University of St Andrews, Scotland
POST-DOCTORAL AND POST-GRADUATE OPPORTUNITIES IN CONSERVATION BIOLOGY AND
WILDLIFE POPULATION ASSESSMENT for
Mathematicians, Computer Programmers/Software Engineers, Statisticians,
Numerate Biologists and Ecologists.
16,775- 30,967 UK pounds per annum Closing Date: 31st October 2000
WILDLIFE POPULATION ASSESSMENT POSITIONS
Research Unit for Wildlife Population Assessment (RUWPA), an active
internationally funded research group at the University of St Andrews, has two
fellowships of between one and three years. They will involve work primarily
on the following projects, but may include other RUWPA projects; allocation of
work will depend on the interests and abilities of candidates.
(1) Developing statistical methodology for improved model selection and
modelling of interactions in Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) and applying
the methods to model sardine and anchovy egg abundance and spatial
distribution off Spain and Portugal. The statistical questions to be addressed
are: how should degrees of freedom in a GAM be chosen? How should interactions
be modelled? How can this be done in a computationally efficient way? This
will build on work already done at St. Andrews
(http://www.ruwpa.st-and.ac.uk/simon/gam.html). The biological questions are:
what is our best abundance estimate for eggs (and hence adults) in the
populations, and how are these abundances changing? What are the environmental
determinants of egg abundance/distribution? Answering the questions is
important for management, and assessing the impact of environmental change.
Some related earlier work is at:
http://www.ruwpa.st-and.ac.uk/projects/fish/mackerel/mack.html.
(2) Developing methods for spatial modelling of data which are gathered
continuously along a line. Likely applications include spatial modelling of
abundance and distribution from continuous egg sampler data, acoustic survey
data, and line transect surveys of cetaceans. This is likely to include
development of methods to incorporate autocorrelation in GAMs. Some earlier
related work is described at
http://www.ruwpa.st-and.ac.uk/projects/whales/scans/spatial.html and
http://www.ruwpa.st-and.ac.uk/projects/birds/etp/etp.html.
(3) Developing and assessing model-based methods for estimating the quantity
of fish discarded by commercial fisheries; developing Bayesian stock
assessment methods, based on state-space equations, which incorporate
discards.
Candidates should have a good honours degree/PhD in a quantitative subject
with a statistical component, or a good honours degree/PhD in a biological
subject with statistical experience. Experience with some of the following
would be an advantage for the RUWPA posts: GLMs/GAMs; C/C++ ; Splus/R;
fisheries assessment methodology; wildlife population assessment methods.
Direct informal enquiries about the RUWPA posts to Dr. David Borchers (tel.
(+44) 1334 463806, e-mail [log in to unmask]) or Dr. Simon Wood (tel. (+44)
1334 463799, e-mail [log in to unmask]). Reference No: CB019/7046/00
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY POSITIONS
The newly-formed Centre for Conservation Science, a joint venture between the
Universities of St Andrews and Stirling, has funding for four 3-year research
fellowships and two research studentships to work on conservation problems in
Scotland. One of the research fellows will be responsible, with the Centre's
Management and Advisory Committees, for coordinating the Centre's research
programme and for seeking additional sources of funding. A second will develop
specialist software to help members of the Centre use novel mathematical and
statistical techniques to resolve controversies and uncertainties associated
with key conservation issues. The remaining two fellowships will focus on
marine and terrestrial issues, respectively. Successful candidates should be
able to demonstrate their ability to analyse complex problems in a
quantitative way. Candidates for the fellowships should have at least 3 years
post-graduate experience in a research environment.
Direct informal enquiries about the conservation biology posts to Prof. John
Harwood; tel. (+44) 1334 462629, e-mail [log in to unmask]). Reference
No: CB020/9084/00
Application forms and further particulars from Personnel Services, University
of St Andrews, College Gate, North Street, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AJ, tel:
(+44) 1334 462571 (24hrs), by fax (+44) 1334 462570 or by e-mail
[log in to unmask]). We regret applications cannot be made by e-mail.
The University operates Equal Opportunities and No Smoking Policies.
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David Borchers
RUWPA, Maths Institute, North Haugh ph: (+44) 1334 463806
University of St Andrews fax:(+44) 1334 463748
Fife, KY16 9SS, Scotland email: [log in to unmask]
web: http://www.ruwpa.st-and.ac.uk
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