[Taxacom] PhD studentship on Begonia - Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

[Roderic Page]

A PhD scholarship is available at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh  
and the University of Glasgow to study the systematics of Sulawesi  
Begonia. The project will start in March 2007 and run for 3 years,  
supervised by Dr. James Richardson and Dr. Mark Hughes from RBGE, and  
Dr. Rod Page from the University of Glasgow.

Begonia is one of the world’s largest angiosperm genera, and a core  
taxonomic group in the RBGE science strategy. The project will  
investigate the systematics of Begonia from Sulawesi, an island with a  
complex geological history separated from its nearest neighbour,  
Borneo, by the biogeographic division of Wallace’s Line. The Begonia  
flora of the island is poorly known, with an estimated 50% of the  
species remaining to be described. In common with much of the islands  
biota, they are of enigmatic biogeographic origin.

The aims of the project are to:
1. Complete the Begonia species inventory for Sulawesi.
2. Explain their origin in terms of dispersal, migration and local  
speciation by using molecular phylogenetic techniques.

The research will involve classical herbarium techniques as well as  
molecular laboratory work. Candidates must be able to undertake several  
weeks’ fieldwork in Sulawesi. For more details on Begonia research at  
the RBGE see here:  
http://www.rbge.org.uk/rbge/web/science/research/conservation/ 
begonia.jsp

Applicants must hold a good honours degree (2.1 or 1st) in a relevant  
Biological Science and be eligible to pay Glasgow University tuition  
fees at the home rate (UK / EU students). The stipend is £12,300 per  
year. The student will be registered at Glasgow University, and be  
based at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

To apply, please send a CV, covering letter (as .pdf or .doc) and the  
names and contact details of two referees to Mark Hughes  
(m.hughes at rbge.ac.uk). The closing date is 1st November 2006. Please do  
not hesitate to contact Mark Hughes for further information.

Mark Hughes (PhD)
Begonia Systematist
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Phone: +44 (0)131 248 2893
Fax: +44 (0)131 248 2901

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Professor Roderic D. M. Page
Editor, Systematic Biology
DEEB, IBLS
Graham Kerr Building
University of Glasgow
Glasgow G12 8QP
United Kingdom

Phone:    +44 141 330 4778
Fax:      +44 141 330 2792
email:    r.page at bio.gla.ac.uk
web:      http://taxonomy.zoology.gla.ac.uk/rod/rod.html
iChat:    aim://rodpage1962
reprints: http://taxonomy.zoology.gla.ac.uk/rod/pubs.html

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