[Taxacom] PhD position: Systematic Botany & Evolution (Qinghai-Tibet, China)

[Alexandra Muellner]

PhD
position in Systematic Botany and Evolution
“The
importance of the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau for the diversity of
alpine plants”
A
three-year PhD position, funded by the German Science Foundation (DFG), is
available at the Department of Molecular Evolution and Systematics of Plants,
Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Germany, starting end of 2012/early
2013. 
 
The
project is part of a research cluster involving several German working groups
studying the origin and evolution of Tibetan-Himalayan biotas. The research
cluster is designed to study the relationships between geophysical changes (the
uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau), associated climate and ecological
changes (establishment of the monsoon system), and the diversification of
different taxonomic groups (sub-/alpine plants, birds, stream insects). 
The
Tibetan-Himalayan region hosts several hotspots of biodiversity. The uplift of
the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau had a profound impact on the environmental
evolution at regional and global scales. By combining DNA sequence data,
distribution data, as well as fossil evidence, the successful applicant will
reconstruct the evolutionary relationships and biogeographic history of the
plant genus Saxifraga with regard to
the environmental changes related to the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
Furthermore, the candidate will study the evolution of the climatic niche
within the Saxifragaceae family and the genus Saxifraga. She/he will have the opportunity to collaborate with a
research group of biologists, palaeontologists and (palaeo)climatologists
working on the relation of long-term evolution of climate and ecosystems to
plant and animal evolution on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and adjacent regions.
Research also includes two fieldwork campaigns in the region of the
Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
We
seek a highly motivated PhD candidate holding a Diploma or
Master´s degree in a relevant subject (e.g. Botany, Ecology) with a sound
background in molecular systematics techniques (incl. DNA lab work) and plant
morphology. Good communication skills, the ability to work independently and
the willingness to conduct fieldwork in Asia are essential. A good working
knowledge of English or the motivation to follow extracurricular English
lessons is required. Prior knowledge on alpine plant taxonomy, on karyological
methods and/or on the target regions for fieldwork will be of advantage.
Please send your application as a
single pdf document to muellner-riehl at uni-leipzig.de, including:
•  a cover
letter outlining relevant background, work experience and motivation
•  your CV, including a list of publications 
•  copies of educational certificates 
•  names and addresses of two referees.
 
Deadline for applications is October
31st, 2012, or until a suitable candidate is found. For further
information on our working group, please visit http://www.biphaps.uni-leipzig.de/de/sysbot/startseite.html. Informal enquiries can be addressed to Prof.
Alexandra Muellner-Riehl (muellner-riehl at uni-leipzig.de), or to Dr. Adrien Favre (adrien.favre at uni-leipzig.de).
                                                                                                                                                                                                
Description
of the working place
Leipzig
is located in the federal state of Saxony, about 200 km south of Germany´s
capital, Berlin. The charming city provides all sorts of entertainment and a
high quality of life. For example, various classical and modern music festivals
take place in Leipzig every year. The housing situation is excellent with a
wide range of accommodations available throughout the city and at very
reasonable rental rates. For further information about Leipzig city, please see http://www.leipzig.de/.
The University of Leipzig was founded in 1409, making it one
of the oldest universities in Germany. In the course of its long history, it
grew to encompass a wide selection of disciplines comprising almost all areas
of research. World-renowned scientists have taught or studied in Leipzig, and
important impulses for the development of thought originated here. Nowadays,
the University of Leipzig is an interdisciplinary and international university.
Crossing boundaries of traditional academic disciplines, international
collaboration, and networking with non-university research institutions (e.g.
UFZ, MPI) are not just traditions of the University but are also the basis of
its academic excellence.For further
information about Leipzig University, seehttp://www.zv.uni-leipzig.de/en/.
Last but not least, Leipzig is the base of iDiv, the newly
founded German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, a hub for
international biodiversity science with its central mission to promote
theory-driven synthesis and data-driven theory. iDiv is jointly hosted by the
University of Leipzig (UL), the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
(MLU), and the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (FSU), all of which have a
strong tradition in biodiversity sciences. For further information about iDiv,
please see http://www.idiv-biodiversity.de/.