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           N A T I O N A L   C E N T R E   F O R
 
           S T A T I S T I C A L   E C O L O G Y
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The National Centre for Statistical Ecology (NCSE) is a joint venture 
between the Universities of Cambridge, Kent and St Andrews, funded under 
the EPSRC multidisciplinary critical mass in Mathematics initiative.  It 
links the research groups in statistical ecology at the three 
Universities.

In this second round of appointments, we are currently seeking gifted 
students in statistics or mathematics who are highly motivated to apply 
their skills to postgraduate research in statistical ecology. The 
successful students will join a thriving group of research students and 
post-doctoral researchers working on projects in statistical ecology.
 
Four PhD studentships are currently available, and are described below. It 
is also likely that additional funding will become available for a further 
two studentships.  Each student will be a member of NCSE, and will spend 
time at each of Cambridge, Kent and St Andrews.  Project 1 will be based 
primarily at St. Andrews, project 2 primarily at Kent, project 3 primarily 
at Kent and Rostock in Germany, and project 4 primarily in Cambridge.

Project 4 is only available to students from the EU, and for non-British 
students, the grant will only cover fees, unless they have been resident 
in the UK for at least 3 years, including periods of study. Projects 1 and 
2 are open to all students, but for students from outside the EU, there is 
no guarantee that the cost of fees will be fully met. Projects 1, 2 and 4
have enhanced stipends, relative to the standard EPSRC stipend, which is
12,300 pounds in 2006-07. The stipend for Project 3 will reflect the
different levels of support for research students in Britain and Germany.


1. Joint Bayesian assessment of North Sea demersal stocks
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Supervisors: Rob Fryer (Fisheries Research Services, Aberdeen) and Steve
Buckland (St Andrews)

This project will develop fisheries-independent stock assessment methods
for demersal fish stocks using the long-term International Bottom Trawl
Survey data.  In this survey, standard trawls are conducted annually at a
grid of locations throughout the North Sea, generating an invaluable time
series of data on a range of species.  A joint assessment model will be
developed for haddock and cod, attempting to model the interactions
between the species.  Whiting and saithe might also be included in the
model.

2. Models for long-term individual-based ecological time series
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Supervisors: Tim Coulson (Imperial College) and Byron Morgan (Kent)

A current NERC contract is collating important long-term data sets on wild 
animals. The focus is on long-term individual-based time-series, involving 
individual life-histories for vertebrates. The first data sets collected 
involve kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) and rooks (Corvus frugilegus).  When 
complete, this compendium of long-term data sets will be a valuable 
resource for studying the effects of climate change, using animals as 
monitors of the environment. The student will employ and develop a variety 
of statistical techniques, including Kalman Filter methods being developed 
at Kent. The work will link up with that of other researchers in the NCSE.

3. Development of Statistical Methods for the Analysis of Biodemographic 
Age-Trajectories
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Supervisors: Byron Morgan (Kent) and David Thomson (Rostock)

This project will involve collaboration between the Max Planck Institute 
for Demographic Research Biodemography research programme and the NCSE at 
the University of Kent. Time will be spent both in Germany (Rostock) and 
in the United Kingdom (Canterbury). In Rostock, the successful candidate 
will complement an existing research team of just over 20 biodemographers, 
including a number of evolutionary ecologists. The team aims to gain a 
fundamental understanding of how lifespan is shaped by the evolution of 
integrated age-specific life-histories. The project will involve 
developing new statistical methods for modelling the age-trajectories of 
demographic rates, particularly survival. We anticipate that 
mark-recapture data, mostly from bird and mammal populations, will be the 
main material used in the development of these methods.


4. The Cambridge Studentship in Statistical Ecology
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Supervisor: Steve Brooks (Cambridge)

The subject of research can be any topic from statistical ecology in which
there is current research interest at Cambridge.  Two areas of particular
strength are modelling population dynamics and Bayesian methodology for
population dynamics models, but other research topics are also possible.
Candidates can submit their own proposal if they wish;  otherwise,
potential projects will be offered.



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More details of NCSE and of the projects are given at
               http://www.ncse.org.uk/
You may also contact the Centre Director Byron Morgan
([log in to unmask]) or Co-directors Steve Brooks
([log in to unmask]) and Steve Buckland
([log in to unmask]) directly.  Application forms can be obtained from
Alexa Laurence ([log in to unmask]).  The closing date for 
applications is 15th March, 2006.

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