I am looking for two highly motivated students for September 2008 (possibly earlier) at the PhD or MSc level who can add to the Vamosi research group at the University of Calgary with their enthusiasm, expertise, and willingness to approach complex systems. In my lab, we focus on the the study of factors affecting community structure in aquatic organisms, long-term evolutionary consequences of enemy-victim interactions, and breeding systems in flowering plants.
One position is for an experimental/observational field project, further exploring the factors (notably predators) affecting the coexistence of predaceous diving beetles. Field work would take place either in Alberta or coastal British Columbia. This work would take place within the broader framework of phylogenetic community structure, and could possibly involve the application of molecular techniques to better resolve our understanding of the relationships among congeneric species. The second position is for a laboratory evolution project. The student would work with granivorous insects and their enemies in the lab, documenting evolutionary responses in the prey populations to the presence of enemies under varying resource settings. For more on ongoing research and prior publications in these areas, please visit my homepage: <http://homepages.ucalgary.ca/~smvamosi/>. Guaranteed funding of at least $19,000 CAD/year for 4 years (PhD) or 2 years (MSc) is available through a combination of teaching and research assistantships. Applicants are encouraged to apply for available scholarships and fellowships. Canadian citizens should definitely explore the possibility of applying for NSERC graduate awards. The Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Calgary has a strong and growing group of ecologists and evolutionary biologists; see <http://www.bio.ucalgary.ca/>. Calgary is a city of one million people located a short drive from the beautiful Canadian Rockies and offering excellent opportunities for both field research and recreation. Contrary to popular press, most of us don't wear cowboy hats and boots on a daily basis. If interested in either position please contact me by email and attach a copy of your CV & a brief statement of your research interests/goals. Best, Steve -- Dr. Steven M. Vamosi Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary http://homepages.ucalgary.ca/~smvamosi/
