Denmark: PhD Scholarship Engaging Users in Innovation and Communication of Textile Qualities, Danmarks Tekniske Universitet

Applicants are invited for a PhD scholarship at the Department of Management Engineering, the Technical University of Denmark for appointment 1 January 2009.

The aim of the project is to develop knowledge and test methods for involving users and their insights in the production of new textile qualities and new types of products. This is expected to create new insights in the conception of and practices concerning textile materials, products, and processes based on user engagement and user oriented knowledge for innovation and design processes.

Description of the project
The research will be based on studies of users and use practices. Also the role of professional users mediating between producers and end users will be included. The outcomes not only aim at designers and product developers, but touch all phases of the product creating process. It is expected to engage users and knowledge of use practices as a resource for a renewal of products, design processes, procedures, and innovation strategies.

The activities will entail:
Identification of places where use practice and use can be made object of observation and dialogue by employing methods inspired by anthropology. These will create a basis for communication between users, designers, architects, engineers and others involved.

Establishing concepts and experience of textile qualities and products, which can support a professional effort when using the flexibility and ambiguity connected to the observation and communication of user practice and needs.

The innovative task in relation to user-driven processes demands new skills and responsibility in management of how product development and design is managed in the companies

One part of the project will be carried out in hospitals. Another part is related to the need for communicating textile qualities within a still more distributed chain of production of especially textiles. The separation of close contacts to users and related product development from the innovation of materials and processes produce challenges to the different units’ competences and the exchange of knowledge between them.

Required skills
Successful candidates must hold an MSc degree in engineering or social sciences with a relevant specialisation.

We are looking for a colleague who possesses the following skills:

Knowledge of ethnographic methods in the study of use and work practices, material flows and how institutions, situations and material contexts influence the role of actors. Additional experience with studies of health care institutions and/or textiles and other material technologies will be appreciated.
An interest in working scientifically with engaging users in design processes, and translating studies of institutional framing and practices into innovative ideas is valued.
Proficiency in oral and written English is needed, but much of the empirical work does require Danish.
Experience with interdisciplinary research and project teams is valued.
Conditions and terms
The salary and appointment terms are consistent with the current rules for PhD degree students. The position is available for a period of three years.

The PhD project is linked to the industry related project on ‘User driven innovation and communication of textile qualities’ involving cooperation with the companies Kvadrat and Trevira-Neckelmann as well as Designskolen Kolding and Danmarks Designskole. It is part of the doctoral studies programme in Design and Innovation (www.design-forskerskole.dk) hosted at the Department of Management Engineering, and the candidate will be enrolled at the PhD school at this department.

For further information about the requirements for enrolment and the general planning of the scholarship studies, please visit: www.dtu.dk/English/education/Phd_Education.aspx

Application
Applications must include curriculum vitae, examination certificate, references (contact details for at least two reference persons that we may contact for further inquires) and a cover letter outlining the motivation for the PhD study and for this particular project as well as a possible starting date.
We need your online application no later than 17 November 2008 at 12.00 noon. Apply online at www.dtu.dk/vacancy - open the link “apply online” fill out the form and attach the above mentioned documents. Material received after the deadline will not be taken into account.
All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

Further information
For further information, please contact Professor Ulrik Jørgensen, phone +45 4525 6075, uj[ at ]ipl.dtu.dk or Associate Professor Hanne Lindegaard, phone +45 4525 6076 hl[ at ]ipl.dtu.dk

Scotland: PhD Studentships in Physics at Scottish Universities

PhD Studentships in Physics at Scottish Universities, Scotland
Physics in Scotland
Graduate opportunities
Eight fully funded Prize PhD Studentships
+ over 100 other funded PhD places in physics in Scotland

The Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA) opens a single front door into physics PhDs in Scotland. When you apply for SUPA Prize PhD Studentship you will also be considered for all other funded places available in physics departments in Scotland.

Major themes pursued by researchers in SUPA are:

astronomy and space
condensed matter and material physics
nuclear and plasma physics
particle physics
photonics
physics and life sciences
UK and overseas students are invited to apply for 8 fully funded SUPA studentships and more than 100 other funded PhD places in physics in Scotland for 2009.

SUPA Studentships
SUPA is offering eight fully funded PhD studentships for outstanding students from anywhere in the world. These prestigious and competitive awards are intended to attract excellent students to study for a PhD in Scotland.

SUPA Prize Students are registered for a PhD in physics at one of the participating universities:

Aberdeen,
Dundee,
Edinburgh,
Heriot-Watt,
Glasgow,
St Andrews,
Strathclyde,
University of the West of Scotland
and the SUPA Graduate School provides an excellent training environment.

The considerable physics expertise within Scotland is made available to PhD students through:

video links between dedicated teaching rooms
computer mediated resources and tools
practical activities (e.g. programming labs)
tutorials and discussion classes
lectures by distinguished visitors
summer schools
collaborations with major research facilities
knowledge transfer opportunities
entrepreneurship training
All physics PhDs in Scotland are considered SUPA Graduate School students and are eligible to attend offered trainings.

Applications should be made at www.supa.ac.uk by 31 January 2009

A further 100 funded PhD places
Applicants for the eight SUPA studentships will also be considered for the other physics studentships available within Scotland. When you fill in the application form for the SUPA Prize PhD Studentship, please indicate which of other 100 funded places are of interest to you.

The Netherlands: PhD Studentship and Postdoctoral Position for Photoacoustic Breast Imaging, the University of Twente

At the University of Twente, The Netherlands, we are developing photoacoustic imaging to address the limitations of the current technologies for breast cancer imaging. At this moment in our advanced research program within the Biophysical Engineering Group (BPE) with strong collaborations with the clinic, we are poised to make a major impact on the breast imaging paradigm.

We have two vacancies in the team that will develop a new instrument which enables full breast imaging on patients. The goal of this instrument is to detect and/or diagnose breast cancer with high resolution, sensitivity and reliability. This technology will be demonstrated in a study of up to 60 abnormalities (invasive ductal carcinomas and a sub-set of benign tumours) in patients.

The vacancies are for 1 PhD student and 1 Post-doctoral researcher. The successful candidates in collaboration with a technician and Masters students, will design and develop the Photoacoustic Mammoscope (PAM-II) and participate in its validation on patient trials. This will involve researching ultrasound detector elements from collaborators and selecting the most suitable material and architecture for a detector array. Further, design and development of a patient-instrument interface will be undertaken including an appropriate light delivery system. New image reconstruction algorithms that incorporate corrections for acoustic heterogeneities and that allow quantitation of optical absorption coefficient will be implemented. Comprehensive testing of hardware and image reconstruction algorithms will be done on phantoms. The instrument will at a certain point be installed in the Breast Care facility of a hospital where the clinical trials will take place.

PhD. Student requirements
The candidate has an excellent Master’s degree in Physics or Engineering from a reputed university. Project experience in biomedical optics or ultrasound is appreciated. Fluency in English is essential.

The assignment is for 4 years, with a go/no-go assessment at the end of the 1st year. The candidate will disseminate results through publications in journals and presentations at international conferences. The employment period should be completed with a PhD thesis.

Post-doctoral researcher requirements
The candidate holds a PhD from a reputed university, in subjects related to optics or ultrasound. The candidate should have proven excellent experimental skills and be capable of working in a consortium and liaising with collaborators. Skills for guiding students are required.

The candidate will be appointed for 2 years. During this period results will be published in journals and presented at international conferences.

Our offer
We offer a top level research and academic environment with excellent opportunities for personal development. We are part of the research institute for Biomedical Technology (BMTI) which comprises several groups housed in one building offering excellent shared facilities. Participation in the activities of the BMTI such as symposia and colloquia will expose one to cutting edge research in related fields and offers opportunities for collaboration with other groups.

PhD Studentship and Postdoctoral Position for Photoacoustic Breast Imaging, the University of Twente, The Netherlands

The PhD student will earn a gross salary of €2,000/- pm in the 1st year to €2,558/- pm in the 4th year. The Post-doc will earn a maximum of €3,678/- pm depending on experience.

Applicants will submit a detailed CV, highlighting their suitability for the project in a motivating letter. At least 3 references will be provided. Applications may be addressed to:

Dr. S. Manohar: S.Manohar[ at ]utwente.nl

Prof. T. G. van Leeuwen: T.G.vanleeuwen[ at ]utwente.nl

Closing date for applications 1 December 2008

Italy: Young Research Fellow Positions in Political Sciences, IMT Institute for Advanced Studies, Lucca

Young Research Fellow Positions in Political Sciences, IMT Institute for Advanced Studies, Lucca, Italy

Young Research Fellow Positions
IMT INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES LUCCA, Lucca, Tuscany, Italy

IMT is an Institute for Advanced Studies that aims to push the frontiers of knowledge and to contribute to the formation of international professional elites for business and institutions. Research and PhD programs focus on institutional and technological change, the role of organizations and markets in economic systems, the analysis of complex systems in social sciences, computer science and engineering.

IMT attracts bright students, young researchers and professors through competitive, transparent procedures at an international level. IMT believes that faculty and staff diversity contributes to excellence and is an equal-opportunity employer.

MT Institute for Advanced Studies invites strong candidates active in areas such as American and European Politics, Political and Economic History, Voting and Coalition Theory to apply for Faculty Positions at the Assistant Professor and Post-Doctoral Fellow level. Preference will be given to candidates oriented towards empirical research and with a high degree of proficiency in social science methodology, particularly in the use of mathematical and statistical methods. Preference will be given to candidates who have completed or are near completion of their Ph.D. degrees.

Assistant Professors and Post-doctoral Fellows are appointed for a fixed term of up to three years. Contracts may be renewed once for an additional three years (i.e. six years in total). The remuneration package is competitive at the international level (30,000-45,000 € pre-tax for Post-doctoral Fellows and 45,000-60,000 € pre-tax for Assistant Professors) and includes generous research funds. Additional benefits may be negotiated with selected applicants.

Please note that the competition is for one vacancy at either level, depending on candidate experience. Successful candidates for either type of position will work closely with other young researchers, graduate students, and senior researchers, and will have a limited teaching load in the school’s graduate program (e.g. one class per year). IMT believes that faculty and staff diversity contributes to excellence and is an equal-opportunity employer. Additional information about IMT may be found at www.imtlucca.it.

Applicants are required to apply on line (www.imtlucca.it). In addition, at least two letters of reference must be sent as e-mail attachments (preferably in PDF format) to: yrf.opening[ at ]imtlucca.it or by mail to the following address:

Job Openings 2009 – YRF-EIC-PS.

IMT Lucca Institute for Advanced Studies
Piazza San Ponziano 6
55100 Lucca – Italy

Deadline: 1 December 2008

For further details on the calls, please see the School website at www.imtlucca.it

Alternatively, one may also contact:

yrf.opening[ at ]imtlucca.it
Phones: +39 0583 4326554, +39 0583 4326577

Italy: Young Research Fellows in Economics, IMT Institute for Advanced Studies, Lucca

Young Research Fellows in Economics, IMT Institute for Advanced Studies, Lucca, Italy

Young Research Fellows in Economics
IMT INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES LUCCA (Tuscany, Italy)

IMT Distinctive features
IMT Institute for Advanced Studies is an Institute for Advanced Studies that aims to push the frontiers of knowledge and to contribute to the formation of international professional elites for business and institutions. Research and PhD programs focus on institutional and technological change, the role of organizations and markets in economic systems, the analysis of complex systems in social sciences, computer science and engineering.

IMT attracts bright students, young researchers and professors through competitive, transparent procedures at an international level. IMT believes that faculty and staff diversity contributes to excellence and is an equal-opportunity employer.

IMT Institute for Advanced Studies invites candidates active in research areas such as Applied Economics, Applied Public Economics, International Economics, International Trade, Industrial Organization, and Political Economy to apply for Faculty Positions at the Assistant Professor and Post-Doctoral Fellow level. Preference will be given to candidates oriented towards applied research and with a high degree of proficiency in the use of mathematical and statistical methods. Preference will be given to candidates who have completed or are near completion of their Ph.D. degrees.

Assistant Professors and Post-doctoral Fellows are appointed for a fixed term of up to three years. Contracts may be renewed once for an additional three years (i.e. six years in total). The remuneration package is competitive at the international level (30,000-45,000 EUR pre-tax for Post-doctoral Fellows and 45,000-60,000 EUR pre-tax for Assistant Professors) and includes generous research funds. Additional benefits may be negotiated with selected applicants.

Please note that the competition is for one vacancy at either level, depending on candidate experience. Successful candidates for either type of position will work closely with other young researchers, graduate students, and senior researchers, and will have a limited teaching load in the school’s graduate program (e.g. one class per year). IMT believes that faculty and staff diversity contributes to excellence and is an equal-opportunity employer. Additional information about IMT may be found at www.imtlucca.it

Applicants are required to apply on line (www.imtlucca.it ). In addition, at least two letters of reference must be sent as e-mail attachments (preferably in PDF format) to: yrf.opening[ at ]imtlucca.it or by mail to the following address:

Job Openings 2009 – YRF-EIC-Eco.

IMT Lucca Institute for Advanced Studies
Piazza San Ponziano 6
55100 Lucca – Italy

IMT will be conducting interviews at the ASSA meetings in San Francisco (3-5 January 2009)

Deadline: 1 December 2008

For further details on the calls, please see the School website at www.imtlucca.it

Alternatively, one may also contact:

yrf.opening[ at ]imtlucca.it
Phones: +39 0583 4326554, +39 0583 4326577

Italy: Young Research Fellows in Computer Science, IMT Institute for Advanced Studies, Lucca

Young Research Fellows in Computer Science
IMT INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES LUCCA, Lucca (Tuscany, Italy)

IMT Distinctive Features
IMT Institute for Advanced Studies is an Institute for Advanced Studies that aims to push the frontiers of knowledge and to contribute to the formation of international professional elites for business and institutions. Research and PhD programs focus on institutional and technological change, the role of organizations and markets in economic systems, the analysis of complex systems in social sciences, computer science and engineering.

IMT attracts bright students, young researchers and professors through competitive, transparent procedures at an international level. IMT believes that faculty and staff diversity contributes to excellence and is an equal-opportunity employer.

IMT Institute for Advanced Studies invites strong candidates active on networking and software systems for global computing, including web data mining and mobile systems, with applications e.g. to service oriented computing, economics and embedded systems to apply for Faculty Positions at the Assistant Professor and Post-Doctoral Fellow level. Preference will be given to candidates combining in their research fundamental and application oriented aspects. Preference will be given to candidates who have completed or are near completion of their Ph.D. degrees.

Assistant Professors and Post-doctoral Fellows are appointed for a fixed term of up to three years. Contracts may be renewed once for an additional three years (i.e. six years in total). Assistant Professors differ from Post Doctoral Fellows on the basis of experience, scientific curriculum and remuneration. The remuneration package is competitive at the international level (30,000-45,000 EUR pre-tax for Post-doctoral Fellows and 45,000-60,000 EUR pre-tax for Assistant Professors) and includes generous research funds. Additional benefits may be negotiated with selected applicants.

Please note that the competition is for one vacancy at either level, depending on candidate experience. Successful candidates for either type of position will work closely with other young researchers, graduate students, and senior researchers, and will have a limited teaching load in the school’s graduate program (e.g. one class per year). IMT believes that faculty and staff diversity contributes to excellence and is an equal-opportunity employer. Additional information about IMT may be found at www.imtlucca.it

Applicants are required to apply on line (www.imtlucca.it ). In addition, at least two letters of reference must be sent as e-mail attachments (preferably in PDF format) to: yrf.opening[ at ]imtlucca.it or by mail to the following address:

Job Openings 2009 – YRF-CSE.

IMT Lucca Institute for Advanced Studies
Piazza San Ponziano 6
55100 Lucca – Italy

Deadline: 1 December 2008

For further details on the call, please see the School website at www.imtlucca.it
Alternatively, one may also contact:

yrf.openings[ at ]imtlucca.it
Phones: +39 0583 4326554, +39 0583 4326577

Belgium: PhD Scholarships in Characterisation of the Fabric Deformation, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

RESEARCH ASSISTANT (FOR PHD STUDIES)
Position opens: January 2009
Project duration: 2009 - 2012 (4 years)
Project title: Simulation Based Solutions for Industrial Manufacture of Large Infusion Composite Parts (INFUCOMP) – Framework program 7 of the European Commission

K.U. Leuven is responsible for the work package of the project: “Characterisation of the fabric deformation”

Objectives of the work

The modelling work follows two parallel (but interrelated) routes;
a. macro-model development for models to be implemented in existing state-of-the-art draping software PAM-FORM;
b. and mathematical meso-modelling to extend the WiseTex software, with the aim to replace/reduce testing and provide (future) direct input to FE analysis.
Compare the macro-models; one (or both) will be selected and used for drape modelling and provide input for infusion/mechanical performance data.
New tests on the selected project fabrics will be performed to gather essential data on deformation, shear and through-thickness compression behaviour. Data will be used for fabric modelling and, furthermore, permeability testing/modelling.
Experimental work will contribute to ‘standardisation’ of fabric testing and, where necessary, new procedures will be proposed. It is expected there will be a useful contribution to future standards.
Position description
The project offers full funding of a 4-year PhD program to be carried out at K.U.Leuven, combined with Research Assistant position in the Department MTM, in the Composite Materials Group
http://www.mtm.kuleuven.be/Research/C2/poly/index.htm
Supervisor at K.U.Leuven : Prof. Stepan Lomov

Requirements
1. Master degree in one of the following fields (or similar)
- Composites materials
- Mechanics of solids
- Materials Engineering
- Mechanical engineering
- Textiles

Strong modelling background is an absolute requirement, more then experience with the certain class of materials (composites and textiles).

The educational background should include

Advanced course(s) on mechanics of solids
Numerical methods and scientific programming
2. Research experience

Master thesis work involving modeling of material behaviour and/or mechanical testing of composite or textile materials
Candidate having publications and/or conference papers will have an advantage
3. Language: English

Job contents

Development of models of deformation of textiles
Implementation of the models in software, using commercial FE package(s) and own programs (C++ is preferred).
Validation of the models through the extensive experimental program
CONTACT
Prof Stepan Lomov
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Department of Metallurgy and Materials
Engineering
Kasteelpark Arenberg, 44, 3001 Heverlee , Belgium
tel +32-16-32-12-10
fax +32-16-32-19-90
Stepan.Lomov[ at ]mtm.kuleuven.be

UK: PhD Studentship in Computational Modelling in Chemistry, Biology and Industry, University of Leeds

PhD Studentship in Computational Modelling in Chemistry, Biology and Industry, University of Leeds, UK

Number of Awards: 1

Supervisor Name: Dr Annette Taylor, School of Chemistry in collaboration with Dr Mark Wilson in Mechanical Engineering

Value: The stipend will be at the standard EPSRC rate (currently 12,940 pa), and the studentship is open to any UK or EU nationals possessing/expecting a good degree in a physical science, engineering, computing or mathematics.


Project Description:
An exciting PhD opportunity is available in an emerging research field at the interface of physical sciences, engineering and biology. The project seeks to use detailed computational modelling to understand the influences of different fluid flows on the dynamics of chemical reactions. This is key to developing our understanding of biological pattern formation, the propagation of chemical signals, the dynamics of blood flow, the control of hazardous chemical reactions, and other important applications in chemistry, biology, medicine and industry.

The successful applicant will join an interdisciplinary research team working in a dynamic, enthusiastic environment, and will benefit from a range of training opportunities to develop desirable technical and transferable skills. In particular, training will be provided in fluid dynamics, computational modelling, and high-performance computing. The project will run in parallel with a closely linked experimental investigation undertaken in Birmingham, and will therefore also provide experience of state-of-the-art spectroscopic and imaging methods in chemistry. Opportunities will also arise to present the results of this research at international conferences.

Application deadline: 31/12/08

Please email A.F.Taylor[ at ]leeds.ac.uk or M.Wilson[ at ]leeds.ac.uk for further details.

How to apply: Applications should be made online or using the University application form , to

Tanya Wainwright
School of Chemistry
University of Leeds
Leeds LS2 9JT, UNITED KINGDOM

Email address: T.M.Wainwright[ at ]leeds.ac.uk

Further information contact:

Name: Dr A Taylor / Dr M Wilson
Email: A.F.Taylor[ at ]leeds.ac.uk / M.Wilson[ at ]leeds.ac.uk
Telephone: (+44) 0113 343 6543

USA: PhD Fellowship in Policy-Focused Climate Change Mitigation, University of Delaware

PhD Fellowship in Policy-Focused Climate Change Mitigation, University of Delaware, USA

A research assistantship is available at the University of Delaware’s College of Marine and Earth Studies (CMES) for a qualified student-applicant interested in policy-focused research related of climate change mitigation. Fellowship funds include a tuition waiver and stipend for a minimum of one year.

The research project will examine the extent to which (and if so, why) public opinion regarding offshore wind power has changed over time in Delaware and Cape Cod, Massachusetts
(see www.ocean.udel.edu/windpower).

Students who work with us typically take courses in international environmental policy, climate change policy, conservation and renewable energy policy, ocean and coastal law, and in the science, engineering and policy aspects of offshore wind power, among others.

For more information see the attached PDF and/or contact Professor Jeremy Firestone, College of Marine and Earth Studies, Robinson Hall, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, tel: (302) 831-0228, email: jf[ at ]udel.edu

Jeremy Firestone
Senior Research Scientist, Center for Carbon-free Power Integration
Associate Professor, College of Marine and Earth Studies University of
Delaware Robinson Hall Newark, DE USA 19711
1-302 831-0228 (tel)
1-302 831-6838 (fax)
jf[ at ]udel.edu

www.carbonfree.udel.edu (Center)
www.ocean.udel.edu/windpower (windpower)
www.ocean.udel.edu/people/jf (personal)

Spain: PhD Position at Instituto de Carboquímica (CSIC), Zaragoza

PhD Position at Instituto de Carboquímica (CSIC), Zaragoza, Spain

The Institute of Carbochemistry (CSIC, Spanish Scientific Research Council) offers a contract to carry out PhD to work in the topic “structured reactors coated with carbon nanofibers supported catalysts for water treatment” under the supervision of Enrique García-Bordejé.

We are looking for one skilled and motivated student to develop a project within the framework of a European project in which participate seven countries. We will only evaluate candidates with European Union citizenship who can join the Institute within the first months of 2009 after the interview. The position will be filled through a 1 year contract (renewable). Salary according to Spanish rules and depending on the candidate’s qualifications.

It is required a chemical engineering degree with background in catalysis, fluent English and it will be valued some Spanish knowledge, although it is not indispensable.

Zaragoza is a quiet, beautiful town of 600,000 inhabitants, well communicated with Madrid and Barcelona via high speed train. In 2008 Zaragoza held and International Exposition (EXPO2008), which gave more splendour to the city and bestowed the city with all modern facilities.

Interested candidates should submit their CV (in PDF format) and the names and contact email addresses of two referees to Enrique Garcia (jegarcia[ at ]icb.csic.es) by February 20th 2009.

Tentative starting date end of March

UK: EPSRC / BAE Systems PhD Studentship in Distributed System Evaluation through Fault Injection, University of Leeds

EPSRC/BAE Systems PhD Studentship: Distributed System Evaluation through Fault Injection

School: Computing, University of Leeds
Funding Type: EPSRC/BAE Systems.
Award type: Studentship package of maintenance and fees.
Number of Awards: 1
Entry Requirements: BSc 2(i) level (or equivalent) background in Computer Science, Software Engineering or other relevant discipline.
Supervisor Name: Professor Jie Xu
Value: £12,940 (Tax Free) per annum maintenance allowance, fees, and an additional £6000 per annum.
Closing date: 31 December 2008

Project Description: Fault injection is a useful tool for assessing the dependability and robustness of systems. It is considered an important evaluation tool but its use requires detailed knowledge of the system architecture being applied to along with available fault models. This studentship will be linked to the evaluation of architectures work package, investigating the evaluation of system dependability through the use of fault injection.

The studentship will examine the application of heuristic rules to automate fault injection placement. Whilst it is relatively easy to implement fault injection tools or hand insert fault injection code, it requires a great deal of skill and detailed knowledge of the system under test to place the fault injection points in a system so that they provide optimal coverage.

Research projects have implemented fault injection frameworks that semi-automate the creation of fault injection campaigns for a system. Unfortunately, these systems fail to automate the actual placement of fault injection points within a system and thus require experienced domain experts to operate them with detailed knowledge of system under test. Published work indicates that a method based on heuristic rules may allow automation of the process by guiding fault injection point placement.

The aim of this studentship is to devise a method to guide automated fault placement enabled by organizing heuristic rules, their associated fault models and coverage statistics as well as the system descriptions into a number of ontologies which will determine appropriate injection points. The method will be implemented as an example tool, either as a standalone tool or as an add-on to an existing tool, for example a plug-in for the Eclipse integrated development environment.

The studentship is part of the EPSRC/BAE Systems funded research project in system engineering addressing the question: “Are you prepared for NEC (Network Enabled Capability)?” The NECTISE (Network Enabled Capability Through Innovative Systems Engineering) project is a five and half year research endeavour involving the Universities of: Loughborough, Bath, Cambridge, Cranfield, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Queen’s Belfast, Strathclyde, and York, with a value of around £8.4M. The University of Leeds is one of the four academic leaders for the entire programme, leading research activities on System Architectures and contributing to the development of Through Life System Management. This post will be linked with the Systems Architecture topic group.

This project is appropriate for a software engineering graduate with a strong validation and verification background or a computer science graduate with a strong programming background. The student will join the Distributed Systems and Services research group located within the School of Computing at the University of Leeds (see http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/distsys/).

The project will provide an opportunity for the successful candidate to attend national and international conferences and provides a studentship package of £12,940 (Tax Free) per annum maintenance allowance, fees, and an additional £6000. The successful candidate will be also encouraged to contribute towards the publication of work and to define opportunities within the project.

The successful candidate should fulfill the eligibility criteria for EPSRC funding through UK/EU nationality and residency status (See http://www.epsrc.ac.uk) and is therefore only open to UK and EU students.

For further details please contact Dr. Duncan Russell (duncanr[ at ]comp.leeds.ac.uk). Interested candidates should send a letter of application and a detailed CV with the names and addresses of three referees to:

Dr. Duncan Russell
Senior Research Fellow
Distributed Systems & Services group
School of Computing
University of Leeds
LS2 9JT
Tel: +44 (0) 113 3431707
Email: duncanr[ at ]comp.leeds.ac.uk

Applications will be considered up to 31st December 2008. Early applications will be considered immediately.

Germany: Postdoctoral Position, Experienced Researcher (ER) Optical Surface Characterisation

Job description
Our research group works on the development of new sensor principles for microscopic surface characterisation. We provide a challenging position for an experienced scientist with the opportunity to gain industrial experience in a small high technology company within the EC funded Marie-Curie-Network project WEMESURF*. The main tasks of an ER in the network are the improvement of their own skills in a variety of research areas relevant to modern tribology, surface characterisation, and material analysis as well as the transfer of knowledge to the network partners, and the support of the PhD students

employed by the network. The position is limited to 12 months, while 3 months have to be spent in the partner institutions.

Requirements
The criteria in Marie Curie Research and Training Network (MCRTN) for eligible researchers exclude German citizens from a position in Germany while they may still apply to one of the other positions in the network. The number of persons from third countries is limited to a total amount of 30 % of employment months within the network, while at least 40 % of the positions have to be filled with women. To check your eligibility, see full conditions at www.wemesurf.net.

Education and Skills:
For this exciting new line of research we seek highly motivated candidates with a PhD in Physics, Optical Engineering, or similar. Preferably you should have experience on optical modelling, generic programming skills (eg MATLAB, C++), or physical optics expertise. Good English language knowledge in writing and speaking is required. Basic German language skills are recommended for social reasons but not mandatory to fulfil your job duties.

Organization
NanoFocus AG: a WEMESURF* partner under EC contract MRTN-CT-2006-035589.
Lindnerstr. 98
46149 Oberhausen
Germany

* Characterisation of WEear MEchanisms and SURFace functionalities with regard to life time prediction and

quality criteria - from micro to the nano range (WEMESURF)

Conditions of employment
The appointment amounts to € 47000/year factorised by the country correction coefficient (e.g. Germany 1.038). Additional funds are available as “mobility allowance” (€ 800/month for researcher being married or equivalent; € 500/month not married) and as annual “travel allowance” (depending on distance between home location and host). The appointment position requires a permanent and active participation in the study and research program of the Research Training Network. It will be possible to get up to € 2000 for career exploratory allowance and additionally funds for travel expenses to conferences and cooperating scientific institutions as well as for research equipment. Duration of the contract: 1 year, working hours per week: 40. This project is funded by Marie Curie Research Training Networks under the EC contract MRTN-CT-2006-035589.

Additional Information
Additional information about WEMESURF can be obtained at:
http://wemesurf.isas.tuwien.ac.at/html/vacancies.html

Additional Information about NanoFocus AG can be found at:
http://www.nanofocus.de/

You can apply for this job before 31-12-2008 (dd-mm-yyyy).

Contact:
For questions about the position at NanoFocus and for your application please contact:

NanoFocus AG
Research and Development
Ms Sirichanok Chanbai
Lindnerstr. 98
46149 Oberhausen
Germany

E-mail: chanbai[ at ]nanofocus.de

Phone: +49 208 62000-81
Fax: +49 208 62000-99
www.nanofocus.de

For generic Questions about WEMESURF or your application to another position in WEMESURF contact the coordinator:

AC2T Research GmbH
Mr Martin JECH
Viktor Kaplan-Straße 2
A 2700 Wiener Neustadt
Austria

E-mail: wemesurf[ at ]ac2t.at

Phone: +43 2622 81600-39
Fax: +43 2622 81600-99

www.ac2t.at

UK: EPSRC/BAE Systems PhD Studentship in Evolutionary Service-Oriented Architecture, University of Leeds

EPSRC/BAE Systems PhD Studentship: Evolutionary Service-Oriented Architecture

School: Computing, University of Leeds.
Funding Type: EPSRC/BAE Systems.
Award type: Studentship package of maintenance and fees.
Number of Awards: 1.
Entry Requirements: BSc 2(i) level (or equivalent) background in Computer Science, Software Engineering or other relevant discipline.
Supervisor Name: Professor Jie Xu.
Value: £12,940 (Tax Free) per annum maintenance allowance, fees, and an additional £6000 per annum.
Application deadline: 31st December 2008.

Project Description: This studentship will be linked to the NECTISE work on evolutionary architectures and contribute to the understanding of architectural requirements in the pursuit of robust, dependable solutions over the development cycles of distributed systems. The objectives of this studentship are:

to develop an evolutionary service-oriented model for the provision of dependable and sustainable capability,
to relate the model to realistic systems for the provision of such capability, and
to evaluate the performance of this model through mathematical analysis and simulations.
This project will focus on evolutionary methods for managing service development, service discovery and service integration in a critical and dynamic environment. This will include exploring novel architectures that can adapt to changes due to, for example: faults; customer need; technology developments and obsolescence. In this doctoral programme, mathematical and simulation-based evaluations will be used to scrutinize new models of service integration and discovery to deliver dependable capability. Evaluation areas will include optimization of resources, architecture agility, managing dynamic availability and minimizing the impact on affordability.

The studentship is part of the EPSRC/BAE Systems funded research project in system engineering addressing the question: “Are you prepared for NEC (Network Enabled Capability)?” The NECTISE (Network Enabled Capability Through Innovative Systems Engineering) project is a five and half year research endeavour involving the Universities of: Loughborough, Bath, Cambridge, Cranfield, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Queen’s Belfast, Strathclyde, and York, with a value of around £8.4M. The University of Leeds is one of the four academic leaders for the entire programme, leading research activities on System Architectures and contributing to the development of Through Life System Management. This post will be linked with the Systems Architecture topic group.

This project is appropriate for a software engineering graduate with a strong validation and verification background or a computer science graduate with a strong programming background. The student will join the Distributed Systems and Services research group located within the School of Computing at the University of Leeds (see http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/distsys/).

The project will provide an opportunity for the successful candidate to attend national and international conferences and provides a studentship package of £18000 maintenance and fees. The successful candidate will be also encouraged to contribute towards the publication of work and to define opportunities within the project.

The successful candidate should fulfill the eligibility criteria for EPSRC funding through UK/EU nationality and residency status (See http://www.epsrc.ac.uk) and is therefore only open to UK and EU students.

For further details please contact Dr. Duncan Russell (duncanr[ at ]comp.leeds.ac.uk). Interested candidates should send a letter of application and a detailed CV with the names and addresses of three referees to:

Dr. Duncan Russell
Senior Research Fellow
Distributed Systems & Services group
School of Computing
University of Leeds
LS2 9JT
Tel: +44 (0) 113 3431707
Email: duncanr[ at ]comp.leeds.ac.uk

Applications will be considered up to 31st December 2008. Early applications will be considered immediately.

Malaysia: Master and PhD Scholarships in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP)

Malaysia: Master and PhD Scholarships in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP)

Scholarship Offer for Master/PhD Students

We are a research team from University Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), recently our group has obtained research funding from Malaysia Government, MOSTI (Ministry of Science & Technology). We would like to recruit those students with following requirements to be a part of our research team.

Requirements:

Bachelor Degree / MSc / MEng in Computer Programming / Communication / Electrical Engineering / Electrical Engineering / Computer Science.
Experience in software development using C & C++ under Windows for embedded system/platforms.
Strong programming, trouble-shooting, analytical, creativeness/innovativeness and problem-solving skills is required.
Willing to work in a team environment with minimal supervision/guidance and self-disciplined/motivated to produce high quality network software.
Good oral and written communication skills in English.
Applicants must be willing to work in Perlis, Malaysia.
Applicants can be Malaysian citizens or expatriates/foreigners.
Fresh graduates with excellent grades are encouraged to apply.
Those who are interested, please email not later than 15th November 2008, with complete resume giving full details of your background, experience, contact numbers together with a photograph to:

Ooi Chia Ai
Lecturer
Program of Biomedical Electronic Engineering
School of Mechatronic Engineering
Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP)
Phone No: +604-9798913 / +6012-5844183
Fax No: +604-9798142
Email: caooi@unimap.edu.my or space.oca@gmail.com

UK: International Scholarship for Undergraduate, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University

International Scholarship for Undergraduate, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, UK

International Scholarships
School of Life and Health Sciences is pleased to announce Scholarship Scheme for international students who apply for 2009/10 academic year. Scholarships are of £1,250 in value to help with the cost of tuition fees and are available for any of the following undergraduate programmes:

BSc Biomedical Sciences
BSc Biology
MPharm Pharmacy
BSc Optometry
BSc Psychology

These are regional-based scholarships available to students from the following areas:

East Asia
South Asia
South East Asia
Russia and Central Asia
Middle East and Gulf States
Africa
South America and Mexico
Application process
There is no special application process for the award. All eligible applicants will be considered for the scholarship and they will be informed about it in their offer letter.

Conditions

1. Scholarships are only available for international students who are self-funded and classed as “overseas” for tuition purposes.

2. Eligible candidates must hold either a conditional or unconditional offer for one of the listed programmes.

3. Scholarships will be allocated to applicants with outstanding academic results.

4. Scholarships are for each year of undergraduate study for a maximum of four years. In order to retain the scholarship for next academic year, students have to pass all modules. Scholarships are not available for foundation or placement years.

5. The decision of the School of Life and Health Sciences Scholarship Panel is final.

For more information, please email: lhsadmissions[ at ]aston.ac.uk

USA: Postdoctoral Research Associate in Breast Cancer, University of Miami

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Breast Cancer, University of Miami, USA

A post-doctoral position is available to study the function of T-box transcription factors in BRCA1/2-related breast cancer in the laboratory of Dr. Karoline Briegel at the University of Miami. The focus of the lab is on the transcriptional control of breast cancer stem cell development using different cell and mouse model systems.

We are specifically seeking a motivated individual who has several years of experience working on mammary gland biology, breast cancer related projects or using the mouse as a model system.

Application
Interested individuals should send their CV and a list of references to kbriegel[ at ]med.miami.edu

USA: Postdoctoral Fellowship of the Committee on Global Thought at Columbia University

The post-doctoral fellowship of the Committee on Global Thought at Columbia University is designed to bring together an innovative group of interdisciplinary researchers from around the world. The Fellowship gives emerging scholars the opportunity to work with distinguished faculty and provide a space for collaborative research and publication. CGT encourages interdisciplinary, transnational research under three broad themes: Secularism and Diversity, Global Governance, and Poverty and Inequality. Past fellows have researched topics including the local socio-economic consequences of global policy, the historical roots of identity, and the evolution of transnational and international political structures. Scholars from any discipline may apply, provided that they successfully indicate how their work will contribute to CGT’s three research themes listed above. Up to four fellowship spots are available for the academic year beginning August 1, 2009.

The term of the fellowship is one calendar year, beginning August 1, 2009 and ending July 31, 2010. The fellowship is renewable for an additional year, contingent upon mutual satisfaction with demonstrated progress.

Requirements
Fellows are expected to:

Teach or assist with one undergraduate or graduate course, either of their own design or as specified by the Committee. When teaching, fellows are required to hold weekly office hours.
Participate in planning and execution of research workshops and symposia.
Present their individual research projects once a semester.
Eligibility
International applicants are encouraged to apply. If selected, Columbia University will sponsor the appropriate visa.

Candidates will be considered only if:

They received their first doctorate from a recognized university no earlier than August 1, 2004 (Those who have not completed their degree at the time of application must have submitted their dissertation for defense on or before April 1, 2009. Evidence required, no exceptions).
They do not hold or have not held a tenure or tenure-track position.
They can fluently speak, publish, and teach in English.
They submit an original research proposal. An adaptation of a dissertation or previous publication does not qualify.
Benefits
Fellows will receive:

- An annual salary of $55,000, which includes health insurance and other standard benefits.
Access to Columbia University libraries and computer resources.
Shared office space.
Eligibility for additional funding for special research projects.
Eligibility to apply for campus housing.

Application Checklist- all items must be completed and postmarked by December 1, 2008 and received by December 10, 2008.

Send materials to:

Committee on Global Thought
440 Riverside Drive
New York, NY 10027
attn: Post-doc Search

An official graduate school transcript and terminal diploma if received (provide English translation if necessary).
Three (3) letters of reference.
Application fee of $30 USD. Check or money order made payable to Columbia University (Fee may be waived at our discretion).
Please send 5 copies of the following:
1.Curriculum Vitae
2. Cover Letter
3. Research proposal
-not to exceed 1500 words;
-The description should include the background, nature, importance, specific objectives, and methodology of the proposed research project
4. Writing Sample
- not to exceed 20 double spaced pages
- preferably an article or research paper published in a scholarly journal
- topic should be pertinent to the proposed research project
- no books will be accepted
5. Syllabus of proposed course or Outline of proposed Symposium

All materials must be in English; translations accepted.

NO MATERIALS, INCLUDING RECOMMENDATION LETTERS, WILL BE ACCEPTED VIA EMAIL.

Applications are reviewed immediately, so please ensure they are complete. Applications received piecemeal are not likely to be assembled or read.

All questions may be directed to: cgtmail[ at ]gmail.com.

http://cgt.columbia.edu/docs/Jobs

USA: Postdoctoral Scholar in Mathematical Modeling and 3D Imaging, University of Wisconsin

USA: Postdoctoral Scholar in Mathematical Modeling and 3D Imaging, University of Wisconsin

Postdoctoral Scholar in Mathematical Modeling and 3D Imaging, University of Wisconsin, USA

You will be working with the PI on a couple of biomedicine-related projects using 3D imaging data and PDE-based numerical simulation. One such example is to model the cardiac cell contraction using electron microscopic images and finite element methods.

Ideal candidates should have strong background in mathematical modeling and numerical analysis. Knowledge of 3D biomedical imaging and image analysis is a plus. Basic programming skills such as C/C++ are required.

Application
Please send your curriculum vitae, a one-page research summary, and contact information (including email address and phone number) of 2-3 references to:

Prof. Zeyun Yu - yuz[ at ]uwm.edu

Singapore: Asian Graduate Students Fellowship Programme 2009, National University of Singapore (NUS)

Asian Graduate Students Fellowship Programme 2009, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore

The Asia Research Institute of NUS invites applications from citizens of Asian countries enrolled for a fulltime advanced degree at a university in an Asian country (except Singapore) for consideration for the award of Asian Graduate Student Fellowships. These fellowships are offered to current graduate students doing their Master’s or PhD degrees and working in the Humanities and Social Sciences on Southeast Asian topics, and will allow the recipients to be based at NUS for an `in residence fellowship’ for a period of three months. The aim of the fellowship is to enable scholars to make full use of the wide range of resources held in the libraries of NUS and the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. Scholars will be expected to commence on 4 May 2009, and to make a presentation on their work at the Singapore Graduate Forum on Southeast Asian Studies at the end of July 2009.

Successful candidates can expect the following benefits:

1) A monthly allowance of SGD$1,750 (inclusive of housing allowance).
2) A one time round trip travel subsidy by the most economical and direct route on a reimbursement basis upon being accepted for the fellowship.
3) Access to library and computer resources on campus.

Applicants are invited to e-mail/facsimile/mail their curriculum vitae, a 2-page outline of their research proposal in English (this may be accompanied by a longer statement in a Southeast Asian language) to the address below by 15 November 2008. Arrangements should also be made by which at least two letters of reference, one of which is from your principal supervisor, are sent confidentially to the same address by the same deadline.

The 2-page research proposal must include the following details:

1) Whether the data collection or fieldwork stage of the research has already been completed;
2) how the fellowship will contribute to the research;
3) the types of sources to be consulted in Singapore;
4) proposed work plan during the fellowship.

You can look forward to excellent library and internet computer facilities at NUS’ main library (http://www.lib.nus.edu.sg/), the library at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) http://www.iseas.edu.sg/library.html) and the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library at the National Library (http://www.nlb.gov.sg) to facilitate your research for the dissertation. NUS’ main library has
2 million volumes covering all topics while ISEAS’ library has 200,000 on Southeast Asian topics, half of which are in Southeast Asian languages.

Selvi
Asia Research Institute
NUS Bukit Timah Campus
469A Tower Block #10-01
Bukit Timah Road,
Singapore 259770
E-mail : arikk@nus.edu.sg
Fax: 65 67791428
Website: http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/

Closing date: 15 November 2008

Denmark: PhD Scholarship in Road-mapping for Design and Innovation, Technical University of Denmark

PhD Scholarship in Road-mapping for Design and Innovation, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark

Applicants are invited for a PhD scholarship at the Department of Management Engineering, the Technical University of Denmark for appointment 1 January 2009.

The aim of the project is to analyse road-mapping methods, their contexts and their use as a strategy tool in industrial product development and in public governance of strategic research. A critical analysis of the assumptions and theoretical foundation of road-mapping methods will also be part of the research. Road-mapping is seen as a strategic management tool in strategic research, design and innovation activities.

Description of the project
Road-mapping has gained international recognition as part of a broader discussion of R&D management and governance of strategic research. Road-mapping has been developed as a management tool for aligning strategic research, product development and marketing activities. As such it can be used in different contexts for making decision about research strategies and putting priorities on product development, design ideas and investments in innovation. ?

Much of the scientific literature on road-mapping is rather descriptive and focused on practical use and experiences. There is a need for developing the theoretical foundations as well as the methodology used in road-mapping. Theoretical contributions can be found in the fields of strategic management (with emphasis on learning, decisions and strategising) and innovation economics (with emphasis on path dependencies, clustering of innovations, and trajectories). Also the field of sociology of knowledge and technology might offer relevant contributions with emphasis on the flexibility of interpretations, the building of semiotic networks, and the focus on co-production offers relevant insights into the innovation process.

Required skills
Successful candidates must hold an MSc degree in engineering or social sciences with a relevant specialisation.

We are looking for a colleague who possesses the following skills:

Knowledge of technological foresight and innovation processes within the perspective of innovation economics and the sociology of technology and knowledge
An interest in working scientifically with research planning, innovation management and the analysis and improvement of methods for road-mapping and related types of methods
Proficiency in oral and written English is needed
Experience with interdisciplinary research and project teams is valued
Conditions and terms
The salary and appointment terms are consistent with the current rules for PhD degree students. The position is available for a period of three years.

The PhD project is part of the doctoral studies program in Design and Innovation hosted at the Department of Management Engineering and will be enrolled at the PhD school at this department.

For further information about the requirements for enrolment and the general planning of the scholarship studies, please visit: www.dtu.dk/English/education/Phd_Education.aspx.

Application
Applications must include curriculum vitae, examination certificate, references (contact details for at least two reference persons that we may contact for further inquires) and a cover letter outlining the motivation for the PhD study and for this particular project as well as a possible starting date.

We need your online application no later than 17 November 2008 at 12.00 noon. Apply online at www.dtu.dk/vacancy - open the link “apply online” fill out the form and attach the above mentioned documents. Material received after the deadline will not be taken into account.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

Further information
For further information, please contact Professor Ulrik Jørgensen, phone +45 4525 6075, uj[ at ]ipl.dtu.dk or Section Manager Per Dannemand Andersen, phone +45 4677 5108, per.dannemand[ at ]risoe.dk

Deadline: 17 November 2008

UK: Engineering PhD Research Studentships in Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering, Loughborough University

Engineering PhD Research Studentships in Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering, Loughborough University, UK

Engineering PhD Research Studentships
Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering

Applications are invited for PhD research studentships within Loughborough University’s Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering for the 2008-2009 academic year. Studentships will be paid a tax-free stipend of at least £12,900 p.a. for 3 years, plus tuition fees at the UK/EU rate. For well-qualified overseas graduates studentships will cover the overseas fees. Applicants should be highly motivated and have (or expect to obtain) a minimum of an upper second-class honours degree or equivalent in the appropriate engineering discipline.

Loughborough University’s research has a strong industrial and commercial dimension that is at the forefront of many technological advances. Research studentships in the Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering are available in a number of key areas:

Acoustics and Vibration.
Applied Aerodynamics.
Combustion and Energy Conversion .
Dynamics and Control.
Structures and Materials.
Risk and Reliability.
Further details of research areas for each group can be found in our Research Guide which can be downloaded from the department’s website.



Eligibility:
Candidates should hold, or expect to receive, a first or upper second degree in a relevant engineering or science subject. In addition applicants whose first language is not English English will require a language qualification, full details can be found at here.

Additional Information:
Applicants should complete the standard PhD application form available from this page.

Further information about the studentship can be obtained by contacting:- Jackie Green, Research Administrator, Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering, Loughborough University, E-mail: J.A.Green[ at ]lboro.ac.uk

For informal enquiries contact the relevant academic, details are available on the website.

Closing Date for Applications: Friday, 28 November 2008

UK: PhD Studentship in Computational Models of Visual Processing, University of Edinburgh

PhD Studentship in Computational Models of Visual Processing, University of Edinburgh, UK

University of EdinburghPhD Studentship in Computational Models of Visual ProcessingSchool of Informatics
The School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh invites applications for a three-year PhD studentship on the project “Synchronous Linguistic and Visual Processing” funded by the European Research Council. The aim of this project is to investigate the cognitive processes that unfold when humans view a visual scene and listen to a speech stimulus at the same time. The project encompassesboth experimental research using eye-tracking and computational work using machine learning and probabilistic modeling.The successful candidate will have a have a good honors degree or equivalent in cognitive science, artificial intelligence, computer science, or a related discipline. He/she will have strong programming skills and previous experience in image processing, computer vision, or computational models of perception and attention. Experience with machine learning and probabilistic modeling techniques is essential.
The successful candidate will work as part of a team of experts in linguistic and visual processing; he/she will design and implement models of visual processing based on the results of eye-movements experiments on synchronous processing.
The studentship will provide maintenance only funding at an enhanced research council rate. Both UK/EU and overseas candidates are encouraged to apply.
For further information please contact Dr. Frank Keller (keller[ at ]inf.ed.ac.uk). Application forms and details on how to apply are available from:http://www.inf.ed.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply.html
More information about the project can be found at:http://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/keller/projects/synproc.html
On your application, please indicate “ERC Studentship: Synchronous Processing”.
Application deadline: November 15, 2008.
Applications received after the deadline may be considered, but this cannot be guaranteed.

UK: EPSRC Funded PhD Studentship in Interactive Multimedia Applications, Durham University

Applications are invited for a Ph.D. student to work on an EPSRC funded project entitled “An Interactive and Intuitive Object Deformation Framework for Interactive Multimedia Applications” in the Department of Computer Science. The aim of the project is to develop techniques to improve object deformation performance and quality, and to offer a novel interface for specifying deformation constraints and manipulators. The research will lead to high quality interactive deformable object processing and usage. It will also benefit various industry sectors, including product or engineering design, medical applications, digital entertainment and computer gaming.

Prospective candidates will have a good honours (or equivalent) degree in Computer Science or other relevant subjects. The successful applicant should have a good background in most of the following areas: computer graphics, multimedia systems, mathematics and computer programming.

This fully funded studentship is at the standard EPSRC rate (£12,940 p.a. for 08/09).

More project information can be obtained by contacting Dr Frederick Li at frederick.li[ at ]durham.ac.uk, or by visiting http://www.dur.ac.uk/frederick.li

To apply:
Applications should be sent to Dr Frederick Li (Email: frederick.li[ at ]durham.ac.uk), Computer Science Department, Durham University, Science Labs, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom.

Canada: Postdoctoral Positions in Design and Physical Characterization of Vesicles and Oil-in-Water Emulsions, the University

This project involves the design and manipulation of vesicles and oil-in-water emulsions. The vesicles will contain a hydrophilic core and a lipid envelope, and will be suspended in an aqueous phase. Oil in water emulsions will contain food grade oil and proteins. The main aspect of the project will be to physically and chemically characterize the nanoparticles with respect to stability and leakage. The techniques that will be used include light scattering methods, rheology, microscopy and fluorescence.

The ideal candidate will have a PhD in Food Science, Physics, Chemistry or related discipline and experience with one or more of the above-mentioned techniques. A record of at least one publication is expected.

The Food Science Department at the University of Guelph is one of North America’s leading Food Science departments. Its strengths include a young faculty body and state-of-the-art facilities. Its annual income is $5.5M for research and there are currently 23 PhD and 77 MSc students with 100undergraduates in BSc with Food Science major.

Start date: January 1st 2009.

Contact: Dr Marcela Alexander, maalexan[ at ]uoguelph.ca

website: http://www.uoguelph.ca/dairyres/

New Zealand: PhD Research Position on Foundations of XML Databases, Victoria University of Wellington

Stipend: 25,000 NZD per year (tax-free) plus fees

Additional income: The successful candidate will have the opportunity to supplement the stipend by contributing to undergraduate teaching.

Duration: available for 3 years, commencing 01 March 2009 (or earlier)

The PhD is part of a project supported by the Marsden fund council from Government funding, administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand. We invite applications from excellent domestic or international candidates who have a Master’s degree in mathematics or computer science (or equivalent), and an interest in applying methods from logic, discrete math and complexity theory to database research.

How to apply
An application that includes an explanation of the candidates interest in the position and background, a full CV, an academic transcript and a confirmation of the prerequisite qualification, a two-page summary of the Master’s thesis, and the name and contact details of at least one referee, should be sent to sebastian.link[ at ]vuw.ac.nz by 21 November 2008. Applications will be considered until the position is filled.

New Zealand is rated one of the top destinations in the world with its clean green natural image, scenery, Lord of the Rings film setting, adventure, culture and value for money (http://www.tourism.net.nz/). New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington, is an experience that will reveal the creative, political and cultural nature of New Zealand, but still provide blockbuster scenery (http://www.wellingtonnz.com/). Information about the Victoria University of Wellington can be obtained at http://www.vuw.ac.nz/

For further details: contact sebastian.link[ at ]vuw.ac.nz or sven.hartmann[ at ]tu-clausthal.de

Switzerland: PhD Position in Environmental Chemistry / Water Treatment / Pathogen Disinfection (Lausanne)

PhD Position in Environmental Chemistry / Water Treatment / Pathogen Disinfection (Lausanne), Switzerland

The Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry at EPFL (http://lce.epfl.ch) is interested in naturally occurring processes in surface water that can lead to the inactivation of viral pathogens. Some of the most effective water treatment methods (e.g., waste stabilization ponds) rely on such natural disinfection processes. Even though these treatment methods are extensively used, little is known about the factors that control virus inactivation.

We are currently looking for a PhD student to carry out a thesis in the area of virus-particle interactions and their effect on virus disinfection. In particular, we are interested in understanding how electrostatic forces or radicals produced from photo-active particles affect virus viability. For this project, we will use a combination of analytical and photochemical techniques, as well as molecular biological methods. Our long-term goal is to use the knowledge gained from our research to improve existing water treatment systems, and develop novel, more effective methods at a low cost.

Institution: EPFL is a top-tier European research institution located in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The campus is beautifully situated at the shore of Lake Geneva, with a full view of the Alps.

Education: Highly motivated candidates with a Masters degree in environmental sciences or engineering, chemistry, biology or a related field, and with a strong interest in water treatment are encouraged to apply. The group language is English, therefore a good command of both spoken and written English is essential.

Application: Please send a letter of motivation, your CV and the name and contact information of two references to tamar.kohn[ at ]epfl.ch

Application deadline: November 15th 2008.

USA: Postdoc Positions in Biomedical and Satellite Image Analysis, University of Missouri-Columbia

NIH-, NASA- and DoD-funded postdoctoral positions are available in the Dept. of Computer Science at the Univ. of Missouri-Columbia.

Multi-modal, multi-spectral, multi-view imaging is creating a new class of challenging research problems in image registration, rectification, localization, object extraction, 3D structure estimation, object classification, object tracking, and multi-dimensional visualization. These common computer vision, image analysis and visualization problems are shared across multiple disciplines. In our case three related projects use similar computational and visualization approaches. One project is to locate, classify and track cells in live-cell microscopy for biomedical applications (see below). Another project is to improve hurricane forecasting by assimilating satellite observations and visualizing numerical model results through realtime automatic deformable 2D/3D cloud tracking and flow visualization. The third project is to track vehicles and people in large format wide-area video and use this information for event and activity analysis and video summarization. Other common goals include realtime parallel processing (multicore GPU or Cell clusters) and 3D visualization.

Desirable/required skills include a doctoral degree in EECS or related field with a solid background in image analysis, computer vision, pattern recognition and computer graphics with excellent programming
experience (C++ and Matlab) including numerical PDE solvers, OpenGL, Qt GUI design, use of libraries like VTK, ITK, OpenCV, Boost, etc. Knowledge of level-sets, kernel classifiers and pyramid data handling techniques would be highly advantageous.

Please visit the announcement page for further information.

Contact:
Prof. K. Palaniappan
Dept. of Computer Science
329 Engineering Building West
Univ. of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, MO 65211-2060
PH (573) 884-9266, FAX (573) 882-8318

email: palaniappank[ at ]missouri.edu
website: http://meru.cs.missouri.edu

Japan: Honjo International Scholarships 2009 for International Students

Japan International Scholarships 2009 for International Students: Honjo International Scholarship Foundation Requirements for foreign students applying for scholarships in 2009

Eligibility
This scholarship is open to foreign students who will attend a graduate school at a Japanese university after April 1, 2009.

Number of Scholarships Available 10 to 14 students

Requirements (To be considered for the scholarship, the student must satisfy ALL of the requirement criteria below.)

1. The student is registered to attend a graduate school in Japan and does not possess Japanese citizenship. His or her academic achievement as well as moral character is exemplary. He or she must be considered to be in need of financial aid due to extenuating financial circumstances.
2. The student must be registered to attend or have been accepted to attend a graduate school after April 1, 2009. He or she must be able to provide any of the following documentation: a certificate of enrollment, letter of admission or a letter attesting to the fact that the student has been accepted.
3. To be eligible, students enrolled in a PhD Program must have been born after March 31, 1973. Those enrolled in a Master’s Program must have been born after March 31, 1978.
4. The student must be able to assure the committee that he or she will be able to secure employment in his or her home country after graduating from a graduate school.
5. The student must have a deep understanding of international friendship and goodwill, and be committed to make his or her contribution.
6. The student must be able to carry an everyday conversation in Japanese. Interviews will be conducted in Japanese.

Other Rules
1. The student is not permitted to receive any other scholarship in conjunction with the scholarship offered by the Honjo International Scholarship Foundation.
2. The student cannot gain employment other than part-time work related to his or her studies such as teaching assistant, research assistant, translator or interpreter while receiving this scholarship

Amount and Duration of Scholarships
1. ¥200,000 per month for1 or 2 years
2. ¥180,000 per month for 3 years
3. ¥150,000 per month for 4 or 5 years

- The period is set in accordance with the shortest period of time required to complete the intended degree. The student, once awarded the scholarship will be able to choose either option 1 or 2.
- An extension will not be given on the pre-determined scholarship period nor would the student be allowed to change his or her courses after the scholarship period has commenced.

Selection Process
1. Applications are accepted between October 1, 2008 and November 30, 2008.
2. First selection: The first selection will be conducted with documents submitted by applicants. The results of the first selection will be announced by the end of January, 2009.
3. Second selection: Interviews will be conducted between February 1 and 15, 2009, in Tokyo. Its detailed schedule will be communicated at a later date directly to those who passed the first step of the selection process.
4. Scholarship awarded: Mid-March, 2009.

How to Apply
1. Please send by mail the documents listed below to the Administration Office.

a) Scholarship application form (provided by the Foundation). Please make sure to affix your photo to the form as instructed.
b) Your resume (provided by the Foundation)
c) Personal information form (provided by the Foundation)
d) Academic transcript: Please provide the transcript i) from the university where you graduated AND ii) any other courses that you are currently taking or have taken in the past. Photocopies are acceptable.
e) Research plan: In Japanese, describe focusing around following four points; i) an outline of your research; ii) projected schedule between now and graduation; iii) plans and goals for the future; iv) research you have conducted in the past (if any). There is no limit on the number of pages or style. Typed or hand-written.
f) One letter of recommendation from a professor. (This confidential letter should mention the applicant’s academic achievements, character/personality, and his or her potential for the future.)
g) A certificate of enrollment or a letter of admission. (Photocopies are acceptable.)

2. Your application package will be not returned to you.

3. Your personal information provided by you for the purpose of applying for our scholarship will be not used for any other purposes than for the scholarship selection process except for the following cases.

a) During the scholarship selection process, individuals on the selection committee may obtain/view your application package.
b) In order to avoid awarding multiple scholarships to an individual, we provide a list of the names of the students who were awarded the scholarship to the universities and other foundations also offering scholarships.

4. Please make sure you enclose all the necessary documents listed above as your application package will not be eligible if it was found to be incomplete.

5. As soon as we receive your application package, an e-mail will be sent to notify you of your application number. We will announce the results of the first selection on January 31 by posting on our web site the application numbers of the students who will continue to the next step of the selection process.

Application Deadline: Postmarked on/by November 30, 2008.

Receiving the Scholarship
1. The payment of the scholarship money will be issued starting from April, 2009.
2. The scholarship winners are under no obligation to repay the amount they receive from the Foundation.
3. Scholarship payment will be stopped if circumstances listed below arise.
a) Due to sickness or other reasons, the student is no longer able to continue his or her studies and/or research.
b) When the supervising professor of the student deemed him or her unsuitable for his or her studies and/or research.
c) When the student suffered from low academic achievement or displayed dishonorable behavior.
d) When the student behaved in a way that endangers the reputation of the Foundation and the other scholarship winners.

Please send your application package to:
Honjo International Scholarship Foundation
1-14-9, Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0063
Tel: +81-3-3468-2214
Fax: +81-3-3468-2264
Send inquiries to honjo-zaiban[at]mui.biglobe.ne.jp

USA: Postdoctoral Scholars in Statistical Genetics, University of Chicago

Applications are invited for postdoctoral scholar positions in Dr. Mary Sara McPeek’s Statistical Genetics group in the Departments of Statistics and Human Genetics at the University of Chicago.

A suitable applicant will hold a PhD in statistics or biostatistics. Candidates with PhDs in genetics, molecular biology or other related areas who have substantial statistical and computational expertise are also encouraged to apply.

The ideal candidate should demonstrate outstanding potential for interdisciplinary quantitative research.

Initial appointment would be for one year, with the option to renew for up to three years. Positions are available immediately.

There is a wide range of possible projects. One broad area of interest is development of statistical methods for mapping complex traits. Within this broad area, sub-areas of major interest include development of statistical methods for (1) association mapping of quantitative and qualitative traits in human populations, (2) complex trait mapping in an isolated founder population with a large inbred pedigree, (3) analysis of copy number variation, and (4) identification of polymorphisms that explain a linkage or association result. The University of Chicago is extremely strong in the research areas related to this position. There are possibilities for close collaboration with a number of leading empirical groups including groups studying human variation and complex disease mapping. There is also a strong community in statistics in general, and statistical genetics in particular.

Application
To apply, send a CV; a brief statement of research interests and goals; and the contact information for 3 references (affiliations, email addresses, and phone numbers). Transcripts are also helpful.

Email applications to:

Prof. Mary Sara McPeek (mcpeek[ at ]galton.uchicago.edu)
or send to

Prof. Mary Sara McPeek
Department of Statistics
5734 S. University Ave.
Chicago, IL 60637
fax: 773-702-9810

(email preferred).

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

UK: PhD Studentship in Cryptography, University College London

PhD Studentship in Cryptography, University College London, UK

Topic: Non-interactive Zero-Knowledge Proofs

Non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs can be used to demonstrate that a statement is true, without revealing anything else. Non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs have numerous security applications. Examples are identification protocols, where a user proves that they know a secret password without revealing the password itself, or internet voting protocols, where a voter demonstrates that they have cast a valid vote without revealing what the vote is.

This project aims at developing non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs with high efficiency and with advanced security properties. Another goal is to apply non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs in new security applications.

Supervisors
Dr Jens Groth
BT Prof. Yvo Desmedt

About the Candidate
The ideal candidate should have a strong background in Computer Science, Mathematics or a related field. Funding is available for UK candidates only, or candidates that can demonstrate a relevant connection to the UK (usually established by being resident for a period of three years immediately before the date of application for an award). In addition, the student must have an EU citizenship to qualify for reduced UCL tuition fees.

About the Position
The PhD will be supervised by Dr Jens Groth and BT Professor Yvo Desmedt of University College London, located at Adastral Park. The position will be funded by EPSRC. For eligible candidates, the funding will cover UCL tuition fees and provide a tax-free stipend of at least GBP 14,600 per annum for 3 years.

Application and Information
If you wish to apply for this studentship please use this link.

Make sure you specify PhD: “Non-interactive Zero-Knowledge Proofs, Adastral Park Campus” on the part of the form that asks what you are applying for. Please ensure you mark the department as “Adastral Park” in your application and the name of the supervisor as Dr. Jens Groth.

Please also e-mail copy of your transcripts and a CV to t.clarke[ at ]adastral.ucl.ac.uk with the title “[PhD Studentship in NIZK proofs - by Jens Groth]“, or send by post to:

Miss T Clarke, UCL Adastral Park Postgraduate Campus, Ross Building PP3, Adastral Park, Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, IP5 3RE, UK

Informal enquiries may also be directed to Jens Groth, j.groth[ at ]ucl.ac.uk with the title “[PhD Studentship in NIZK proofs]“.

The closing date is 31st December 2008.

UK: 2009 / 2010 College Postgraduate Research Studentships, The University of Edinburgh

College Postgraduate Research Studentships, The University of Edinburgh, UK

The University of Edinburgh College Postgraduate Research Scholarships are offered to academically outstanding candidates starting MPhil/PhD or MLitt programmes at the University of Edinburgh in 2009/2010.

The studentships will cover UK/EU tuition fees and a maintenance allowance broadly equivalent to those of the UK Research Councils and the British Academy. Research costs may also be paid.

Eligibility
The sole criterion for the studentships will be academic excellence; successful applicants are likely to be holders of a First Class or Upper Second Class Honours degrees from UK institutions or the overseas equivalent. Candidates who have progressed to obtain a Masters degree with distinction will also be considered.

All international students who apply for the studentships are also required to apply for an Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme (ORSAS) award or be able to demonstrate the availability of funds to meet the full overseas tuition fee.

Application Procedure
For details on the application procedures in place for each College please see the relevant link below:


College of Humanities and Social Sciences
College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
College of Science and Engineering

Further Information
Please contact the relevant College or School office in the University.

Via: official announcement

USA: Postdoctoral Fellow in Molecular Cardiology, University of California, San Diego

Postdoctoral Fellow in Molecular Cardiology, University of California, San Diego, USA

Postdoctoral fellow position is available to study integrins, integrin signaling, cytoskeletal and focal adhesion proteins in the myocyte and cardiovascular system. Our lab uses mouse models and cell culture systems for these studies.

Candidates should have Ph.D. and/or M.D. degrees with strong training in molecular and cell biology. Will interact with large molecular cardiology group at UCSD and have potential to be sponsored on an NIH-funded Training Grant.

Send or e-mail CV, contact information and at least three references to:

Dr. Robert S. Ross
UCSD - VA Healthcare San Diego
3350 La Jolla Village Drive
Cardiology 111A
San Diego, CA 92161

or e-mail to rross[ at ]ucsd.edu