Scientific Opportunities
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY OF WELLINGTON OFFERING SCHOLARSHIPS TO PHD STUDENTS
The Victoria University of Wellington is seeking a suitably qualified PhD student to investigate sediment cores collected from the Wilkes Land margin of Antarctica as part of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). This scholarship will cover tuition fees, provide a stipend for three years and supports the Marsden Fund project: How does Antarctica ride the Milankovitch Cycle? The aim of the project is to reconstruct ice margin oscillations at the East Antarctic continental margin, and to compare these variations with oceanic water mass transfer between the continental shelf and the deep ocean. An aptitude for stratigraphic interpretation, geochemical and sedimentological analysis, together with a general interest in paleoclimatology and paleooceanography, will be an advantage. For more information about the IODP Wilkes Land expedition, visit http://www.iodp.org/expeditions/.
Applicants should have the relevant prerequisite degree for PhD study in this program and must be prepared to commence this research in early 2010. Interested applicants must submit a completed application form, letter of application, CV and full contact details for two referees by December 12, 2009 to:
Scholarships Office
Victoria University of Wellington
PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Email: scholarships-office [at] vuw [dot] ac [dot] nz
For more application details, please visit: http://www.fis.org.nz/BreakOut/vuw/schols.phtml?detail+500382.
APPLY TO SAIL: THREE EXPEDITIONS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program has begun accepting applications for scientific participants on the Juan de Fuca Hydrogeology II, South Pacific Gyre Microbiology, and the Louisville Seamount Chain Expeditions:
- The Juan de Fuca Hydrogeology II Expedition, tentatively scheduled for July 2010-September 2010, will evaluate the formation-scale hydrogeologic properties within oceanic crust, determine how fluid pathways are distributed within an active hydrothermal system, and elucidate relations between fluid circulation, alteration, microbiology, and seismic properties.
- The South Pacific Gyre Microbiology Expedition, tentatively scheduled for October 2010-December 2010, is intended to define the physical and chemical limits of subseafloor microbial life in tectonic and oceanographic settings not yet explored.
- The Louisville Seamount Chain Expedition, tentatively scheduled for December 2010-February 2011, will examine the possible mantle plume motion, eruptive style, and geochemical evolution of the Louisville hotspot.
U.S.-affiliated scientists interested in participating in the expeditions should apply to sail through the U.S. Science Support Program of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership by January 15, 2010. To apply, please visit http://www.oceanleadership.org/usssp/sail.
NOSB VIDEO COMPETITION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 25th
The deadline to enter the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB®) Second Annual “Living on the Ocean Planet” Video Competition is January 25th, 2010. The competition is being hosted in partnership with the Census of Marine Life (CoML), the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA), and the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL). The goal is to showcase student-developed original videos that educate the general public about marine technology and address the Essential Ocean Literacy Principles.
This year the contest will include regional winners as well as a national winner. The winning team from each region will be awarded a top prize by their regional site and will be posted on YouTube as well as on each of the regional NMEA Chapter web sites that are serving as a regional video contest host. The national winner will be invited to attend the 2010 NOSB Finals Competition in St. Petersburg, Florida.
For more information about the contest and its sponsors, log on to, http://www.oceanleadership.org/2009/enter-nosb-living-on-the-ocean-planet-video-contest/.
NOPP WELCOMES RESEARCH PROPOSALS FOR 2010 FISCAL YEAR
For funding beginning in Fiscal Year 2010, the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) welcomes research proposals meeting the goal of partnerships between at least two of the following three sectors: academia, industry (including NGOs), and government. Research proposals are being solicited for two topics: Improving Attachments of Electronic Data Loggers to Cetaceans and Improvements in High-Resolution, Tide-Resolving Global Ocean Predictions. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, November 23, 2009 by 2:00 pm Eastern standard time. You can find more information through the Office of Naval Research Broad Agency Announcement 09-37 at
http://www.onr.navy.mil/02/BAA/docs/09-037.pdf.
APPLICATION PERIOD OPEN FOR NSF EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC SUMMER INSTITUTES FOR U.S. GRADUATE STUDENTS
The National Science Foundation (NSF) East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for United States Graduate Students (EAPSI) is a flagship international fellowship program for developing the next generation of globally-engaged U.S. scientists and engineers knowledgeable about the Asian and Pacific regions. The Summer Institutes are hosted by foreign counterparts committed to increasing opportunities for young U.S. researchers to work in research facilities and with host mentors abroad. Fellows participate in eight-week research experiences at host laboratories in Australia, China, Japan (10 weeks), Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, and Taiwan from June to August. The program provides a $5,000 summer stipend, round-trip airfare to the host location, living expenses abroad, and an introduction to the society, culture, language, and research environment of the host location. The 2010 application is now open and will close December 8, 2009. For more information, visit www.nsfsi.org.
NOAA CORAL REEF CONSERVATION PROGRAM - 2010 INTERNATIONAL GRANTS
The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program, as authorized under the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, provides matching grants of financial assistance for international coral reef conservation projects. The Program solicits proposals under three funding categories: (1) Support Planning for Effective Marine Protected Area Management; (2) Encourage the Development of National Networks of Marine Protected Areas in the Wider Caribbean, Bermuda, Brazil, Southeast Asia, and the South Pacific; and (3) Promote Regional Socio-Economic Training and Monitoring in Coral Reef Management in the Wider Caribbean, Brazil, Bermuda, the Western Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the South Pacific, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Each funding category has specific applicant and project eligibility criteria.
Pre-applications must be received by NOAA by 5 p.m., ET, on Monday, November 9, 2009. Final applications must be received and validated by Grants.gov, postmarked, or provided to a delivery service on or before 5 p.m. ET, February 17, 2010.
For more information, log on to www.grants.gov.
