Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Post-doc position (22 months) in modeling plant biodiversity data, IMBE, University Aix-Marseille, France

Position Location: IMBE, (http://www.imbe.fr), University Aix-Marseille, France

Position Description:
A post-doc position is available in the Mediterranean Institute for Biodiversity and Ecology (IMBE) a joint CNRS and University institute with 220 permanent researchers in the field of terrestrial and marine ecology. The position will last two years and is based in IMBE, directed by Thierry Tatoni and Wolfgang Cramer, this program is directed by Agathe Leriche, Cécile Albert and Arne Saatkamp, in Marseille, France - a region noted for its access to outdoor activities.

We target to start this post-doc in February 2014. The post-doc will be part of a larger European neighborhood partnership project (ENPI) with research groups from Rome and Cagliari (Italy), Alexandria (Egypt), Beirut (Lebanon) and Sfax (Tunisia) on vulnerability of coastal ecosystems. This post-doc will deal with existing GIS and floristic databases and the candidate will interact with researchers in our lab working on a broad range of projects in climate/global change impacts, macroecological patterns, phylogeography, functional ecology, landscape ecology and conservation biology.

The project aims to model the impacts of fragmentation (spatial organization), habitat degradation (land use change) on plant biodiversity of coastal ecosystems. In this project we aim to fit to data, plant distribution models (accounting for spatial explicit migration, neutral (stochastic) processes and community assembly rules) in order to assess the impact of spatial configuration on plant diversity and be able to simulate potential future changes in spatial configuration of these habitats. This project will benefit from a large data base of plant distributions and co-occurrences as well as extensive environmental and phylogenetic data gathered in previous projects and will be in contact with other regional to large scale model project in our institute.

We look for a person with a Ph.D. in landscape ecology, plant ecology, biogeography, global change ecology/geography and with strong mathematical/modeling skills willing to work with spatial explicit biodiversity data. A background in distribution (niche) modeling, neutral theory of biodiversity & biogeography and modeling of dispersal processes at the landscape level will be particularly helpful. We look for a candidate with excellent English language and especially writing skills (publication record), willingness to work in a team and strong experience in modeling techniques in one of the above fields, knowledge of using R. Knowledge of French language or willing to learn basics is a plus, but not required. Salary will correspond to French post-doc researcher positions which include social assurance coverage.

For more information regarding the position contact Dr. Arne Saatkamp (arne.saatkamp@imbe.fr). For application, please supply a single PDF document including: (i) a one page statement of interest and prospectives concerning the project, (ii) a 2 page curriculum vitae including publication record and (iii) two reference contacts that are willing to give information on your previous work (mail & phone), applications as early as possible, the position will be assigned at latest 31. January 2014.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Young African Leaders Initiative


2014 Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders


Who is eligible to apply?
All qualified applicants will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, socio-economic status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Competition for the Washington Fellowship is merit-based and open to young African leaders who meet the following criteria:
  • Are between the ages of 25 and 35 at the time of application submission, although exceptional applicants younger than 25 will be considered;
  • Are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S;
  • Are eligible to receive a United States J-1 visa;
  • Are proficient in reading, writing, and speaking English; and
  • Are citizens and residents of one of the following countries:  Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Individuals residing in the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Sudan, and Zimbabwe may not apply to the public management track. Residents of Sudan may only apply for the Civic Leadership track.
The U.S. Department of State and IREX reserve the right to verify all of the information included in the application. In the event that there is a discrepancy, or information is found to be false, the application will immediately be declared invalid and the applicant ineligible.
Applications not meeting the above technical eligibility requirements will not be forwarded to the selection committee. If you do not meet the technical eligibility requirements for this program, we invite you to visit http://exchanges.state.gov/non-us for information on other U.S. Department of State exchange opportunities.
What are the criteria for selection?
The Washington Fellowship is conducted as a merit-based open competition. After the deadline, all eligible applications will be reviewed by a selection panel. Chosen semi-finalists will be interviewed by the U.S. embassies or consulates in their home country. If advanced to the semi-finalist round, applicants must provide a copy of their international passport (if available) or other government-issued photo identification at the time of the interview.
Selection panels will use the following criteria to evaluate applications (not in order of importance):
  • A proven record of leadership and accomplishment in public service, business and entrepreneurship, or civic engagement;
  • A demonstrated commitment to public or community service, volunteerism, or mentorship;
  • The ability to work cooperatively in diverse groups and respect the opinions of others;
  • Strong social and communication skills;
  • An energetic, positive attitude;
  • A demonstrated knowledge, interest, and professional experience in the sector/track selected; and
  • A commitment to return to Africa and apply leadership skills and training to benefit the applicant’s country and/or community after they return home.
Application Information:
There is no cost associated with applying for the Washington Fellowship.
The application will collect basic information and will include questions regarding applicants’ professional and academic experience including educational background; honors and awards received; extracurricular and volunteer activities; and English language proficiency. We will also request a résumé (with dated educational and professional background), personal information (name, address, phone, email, country of citizenship). Additional elements, such as letters of recommendation or university transcripts, are OPTIONAL and may supplement your application.  Apply now by visiting the application site.

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Source: http://youngafricanleaders.state.gov/washington-fellows/how-to-apply/