Expressions of interest are now open for a Scientia PhD Scholarship, in collaboration between the Edwards Lab, Lee Ann Rollins, and Marc Wilkins:
These are exciting four-year scholarships to start in 2020 with full fees covered, a generous stipend, and career development funds. Please click on the toad or get in touch if you want to know more!
Closing date: 12 July 2019.
Location: University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Invasive species pose a major challenge to biodiversity worldwide but also provide the unique opportunity to study evolution in action. Rapid changes are often associated with invaders’ introduction to novel environments. Understanding how molecular mechanisms drive these changes enables the creation of innovative solutions to controlling invasions and managing native species’ response to climatic change. The iconic Australian cane toad invasion is one of the best studied globally and is an emerging model for invasion genomics. This project will use whole genome sequencing, novel bioinformatic approaches and proteomics to identify molecular drivers of invasion success.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
We seek a highly motivated, curiosity-driven student with an interest in evolutionary biology and bioinformatics, who would like to understand why invasive species flourish. Ideally, candidates will have demonstrated computer literacy and be willing to learn new approaches to analysing genomic and proteomic data. Strong writing skills will be an asset. We will consider applicants coming from either a computing background who want to work in evolutionary biology or those with evolutionary biology backgrounds and a keen interest in bioinformatics. The supervisory team offer a high level of support in the fields of evolutionary biology, genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics. This project provides the opportunity for the successful applicant to develop the most current skills and build a successful career in these fields while contributing to solutions for two major global issues: loss of biodiversity and species’ response to climate change.
SUPERVISORY TEAM:
- Dr Lee Ann Rollins, UNSW Scientia Fellow
- Dr Richard Edwards, Senior Lecturer in Genomics & Bioinformatics
- Prof Marc Wilkins, Professor of Systems Biology
HOW TO APPLY:
Complete an expression of interest at: https://www.scientia.unsw.edu.au/scientia-phd-scholarships/developing-genomic-resources-advance-molecular-ecology-invasions
The strongest expressions will receive an invitation to submit a full application to the scholarship competition.
CONTACT
To discuss the project and related opportunities, please contact Lee Ann Rollins (l.rollins[at]unsw.edu.au / @rollins_lee) or Rich Edwards (richard.edwards[at]unsw.edu.au / @slimsuite).
