Graduate Studies Opportunities, Plankton Ecology

We are seeking 2 graduate students (1 Ph.D., 1 M.Sc.) who are eager to work in the field of freshwater bloom ecology. Among the projects planned are 1) the relationship between weather, lake mixing and cyanobacterial bloom development and spatial distribution, 2) the ecophysiology of bloom species, and 3) the ecology of bloom control. Research methods can range from culture work, to innovative approaches to lake monitoring, to multi-lake surveys. These graduate positions will be based at the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM). Financial support will be provided through a research assistantship. There is funding available for intensive research exchanges with labs with similar interests worldwide. Other projects in the same program will include public health and epidemiology, watershed – lake interactions, qPCR bloom characterization and fluorometric methods of detection.

The UQAM is a French language institution. Teaching is in French, and so M.Sc. students must know French or be prepared to learn it. Ph.D. students are not required to know French, although it would be an advantage. Interested students should send a letter of introduction, academic resume, transcripts (photocopy or scan is acceptable), and be prepared to provide the names of two references, to Dr. David Bird (bird.david@uqam.ca, 514-987-3000 ext. 7859). E-mail enquiries and applications welcome. Starting date: immediate till summer 2009. English website: http://girofle2.telecom.uqam.ca/griluqam/