Postdoctoral position in Population Ecology (14 August 2006) A postdoctoral researcher is needed in the lab of Dr. John Drake in the Institute of Ecology at the University of Georgia http://www.ecology.uga.edu/people/faculty/drake.htm). The successful candidate will participate in research projects on population dynamics in experimental microcosms, and/or infectious disease dynamics, and/or spread of invasive species. In addition to the projects below, the qualified candidate will be provided considerable opportunities to design and implement new projects. A Ph.D. in biology, ecology, plant science, oceanography or related field is required; a background in quantitative methods or a background in zooplankton experimental technique and expressed interest in modeling and computation is preferred. The starting date for this position is flexible, depending on applicant availability. Applications are now being accepted, continuing until the position is filled. Initial appointment will be for one year with the possibility of renewal for a second year. Starting annual salary will be $40,000. To apply, email a letter of interest; resume/CV; and names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of three references to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Ongoing projects which the the successful candidate will have the opportunity to join: 1.Experimental extinction with zooplankton. This experimental project aims to understand how random environmental fluctuation and population dynamics interact to cause population extinction. Zooplankton are used as model species to study effects of fluctuating resources and other environmental conditions on individual longevity, birth schedules, development and other features of life history. Key questions of this project are: How does variance from demographic stochasticity scale with population size? How does individual variation aggregate in populations of individuals resulting in demographic stochasticity, thereby inducing extinction. For past work in this area, see Ecol Lett 7:26-30 (2004), PLoS Biol 3:1300-1304 (2005), Proc R Soc B 272:1823-1827 (2005), Biol Lett 1:480-483. 2.Modeling population dynamics of vector-borne diseases. This modeling project aims to develop stochastic spatially explicit models of vector-borne disease transmission. We are seeking to identify possible causes of disease persistence in the presence of historical control measures and robust and optimal methods for control. A key component of this project is to develop an understanding of how environmental heterogeneity and fluctuating environmental conditions affect the population dynamics of disease vectors. This is a new area of research for me. 3.Computational approaches to species invasions forecasting. This modeling project aims to apply modern machine learning algorithms to identify patterns in species establishment and spread. The resulting computational models will used for invasive species risk analysis and spread forecasting. Broad groups of taxa will be considered. Methodological developments will focus on techniques for identifying habitat dependencies from sparse and unbalanced data and computational methods for model combination. An area for potential development is the interaction of invasive species and global climate change. For related past work, see BioScience 54:931-941 (2004), J. Appl. Ecol. 43:424-432 (2006).
