Research | Scholarship for Nigerians and Africans - Part 124

PhD Researcher for “Heterogeneity in Studies with Discrete-Time Survival Endpoints: Implications for Optimal Designs and Statistical Power Analysis”, Netherlands

/ August 22, 2010 Leave a Comment

This project is funded by a VIDI grant from the Netherlands’ Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). The PhD student will spend time on doing research, following mathematics and statistics courses of IOPS and other institutes, and spend about 10% of the time on teaching courses at the BSc level. The PhD student will be supervised by Dr M. Moerbeek.

The aim of trials on event occurrence is to study if and when a particular event, such as onset of daily smoking or entry into parenthood, occurs. The timing of events may be in thin and precise units or in coarser intervals. In the second case one does not know the exact timing of the event; one only knows that it occurred within a particular time interval. Such discrete-time survival data are typically analyzed on basis of a generalized linear model, such as a logistic regression model.

The main research question in any trial is whether an experimental treatment differs from a control with respect some outcome variable. As many covariates or background variables, such as age and socio-economic status, may have an effect on the outcome they should be measured and included in the statistical model. Ignoring such variables may result in biased estimates of the treatment effect estimator and hence incorrect conclusions with respect to the effect of treatment.

The aim of this project is to investigate to what extent such biases occur and how they can be corrected for in the statistical model. We will also focus on the optimal design of trials with covariates and discrete-time survival data. The PhD student will write papers in international scientific journals, contribute to international conferences and write a PhD thesis.

Qualifications:

  • MSc in applied statistics, biometrics, biostatistics, econometrics, psychometrics or a related field with a solid background in applied statistics.
  • Applicants should be familiar with the generalised linear model, matrix algebra, research designs and have some experience with computer programming.
  • The applicant communicates easily in English, both verbally and in writing.

    • The starting date is January 2011.

    Contact Person: ms. Dr M. Moerbeek (supervisor), phone (+31) 30 253 1450,
    email: M.Moerbeek@uu.nl, website: http://www.fss.uu.nl/ms/moerbeek.

    How to apply:

    Please send your written application, with motivation, curriculum vitae, list of courses and grades and contact information of two referees before August 25th, 2010 and specifying vacancy number 691021.

    Applications can be emailed to: PenO.FSW@uu.nl or be sent to:
    Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Personnel Department, attn. Mr. M. Azdoufal, P.O Box 80140, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands.

    Filed Under: Doctorate Degree, Grants and Fellowships, Masters Degree, Physical Science, Social Science Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    PhD Researcher in Palaeoecology, Utrecht University, Netherlands

    / August 22, 2010 Leave a Comment

    The PhD student will be employed within the project “Plants in a low CO2 world: proxy development for the Pleistocene plant record and reconstructed feedbacks on the carbon cycle”. The project will provide important constraints on the impact of glacial low CO2 conditions on plant growth and development. Furthermore, results will allow for determining the consequences for the terrestrial carbon cycle.
    Low CO2 levels prevailed during most of the Pleistocene. For most modern plants a minimum concentration of about 160 ppmv atm. CO2 represents the limit of natural growth conditions. It has been suggested that CO2 starvation has had a direct effect on plants, limiting growth and water use efficiency. Low CO2 and associated water stress may have caused extinctions of plant species during the Pleistocene. However, little is known about the impact of these extreme environmental conditions. The main aims of the present project are to perform growth experiments at a series of (sub)ambient CO2, in order to validate botanical (pollen and seed productivity, stomatal frequency) and organic geochemical proxies (stable isotopes). Moreover we will study glacial plant macro and pollen records. The combination will allow us a better understanding of the impact of low CO2 on plants during the Pleistocene.
    The project is a collaborative project of the Department of Biology at Utrecht University and the Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences at the VU University Amsterdam. The project is sponsored by the Darwin Center for Biogeology. The place of work is Utrecht, The Netherlands.

    Qualifications:

    We seek a highly motivated candidate with excellent communication skills and qualifications (MSc or equivalent) in the fields of environmental biology, plant ecology/-ecophysiology or palaeoecology. Experience in laboratory techniques necessary to work with plants in growth chambers would be an advantage. Candidates are expected to communicate easily in English, both verbally and in writing.

    Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from: Dr Wolfram Kuerschner, email: w.m.kuerschner@uu.nl, tel. (+31) 30 253 2630, and from the websites of the Darwin Center and the Palaeoecology group.

    How to apply:

    Please send your application (including a letter of motivation, curriculum vitae and contact details of at least two references) before September 15th 2010 to email: Science.PenO@uu.nl. Please mention vacancy number 66007.

    Filed Under: Doctorate Degree, Masters Degree, Physical Science Tags: , , , , , , , ,

    President Graduate Fellowships 2010, National University of Singapore, Singapore

    / August 22, 2010 Leave a Comment

    The PGF is open to full-time candidates of all nationalities. Incoming Ph.D. students and current NUS Research Scholars (with the exception of SMA and NGS students) who have passed the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination (QE) are eligible to be considered for the award.

    Award Amount
    * A monthly stipend throughout the period of award as follows:

    International Student S$3,000
    Singapore Permanent Resident S$3,200
    Singapore Citizen S$3,300

    * Tuition fees at the University;
    * A one-off air travel allowance for 1 one-way ticket of up to S$750 (only for overseas students); and
    * A one-off settling allowance of S$1,000 (only for overseas students).

    Award Period
    The award is tenable for an initial 1 year and, subject to the awardee’s satisfactory progress, renewable annually up to a maximum of 4 years. For candidates who were transferred from a NUS Research Scholarship to a PGF, the total period of their tenure on both schemes must not exceed 4 years.

    Application Procedure
    Incoming Ph.D. students will have to indicate their interest in the PGF via the NUS Graduate Research Programme Application System. Current NUS Research Scholars who have passed the Ph.D. QE and wish to be considered for the award will have to apply to their respective departments.

    Notification of Award

    Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their applications sometime in May (for August intake) or October (January intake).

    Application deadlines:
    15 November 2010

    Filed Under: Bachelors Degree, Doctorate Degree, General, Post Doctoral Tags: , , , ,
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