Monday, March 31, 2008

[Hong Kong- PhD] Studentship in Computational Chemistry, Molecular Clusters and Climate, the University of Hong Kong

A fully funded PhD position is available immediately in the field of computational chemistry, more specifically in the field of atmospheric water clusters, here in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Hong Kong.

The work is in the field of computational chemistry and deals with cluster structure and stability as well as coupling between atmospheric cluster distribution and climatic impact. The project will involve modeling energetic and spectroscopic properties of molecular clusters such as, for instance, neutral and ionic water clusters, as well as select metal/water clusters, at ambient and extreme conditions. Several different methodologies will be applied including 1) density functional theory, 2) ab initio methods and 3) time dependent density functional type calculations. All computations will be performed on HPC clusters at the University of Hong Kong. Successful applicants will join a dynamic, research-oriented department with strong collaborative links to the Physics, Chemistry and other natural science departments as well as to high-performance supercomputing facilities on campus. Applicants should hold a B.Sc. degree (or equivalent) in Geochemistry, Chemistry, Chemical Engg. or a related discipline and should be highly motivated to perform fundamental simulation and modeling studies.

Further details may be obtained from Dr. Kono Lemke, Department of Earth Sciences, Pokfulam Road, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, (Tel +852 2241 5474, Fax +852 2517 6912), email: kono[ at ]hku.hk or kono[ at ]hkucc.hku.hk to whom a letter of application, a cv and details of three referees should be sent.

[Ireland- PhD] Possition in Early Warning Modelling, University College Cork

SCEWA Project http://4c.ucc.ie/scewa Funded by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency

ANNOUNCEMENT

PHD Position

In CSE with applications to risk and environmental modelling

  • To be appointed to the Cork Constraint Computation Centre (4C), University College Cork (http://4c.ucc.ie)
  • Research project: Supporting then Concept of Early Warning Analysis (SCEWA), funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (http://4c.ucc.ie/scewa).
  • Salary @ approximately 22k Euros per annum

Project Objectives

  1. To develop an intelligent early warning system in water treatment plant operations.
  2. To define a modelling language for designing intelligent early warning systems.
  3. To build a prototype software platform to help user in designing intelligent early warming systems.

PhD Objective Definition of a modelling language for early warning systems.

Qualifications The ideal candidate for the post will have:

  • Bachelor/Masters Degree in engineering (Civil, Environmental or Chemical) or in Environmental Sciences or in Computer Science
  • Good knowledge in modelling languages and modelling techniques
  • Experience with programming language-s
  • Also, knowledge in risk analysis methods is an added value.

Additional information

  • Available at http://4c.ucc.ie/scewa
  • Closing date for applications is Friday 2 May 2008.
  • Please forward curriculum vitae, as well as names and contact details of two referees, electronically to Dr. Ioannis Dokas (i.dokas@4c.ucc.ie)

[Australia: Research] Scholarship in Biomedical Signal Processing

Fee waiver scholarship is available from April 2008 to work on 4 Months, CDU/NTG-funded, cross-disciplinary project on the design of high performance automatic diagnostic tools from a human factors perspective. The school of engg. and Information Technology is undertaking the signal processing aspects of the project which involves measurement and processing of ECG and EEG signals and also human performance measurement and analysis during heat stress, sleep apnoea, and evoked potentials trials in both calm and adverse weather conditions. Experimental testing, simulation studies and theoretical modelling will also be undertaken. Three PhD students are working on the overall aspects of the project and the accepted research student will develop multivariable signal processing techniques to relate changes in biomedical signals to the performance of human diseases. Applicants must possess strong academic record. Skills required are the ability to work across subject boundaries, core strength in signal processing and/or pattern recognition algorithms and the desire to work within a team. Good oral and written English skills are required.

Take in consideration that the visa process will take around two months. Preferred start date 1st June, 2008 and finishing date 1st October 2008.

Deadline for receiving applications: 10th April 2008

Acceptance letter will be sent by post and a PDF file in 12th April 2008 to the successful applicant’s e-mail.

Please send your CV with two recommendation letters to:

Mohamed Elgendi Senior Researcher School of Engineering and Information Technology Charles Darwin University Australia Tel: +61(0)411 884 199 Email: mohamed.elgendi[ at ]cdu.edu.au

[Australia-PhD] Software Engineering Research Scholarship (Probabilistic Verification and Model-Based Quality Evaluation)

Project title: Probabilistic Verification and Model-Based Quality Evaluation

Research topic: Model Based Development (MBD) has established itself as the key approach to Software Engineering of increasingly complex systems in automotive and aerospace domains. It has proved successful at managing complexity associated with functionality. A new approach is to use model-based techniques also for quality evaluation and predictions. Since most of quality attributes such as performance, reliability, availability, safety, and security have a probabilistic nature, probabilistic verification techniques are the best solution to perform model-based quality evaluation. The research project shall explore the possibilities of probabilistic modelling and verification techniques to reason about quality attributes early in the software development lifecycle. To get a detailed introduction into this research project please have a look at the following background literature: -Controller dependability analysis by probabilistic model checking (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.conengprac.2006.07.003) -Quantitative risk-based security prediction for component-based systems with explicitly modeled attack profiles (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2007.11.716) -Early quality prediction of component-based systems – A generic framework (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2006.08.014)

Your Benefits: Basically, the benefits can be summarised as follows:

  • You will work on real-world research problems. (There will always be opportunities to cooperate with major software and systems engineering companies.)
  • You will be trained in all skills that are required to successfully finish you research project. Our goal is to help you develop the skills, connections, and opportunities required, that ensure a successful career.
  • You will create research outputs at the highest standards. In today’s world, it is not only enough to be good, students must be great and competitive compared to other graduate students. Please have a look at our own research outputs.
  • You will get optimal and continuous supervision. My goal is to give you strong support on your research from a technical side. However, we also try to help my students to develop their personal skills. If you like to know more about my supervision style, we can provide contact details of recently graduated students as reference.
  • You study in a friendly and cooperative environment. Australia is known for its friendliness.

We require: We are interested in a PhD student who has an excellent academic record (first class honours or equivalent with marks above 85%) with background in one or more of the following areas: -probabilistic logics and probabilistic verification -probabilistic model checking -quality attributes such as performance, reliability, availability, safety, and security -software engineering (in the areas of embedded systems, robotics, etc. ) -software architectur and architecture evaluation -formal methods in system design -statistics

Since this project involves working with other PhD students and industrial partner, communication skills and the ability to work in a team environment are especially required.

The scholarship carries a value of AUS$20,000+ p.a., with fee exemption for both Australian and international student . The selection process will be competitive. If you are interested in the research project, please provide the following information via email to lgrunske[ at ] swin.edu.au:

-detailed curriculum vitae -an (electronic) copy of undergraduate and postgraduate transcripts (first class honours or equivalent with marks above 85% or GPA 3.70/4) -evidence of English proficiency for non native English speaker (officially required is an IELTS of 6.5 with no band below 6.0, practically scores above 7.0 are preferred).

[Ireland- PhD] Scholarship in Health Services Research, University College Cork

PhD Scholars Programme Health Services Research Integrated health care: from research to policy and practice

Exciting Opportunities for Health, Social Science, Computer Science and Humanities Graduates

This structured PhD programme, funded by the Irish Health Research Board, commenced in 2007 and has an annual intake of postgraduate Scholars over 4 years. The programme is a joint initiative of senior academic staff from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Trinity College Dublin and University College Cork. They constitute the Health Services Research Institute. The Programme theme is “Integrated healthcare: from research to policy and practice”.

This 4-year PhD Scholars Programme features:

  • Relevant taught modules
  • 10-week specialist rotations in Irish health-related data collection agencies in the first year
  • Choice of PhD project from an extensive range during the first year
  • Opportunities for multidisciplinary research
  • Supervision by internationally renowned Principal Investigators
  • Placement with a prestigious overseas agency to further PhD project development in Year 2
  • Professional skills training allowance
  • Travel awards to international conferences
  • Annual stipend of €18,000 plus laptop computer plus PhD fees

This programme provides excellent training for Scholars in core research skills needed to deliver an evidence basis for health service evaluation and planning. Project opportunities are available in the following broad and overlapping areas:

  • Cardiovascular and related diseases - secondary prevention
  • Integration of care - older populations, epilepsy, stroke, diabetes
  • Pharmacoepidemiology and health informatics
  • Health economics and health policy
  • Oral health
  • Quality of life and quality of care
  • Gerontology
  • Global health

Application Procedure We welcome applications from candidates expecting or possessing a first or upper second class honours degree or equivalent in any health, social science, computer science or humanities area.

Email applications only by Friday 18th April 2008 to hsriadmin[ at ]rcsi.ie

For further information or inquiries please visit the official website

[Denmark-PhD] PhD Scholarships in Intelligent Supply Chains, Aalborg University

The Center for Industrial Production at Aalborg University (http://www.cip.aau.dk) calls for applications for two vacant PhD scholarships within the area of business process innovation and supply chain management. The PhD scholarships will address the following areas:

  1. New methodologies for IT based Innovations in Supply Chains.
  2. Methods for developing and implementing intelligent supply chain concepts.

Potential applicants are encouraged to contact Professor Charles Møller, charles[ at ]production.aau.dk for further details.

Application deadline is April, 30.th 2008.

The successful applicant must participate in an action research program at Danfoss (http://danfoss.com) and work with research issues relevant to the program. The Danish PhD stipends are quite generous. There is no tuition, and the salary will be approximately 3.100 Euro per month. Full description of the position is provided at this link.

[Netherlands-PhD] PhD Student Position in Computer Science at University of Groningen

PhD student position in Computer Science - Intelligent Systems - Biologically motivated object recognition

Institute of Mathematics and Computing Science, University of Groningen

Topic of research The objective of the project is to develop an object recognition technique that is motivated by the function of the visual cortex. Major aspects are representation and learning.

Type and level of the position This is a temporary research position at the level of a PhD student for a period of maximum four years. The tuition fees will be waived and the student will receive a full scholarship. In this period the student will follow relevant courses and prepare and defend a PhD thesis. The position is embedded in the research group Intelligent Systems. The tradition of the group is that PhD theses are based on excellent papers in high imact journals so that our PhD graduates have a very strong competative position on the academic market. Thesis director and supervisor will be professor N. Petkov. The University of Groningen is a leading European research university.

Our requirements on your qualifications You are a university graduate (at the level of diploma or master of science level) in one of the following disciplines: computer science, artificial intelligence, computational neuroscience, electrical engineering, biophysics, physics. You have a demonstrated interest in the neurosciences. You have an excellent academic record (GPA) and belong to the top 5% of the graduates of your year and preferrably have a graduation with a distinction such as honors or cum laude. You are fluent in English language and able to write scientific articles and reports (to be proven by your graduation thesis or another comparable report or co-authorship of published scientific articles).

How to apply Send the following information:

  1. an application letter with a CV,
  2. a specification of GPA and transcript of records,
  3. an indication of your position in the class and year (e.g. 1st in a class of 20),
  4. evidence of excellence (e.g. graduation with honors) and a list of relevant awards,
  5. proofs of involvement in research (e.g. co-authorship of scientific articles),
  6. a description of your ideas for research in the specified area,
  7. names and email addresses of three scientists (typically your former professors) who can give a reference for you.

to prof.dr. Nicolai Petkov (petkov[ at ]cs.rug.nl). Applicants will be asked to do a short assignment in order to demonstrate their research abilities. The position will be open until a suitable candidate is found.

Further information at the official website

[Japan] The United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies seeks PhD& Postdoctoral Fellowships - Sustainable Development

The United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) is now accepting applications for its three fellowship programmes: UNU-IAS PhD Fellowships, UNU-IAS Postdoctoral Fellowships, and JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowships.

UNU-IAS is a multi-thematic, interdisciplinary, research and training centre located in Yokohama, Japan. The Institute’s fellowship programmes provide young scientists, policy makers, and developing country scholars with the opportunity to expand their intellectual vision beyond a single scientific field.

UNU-IAS PhD and Postdoctoral Fellowships are offered for a period of 10 months beginning in October 2008. JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowships are offered for 12-24 months beginning in November 2008.

Postdoctoral candidates must have completed a PhD degree, and PhD candidates must be at the advanced stage of their doctoral dissertation. Candidates’ current research must be closely related to one of the thematic areas of the Institute.

The closing date for applications is 25 April 2008.

Please see website for further details.

[UK] Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Award in Mechanical Engineering - University of Leeds

Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Award School of Mechanical Engineering

Value of Award: Maintenance Stipend for a maximum period of 3 years (£12,940 for Session 2008/09), full overseas rate fees and a Research Training Support Grant

Number Available: One

Minimum Academic Requirements: A very good first degree (equivalent to a UK first class honours degree) from a prestigious institution (a lower rated BSc with a Masters will not normally be accepted as the equivalent of a UK first class honours degree). Candidates must also meet the University’s English language requirements.

The Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Awards are a national initiative to bring outstanding students from India, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Russia, South Africa and the developing world to the UK to study for PhD degrees in top-rated research environments. The eligible countries are those listed in Part 1 on the OECD website.

This award is provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (www.epsrc.ac.uk ) and Shell Global Solutions and is available in for a research project in the area of ‘factors affecting combustion of sustainable engine fuels’.

Further information on the background to the Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Awards Scheme can be found at http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/hodgkin/

Application Forms: Contact Details: Application forms and guidance notes are available from http://www.leeds.ac.uk/rds/schol/dhpa-forms.htm and should be returned to the Scholarships Office, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT

Please contact Professor Chris Sheppard for enquiries about the project area. Email: c.g.w.sheppard[at]leeds.ac.uk Tel: + 44 (0)113 343 2140 Fax: +44 (0)113 343 2150

Closing Date: 30 April 2008

Application forms for research degree study are available to download here or online at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/students/apply_research.htm

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

[UK-PhD] in Quantitative Social Science - University of Manchester

PhD in Quantitative Social Science Graduate Programme in Social Research Methods and Statistics Centre for Census and Survey Research (CCSR) SEVEN fully funded PhD studentships commencing September 2008 CCSR is a multi-disciplinary research centre in the School of Social Sciences, specialising in the development and application of quantitative research methods. The prestigious Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) awards are available to UK and EU citizens and pay for fees, a £750 annual research training support grant and (for UK residents) an annual stipend of up to £15,300. Applicants can apply for either a 1+3 award (four years covering linked Masters and PhDs) or a + 3 award (three years with direct entry to PhD research). Two university-funded studentships are also open to overseas students. What topic? We welcome applications in a wide range of topic areas relating to our research themes which include: * Pure and applied social statistics and research methods * Social networks * Demographic and social change * Elections, political parties and political behaviour * Relationships and relationship structures * Work and employment * Confidentiality, privacy and disclosure How to Apply For full details on the studentships and information on how to apply visit our website: www.ccsr.ac. uk or contact the School Postgraduate Administrator: Victoria Barnes Email: vicky.barnes@ manchester. ac.uk Tel: 0161-275 4743 The deadline for receiving applications is 1st April 2008.

[Netherland-PhD] PhD student (Value-IT project) - University of Twente

University of Twente Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) PhD student (Value-IT) Enschede, 7500 AE (Overijssel) , 38 hours per week University of Twente Job description In the Value-IT project we will work with the music industry and the energy business to develop two prototypes for dynamic alignment of value models and coordination models in these businesses. Our goal in both domains is design and validate advanced techniques for the adaptive and hierarchical bundling of commercial IT services that match consumer needs. In this project, IT service is a commercial service that can be ordered and provisioned on-line, by which the provider earns money. We envisage a scenario where a consumer need is analyzed on-line, leading to the dynamic creation of a value constellation of independent businesses which jointly offer a service bundle that satisfies the consumer need. The bundle is composed from web services offered by the businesses in the value constellation. Subsequent occurrences of the same need will be provided by the same value constellation, unless quality of service drops below the level required by the consumer. Quality of service will therefore be continuously monitored and the constellation can be dynamically reconfigured, if required. PhD student (Value-IT) The project is performed jointly with the Free University of Amsterdam and the University of Tilburg where value-based techniques for service definition are studied. See http://www.e3value. com/projects/ ourprojects/ value-it/ for the complete project description. In the Information Systems Group of the University of Twente we have an opening for one Ph.D. student. The Ph.D. student will investigate how a coordination process can be automatically configured to match a value model and quality of service requirements, and how this can be deployed on a service-oriented business platform. Requirements Required education/skills: University Graduate We ask: A MSc degree in business informatics, software engineering, computer science or equivalent degree. Good communication skills, in writing as well as oral. Your main task will be to do research, but you will be given the opportunity to acquire some teaching experience. Job type: Research / Advising Workfield(s) : - Research trainees, non-tenured lecturers, researchers( Scientific discipline: Engineering) Organization University of Twente Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) Sharing knowledge, working together, research, innovation. It is all part of the only campus university in the Netherlands: the University of Twente (UT). A university with an international character. We have for example many foreign doctoral students, and master programmes are provided in English. Divided over 5 faculties, we provide more than 50 Bachelor and Master programmes, varying from Applied Physics and Public Administration to Applied Communication Science and Biomedical Technology. In beautiful green surroundings, more than 8000 students and 2700 staff live, work and recreate at the UT. It is also a place where talented people get every opportunity to perform cutting edge research. But as an entrepreneurial university this is not all we do. In ‘Kennispark’, for example, we work together with the business community, we support our students in setting up their own businesses and participate in many projects in the area of knowledge development. In brief, a dynamic climate in which to work and study. The Computer Science department of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) is one of the largest academic institutions in computer science in the Netherlands, with 220 faculty members and 1200 students. It provides courses in Technical Computer Science, Business Information Technology, and Telematics. In addition, the department contributes to computer science education within other academic programmes. The research of the department is part of the multidisciplinary research institute Centre for Telematics and Information Technology (CTIT). Conditions of employment Estimated maximum salary per month: eur 2000 - 2500 Salary: scale 10. Maximum salary amount in Euro's a month 2558 Employment basis: Temporary for specified period Duration of the contract: 4 years Maximum hours per week: 38 Additional conditions of employment: We offer: An interesting temporary research position in a dynamic and international environment. You will be appointed for a period of four years. The salary starts at €2000 gross per month and grows to €2558 gross per month in the fourth year Additional Information Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from: Prof.dr. Roel Wieringa Telephone number: 31 53 489 4189 E-mail address: roelw@cs.utwente. nl Or additional information can be obtained through one of the following links: * About the organization * About the department * About the function * website EEMCS * website Information Systems Group Application You can apply for this job before 20-04-2008 (dd-mm-yyyy) by sending your application to: University of Twente EWI Dr.R. Roel Wieringa postbus 217 7500 AE Enschede E-mail: is_jobs@ewi. utwente.nl When applying for this job always mention the vacancynumber AT/08/083.

[Netharland-PhD ] position on "Leadership in project-based organizations"

PhD position on "Leadership in project-based organizations" (Noord-Holland) , 38 hours per week University of Amsterdam Job description The PhD candidate will be supervised by Prof. Deanne N. Den Hartog and Dr Anne E. Keegan. The context for the research is project-based organizations (PBOs), which are becoming a more common and important feature of the landscape of contemporary organizing. Thus far the implications of these forms of organizing for leadership and the impact of leadership on important employee-related outcomes in PBOs remain under-researched. The aim of this project is to extend theoretical and empirical research into leadership in project-based organizations. The research will build on previous work undertaken by Prof. Den Hartog and Dr. Keegan. It will identify the roles leaders play in project-based organizations and the leadership issues that are common in this setting, and explore the potential positive and negative effects of leadership on employees of PBOs using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Requirements Required education/skills: * Master's (MA, MSc or drs) in the area of business, management or social sciences (e.g. Business Administration, Management, HRM, Organizational Behaviour or Organizational Psychology) * Interest and some experience in field research in organizations * Good knowledge of research methods * Well-developed presentation and communication skills * Mastery of both written and spoken English Job type: Research / Advising Workfield(s) : - Research trainees, non-tenured lecturers, researchers( Scientific discipline: Economics) Organization University of Amsterdam The University of Amsterdam (UvA) is a university with an internationally acclaimed profile, located at the heart of the Dutch capital. As well as a world center for business and research, Amsterdam is a hub of cultural and media activities. The UvA is a member of the League of European Research Universities. The Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) at the UvA provides academic courses in accounting, finance, management, marketing, economics and econometrics. It also conducts international research in these areas. The Amsterdam Business School (ABS) and the Amsterdam School of Economics form part of the FEB. Conditions of employment Employment basis: Temporary for specified period Duration of the contract: see below Maximum hours per week: 38 Additional conditions of employment: The appointment will initially be for 18 months, to be extended to a total of 4 years upon excellent performance (an evaluation will be held after 14 months). The salary will be in accordance with the University regulations for academic personnel, and will range from € 2000 (first year) up to a maximum of €2558 (final year) gross per month. The collective employment agreement of the Dutch universities will be applicable. The PhD thesis should be finalized within four years. In this period, the candidate will also be expected to do some teaching (20% of the time). Additional Information Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from: Dr Keegan E-mail address: a.e.keegan@uva. nl Or additional information can be obtained through one of the following links: * About the organization * About the department * About the function Application You can apply for this job before 01-04-2008 (dd-mm-yyyy) by sending your application to: Roetersstraat 11 1018 WB Amsterdam E-mail: applications- feb@uva.nl When applying for this job always mention the vacancy number AT 08-5013.

[Netherlands-PhD] Nematology - Wageningen University

Plant Sciences, chair group Nematology PhD Nematology Wageningen, (Gelderland) , 38 hours per week Plant Sciences, chair group Nematology Job description In a concerted action, two PhD students and a post-doc will study how plants, in particular genetically modified (GM) plants, can change their own soil ecosystem. Plants can have profound effects on soil organisms, because the great majority of carbon input in soils originates from living plants (root exudates) and from dead plant material. It needs to be tested if GM plants have such influence too, and if yes, if this influence is different from non-GM plants. Crops with e.g. GM-increased resistance against pathogens and herbivores, can have side-effects on beneficial rhizosphere- inhabiting organisms; residues of crops with GM-altered tissue composition may have different decomposition rates, and thereby affect soil decomposer communities. Given the importance of the soil community for soil carbon and nitrogen cycles, effects of GM plants on non-target soil organisms and processes have to be evaluated properly prior to their admission. The research program aims to deliver a tool for risk assessment of GM plants based on soil nematodes that will enable evaluation of risks of these plants for soil fertility functions. For the PhD Nematology we are looking for a molecular ecologist. You are asked to turn a prototype of a DNA barcode-based nematode community analysis tool into a user friendly device, and should provide guidelines to interpret the observed changes. Nematodes are a species-rich soil fauna group with great bioindicator potential. Initially, we will study non-GM Brassica species releasing different levels of glucosinolates - natural components with a broad spectrum effect on soil life. The effects of various Brassica cultivars on nematodes communities and C and N dynamics in soil will be studied. Next, the PhD will use quantitative PCR to determine whether GM crops have qualitative or quantitative effects on nematodes rhizosphere communities. This will be used to develop an Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) guidance for GM crops. Requirements Required education/skills: University Graduate We are looking for a candidate with an MSc degree in a relevant field who feels challenged by the aims of this project and has a strong drive for experimental research. Further requirements include: - a good command of written and spoken English - excellent writing and presentation skills - proven ability to organize laboratory- and/or field experiments - experience in molecular ecology / biology. Knowledge in one or more of the following fields would be appreciated: nematology, plant pathology, soil ecology or ecological risk assessment. Within the same program a PhD Soil Quality will link plant-induced effects on soil fertility to nematode community structure. A post doc at the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) is responsible for implementation of the scientific results in a practical ERA guidance. Job type: Research / Advising Workfield(s) : - Post-doctorates( Scientific discipline: Agriculture) Organization Plant Sciences, chair group Nematology The work will be carried out at the Laboratory of Nematology at the Wageningen University. The Laboratory has already conducted previous studies on mapping, cloning and characterizing disease resistance genes from plants. Excellent facilities exist for studying protein-protein interactions and doing bioinformatics. Laboratory of Nematology, Wageningen University. URL: http://www.nem. wur.nl/UK/ Conditions of employment Employment basis: Temporary for specified period Duration of the contract: year initially with a possibility of extension to 4 years. Maximum hours per week: 38 Additional conditions of employment: Full time positions for a period of one year initially with a possibility of extension to 4 years. Gross salary will be 2.000 per month in the first year rising to 2.558 per month in the fourth year, according to the collective labor agreement of the VNSU. Additional Information Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from: Dr.ir. Hans Helder Telephone number: 31 317483136 E-mail address: hans.helder@ wur.nl Or additional information can be obtained through one of the following links: * About the organization Application You can apply for this job before 10-04-2008 (dd-mm-yyyy) by sending your application to: Plant Sciences Group Department Personnel and Organization D. Wissink P.O. Box 16 6700 AA Wageningen The Netherlands E-mail: vacaturemeldingen. psg@wur.nl When applying for this job always mention the vacancynumber AT; DPW 08-09.

[Netherlands-PhD] Nematology - Wageningen University

Plant Sciences, chair group Nematology PhD Nematology Wageningen, (Gelderland) , 38 hours per week Plant Sciences, chair group Nematology Job description In a concerted action, two PhD students and a post-doc will study how plants, in particular genetically modified (GM) plants, can change their own soil ecosystem. Plants can have profound effects on soil organisms, because the great majority of carbon input in soils originates from living plants (root exudates) and from dead plant material. It needs to be tested if GM plants have such influence too, and if yes, if this influence is different from non-GM plants. Crops with e.g. GM-increased resistance against pathogens and herbivores, can have side-effects on beneficial rhizosphere- inhabiting organisms; residues of crops with GM-altered tissue composition may have different decomposition rates, and thereby affect soil decomposer communities. Given the importance of the soil community for soil carbon and nitrogen cycles, effects of GM plants on non-target soil organisms and processes have to be evaluated properly prior to their admission. The research program aims to deliver a tool for risk assessment of GM plants based on soil nematodes that will enable evaluation of risks of these plants for soil fertility functions. For the PhD Nematology we are looking for a molecular ecologist. You are asked to turn a prototype of a DNA barcode-based nematode community analysis tool into a user friendly device, and should provide guidelines to interpret the observed changes. Nematodes are a species-rich soil fauna group with great bioindicator potential. Initially, we will study non-GM Brassica species releasing different levels of glucosinolates - natural components with a broad spectrum effect on soil life. The effects of various Brassica cultivars on nematodes communities and C and N dynamics in soil will be studied. Next, the PhD will use quantitative PCR to determine whether GM crops have qualitative or quantitative effects on nematodes rhizosphere communities. This will be used to develop an Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) guidance for GM crops. Requirements Required education/skills: University Graduate We are looking for a candidate with an MSc degree in a relevant field who feels challenged by the aims of this project and has a strong drive for experimental research. Further requirements include: - a good command of written and spoken English - excellent writing and presentation skills - proven ability to organize laboratory- and/or field experiments - experience in molecular ecology / biology. Knowledge in one or more of the following fields would be appreciated: nematology, plant pathology, soil ecology or ecological risk assessment. Within the same program a PhD Soil Quality will link plant-induced effects on soil fertility to nematode community structure. A post doc at the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) is responsible for implementation of the scientific results in a practical ERA guidance. Job type: Research / Advising Workfield(s) : - Post-doctorates( Scientific discipline: Agriculture) Organization Plant Sciences, chair group Nematology The work will be carried out at the Laboratory of Nematology at the Wageningen University. The Laboratory has already conducted previous studies on mapping, cloning and characterizing disease resistance genes from plants. Excellent facilities exist for studying protein-protein interactions and doing bioinformatics. Laboratory of Nematology, Wageningen University. URL: http://www.nem. wur.nl/UK/ Conditions of employment Employment basis: Temporary for specified period Duration of the contract: year initially with a possibility of extension to 4 years. Maximum hours per week: 38 Additional conditions of employment: Full time positions for a period of one year initially with a possibility of extension to 4 years. Gross salary will be 2.000 per month in the first year rising to 2.558 per month in the fourth year, according to the collective labor agreement of the VNSU. Additional Information Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from: Dr.ir. Hans Helder Telephone number: 31 317483136 E-mail address: hans.helder@ wur.nl Or additional information can be obtained through one of the following links: * About the organization Application You can apply for this job before 10-04-2008 (dd-mm-yyyy) by sending your application to: Plant Sciences Group Department Personnel and Organization D. Wissink P.O. Box 16 6700 AA Wageningen The Netherlands E-mail: vacaturemeldingen. psg@wur.nl When applying for this job always mention the vacancynumber AT; DPW 08-09.

[UK] MPAGS Prize Studentships - University of Nottingham

University of Nottingham MPAGS Prize Studentships Midlands Physics Alliance The Midlands Physics Alliance brings together three of the leading UK institutions - the Universities of Birmingham, Nottingham and Warwick. The three institutions together have over 300 physics postgraduates, one of the largest concentrations in the UK, and the Midlands Physics Alliance Graduate School (MPAGS) aims to provide a world class educational experience. MPAGS awards prestigious PhD Prize Studentships which aim to attract extremely able physics graduates from around the world into the Midlands region. Two MPAGS Prize Studentships are offered in Nottingham from October 2008. MPAGS will cover fees and support for up to four years for students of any nationality. We seek highly motivated students for PhD projects in the fields of condensed-matter physics, nanoscience, magnetic resonance and semiconductors. Projects may be experimental, theoretical, or a mixture of the two. Preference will be given to joint projects supervised across two of the partner institutions. Please direct your enquiries including a CV and the names and addresses of two referees to Professor B Gallagher, School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD. Email: Bryan.Gallagher@ Nottingham. ac.uk . Please quote ref. SCI/404. These studentships are open until filled. Further information regarding the Midlands Physics Alliance and details of PhD topics are available at: http://mpags. nottingham. ac.uk/ . For all our vacancies and more about working at the University of Nottingham see: http://jobs. nottingham. ac.uk/ .

[Ireland] Global Women's studies doctoral Research Fellowships

As part of its commitment to develop feminist research on global issues and human rights, the Global Women's Studies Programme is pleased to announce two doctoral research fellowships, renewable for up to three years (2008-2011). Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates who wish to pursue doctoral research on the gender dimensions of one or more of the following themes: . Challenging fundamentalisms . Globalisation and health crises . Rights-based development . Human rights in conflict/post- conflict contexts . Violence against women, intersectionality, identity The value of each scholarship is Euro 16,500 per annum for three years. In addition to pursuing their own research, scholarship holders will undertake a small amount of teaching and other tasks related to the research activities of the Global Women's Studies Programme. Please note that scholarship applicants must meet requirements for admission to doctoral study in Women's Studies. Candidates for the PhD are usually expected to hold a Master's degree in a cognate field or be able to demonstrate equivalent professional preparation to pursue doctoral level research. All applications for admission to the PhD programme in Women's Studies must be made online at http://www.pac. ie/ using the following PAC codes: PhD (Women's Studies) Full-time: GYB82 PhD (Women's Studies) Part-time: GYB83 Applications for doctoral fellowships must be made separately through the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies Click here ermsconditions. pdf > for information on the terms and conditions of the Global Women's Studies Doctoral Fellowships. For substantive inquiries about pursuing doctoral research with the Global Women's Studies Programme, please contact: Dr. Niamh Reilly Global Women's Studies Programme School of Political Science and Sociology Aras Moyola, Room 326 NUI, Galway - IRELAND Tel. +353 (0) 91 495403 niamh.reillynuigalw ay.ie Deadline for receipt of applications: Friday April 25, 2008. http://www.nuigalwa y.ie/womens_ studies/doctoral _research_ scholarships. ht ml

Sunday, March 23, 2008

[UK- PhD] Scholarship in Information Security, University College London

Information Security Applications are invited for a PhD Scholarship from students interested in pursuing a PhD in Computer Science on a topic in Information Security. The PhD work can be on cryptography, network security or critical infrastructures etc.

We are seeking a talented graduate with at least an upper second class honours degree (first class honours preferred), or equivalent, in computer science, information security or similar. Students with a strong background in mathematics (in particular combinatorics, discrete mathematics and number theory) and/or algorithms are encouraged to apply. UCL is a leading UK research university. It is regularly ranked in the top five universities in the UK. The Department of Computer Science at UCL is one of the largest Computer Science departments in the UK, and UCL’s Adastral Park Postgraduate Campus has been established by UCL as an independent research and postgraduate teaching institute at Adastral Park, Ipswich.

The studentship is for three years and covers payment of tuition fees at either the UK/EU or overseas rate plus an annual stipend of £14,622.

In order to be considered for the above studentship, please complete an application form from http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate-study/application-admission where guidelines can also be found.

Candidates should indicate on the application form under ‘UCL Department’ - Adastral Park, and ‘Programme of Study’ - the name of the supervisor, Professor Y Desmedt.

Two complete sets of the application should be sent, one to UCL Registry in London (as indicated on the website) and the other to: Mrs C Churcher, UCL Adastral Park Postgraduate Campus, Ross Building PP3, Adastral Park, Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, IP5 3RE, UK, or to c.churcher[ at ]adastral.ucl.ac.uk (to whom informal enquiries may also be directed, telephone 01473-663723).

The closing date for applications is Thursday, 1st May 2008

[USA- PhD ] Student in Computational Fluid Dynamics, City University of New York (CUNY)

PhD student is sought in computational fluid dynamics/computational engineering at City College, the City University of New York (CUNY). The successful candidate is expected to work on numerical simulation of flow problems, such as ocean/coastal flows, environmental flows.

The candidate must be highly motivated, goal-oriented and have:

  • M.Sc.(applied math, civil, oceanography, mechanical, etc.)
  • Solid background in mathematics as well as engineering
  • Good knowledge of Fortran, C/C++

Background in both math and engineering is especially welcome (e.g., BS in math, MS in eng, fluid related). Preference will be given to whom with previous experience in programming, flow modeling algorithm development, and MPI.

The City University of New York is the USs leading urban public university serving more than 400,000 students at 23 colleges in New York City. City College, the flagship campus of the university, is located in Manhattan and draws students from around the world. City College is ranked among the top US universities for producing engineers, business executives, scientists (including 8 Nobel prize winners, Fields medallists, and etc.).

Application Review of applications is under going. To apply, please send a CV, list of publications (if any), and names of 2 references to:

Prof. Hansong Tang Dept. of Civil Eng., City College The City University of New York 138th Street & Convent Avenue New York, NY 10031 , USA htang[ at ]ce.ccny.cuny.edu

Or, apply at the schools web at :

www1.ccny.cuny.edu/prospective/engineering/

[Denmark-PhD] Scholarships in Social Sciences, the University of Aarhus

Opportunities for Outstanding Students

Highly qualified students are invited to apply for admission to the PhD programme at the Graduate School of Social Sciences, University of Aarhus, Denmark:

  • 4-year PhD scholarships
  • 3-year PhD fellowships

The Graduate School of Social Sciences offers:

  • Well-paid scholarships & free admission
  • Efficient and highly qualified advising
  • Internationally recognized faculty
  • Friendly working environment & excellent facilities
  • Outstanding career opportunities.

A PhD from the Graduate School of Social Sciences at the University of Aarhus will be recognized as a candidate trained in the latest, most advanced research methods, thereby giving access to inspiring positions in academia worldwide, or a fulfilling career in consulting and management in the public or private sectors, where demand for highly specialized knowledge continues to grow.

Application deadlines: 15 May and 15 November

For more information, please visit: www.socialsciences.au.dk/phd

Graduate School of Social Sciences University of Aarhus. Denmark

[UK- Research Studentships] in Computing and Information Technology, University of Wolverhampton

Research Studentships

School of Computing and Information Technology Full-time Research Studentships (£12,600 per annum bursary, fees waived) in Pervasive and Mobile Computing, Computer Mediated Learning, Wireless Sensor Networks, Games and Media Computing.

The School of Computing and IT is committed to extending its strength in established research areas by award of two fully-funded, three-year, full-time doctoral research studentships, available to both home and overseas students on a competitive basis. The School has vibrant research programmes in pervasive and mobile computing, centred around location based services and wireless sensor networks, games and media computing and statistical cybermetrics. In addition to funded research projects in these areas, we also undertake a variety of technology transfer activities with regional companies.

Studentships may be awarded against research proposals in any of the following areas:

  • Location based services, particularly applied to learning and culture.
  • Mobile information systems.
  • Pervasive sensing networks.
  • Electronic, Mobile or Games Learning.
  • Artificial intelligence in computer games.
  • Home and health informatics.

Candidates should hold a good honours or M.Sc. from a recognised institution in a relevant subject (Candidates who expect to complete their studies for qualifying awards this academic year are welcome to apply).

Potential candidates should contact Helen Williams (h.williams[ at ]wlv.ac.uk , +44 (0)1902 321421) for an Expression of Interest form, which should be returned by 31 March 2008. After an initial selection, continuing candidates will be contacted by a member of the school’s staff, who will support the development of a research proposal, to be presented as part of the final selection, which will occur on 16 April 2008. Candidates must be available at the University on that day to present their proposal in person.

Deadline: 31 March 2008

[UK- PhD ]Studentships in Representation and Democracy, University of StrathClyde

Department Of Government The Department of Government is recognised as one of the leading Political Science departments in the UK. It has a thriving postgraduate community and can provide research supervision across a wide range of sub-disciplines.

Studentship in Representation and Democracy (UK/EU/Overseas fees + annual grant of £10,000) Candidates should have a research interest in any aspect of political and legislative representation, either from an institutional or behavioural perspective. Topics may seek to further existing research on legislative representation or may seek to compare ‘traditional’ models of political representation with alternative models such as direct, deliberative or participatory democracy.

University Studentships (UK/EU/Overseas fees + annual maintenance grant of c£11,500)

ESRC 1+3 / +3 Studentship Open Competition (UK fees + annual maintenance grant of £12,940)

Studentships are tenable from September 2008 for three years (ESRC 1+3 four years) subject to satisfactory progress.

Applications should consist of a research proposal of around 2 A4 pages and a full curriculum vitae. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Department to discuss their proposed research prior to submitting an application.

For further details of postgraduate research in the Department of Government see

http://www.strath.ac.uk/government/postgraduatestudents/ http://www.strath.ac.uk/search/scholarships/index.jsp

Closing dates:

University / ESRC Studentships Friday 4 April 2008 Studentship in Representation and Democracy Friday 4 July 2008

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Professor S Padgett, Director of Postgraduate Studies (Research); e: stephen.padgett[ at ]strath.ac.uk, t: 00-44-141-548-2917

[France-PhD]European Doctoral School of Demography Scholarships

The European Doctoral School of Demography (EDSD) was founded in 2005 by a consortium comprising the European Association for Population Studies (EAPS), the Institut National d'Etudes D�mographiques (INED), the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR), the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI), the universities of Amsterdam, Groningen, Helsinki, Lund, Rome and Rostock, and the Vienna Institute of Demography (VID). The EDSD is open to students of all nationalities with a master's degree and enrolled in the first year of a PhD programme. Students will acquire a solid knowledge base on causes and consequences of demographic change, population data, statistical and mathematical demography, as well as modeling, simulation and forecasting. .. Teaching is provided by leading international experts in the fields of study covered. The language of the school is English. The EDSD admits a new cohort of about 20 students every year. The EDSD does not charge fees, and makes available a number of scholarships to enable students to attend the School's course program. EDSD is an eleven-month program (from September to July). For school years 2007-8 and 2008-09, the School is located and operated at INED in Paris (France). The preparatory courses (from September to mid-October) will be offered at the MPIDR in Rostock (Germany). Students with an excellent MA degree or its equivalent are eligible to apply for a fellowship to the EDSD program. Please note that there is no official application form. Instead, applicants are requested to submit several documents (see "application materials" in the right frame of this page). All applications must be made by email. Applications should be sent to: edsd@ined.fr. The application deadline for EDSD school year 2008-9 is 1 May 2008. http://edsd. site.ined. fr/en/overview/

[PhD-Sweden] student in Hydrology with specialization in global water-balance modelling, Uppsala University, Sweden

At the Department of Earth Sciences, Programme for Air, Water, and Landscape Sciences. Starting date as soon as possible The lacking knowledge of water resources at global and continental scales have gradually come into focus because of water shortage, trans-boundary water problems, flows of virtual water, and variations in the global climate. Research on this is carried out in the research group for Surface Water Hydrology and Climate presently consisting of five professors (of which two guest professors, Chong-yu Xu in Oslo and Keith Beven in Lancaster) and five PhD students. Work description: The PhD student will work in the project ”Modelling Climate Effects on Global-Scale Water Balance” funded by FORMAS (The Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning). In the project, where Uppsala, Göteborg, and Oslo Universities cooperate, we work with development of the global water-balance model WASMOD-M. A key question is the estimation of parameter values in a globally consistent manner from available land-surface data. This will be investigated through regional studies in, e.g., parts of China and the Baltic-Sea basin. Another question deals with downscaling of climate variables. The holder of a PhD-student position shall primarily devote her/his time to own research studies. Other departmental work, such as educational or administrative can be part of position (max 20%). Eligibility: The applicant must have a university degree in hydrology (or equivalent). Experiences in numerical modelling, geographical information systems and remote-sensing analysis are qualifying. You should be interested in informing other people about your work and cooperative ability is important. In order to take part in departmental life you are expected to know Swedish or learn it within two years. The applicant must be eligible for PhD studies. Priority is given to those who are deemed to show the greatest aptitude for a successful completion of graduate studies and ability to develop the project. The position is 4 years with extension up to 5 years depending on the degree of departmental work. Local guidelines determine the salary. The application must include CV, copies of exams and list of courses including the grades obtained, a copy of the undergraduate thesis (or a draft thereof), as well as names of two reference persons. For further information about the position, please contact Professor Sven Halldin, tel. +46-18 471 2262 or+46 70 425 08 11), e-mail sven.halldin@hyd.uu.se. Union representatives are Anders Grundström, SACO-rådet, tel. +46-18 471 5380, Carin Söderhäll, TCO/ST, tel. +46-18 471 1996 and Stefan Djurström, SEKO, tel. +46-18 471 3315. Welcome with your application no later than April 14, 2008 at: Registrator, UFV-PA 2008/647, Uppsala universitet, Box 256, 751 05 Uppsala, Sweden; fax +46-18 471 2000 or e-mail: registrator@uu.se. A fax or e-mail should be followed by a signed application sent within a week of the deadline. http://www.personalavd.uu.se/ledigaplatser/647dorand_eng.html

[PhD-Sweden] student in Hydrology with specialization in global water-balance modelling, Uppsala University, Sweden

At the Department of Earth Sciences, Programme for Air, Water, and Landscape Sciences. Starting date as soon as possible The lacking knowledge of water resources at global and continental scales have gradually come into focus because of water shortage, trans-boundary water problems, flows of virtual water, and variations in the global climate. Research on this is carried out in the research group for Surface Water Hydrology and Climate presently consisting of five professors (of which two guest professors, Chong-yu Xu in Oslo and Keith Beven in Lancaster) and five PhD students. Work description: The PhD student will work in the project ”Modelling Climate Effects on Global-Scale Water Balance” funded by FORMAS (The Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning). In the project, where Uppsala, Göteborg, and Oslo Universities cooperate, we work with development of the global water-balance model WASMOD-M. A key question is the estimation of parameter values in a globally consistent manner from available land-surface data. This will be investigated through regional studies in, e.g., parts of China and the Baltic-Sea basin. Another question deals with downscaling of climate variables. The holder of a PhD-student position shall primarily devote her/his time to own research studies. Other departmental work, such as educational or administrative can be part of position (max 20%). Eligibility: The applicant must have a university degree in hydrology (or equivalent). Experiences in numerical modelling, geographical information systems and remote-sensing analysis are qualifying. You should be interested in informing other people about your work and cooperative ability is important. In order to take part in departmental life you are expected to know Swedish or learn it within two years. The applicant must be eligible for PhD studies. Priority is given to those who are deemed to show the greatest aptitude for a successful completion of graduate studies and ability to develop the project. The position is 4 years with extension up to 5 years depending on the degree of departmental work. Local guidelines determine the salary. The application must include CV, copies of exams and list of courses including the grades obtained, a copy of the undergraduate thesis (or a draft thereof), as well as names of two reference persons. For further information about the position, please contact Professor Sven Halldin, tel. +46-18 471 2262 or+46 70 425 08 11), e-mail sven.halldin@hyd.uu.se. Union representatives are Anders Grundström, SACO-rådet, tel. +46-18 471 5380, Carin Söderhäll, TCO/ST, tel. +46-18 471 1996 and Stefan Djurström, SEKO, tel. +46-18 471 3315. Welcome with your application no later than April 14, 2008 at: Registrator, UFV-PA 2008/647, Uppsala universitet, Box 256, 751 05 Uppsala, Sweden; fax +46-18 471 2000 or e-mail: registrator@uu.se. A fax or e-mail should be followed by a signed application sent within a week of the deadline. http://www.personalavd.uu.se/ledigaplatser/647dorand_eng.html

[UK-PhD] 3 International Scholarships at University of Plymouth UK, Ma

Competitive Faculty International Scholarships for Masters Courses http://thescholarin donesia.com/ detail/?oid= &fid=&iid= 294 The Faculty of Technology operates an *International Scholarship* Scheme for self fee-paying students. New entrants to a Faculty of Technology postgraduate course who have an outstandingly good result from a previous undergraduate level course are eligible to apply. The Scholarships are limited to those who would pay tuition fees at the overseas level, i.e. students who are not from the United Kingdom or the European Union. There are four scholarships available for our September 2008 intake, these are: * Faraday Scholarship * Bell Scholarship * Lovelace Scholarship * Shannon Scholarship Deadline 10th July 2008 Competitive Faculty International Scholarships for Undergraduate Courses http://thescholarin donesia.com/ detail/?oid= &fid=&iid= 295 The Faculty of Technology operates an *International scholarship* scheme for self-fee paying students. New entrants to a Faculty undergraduate course who have outstandingly good results from a previous course are eligible to apply. The scholarships are limited to those who would pay tuition fees at the overseas level, i.e. students who are not from the United Kingdom or the European Union. The value of the scholarship is worth ?2,000 off the full fees to be paid by the student for the academic year. The scholarship will continue for subsequent years of study providing the year is passed with an overall stage aggregate of 60% or more. Deadline July 10th 2008 Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme (ORSAS) 2008/2009 http://thescholarin donesia.com/ detail/?oid= &fid=&iid= 297 The University is pleased to announce the availability of 1 new ORSAS award for the 2008/2009 Academic year. The award is for new students commencing their Master of Philosophy or Doctor of Philosophy programme of study in October 2008 (start date is non-negotiable) . Deadline 16 May 2008

[Australia-PhD]Social Inclusion PhD Scholarship (MQRES)

Closing Date: 31 March 2008 The Centre for Research on Social Inclusion (CRSI) is offering two scholarships for PhD research projects focused on religion and social inclusion. Candidates may approach the topic through considering the relationship between religion and political philosophy or religion and political movements. Areas could include (but are not limited to) religion and citizenship; the relationship between religious and other kinds of discrimination; religion as a source of resistance to change, or resistance to the status quo. The Centre for Research on Social Inclusion is an interdisciplinary group of researchers from disciplines such as Anthropology, Sociology, Philosophy, Cultural Studies, and Human Geography. We also include members from across the university from areas such as demography and finance. The Centre undertakes social, cultural and philosophical research into contemporary social justice issues. Within the broad rubric of social and cultural inclusion, the Centre has five areas of special research strength: - Migration, Multiculturalism and Nation - Critical Theory and Social Hope - Welfare, Care and Social Policy - The Postcolonial World and Globalisation - Inclusion and Exclusion in Urban and Regional Spaces This scholarship is available to domestic or international students. Applicants should have equivalent research qualifications to an Australian undergraduate degree with first class honours, such as a Masters degree with a substantial thesis component in a relevant discipline. The scholarship pays a living allowance, currently $20,007 per annum, tax exempt (2008), and the maximum tenure is 3.5 years full time, subject to satisfactory progress. Tuition fees will be funded for the tenure of the scholarship. For further information and discussion regarding these projects, applicants are encouraged to contact the supervisor, Associate Professor Marion Maddox, email: crsi@scmp.mq. edu.au or telephone: +61-2-9850 9171. Application forms, and conditions for MQRES awards, are available from the Higher Degree Research Office, telephone +61-2-9850 7663, e-mail hdrschol@mq. edu.au, or downloaded from our website: www.research. mq.edu.au/ students/ scholarships/ pages/SCMP_ CRSISocialInclus ion. Applications should be forwarded to: The Scholarship Officer The Research Hub Level 3, C5C East Macquarie University NSW 2109 AUSTRALIA Dr Armen Gakavian Centre Manager Centre for Research on Social Inclusion Room 375, C5C Research Hub West Macquarie University NSW 2109 Tel: +612 9850 9171 Mobile: +614 10 658 905 Fax: +612 9850 4432 Email: crsi@scmp.mq. edu.au URL: http://www.crsi. mq.edu.au

[Australia-Ph.D] Scholarships available: Effects of physical disturbances on ecological communities

Two Ph.D. scholarships are available in the Department of Biological Sciences at Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia) for research exploring the role of physical disturbances in structuring ecological communities. The scholarships are available to both Australian and international students. Students will be supervised by Dr. Josh Madin, whose research focuses in large part on modelling the effects of hydrodynamic disturbances (e.g., cyclones) on the biological and physical structure of coral reef communities. Students will not be limited to working within coral reef systems, but rather will be encouraged to address related questions in coral reefs and/or other ecological systems. The students will be joining a research group that uses data from many scientific fields in order to tackle broader- scale questions. Therefore, students will also be encouraged to work on novel informatics techniques to aid in large-scale data integration and analysis. It is anticipated that students will conduct fieldwork and explore modelling approaches in pursuit of their research questions. For this reason, field experience and strong quantitative skills (including mathematical modelling, computer programming, and statistics) are desirable. Information on Dr. Madin's research interests and past/ current projects can be found at www.bio.mq.edu. au/ computational_ ecology. Interested students should then contact him and include a complete CV (including relevant coursework, research experience, and any publications) as well as a brief summary of their research interests. For further information, please email Dr. Madin directly at jmadin@bio.mq. edu.au. Joshua S. Madin Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney, NSW, 2109 Australia Phone: +61 2 9850-4258 Email: jmadin@bio.mq. edu.au

[Germany] Eight Open Positions for Doctoral Students, Marie Curie Early Stage Training Programme

Risk Assessment and Environmental Safety affected by Compound Bioavailability in multiphase environments (RAISEBIO) based at the UFZ Centre for Environmental Research – Leipzig, Germany to be filled between September 2006 and August 2007. Details about the positions, the eligibility criteria for candidates and how to apply are given in the file that you can download. The PhD projects are highly complementary and will be accompanied by an intensive training programme and various measures meant to develop the students scientific careers.

RAISEBIO is an EU funded early stage research training project implemented at the UFZ Departments Environmental Technology, Bioremediation, and Environmental Microbiology. The project will provide new approaches and advanced concepts for the determination, modeling, and control of bioavailability of environmental pollutants, i.e. the effective concentrations of the compounds governing toxicity or availability for degradation and residue formation in terrestrial environments.RAISEBIO plans to improve the knowledge on bioavailability, refine the predictive modeling of bioavailable concentrations in environmental systems and finally emphasize the role of bioavailability and residue formation issues in setting environmental quality standards in current and future European strategies of risk assessment and approval procedures for anthropogenic chemicals. RAISEBIO offers an intensive training program for young researchers from EU member and associate states (non-German!) on cutting edge methods in the field of environmental chemistry, microbiology, and modeling of environmental processes including isotope tracer methods, molecular methods, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and sophisticated mathematical modeling. In addition, successful candidates will be encouraged to participate at courses for complementary skills and at summer schools organized by the project.

More information: http://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=634

Thursday, March 20, 2008

[Spain-PhD thesis] 287 Grants for PhD Theses at Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC)

The CSIC (Spanish Council for Scientific Research), the largest public research body in Spain, offers 287 grants to undertake PhD theses in the framework of the JAE Programme for predoctoral research. The Programme focuses on topics in all the areas of science and technology, including Human and Social Sciences. The hosting research groups belong to the CSIC´s Centres and Institutes, located in the main Spanish cities. The grants are available for University degree holders of all nationalities. Applications from students in the last year of their University studies can be accepted. The grants provide 4 years of funding (2 years scholarship + 2 years contract). Annual stipend is € 14,400 during the 2 first years. In addition, grants cover the cost of University courses and mobility allowances to enable stays at research Institutions other than CSIC. Travel expenses (up to € 1200) for residents outside Europe.

Medical insurance is fully covered by the Spanish National Health Service Earliest and latest possible starting dates: 1st July 2008 and 1st November 2008

Online applications are now open until 1st April 2008

More information and access to the online application can be found in: http://www.csic.es/postgrado/tesis%20doctorales_jae_en.htm

[Netherland]University of Maastricht Scholarships

Maastricht University aims at continuously improving its quality as a global institution. The UM Scholarship Programme enables UM to live up to this ambition, as it is intended to stimulate talented non-EEA students to pursue master's programmes in Maastricht. Within this framework, UM offers three different scholarship programmes: UM High Potential Scholarships: provides full tuition, living expenses, visa costs, insurance and a travel reimbursement for talented students UM company scholarships: offered in partnership with companies to provide living expenses, visa costs and insurance for talented students studying at specific faculties Friends Make the Difference Scholarships: offered in partnership with friends of UM to provide partial tuition costs, living expenses, visa costs and insurance for students studying at Maastricht University All applications for these scholarships should be sent to the faculty contact person before 1 April 2008. The faculties will then make a ranking list of the ten best applications which they send to the Scholsrship Office (deadline April 10th). The Scholarship Committee (which consist of 7 members, including the Dean of Maastricht University) finally decides who will be awarded a scholarship during a meeting which will take place end of April. Students will be informed regarding the results of the meeting no later than May 15th. To demonstrate our commitment to talented students from all countries, we provide funds for the top 3% of students to study tuition-free at UM. Additional scholarships The Netherlands Organisation for International Co-Operation in Higher Education (Nuffic) offers several scholarship programmes, one of which is the HSP Huygens Programme. This scholarship is available to talented students from all countries of the world who want to earn a master's degree in the Netherlands. For more information on Nuffic scholarships and grants, please visit the Nuffic and Grantfinder websites. Through the MTEC (Matra Training for European Cooperation) scholarship programme, the Dutch government offers high potential, recent university graduates and young public administrators from specific target countries the opportunity to do a number of UM master's programmes. The EU offers several programmes for non-EU students. You can find useful information covering different countries and areas on the Study in Europe website. The Indonesian government has made scholarships available for Indonesian students who wish to follow master's or PhD programmes in the Netherlands. http://www.unimaas.nl/default.asp?template=werkveld.htm&id=5BFX7510X42I3C

[Korea]Master and Phd Scholarship in Seoul Nat'l University

Graduate Scholarship for Excellent Foreign Students Program for Fall 2008 We are very pleased to introduce you "Graduate Scholarship for Excellent Foreign Students Program for Fall 2008" that aims recruiting highly motivated students with high academic potentials. You will find the admission guideline, application form and recommendation form which you can gain better insights on our program. Please download and take a look at forms attached. Also refer to the GSFS section of International Program. http://oia.snu. ac.kr/

[Korea] PhD and MS Fellowships in Chemistry, Pohang University

Applications are invited for Ph.D & MS studentships in the broad fields of

  1. Theoretical/Computational Chemistry,
  2. Computer-aided Synthetic organic chemistry (experiments),
  3. Nano-chemistry (experiments or theory)

Qualifications: Exceptional students with high GPA from recognized universties.

Salary: $11,000/year (+ one-month salary ~$2,100 for pension every year)

Special benefits: No lodging expenses for single candidates, $210/month for married candidates accompanied by their spouse, cafeteria (~$1.7/meal), free insurance.

The research in the Center for Superfunctional Materials is predominantly focussed on the use of computational methodologies in the design and development of novel bio- and nanomaterials (see the center’s research publication list for more details, here). Candidates interested in method and code development are also invited to apply. The center has close to 50 DEC and SGI workstations, a few Linux clusters, and also has access to the IBM-SP2 and NECSX machines in Daejon. Pohang University of Science and Technology has one of the most advanced digital libraries in the eastern hemisphere and also has an excellent gigabit computer network.

Pohang is a lovely sea-side town with a number of hill-trails and scenic beaches. It has also a growing international community.

Interested candidates may send their application to Professor Kwang S. Kim Center for Superfunctional Materials, Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), San 31, Hyojadong, Namgu Pohang 790-784, Korea, (E-mail: kim@postech.ac.kr Phone: +82 54 279 2110, Fax: +82 54 279 8137) as soon as possible.

[Singapore] Singapore Scholarship Academic Year 2007-2008

Application for the Singapore Scholarship Academic Year 2007/2008 is now open

Welcome to the Singapore Scholarship for ASEAN Countries under the Singapore Cooperation Programme. Here, you will find information on the Singapore Scholarship in the following headings:

About The Scholarship

Application for the Singapore Scholarship must be submitted on the prescribed application form (The application form and supporting documents must be of A4 size and printed on one side only). Please contact the Singapore Embassy/ High Commission/Consulate-General in your capital city for a copy of the Singapore Scholarship brochure and application form. You may click here for a softcopy of the application form for AY 06/07.

Applicants will be required to submit a typed-written essay of about 300-500 words. The essay is an important part of your application.

All supporting documents have to be attached. Those supporting documents that are not in English must have a certified translation in English. Translation and certification of transcripts and academic records have to be done by your educational institutions. Applications must be endorsed and submitted by their respective ASEAN Governments. The relevant agencies to endorse the application are:

Brunei Darussalam Ministry of Education Cambodia Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport Cultural Relations and Scholarships Department. Contact Person: Mrs Kan Neary

Indonesia Bureau of Foreign Co-operation Department of National Education Gedung C, Lantal 7 Jl Jend. Sudirman Senayan Jakarta Tel No: 001-6221-5738181 Fax No: 001-6221-5709445 Contact person: Ibu Yun Widiati, SH

Lao People’s Democratic Republic Mr Lytou Boupao, Director General (Department of Planning and International Cooperation) Ministry of Education Vientiane Lao PDR Tel No: 214722 Fax No: 216006

Malaysia Public Service Department, Training Division Contact Person: Cik Intan Liana

Myanmar Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development Foreign Economic Relations Department Minister’s Office Theinbyu Road Botataung Township Yangon Tel No: 249431 Fax No: 256424

Philippines NEDA and DFA

Thailand Ministry of Education, External Relations Division Contact Person: Mr Rathawut Piamsarit

Vietnam Director General International Relations Department (Ministry of Education and Training) 49 Da Co Viet Street Hanoi, Vietnam

Late and incomplete applications will not be considered. Documents submitted separately from applications will also not be considered. Please also note that most shortlisted nominees will take the entrance examinations set by NTU or NUS. All shortlisted nominees will also have to undergo an interview conducted by interviewers from NTU , NUS and SMU. The entrance examinations and interviews will be conducted in the respective ASEAN countries. The decision of the Singapore Government on the selection of Singapore Scholarship recipients is final.

What is Offered

  • The Singapore Scholarship is tenable for the minimum period required to obtain the respective degrees at Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore or Singapore Management University. It covers full tuition fees and a living allowance of S$4,300 (covering meals, transport, textbooks and course materials during schoool semester) per academic year. In addition, a separate full accommodation allowance based on the room rates at each university or designated hostel (for SMU which does not have on-campus accommodation) will be provided during school semester.
  • One return economy class air ticket is provided for the Scholar’s passage from his/her home country to Singapore for the duration of studies determined by the Singapore Government. No additional assistance will be provided for other travel expenses.
  • A recipient of the Scholarship may not concurrently hold any other Scholarship, Fellowship, Grant or Award without the prior approval of the Singapore Government.
  • There is no bond imposed on the Scholarship by the Singapore Government. The Scholars are expected to return home to contribute to the development of their countries upon graduation.
  • The Singapore Government reserves the right to terminate the Scholarship if the Scholar’s academic progress is unsatisfactory or his conduct is in violation of the university’s rules and regulations.

Download application form here.

Latest Submission : 18 Desember 2006

For more information, write to:

Singapore Scholarship c/o Technical Cooperation Directorate Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tanglin Singapore 248 163 Tel: (65) 6379 8000 Fax: (65) 6479 3357 Email: mfa_scp@mfa.gov.sg

[PhD-Switzerland] PhD & Postdoctoral Positions in Inorganic Chemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)

The Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Catalysis in the Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering at Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL/ETHL/Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne), Switzerland will be created on July 1st, 2007 under the direction of Professor Xile Hu.

The main goal of the laboratory is to develop transition metal based molecular systems for chemical transformations pertinent to energy storage and conversion. Topics of current research interest are (i) chemical and reversible hydrogen storage; (ii) electrocatalytic CO2 fixation and methanol oxidation; and (iii) bio-inspired H2 activation. Students and postdocs are expected to engage heavily in inorganic and organometallic syntheses, exploit a multitude of spectroscopic tools such as multinuclear NMR, IR, UV-Vis, EPR, magnetism, X-ray absorption spectroscopy and crystallography, and become proficient in the theory and application of electrochemistry.

We are inviting applications for multiple Ph.D. student and postdoctoral associate positions.

EPFL is one of the two Swiss federal institutes of technology. Like its sister institution, ETH Zurich, it has three missions: education, research, and technology transfer at the highest international level. With 107 nationalities represented on campus and more than 50% of the professors coming from outside of Switzerland, EPFL is one of the worlds most cosmopolitan universities. More information about EPFL and the Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering can be found at: http://www.epfl.ch/ and http://isic.epfl.ch/index.html.

EPFL is located idyllically on the shore of Lake Geneva, overlooking the French Alps. Lausanne offers students a wide palette of cultural and sports activities and is also known internationally as the Capitale Olympique. In a country of spectacular natural beauty, it is the most beautiful of cities.

Salaries and Benefits The annual salaries are roughly 50,000 CHFs (ca. 40,000 U.S. Dollars) for a Ph. D. student and 75,000 CHFs (ca. 60,000 U.S. dollars) for a postdoctoral associate. All doctoral students and postdoctoral associates are entitled to a 5-week paid vacation in addition to Swiss national holidays.

Requirements For Ph.D. student positions, a M.S./M.A. in Chemistry is generally required, although exceptional candidates with only a B.S. in Chemistry will be considered. A maximum of 4 years may be taken to finish a Ph.D. thesis. More information about the doctoral program can be found at: http://phd.epfl.ch/page55507-en.html.

For postdoctoral positions, a Ph.D. in chemistry is required. For all applicants, training in synthetic and mechanistic inorganic chemistry and knowledge and experience with inert-atmosphere manipulation techniques are desirable. Applicants whose first language is not English are recommended to provide results of the TOEFL and/or GRE tests, or other measure(s) of English proficiency.

For Ph.D. student positions, the appointments will be for four years subject to the successful completion of the admission examination after the first year. For postdoctoral positions, the appointment will be initially for one year and extendable upon mutual agreements. The contracts will start as early as July 1st, 2007 but the positions remain open until filled.

Application Interested candidates should include a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, names and contacts of 2-3 references, and a brief description of research interests. For applications and further information please contact: Dr. Xile Hu E-mail: xilehu@gmail.com Webpage: http://chemistry.caltech.edu:16080/groups/peters/group/Hu.html

[PhD-Denmark] PhD Scholarships in Intelligent Supply Chains, Aalborg University

The Center for Industrial Production at Aalborg University (http://www.cip.aau.dk) calls for applications for two vacant PhD scholarships within the area of business process innovation and supply chain management. The PhD scholarships will address the following areas:

  1. New methodologies for IT based Innovations in Supply Chains.
  2. Methods for developing and implementing intelligent supply chain concepts.

Potential applicants are encouraged to contact Professor Charles Møller, charles[ at ]production.aau.dk for further details.

Application deadline is April, 30.th 2008.

The successful applicant must participate in an action research program at Danfoss (http://danfoss.com) and work with research issues relevant to the program. The Danish PhD stipends are quite generous. There is no tuition, and the salary will be approximately 3.100 Euro per month. Full description of the position is provided at this link.

CFP: 5th Workshop on Model Checking and AI

- Call for Papers - Fifth Workshop on MODEL CHECKING and ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (MoChArt-2008) At ECAI-2008 - Patras, Greece, July 2008 http://www.csc.liv.ac.uk/~mjw/mochart/

INTRODUCTION Model checking is the process of determining whether or not a formula of some logic is satisfied by a model for the logic. For many logics of interest -- particularly temporal and modal logics -- model checking procedures can be efficiently automated. This has led to widespread interest in the use of model checking as a technique for verifying properties of systems, and the development of a number of widely used model checking tools (e.g., Carnegie-Mellon's SMV, Cadence-SMV, and AT&T's SPIN).
The success of model checking in the computer aided verification community has led to a growth of interest in the use of model checking in AI. The MOCHART workshop brings together both researchers in AI with an interest in model checking, and researchers in model checking who are interested in AI techniques. Previous editions of the workshop were held in Riva del Garda, Italy in 2006 (as satellite workshops of ECAI), San Francisco in 2005 (as satellite workshop of Concur), Acapulco in 2003 (as satellite workshop of IJCAI03), and Lyon in 2002 (as satellite workshop of ECAI02). We are exploring the possibility of publishing a formal proceedings after the event with Springer-Verlag. TOPICS OF INTEREST Topics of interest include (but are not limited to): - Application of model checking techniques to AI problems. - planning as model checking - model checking for multi-agent systems - diagnosis and model checking - model checking versus theorem proving - Model Checking and AI logics. - model checking for combined modal/temporal logics - model checking for logics of common sense reasoning - Relations between different techniques used in the two fields for similar purposes (e.g., reducing state explosion). - New model checking techniques specifically for AI problems. - Exploitation of AI techniques in model checking. - AI approaches to the state explosion problem - heuristics for model checking - AI approaches to automatic abstraction - Software tools for model checking in AI. - languages and software platforms for AI model checking - model checking symbolic reasoning systems & languages - Model checking for verification of AI systems. - automated verification of AI systems - case studies & experience with model checking in AI Preliminary papers and papers on applications are strongly encouraged. IMPORTANT DATES Deadline for submissions: April 10th, 2008 Notification: May 10th, 2008 Workshop: July 21st-22nd, 2008 SUBMISSION PROCEDURES Submissions must be formatted according to Springer-Verlag's "Lecture Notes in Computer Science" styles, and must be no more than 15 pages in length. Papers must be submitted through the EasyChair web-based conference management system: follow the link from the workshop web page. All papers will be peer reviewed, and evaluated on the basis of relevance, technical quality, significance, evaluation, and presentation. PARTICIPATION The workshop forms part of the ECAI-2008 workshop programme, and as such delegates must register for the ECAI conference. For full information about ECAI-2008, including travel & accomodation, see: ORGANISING COMMITTEE * Doron Peled Department of Computer Science Bar-Ilan University Ramat Gan, 52900 Israel mailto:doron.peled@gmail.com * Michael Wooldridge Department of Computer Science University of Liverpool Liverpool L69 7ZF, United Kingdom mailto:mjw@liv.ac.uk PROGRAM COMMITTEE * Rajeev Alur (USA) * Massimo Benerecetti (Italy) * Rafael Bordini (UK) * Kousha Etessami (UK) * Michael Fisher (UK) * Gerard Holzmann (USA) * Hadas Kress-Gazit (USA) * Orna Kupferman (Israel) * Alessio Lomuscio (UK) * Ron van de Meyden (Australia) * Peter Niebert (France) * Charles Pecheur (USA) * Wojciech Penczek (Poland) * Franco Raimondi (UK) * Mark Ryan (UK) * Farn Wang (China)

WM-SCI 2008,

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Last Call for Papers/Abstracts and Invited Sessions Proposals for WM-SCI 2008, (Orlando, Florida, USA. June 29th- July 2nd, 2008) http://www.sciiis.org/wmsci2008

Deadlines:
Papers/Abstracts Submissions and Invited Sessions Proposal: March 26th, 2008
Authors Notification: April 21st, 2008
Camera-ready, full papers: May 15th, 2008
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All Submitted papers will be reviewed by a double-blind (at least three reviewers), non-blind, and participative peer review. These three kinds of review will support the selection process of those that will be accepted for their presentation at the conference, as well as those to be selected for their publication in JSCI Journal.

Authors of accepted papers who registered in the conference can have access to the evaluations and possible feedback provided by the reviewers who recommended the acceptance of their papers/abstracts, so they can accordingly improve the final version of their papers. Non-registered authors may not have access to the reviews of their respective submissions.

The registration fee of effective invited session organizers will be waived and they will receive at the registration desk, for free, 1) a package of 4 DVDs and one CD containing the 6-hour tutorial "Fundamentals and History of Cybernetics: Development of the Theory of Complex Adaptive Systems" and 2) a second 4-DVDs/1-CD package 6-hours tutorial titled "Cybernetic Management". The market price of each of these packages is US $ 295. Twelve more benefits for invited session organizers are listed at WM-SCI 2008 web page.

For submissions or Invited Sessions Proposals, please go to the web site: http://www.sciiis.org/wmsci2008/organizer.asp

Authors of the best 10%-20% of the papers presented at the conference will be invited to adapt their papers for their publication in the Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics.

Each session to be included in the conference program will have corresponding electronic pre-conference and post-conference sessions for 15 days each. In the electronic pre-conference sessions authors will have access to the papers to be presented at their session and to an associated electronic forum, so they can be better prepared for their conference face-to-face session. Similarly, electronic post-conference sessions will complement and support a follow-up of the respective conference sessions, via an electronic forum and the possibility of evaluating papers presented at the associated session. These evaluations will also support the selection process for the papers to be published in JSCI journal.


Best regards,

WMSCI 2008 Secretariat

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