PhD Student Projects Available Immediately
Shrub Growth, Berry Ecology, and Local Knowledge
Climate Impacts on Canadian Arctic Tundra (CiCAT)
ArcticNet and International Polar Year
Nunavik and Nunatsiavut, Canada
Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled.
For further information, please contact:
Esther Levesque
Email: Esther.levesque [at] uqtr.ca
Or:
Luise Hermanutz
Email: lhermanu [at] mun.ca
The project leaders of the ArcticNet and International Polar Year (IPY)
project, "Climate Impacts on Canadian Arctic Tundra (CiCAT)," announce
the immediate availability of three, funded, PhD student projects on
shrub growth, berry ecology and local knowledge. Project organizers seek
three (3) students to initiate these funded PhD projects immediately.
The project descriptions are below.
Project Descriptions:
1) Linking satellite imagery (Landsat), Inuit local knowledge, and
plant ecology (may include dendrochronology). The aim of this project
is to evaluate the impact of current environmental change on shrubs
and tree growth around Inuit communities in Nunavik (northern Quebec)
and possibly Nunavut and/or Nunatsiavut. The student will use maps
showing surface changes around communities and cooperate with Inuit
communities to analyze and validate these maps, including field
sampling.
2) The second project focuses on the impact of changes on berry
productivity. The student will also consider local Inuit knowledge.
The aim will be on quantifying key elements of the reproductive
ecology of Vaccinium spp. and Empetrum sp., pollination, colonization
potential, and competitive interactions with other shrub species.
3) The third project will concentrate on berry productivity,
traditional use and predicting the impact of climate change on berry
species in Nunatsiavut, specifically Nain and the surrounding area.
This project will integrate field experiments (including the use of
small warming chambers and shrub dendrochronology) and traditional
knowledge of berries, in collaboration with Nain residents.
Comparison of the potential nutraceutical constituents may be
pursued.
These projects are part of the network ArcticNet and International Polar
Year project CiCAT. The first 2 projects will take place in Nunavik
(Northern Quebec), Labrador and/or Nunavut and are co-supervised by
Alain Cuerrier (ethnobotanist, IRBV, Montreal) and Esther Levesque
(plant ecologist, UQTR and Centre d'etudes nordiques). The third
project will take place in Nunatsiavut and will be co-supervised with
Luise Hermanutz (plant ecologist, Memorial University of Newfoundland)
at Memorial University. Some knowledge of French and desire to learn
more is an asset for projects 1 and 2.
Interested students should submit an application (via email or post), as
soon as possible. Applications must include the following:
- Letter of interest,
- Curriculum Vitae,
- Transcript of grades, and
- Names and addresses of 3 references.
Please submit applications for the first two positions to:
Esther Levesque
3417 LP
Departement de chimie-biologie
UQTR, Trois-Rivieres
Quebec, G9A 5H7
Canada
Phone: 819-376-5011 poste 3351
Email: Esther.levesque [at] uqtr.ca
And:
Alain Cuerrier
C-317
Jardin botanique de Montreal,
IRBV/UdeM, 4101 Rue Sherbrooke Est
Montreal (Quebec) H1X 2B2
Canada
Phone: 514-872-3182
Email: alain.cuerrier [at] umontreal.ca
Please submit applications for the third position to:
Luise Hermanutz
Department of Biology
Memorial University
St. John's, NL A1B 3X9
Canada
Phone: 709-737-7919
Email: lhermanu [at] mun.ca