GSA Technical Session & Short Course Proposal Deadline: 1 February, 2020

As we say goodbye to 2019, it’s time to plan the 2020 GSA Annual Meeting in Montréal. We encourage you to propose a Short Course and/or Technical Session that will engage your GBGM colleagues and promote dynamic discussion.

Represent your science in Montréal and inspire others to attend. The deadline to submit a proposal is Saturday, 1 February. Please visit the Montréal Proposal Page. We Hope to See You in Montréal Next Year!

PhD & Post-Doc Positions at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel

The AMGC group at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel seeks to recruit PhD students and post-doctoral researchers in paleoclimate reconstructions, clumped isotopes and cyclostratigraphy.
http://we.vub.ac.be/en/analytical-environmental-and-geo-chemistry

The Analytical-Environmental and Geo-Chemistry group at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Brussels, Belgium is a large research group composed on geologists, chemists, bio-engineers, bio-archaeologists working on a variety of topics in Earth and Environmental Sciences. The department is equipped with 4 IRMS, with automated carbonate devices, gas-bench, pyrolysis oven and elemental analysers, HR-ICP-MS, microXRF, portableXRF, and FTIR microscope, and various microscopy techniques. Through collaboration and joint purchases, AMGC also has access to MC-ICP-MS and TIMS. We are now recruiting new researchers to continue our work on paleoclimate reconstructions in recent and deep-time, using speleothems or micro-scale analyses in fossil shells, or applying cyclostratigraphy to establish robust astrochronologies to understand global change events in Paleozoic and Precambrian sequences. A key aspect, more particularly at the post-doctoral level is the development of clumped isotopes application using our new Nu-Perspective-IS IRMS. Outstanding candidate at the post-doc level may also propose their own research topic using AMGC facilities.

The PhD funding is for a duration of max. 4 years, the post-doc positions are 3 year max. Starting dates are flexible, preferentially Spring 2020. Applications will remain open until all positions are filled. Enthusiastic and motivated scientists are encouraged to apply. The salary makes it possible to live comfortably in Brussels and includes benefits (transport, medical etc.).

Questions contact: Philippe Claeys (phclaeys@vub.be) by e-mail or skype

We propose a great working environment, friendly colleagues, access to a large variety of analytical techniques, a broad international collaboration network and steady funding.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
Candidates with a master degree or PhD in Geology, Earth Sciences or related field with a combination of the following:

• Scientific curiosity,
• Smart, motivated & hard working,
• Quick learner with creative and pragmatic problem-solving approach,
• Skills in geochemistry, sedimentology, analytical techniques.
• Capability to work in English, team player

Start date Spring 2020, or ASAP

HOW TO APPLY: Send your CV before January 31, 2020, with a cover letter, a description of your research interest and the names of three references (all in PDF) to Philippe Claeys, phclaeys@vub.be

iDigBio Paleo Digitization Working Group Workshop

The iDigBio Paleo Digitization Working Group is now accepting applications to attend a workshop focused on georeferencing for paleo collections, to be held in Salt Lake City April 27-29, 2020. This workshop is sponsored by iDigBio and funding for travel to Salt Lake City may be available. 

To apply, please fill out this application by Friday, January 10, 2020.

About the workshop: As the paleo collections community wraps up several TCNs we recognize that a significant amount of digitization work remains to be done and that georeferencing is one of the next big roadblocks. Across all collection types, there are major issues with the quality of georeference data currently available on biodiversity data aggregators such as iDigBio and GBIF. For paleo collections, there are additional issues related to applying existing georeferencing workflows in the paleontological context, as well as to sharing georeference data publicly. This workshop will take advantage of the momentum catalyzed by ADBC funding in the paleontological collections community to address critical issues related to georeferencing workflows and georeferencing data quality. We will bring representatives from the paleo TCNs/PENs together with participants representing perspectives external to the existing ADBC community, to:

• Address the lack and poor quality of specimen georeference data shared on biodiversity aggregators, e.g. the iDigBio Portal, by determining recommendations for the paleo collections community on best practices and workflows for generating and sharing this data.
• Identify technical barriers to implementing these recommendations and discuss a strategy for communicating them to standards organizations, aggregators, collection management software solutions, and georeferencing software tools.
• Disseminate the findings of this workshop widely, both within the paleo collections community (including to collectors) and as a resource discoverable by other domains. Findings will include a “toolkit” to share the recommendations on best practices and workflows determined by this workshop.

More information can be found on the workshop wiki page.

Scholarship from the Micropalaeontological Society

The Micropalaeontological Society is granting one scholarship to attend the European School on Ostracoda. Please, register first for the school via eso@uni-jena.de with a remark for the scholarship and we will send you the form. The deadline is the 17th of January 2020. The registration form can be downloaded here.

NAS Postdoc and Senior Research Awards

The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine administers postdoctoral and senior research awards at participating federal laboratories and affiliated institutions at locations throughout the U.S and abroad. All research opportunities are open to U.S. citizens; some are open to U.S. permanent residents and foreign nationals.

We are actively seeking highly qualified candidates including recent doctoral recipients and senior researchers. Applicants should hold, or anticipate receiving, an earned doctorate in science or engineering. Awards are contingent upon completion of the doctoral degree. A limited number of opportunities in select fields are also available for graduate students. Degrees from universities abroad should be equivalent in training and research experience to a degree from a U.S. institution.

Application deadline dates (four annual review cycles):

• February 1
• May 1
• August 1
• November 1

Awardee opportunities:

• Conduct independent research in an area compatible with the interests of the sponsoring laboratory
• Devote full-time effort to research and publication
• Access the excellent and often unique facilities of the federal research enterprise
• Collaborate with leading scientists and engineers at the sponsoring laboratories

Awardee benefits:

• One-year award, renewable for up to three years
• Stipend ranging from $45,000 to $83,000; may be higher based on experience
• Health insurance (including dental and vision), relocation benefits, and professional travel allowance 

Applicants should contact prospective Research Adviser(s) at the lab(s) prior to the application deadline to discuss their research interests and funding opportunities.

For detailed program information, visit www.nas.edu/rap or e-mail rap@nas.edu.