PhD POSITION - ADAPTIVE SIGNIFICANCE OF COLOUR CHANGE
A PhD project is available to investigate the causes and consequences of colour change in bearded dragon lizards. The project is part of an ARC-funded interdisciplinary collaboration between Dr Devi Stuart-Fox (The University of Melbourne), Prof. John Endler (Deakin University – near Melbourne) and Prof. Warren Porter (University of Wisconsin, USA). The student will be based in the Department of Zoology at the University of Melbourne but will also regularly visit and work closely with Prof. John Endler’s research group at Deakin University.
The aim of the project is to understand the evolutionary drivers of colour change. Specifically, the project will assess the relationship between animal-visible and near-infrared (NIR) colour and colour changes, and how that relationship varies within and between individuals and in relation to the environment. The project addresses the consequences of colour change for thermoregulation, camouflage and signalling, and therefore straddles the fields of biophysical and sensory ecology. The project will involve field work in southern-central and eastern semi-arid Australia, where bearded dragon lizards are relatively common, and vary in coloration. The project will also involve captive maintenance of bearded dragons and laboratory-based behavioural experiments. The student will be an integral part of a team comprising the project leaders, a postdoctoral research fellow and potentially a Masters student and volunteers.
The student will need to obtain a scholarship at the University of Melbourne (Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) or equivalent). Thus a first class honours or masters degree and/or evidence of publishing in international peer-reviewed scientific journals will be essential. Experience working with reptiles and evidence of field skills will be a bonus. The preferred starting date for this project is early to August/September 2012, but a later start date is possible.
Closing date for expressions of interest is April 30th 2012. Please submit a brief cover letter and comprehensive CV with contact details for two referees to: Dr Devi Stuart-Fox, Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010 - devis@unimelb.edu.au.
The two projects are part of a long-term research project on the invasion dynamics of the delicate skink, Lampropholis delicata. The delicate skink is native to eastern Australia, but has successfully invaded several regions of the Pacific (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Lord Howe Island). Previous research in the group has used molecular markers to identify the source population(s) for each introduction, examined post-introduction molecular and morphological evolution, and investigated the behavioural traits that enhance the likelihood of human-assisted dispersal.
Please download the PDF For more details
Posted: 9 September 2011
Two PhD candidates are sought for projects on sexual selection, sexual conflict and the evolution of polyandry in the Centre for Evolutionary Biology, The University of Western Australia, under the supervision of Australian Research Fellow Dr. Francisco Garcia-Gonzalez.
Please donwload the linked PDF (280 KB) for further information
Posted: 14 April 2011
Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics
with Naomi Langmore
'Coevolution in action: the evolution of defences in naive hosts of the common koel'
Avian brood parasites such as the common koel Eudynamis scolopacea lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and then abandon their young to the care of the host. Parasitism results in the failure of the host's own brood, so hosts evolve defences again parasites. The current range expansion of the common koel in Australia provides a unique opportunity to test the rate of evolution of host defences against parasitism at sites with recent versus long histories of parasitism. This is an experimental, field-based project. Research support will be provided (~$5000 p.a.).
Note that Australian students with a first-class honours degree and the support of a supervisor are guaranteed a PhD scholarship by the College of Science, ANU.
For more information on this project, please email Naomi.Langmore@anu.edu.au
Posted: 18 March 2011
Seven projects in the area of Genetics, Invasion and Demography are available.
Please download the project description document (PDF 100KB) for further details. Applications close March 25, 2011.
Posted: 17 February 2011
Three projects suitable for PhD candidature are currently available in the laboratory of Professor Leigh Simmons:
Applications open Monday 24th January 2011 and close Friday 4th March 2011.
For more information please download the linked PDF (380 KB) and/or contact Professor Leigh Simmons via lsimmons@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
Information about the CEB can be found at www.ceb.uwa.edu.au.
Posted: 12 November 2010
PhD opportunities in evolutionary phyloinformatics
Centre for Macroevolution and Macroecology
Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
With Lindell Bromham and Marcel Cardillo
1. Diversity of island mammal faunas: islands have long been used as natural laboratories for the study of diversity and assembly of species communities. This study will make use of new geographic and phylogenetic databases for mammals to develop and test hypotheses of island biogeography, diversity and community assembly.
2. Evolution of salt tolerance in plants: Salinity is an ever-increasing problem in agriculture, but attempts to produce salt tolerant crop plants have had limited success. This is surprising given that there are thousands of naturally salt tolerant plants which employ a variety of different mechanisms for salt resistance. This project will build a database combining DNA sequences with physiological and ecological traits in order to identify the number of independent origins of salt tolerance in angiopsperms and will examine whether there are any common paths to evolving this complex physiological trait.
3. Rates of molecular evolution in parasites: Models predict that parasitic taxa should have a faster rate of molecular evolution in order to win the “arms race” against their hosts. But despite the importance of this hypothesis, it remains unknown whether this effect is common in the natural world. This project will compare rates and patterns of genomic evolution in a wide range of parasites and their non-parasitic relatives, ranging from intracellular bacteria to nest-parasitic cuckoos.
4. Evolution and ecology of the southwest Australian flora: despite a relatively dry climate and poor soils, Australia's southwest is one of the world's top hotspots of plant diversity. Using cutting-edge methods that combine molecular phylogenetics with the latest ecological theory, this project will investigate the underlying causes of this region's spectacular botanical diversity.
If you are interested in any of these graduate research projects (or if you would like to discuss alternative projects), please send an email with a brief description of your interests and experience and your CV to lindell.bromham@anu.edu.au or marcel.cardillo@anu.edu.au.
Information on the application procedure for postgraduate study at ANU can be found on biology.anu.edu.au/Students/GraduateResearch
PhD or M Phil Positions in Genetics and Invasive Species
Dr JA Sved, Dr M Frommer and A/Prof W Sherwin
Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, BEES, UNSW, Sydney AUSTRALIA. www.bees.unsw.edu.au/school/staff/sherwin/sherwinwilliam.html
Please download a full description of the PhD opportunities and application procedure (PDF 78 KB)
PhD or M Phil Positions in Invasion and Conservation Genetics and Demography
A/Prof W Sherwin Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, BEES, UNSW, Sydney AUSTRALIA. www.bees.unsw.edu.au/school/staff/sherwin/sherwinwilliam.html
Please download a full description of the PhD opportunities (PDF 78 KB)
I am seeking to recruit enthusiastic and talented post-graduate students (grad students in NA speak) and post-doctoral researchers to work with me. In a general sense, we would explore linkages between physiology, behaviour, life-history, and natural and human-caused selection in fish and other organisms. Potential students should have an interest in behaviour, evolution and ecology. I would also consider individuals willing to commit a significant portion of time to visit here as a visiting student/scientist to work with me on a focused experiment.
In particular, I’m interested in discovering what promotes the existence (maintenance) of consistent individual differences in behavior (‘personality’), and what this means for ecological studies and for the effects of human harvesting of animal populations. In recent papers I have made a case for the idea that personality traits could reflect intrinsic differences in LH productivity (ie fast-growers are active and aggressive), that personality can cause serious sampling bias in studies, and that behaviour can affect harvest rates resulting in potential evolutionary changes over time. I want to further explore these ideas, examining links between physiology and personality, life-history productivity and personality, and selective pressures that might cause lasting changes in the mean and variance of behavioral and LH traits in animal populations (ie. What are the costs and benefits of different behavioral types?). Organisms for study would likely involve fish, but there is scope to include other organisms including insects or other invertebrates.
I am based at UNSW, Sydney, Australia, a great place in which to live and work. There are facilities for research that include climate controlled laboratories, field and laboratory studies at the Sydney Institute for Marine Science (SIMS), and research on the Great Barrier Reef at Lizard Island Reseach Station, One-tree Island RS, and Lady Elliott Island. There are also small experimental ponds available at our Cowan field station just on the edge of the city.
Interested persons should contact me initially by email.
Richard Peters (La Trobe University) & Jan Hemmi (The Australian National University)
Many animals use movement to communicate, yet the factors that contribute to signal design have not been considered in detail. We speculate that animals are constrained by the sensory system of receivers, morphological limitations of signallers, the signalling environment and potential eavesdroppers (predators). Our goal is to understand how such factors interact to influence movement-based signalling strategies. We are seeking 2 PhD students to undertake research on movement-based signalling by Agamid lizards.
• Download an information sheet about the projects (PDF 160 KB).
• Visit the Peters Lab for information.
Multiple projects are available for work on a variety if topics:
Please download linked document for further details here (78KB PDF)
Posted: 22 July 2010
The Biogeography Lab investigates the biotic evolution of Australasia and the geographical and geological processes responsible for biotic diversification over time. We seek a highly motivated student with a good honours or Masters degree in biology/ evolutionary biology or geology/palaeontology to choose from two projects:
1. Evolution and biogeography of water-bugs of Eastern Australasia
2. Palaeozoic biogeography and trilobite evolution
Please download linked document for further details here
Please direct all enquiries and applications to Dr Malte Ebach (mcebach@gmail.com).
Posted: 2 February 2010
These projects integrate mathematical and biological expertise, at an exciting time when biologists are increasingly realizing the power of mathematics to make forecasts, as other scientists have done before them. The projects centre on making forecasts for management of biodiversity.
Project 1: Forecasting demography of bottlenose dolphins.
Project 2: Mathematics of forecasting and managing biodiversity.
Project 3: Resilience of small populations to periods of selection.
Project 4: Conservation of Little Penguins in New South Wales.
Please download linked document for further details here
Posted: 31 July 2009
The School of Botany and Zoology at the Australian National University is making a general announcement about opportunities to pursue PhD degrees in the department. "BoZo" is one of Australia's top evolutionary biology departments with academics working on a diverse array of Australian organisms and research areas.
A web site has been site up with a list of potential projects on offer, but this list is by no means exhaustive http://cos.anu.edu.au/HDR/EES/
The College of Science at ANU is guaranteeing PhD scholarships to all applicants with a first class honours degree and support from a potential supervisor. Applications are due by 31 October. Interested applicants should contact the Convenor of the Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics:
A/Prof. Scott Keogh
Convenor, EES
School of Botany and Zoology
The Australian National University
The School of Integrative Biology, The University of Queensland
Laboratories of Professor Scott O’Neill and Dr Elizabeth McGraw
The Queensland Institute of Medical Research
Dr Peter Ryan and Prof Brian Kay, Mosquito Control Laboratory and the
Australian Centre for International and Tropical Health and Nutrition
The UQ/QIMR team is internationally recognised for its contribution to the fields of Wolbachia endosymbionts and host interaction, medical entomology
including biological control of medically important vectors, and translation of research into practical public health interventions. We currently are
undertaking a large collaborative research program funded through the NH&MRC and The Gates Foundation to develop new methodologies for the management of
emerging vector-borne disease threats in Australia. The project involves the infection of mosquito vectors with an endosymbiotic bacterium, Wolbachia
pipientis, that is capable of reducing insect lifespan. Characterisation of the Wolbachia life-shortening affects in a range of globally important
mosquito vectors (Aedes, Culex spp) and the effect of this life-shortening on arbovirus (dengue, Chikungunya, Ross River, and Barmah Forest viruses)
transmission efficiency will be determined. We will also extend our current transcriptional profiling methods and develop new proteomic based methods
for determining insect age, and undertake field assessments of vector population age structure to determine pathogen transmission risk and the
applicability of Wolbachia and other novel control strategies. Projects may include artificial transinfection of mosquito species, study of Wolbachia
induced pathogenesis, an examination of mosquito life history traits, characterisation of the human host seeking and biting behaviour of infected
mosquitoes, arbovirus vector-competence assessments, laboratory and field based assessments of insect age grading and vector population age structure.
We are seeking students with experience in any of the following fields; molecular biology, evolutionary biology, genetics, entomology, microbiology, and behaviour.
The School of Integrative Biology (SIB) is a vibrant unit with a history of and an ongoing commitment to research excellence and postgraduate mentoring.
Examples of SIB support for postgraduates include travel grants, writing workshops, media training, social events with visiting speakers,
postgraduate retreat weekends, etc. The School has strong links with QIMR, the largest medical research institute in the southern hemisphere, which
currently has 110 doctoral students covering the breath of clinical and public health translational research. Brisbane offers a beautiful climate
and outdoor lifestyle, city nightlife, affordable housing and ease of commute to and from the University of Queensland and QIMR.
Please contact Scott O’Neill (scott.oneill@uq.edu.au) Peter Ryan
(peter.ryan@qimr.edu.au) with inquiries.
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A full-stipend scholarship is available for a PhD project supervised by Dr. Lin Schwarzkopf and Prof. Ross Alford in the
School of Marine and Tropical Biology
at James Cook University.
Our labs pursue research on frog disease ecology, frog and lizard conservation biology, and frog and lizard evolutionary biology.
The successful applicant will study the influence of lowland rain forest clearing on frog ecology, including disease dynamics,
as part of an ARC Linkage funded project.
The School includes Australia's most research-active cluster in the area of tropical herpetology,
and in located close to world heritage tropical rain forest, where the study will be conducted.
For more information, please contact Lin Schwarzkopf
To apply, submit a CV, contact details for two academic referees, and a one-page statement of research interests to
Dr. Lin Schwarzkopf. Note that the successful applicant, if not an Australian citizen/resident, will also need to apply to the University
for a fee-waiver scholarship.
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UNSW has just launched the Evolution & Ecology Research Centre,
drawing on the diverse strengths of 18 academic staff,
8 independent research fellows, and over forty
postgraduate students from the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, the School of Mathematics and Statistics and the School of Medical Sciences at UNSW in Sydney, Australia.
The Evolution & Ecology Research Centre at UNSW offers a rewarding and challenging environment for higher degree students. Our
Graduate Program in Evolution and Ecology aims to foster excellence in postgraduate research and supervision, and the development of skills to better equip students for careers in science. We support MSc and PhD degrees, and the newly established Masters of Philosophy as an alternative to Honours for research-oriented students. The MPhil is a 1.5 year program with 18 units of credit course work (i.e., 3 subjects) and 54 units of credit research project.
SCHOLARSHIPS: UNSW offers a series of postgraduate scholarships for local students in addition to the Australian Postgraduate Awards. Apply by the 31st of October to be eligible for:
Visit the UNSW Graduate Research School for more information on how to apply.
The E&ERC is also funding three postgraduate scholarships to work on projects supervised by our recent appointments: Dr Russell Bonduriansky, Dr Angela Moles and Dr Tracey Rogers. Students interested in their research should contact them directly with a CV and details of research interests and experience.
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A full-stipend scholarship is available for PhD studies in the laboratory of Dr. Russell Bonduriansky in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental
Sciences at the University of New South Wales. Our lab pursues research on sexual selection and sexual dimorphism, evolutionary genetics, and the
evolution of ageing through laboratory and field research on flies and other insects, as well as the development of new theory. The successful applicant
will have the opportunity to choose from several interesting projects, or to develop their own project within this broad area, in consultation with Dr.
Bonduriansky.
The School includes one of Australia's most research-active clusters in the area of ecology and evolution, and the evolutionary biology group is
currently expanding. The University of New South Wales is located in Sydney's easternsuburbs, about 5 km from the city centre.
For more information, visit:
1. School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, UNSW
2.
Dr Russell Bonduriansky's research pages
To apply, submit a CV, contact details for two academic referees, and a one-
page statement of research interests to Dr. Russell Bonduriansky.
Note that the successful applicant, if not an Australian citizen/resident, will also need to apply to the University for a
fee-waiver scholarship.
A variety of interesting honours projects are also available. For details,
contact Dr. Russell Bonduriansky (r.bonduriansky@unsw.edu.au).
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Research topics available in Africa and China
For further details contact:
Dr Darren Curnoe
Tel. 02 9385 8025
Email. d.curnoe(-at-)unsw.edu.au
medicalsciences.med.unsw.edu.au/somsweb.nsf/page/Palaeoanthropology+and+Primatolog
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The Australian Federation of University Women (http://www.afuw.org.au/) has a number of scholarships and bursaries available for women.
Honours and PhD opportunities in the Evolutionary Ecology of Sexual Reproduction Research Group - UNSW
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