Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC) - Ghent University

We welcome motivated students to apply for a PhD scholarship in our lab. Projects are usually in the area of plant-arthropod interactions, spatial ecology, dispersal ecology- and evolution (PI Prof. dr. Dries Bonte), or evolutionary ecology, population ecology and -genetics of temperate-zone and tropical birds (PI Prof. dr. Luc Lens) (see link TEREC projects), both from a theoretical and empirical point of view. Funding has to be applied for through the IWT (applied research) or FWO (fundamental and applied research). At the FWO applications get funded provided that the candidate has a very strong CV, and very high grades in every year (top 5% of his/her year). Application deadlines are in September for the IWT and in January for the FWO. Scholarships are now open to be applied for by anybody from an EU member state. Students from third world countries can apply for a BOF-grant. Projects run for 4 years.

Motivated candidates are welcome to apply for a postdoc at the EC (Marie-Curie fellowships), FWO (Flanders Research Fund; fellowships open for foreign postdocs). Competition at all these granting agencies is strong and candidates need to have a good CV with publications in high-ranking scientific journals. Candidates receiving a high ranking but no fellowship at the FWO can apply for a BOF-postdoctoral grant of Ghent University. In all cases, postdoc fellowship run for a term of 3 years and may be extended to six years. Special grants for visiting postdocs (one year) can be opened within ongoing FWO research projects (see below).

For more information, contact Prof. dr. Luc Lens or Prof. dr. Dries Bonte

Ongoing FWO projects on which postdocs may apply for funding:

• G.0057.09: The effect of endosymbionts on the evolution of arachnid dispersal
  
• G.0055.08: Population viability in fragmented rainforest: individual-based models, landscape dynamics and connectivity integrated
  
• G.0149.09: The role of selection history on developmental instability-stress-fitness associations: habitat islands as model system
  
• G.0610.11: Evolutionary ecology of arthropods in edge populations at expanding range margins