be associated with a large, multidisciplinary offshore/subsea group
together with several other PhD’s, SINTEF researchers, and NTNU professors. High
motivation and good analytical and communication skills will be emphasized in the
employment process.
NTNU’s PhD-rules require a Master degree or equivalent with at least 5 years of studies and
an average grade of A or B within a scale of A-E for passing grades (A best). Candidates
from universities outside Norway are kindly requested to send a Diploma Supplement or a
similar document, which describes in detail the study and grade system and the rights for
further studies associated with the obtained degree:
http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/rec_qual/recognition/diploma_en.html
Applications are to be sent to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Faculty
of Information Technology, Mathematics and Electrical Engineering, Sem Sælands vei 5,
NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway. Applications should be marked Jnr. IME-035-2008.
Closing date: 30.05.08.

Further Information

Switzerland: International PhD Program Life Science Zurich Graduate School

Description The Life Science Zurich Graduate School houses several Ph.D. programs that cover distinct areas of the life sciences. Each program offers research and education opportunities in a stimulating international environment for ambitious students who wish to work towards a Ph.D. degree. Accepted students perform their research project in one of the participating research groups of their favorite program, according to their scientific interest. Advanced teaching and training courses are offered throughout the curriculum. The program language is English throughout.
Education Applicants must hold or anticipate receiving a Master’s degree or equivalent from a university in a relevant field before starting the Ph.D. program. Applicants accepted for the program will have to register with either the University of Zurich or ETH Zurich, depending on the affiliation of their future research group.

http://www.lifescience-graduateschool.ch/index.php?id=108Email gradschool@lifescience.uzh.ch
http://www.lifescience-graduateschool.ch
Keywords Cancer; Neuroscience; Physiology; Ecology; Plant, Structural Biology

Switzerland: Plant Modelling Post-doc PhD positions

mathematics/physics/computer science and molecular biology. The project “Plant Growth in a Changing Environment” aims to understand the interactions between mechanical and genetic mechanisms that control plant growth and morphogenesis. The project involves the combination of mathematical and computer modelling (hormone transport, genetic regulatory networks, and physics-based modelling of growth) with experimental physical and molecular-genetic approaches. See PNAS 103: 1301-1306 (2006).
This is an excellent opportunity to do multi-disciplinary research on morphogenesis in the rapidly growing field of Mathematical and Systems Biology.
http://www.systemsx.ch/ http://www.systemsx.ch/index.php?id=150
http://www.botany.unibe.ch/jobs_e.php We are looking for motivated candidates to do research in the computer simulation of plant development. A M.Sc. or Ph.D. in mathematics, computer sciences or physics is required. Some experience programming is also required. Our environment encourages modellers to become an integral part of the experimental process.

Contact address Dr. Richard Smith
or
Prof. Cris Kuhlemeier
Institute of Plant Sciences
University of Bern
Altenbergrain 21
CH-3013 Bern
tel. +41 31 631 4965/4911
fax +41 31 631 4942
Email richard.smith@ips.unibe.ch / cris.kuhlemeier@ips.unibe.ch
http://www.botany.unibe.ch

USA: Postdoctoral Position and Graduate Research Opportunities in Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University

Postdoctoral position in clinical research informatics or team science
A postdoctoral position is immediately available for a highly motivated individual. Example research topics include automatically matching patients to clinical trials research using Electronic Health Records and understanding interdisciplinary health science collaboration patterns using social network analyses. Ideal candidates should have strong computing and statistical background. Experience with pattern recognition, information visualization, semantic analysis, social network analysis, or machine learning will be a plus.

Graduate research opportunities in clinical research informatics or team science

How to apply:
Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest, CV, and name and contact information of three references by mail to:

Chunhua Weng, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Biomedical Informatics
Columbia University
622 West 168th Street , VC-5, New York , NY 10032 , USA

or by e-mail to cw2384@columbia.edu with subject line “Postdoctoral application.”

Via: official announcement

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

India: Doctoral Fellowships, Kuvempu University

Titile : The Centre for the Study of Local Cultures (Kuvempu University, India) Doctoral Fellowships
Description : The Centre for the Study of Local Cultures (CSLC) was recently established at Kuvempu University, Shimoga (Karnataka, India), in collaboration with the Research Centre Vergelijkende Cultuurwetenschap (Ghent University, Belgium), and with the financial assistance of the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR, Belgium). The CSLC aims to reinvigorate social scientific research and education at this rural university, located in a remote region of Karnataka, and to become an internationally renowned research centre on South-Indian culture and society, which cultivates deep links with the local society and its cultural traditions. The centre also aims to be the catalyst behind the development of an innovative research culture in the social sciences in Karnataka. This will take an institutional form in the Karnataka Academy of Social Sciences and Humanities (KASSH) and will involve other Karnataka universities and research institutions. The CSLC invites applications for Doctoral Fellowships. The doctoral researchers will follow a PhD programme (IT, language, and presentation, teaching, and research skills training) and will conduct research on caste/inequality and pluralism/conflict. The primary objective of the PhD programme is to provide high quality training to scholars in social sciences to become distinguished researchers and teachers in the social sciences. Prospective candidates should be willing to make a strong commitment to research and to shift to the University campus at Shankaraghatta for the duration of the PhD programme. Moreover, during the course of their research, candidates may have to stay in Belgium (Europe) for a period of time. Areas of research at the CSLC: comparative science of cultures; the study of cultural differences between Europe and India; the study of local cultures in Karnataka; research specifically related to caste/inequality and pluralism/conflict. Fellowships: • Three First Category Fellowships - Rs. 6500 per month (four years).* • Three Second Category Fellowships - Rs. 3000 per month for the first two years and Rs. 3500 for the next two years (four years).* * The selection of first and second category Fellowships will be made on the basis of the Fellowship application, interview performance and merit. Both Fellowships have annual contingency benefits. Qualifications of the candidate: Degree: Master’s degree in the social sciences and humanities (with 55% and above). Languages: Knowledge of both Kannada and English is essential. How to apply: The application form can be obtained from the office of the Centre for the Study of Local Cultures either in person or by sending a request to the Administrative Officer. The applicant may also download the form from the Kuvempu University website (www.kuvempu.ac.in). The deadline for applications is 12 June 2008. Applicants should submit their applications by e-mail or by post.
Homepage : www.kuvempu.ac.in
Category : PhD Scholarships India
Keywords : Centre for the Study of Local Cultures, CSLC
Contact : S.E. Indudhara, Administrative Officer Centre for the Study of Local Cultures Kuvempu University Shankaraghatta – 577451 Karnataka, India. Mobile number: +91 944 844 96 01 E-mail: cslc_ku@yahoo.co.in
Name : S.E. Indudhara
Email : cslc_ku@yahoo.co.in

Germany : University of Goettingen Doctoral Studentship

A position is offered for a doctoral student at the Buesgen Institute
- Soil Science of Tropical and Subtropical Ecosystems, Georg-August
University of Goettingen beginning on 1 August 2008 for 3 years. Salary
is E 13/2 based on the German TV-L system. The successful candidate
will work on the project: ?Long-term fates of N in tropical forest
soils exposed to chronic N addition?. This research project will be
co-supervised by Dr. Marife D. Corre and Prof. Dr. Edzo Veldkamp. This
is part of the independent research group ?NITROF: Impact of elevated
NItrogen input on the biogeochemistry and productivity of TROpical
Forests? (www.nitrof.forst.uni-goettingen.de), funded by the Robert
Bosch Foundation, Germany.

Project description:
Rates of N deposition in the tropics are projected to increase
drastically in the next decades due to increases in N fertilizer use,
fossil fuel consumption, and cultivation of legumes. Until now studies
where N was experimentally added to natural forest ecosystems in the
tropics have been very limited and even rarely addressed the
environmental consequences of elevated N input. To date it is unclear
how tropical forests will react to chronic N additions. The objectives
of this research project are: 1) to determine the long-term fates of
NH4+ and NO3- in montane and lowland forest soils exposed to chronic N
addition, and 2) to quantify the effects of chronic N addition on the
contribution of different soil depths to surface fluxes of N2O, CO2,
and CH4 from the montane forest soil. This study is complementary to
the on-going measurements of NO, N2O, CO2, and CH4 emissions, leaching
losses, and above-ground net primary production in lowland and montane
forests exposed to chronic N addition. The N addition in the lowland
site started in 1998 and the site is located in Gigante Peninsula which
is part of the Barro Colorado Nature Monument, Panama. The N addition
in the montane forest started in 2006 and the site is located in
Fortuna Forest Reserve which is part of the La Amistad Biosphere
Reserve in Chiriqu? province, Panama. These sites are under the custody
of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and the study sites are
near to excellent laboratory/research/housing facilities. This study
will generate the first information on consequences of elevated N input
on N cycling, retention, and trace gas emissions from the tropical
mainland. This information is important to assess the effects of future
anthropogenic N deposition on tropical forest ecosystems.

Applicants should hold a M. Sc. or diploma degree in ecology, soil
science, environmental sciences, geo-ecology, forestry, biology or
related disciplines. The successful candidate is expected to be in
Panama for at most 24 months to carry out research works with regular
visits to the home institution for discussions/data analysis/writing.
Excellent knowledge of English is essential. Basic knowledge of Spanish
or willingness to learn it is necessary. More information about our
institute can be found under:
http://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/67070.html

Please send your application the latest on 10 June 2008 to:
Dr. Marife D. Corre
Buesgen Institute -Soil Science of Tropical and Subtropical Ecosystems
Buesgenweg 2
37077 Goettingen
Germany

France: PhD Studentship Universite Pierre et Marie Curie Paris

A 3-year PhD studentship is available at Universite Pierre et Marie
Curie (Paris, France) to study lateral gene transfers and genomic
evolution, mostly through bioinformatics approaches. The project will be
supervised by Dr Philippe LOPEZ (bioinformatics, phylogenomics) and Dr
Eric BAPTESTE (evolutionary biology, philosophy of sciences), within UMR
7138 ‘Systematique, Adaptation, Evolution’.

This project will involve bioinformatic analyses, genomic and
metagenomic studies, phylogenetics and of course lots of fun discoveries
(see below for a short summary). A full description of the proposal can
be found at

http://pbg-05.snv.jussieu.fr/phd/phd_lopez_bapteste.pdf

The position is open to EU citizens. The ideal applicant should have an
MSc in Evolutionary Biology or Mathematics or Bioinformatics, and should
show a great interest in evolution. The position will start anytime from
October to December 2008. Requests for further information and
applications (a CV, cover letter and names of 2 academic referees)
should be made to Philippe LOPEZ (philippe.lopez@upmc.fr) or Eric
BAPTESTE (eric.bapteste@snv.jussieu.fr). The deadline for applications
is June 1st, 2008.

Universite Pierre et Marie Curie is located in the historical center of
Paris, by the Seine river and in front of the Jardin des Plantes, and is
the largest french university (ranked 1st in France, 6th in Europe and
39th worldwide). Scientific environments is stimulating, since the host
unit has strong connections with a wide variety of biologists: deep sea
oceanographers, transposons specialists, experts from Museum National
d’Histoire Naturelle and so on.

Thank you for your attention, we’re looking forward to hearing from you,

Philippe Lopez
Eric Bapteste

Short summary of the proposal:

Over the last years, our views of the evolution of microbial genomes
changed radically. It is now admitted that these genomes are affected by
evolutionary processes conjugating both vertical inheritance and lateral
gene transfer, via phages, plasmids and integrons. Genomes recombine,
become larger or smaller by gene losses and gains, according to rules
that still largely remain to be determined. This PhD aims at studying
the evolution of microbial genomes fluidity via genomics and
metagenomics approaches to understand how the genetic material flows
within Life’s three domains. This ambitious project relies first on the
unprecedented accumulation of molecular data from organisms in pure
culture (the genomic data) and from the sequencing of whole microbial
communities in their environment (the metagenomic data). Second, it
exploits the latest developments in bioinformatics : phylogenetic
methods of tree and network reconstruction, and possibly in silico
modeling of microbial genomes evolution.
This PhD addresses three major questions:
- Does the nature of the mobile genetic material change over time and
across lineages?
- How does the environment influence genomic fluidity?
- Are in situ and in silico data supporting similar conclusions?

philippe.lopez@upmc.fr

France: PhD Genetic and environmental variation of memory CNRS Gif Sur Yvette

PhD Genetic and environmental variation of memory
CNRS Gif Sur Yvette, France

A 3 year PhD position is available in the Laboratory of Evolution,
Genomes, and Speciation (LEGS, CNRS) in Gif sur Yvette (France) to work
on the evolutionary biology of memory. The starting date of the
position is programmed for September 1st 2008.
In Drosophila, 4 different memory phases have been described
(short-term, middle-term, anesthesia-resistant and long-term). Using
selection experiments, population comparisons and conditioning assays,
we are addressing issues such as: Genetic and environmental variations
of learning and memory among drosophila species and populations, fitness
benefits and costs of the different memory phases, effect of
ecologically-relevant stress on the memory phases.
The successful candidate should be highly motivated and will develop
his/her own project in this area. Candidates should have a master degree
in Evolutionary Biology, Animal Behavior or Neuroscience. Some
experience with Drosophila behavior, genetics or molecular methods would
be helpful but are not required. The application is open to all
nationalities and is funded by the European Research Council (the salary
is around 1700 Euro/Month taxes included). No pre-existing knowledge of
French is required to work in the lab, although some knowledge makes
living in France easier. Gif sur Yvette is located 40 min from downtown
Paris.
To apply, send your CV, a letter describing your research interests and
some ideas for a project to Frederic.mery@legs.cnrs-gif.fr. Arrange for
one or two letters of recommendation to be sent to the same address.

The review of applications will begin on June 15, 2008.

Frederic Mery
Laboratoire Evolution, Genomes et Speciation
CNRS - Bat 13
Avenue de la Terrasse
F-91198 Gif sur Yvette Cedex France

E-mail: Frederic.Mery@legs.cnrs-gif.fr
Phone (Office): (33) 1 69 82 37 32
Phone (Lab): (33) 1 69 82 38 63
Fax: (33) 1 69 82 37 36