PhD studentship: Adapting to climate change: the re-greening of the Sahel as
a potential success case
Application deadline 2 May 2010.
The Department of Systems Ecology at Stockholm University announces in
collaboration with Stockholm Resilience Center announces one or two
externally funded PhD studentship(s) in Natural Resources Management
(Reference number: Dnr 10/2010) as from August-September 2010.
Project title
Adapting to climate change: the re-greening of the Sahel as a potential
success case.
Project description
We seek to recruit 1-2 PhD candidate(s) for participation in a
trans-disciplinary research project analyzing social-ecological systems in
Niger and/or Burkina Faso in the Sahel. The project addresses the current
trend of increasing biomass production (here referred to as the re-greening)
in the Sahel, and aims to improve the understanding of how to adapt to, and
cope with, climate variability and change in marginal environments.
Despite a need for continued caution in interpreting the extent and impact
of the re-greening trend, the recent positive developments could potentially
provide the basis for a new narrative about human-environment interactions
in the Sahel, which, in contrast to the long-dominating desertification
narrative, is based on the ability of agro-pastoralists to manage their
livelihoods under variable rainfall, finite land resources, and limited
agro-ecological productivity.
The student(s) will be involved in comparative analyses of different
villages and/or landscape segments in the Sahel that have responded to
climate variability in contrasting ways (e.g. situated at different places
along a degraded re-greened continuum) to improve the understanding of why
a positive change has taken place in some areas, while not in others.
The work will include 1) analysis of the historical development that have
led to the current re-greened/degraded state in respective area; 2) analysis
of quantity and quality of ecosystem services currently generated in the
landscape, including the influence of this on poverty dynamics; and 3)
analysis of potential development trajectories in the future, through e.g.
scenario planning.
Applications will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- theoretical knowledge of relevance to the research project
- practical experience and knowledge of relevance for the project
- knowledge of scientific theory and method
- analytical ability as demonstrated by a scientific report, paper or degree
project thesis
- the applicants personal references
- equal opportunities
French is required (but we can also accept students who are willing to learn
French during their first year). Experience of working in a developing
country is advantageous. The thesis will be written in English. The student
is expected to start in August/September 2010.
Nature of the employment
A Ph.D position lasts four years and is a full time position. After
acceptance of the PhD project plan prepared by the student, the student will
be awarded a stipend of 15 500 SEK / month (“utbildningsbidrag").
After maximum 2 years, the student is expected to defend his/her licentiate
thesis (PhD up-grading). After successful defence of the licentiate, the
student will be employed within a PhD position (“doktorandanställning").
Up to 20% teaching or other work may be included in the position (and the
position extended accordingly to 5 years). Salaries are set according to the
relevant salary scale
More details about the project can be requested from Dr. Line Gordon
line.gordon@stockholmresilience.su.se
Information about postgraduate studies at Stockholm University can be found
here
Information about the PhD training program may be requested from the Head of
Department, Professor Nils Kautsky, tel. +46 8 16 42 51, nils@ecology.su.se.
Union representatives are Bo Ekengren (SACO), Lisbeth Häggberg
(Fackförbundet ST), tel. +46 8 16 2000 (switch board), och Gunnar Stenberg
(SEKO), +46 70 316 43 41.
Application
The application should be accompanied by a letter of intent (one to two
pages that explain why you are interested in working on this project, why
you are interested in studying for a PhD, what you hope to accomplish during
your PhD studies, and what skills you can bring to this project), curriculum
vitae, copies of degree certificates and transcripts of academic records
(all attested), a list of two persons who may act as referees (with phone
numbers and email addresses), and one copy of your undergraduate thesis and
articles, if any.
The full application should be labelled ‘PhD-studentship Dnr 10/2010 and
sent to
Stockholm University
Department of Systems Ecology
Personnel matters / Barbara Pol
SE-10691 Stockholm
Or, as one pdf-file by e-mail: barbara@ecology.su.se
The application should be postmarked no later than May 2, 2010.
a potential success case
Application deadline 2 May 2010.
The Department of Systems Ecology at Stockholm University announces in
collaboration with Stockholm Resilience Center announces one or two
externally funded PhD studentship(s) in Natural Resources Management
(Reference number: Dnr 10/2010) as from August-September 2010.
Project title
Adapting to climate change: the re-greening of the Sahel as a potential
success case.
Project description
We seek to recruit 1-2 PhD candidate(s) for participation in a
trans-disciplinary research project analyzing social-ecological systems in
Niger and/or Burkina Faso in the Sahel. The project addresses the current
trend of increasing biomass production (here referred to as the re-greening)
in the Sahel, and aims to improve the understanding of how to adapt to, and
cope with, climate variability and change in marginal environments.
Despite a need for continued caution in interpreting the extent and impact
of the re-greening trend, the recent positive developments could potentially
provide the basis for a new narrative about human-environment interactions
in the Sahel, which, in contrast to the long-dominating desertification
narrative, is based on the ability of agro-pastoralists to manage their
livelihoods under variable rainfall, finite land resources, and limited
agro-ecological productivity.
The student(s) will be involved in comparative analyses of different
villages and/or landscape segments in the Sahel that have responded to
climate variability in contrasting ways (e.g. situated at different places
along a degraded re-greened continuum) to improve the understanding of why
a positive change has taken place in some areas, while not in others.
The work will include 1) analysis of the historical development that have
led to the current re-greened/degraded state in respective area; 2) analysis
of quantity and quality of ecosystem services currently generated in the
landscape, including the influence of this on poverty dynamics; and 3)
analysis of potential development trajectories in the future, through e.g.
scenario planning.
Applications will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- theoretical knowledge of relevance to the research project
- practical experience and knowledge of relevance for the project
- knowledge of scientific theory and method
- analytical ability as demonstrated by a scientific report, paper or degree
project thesis
- the applicants personal references
- equal opportunities
French is required (but we can also accept students who are willing to learn
French during their first year). Experience of working in a developing
country is advantageous. The thesis will be written in English. The student
is expected to start in August/September 2010.
Nature of the employment
A Ph.D position lasts four years and is a full time position. After
acceptance of the PhD project plan prepared by the student, the student will
be awarded a stipend of 15 500 SEK / month (“utbildningsbidrag").
After maximum 2 years, the student is expected to defend his/her licentiate
thesis (PhD up-grading). After successful defence of the licentiate, the
student will be employed within a PhD position (“doktorandanställning").
Up to 20% teaching or other work may be included in the position (and the
position extended accordingly to 5 years). Salaries are set according to the
relevant salary scale
More details about the project can be requested from Dr. Line Gordon
line.gordon@stockholmresilience.su.se
Information about postgraduate studies at Stockholm University can be found
here
Information about the PhD training program may be requested from the Head of
Department, Professor Nils Kautsky, tel. +46 8 16 42 51, nils@ecology.su.se.
Union representatives are Bo Ekengren (SACO), Lisbeth Häggberg
(Fackförbundet ST), tel. +46 8 16 2000 (switch board), och Gunnar Stenberg
(SEKO), +46 70 316 43 41.
Application
The application should be accompanied by a letter of intent (one to two
pages that explain why you are interested in working on this project, why
you are interested in studying for a PhD, what you hope to accomplish during
your PhD studies, and what skills you can bring to this project), curriculum
vitae, copies of degree certificates and transcripts of academic records
(all attested), a list of two persons who may act as referees (with phone
numbers and email addresses), and one copy of your undergraduate thesis and
articles, if any.
The full application should be labelled ‘PhD-studentship Dnr 10/2010 and
sent to
Stockholm University
Department of Systems Ecology
Personnel matters / Barbara Pol
SE-10691 Stockholm
Or, as one pdf-file by e-mail: barbara@ecology.su.se
The application should be postmarked no later than May 2, 2010.
Recent Comments