Postgraduate scholarship by The Bentley Cropping Systems Fellowship (Canada) and 2 PhD Positions in Statistics/Econometrics at University of Neuchatel, Switzerland
2 PhD Positions in Statistics/Econometrics at University of Neuchatel, Switzerland
ASSISTANT POSITIONS in STATISTICS/ECONOMETRICS
are announced at the Institute of Statistics, Faculty of Economics, University of Neuchâtel.
The Institute of Statistics of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Neuchâtel expects to open up to two assistant positions (for a total of up to 150% working time) starting in August 2010. The successful candidates are expected to enroll in and begin working towards a Ph. D. degree in Statistics at the University of Neuchâtel. The possible topics of the thesis cover theoretical and/or empirical methods in statistics and econometrics related to the areas of expertise of the department.
The Faculty of Economics of the University of Neuchâtel, has around 400 students, over 30 full professors and guest teachers, 20 lecturers, and about 30 teaching and research assistants.
The Institute of Statistics, one of the seven institutes that constitute the Faculty, gives bachelor and graduate courses included in the university degree programs in economics, mathematics, management, social sciences, labor psychology, and informatics. Moreover, the Institute of Statistics offers a master program in statistics. The research interests of the faculty include sampling, estimation in finite populations, public statistics, extreme values, time series, statistical methods applied to finance and macroeconomics.
Ideally located at the heart of Europe (halfway between Zürich and Geneva), Neuchâtel offers its residents an exceptional quality of life and is an ideal place for study and high-level research work.
QUALIFICATIONS AND ASSESSMENT GROUNDS FOR APPOINTMENT
The applicants should
· have a Bachelor and Master degrees in statistics, mathematics (with some knowledge of economics), economics or finance (with a strong mathematical background), or related fields,
· be willing to start working on a Ph. D. thesis in the fields of statistics or econometrics at the University of Neuchâtel,
· poses a high level of independence, intellectual openness, creativity and scientific curiosity,
· be interested in doing research, be motivated to study, understand and finally master possibly complicated technical problems, be willing to neatly write up the results,
· poses strong quantitative skills, good knowledge of probability and statistics/econometrics,
· be interested in teaching and willing to perform to a high level in the didactic duties,
· have good knowledge of both French and English,
· have less than 30 years of age (see Reglement des assistants - http://rsn.ne.ch/ajour/default.html?416453.htm)
JOB DESCRIPTION
The assistants will be employed on a fixed-term contract and will be active in the Institute of Statistics, University of Neuchâtel for the full duration of this position
The successful candidate is expected to conduct research towards the completion of a Ph. D. Thesis.
They will function as a teaching assistant for bachelor and master level courses and expected to interact with the students and to assist them in their learning effort. The teaching is both in French and English.
The assistant will also play an active role in the department. She/he is expected to interact with other researchers in the school, to participate in department's activities, to contribute to the scientific life of the department by attending seminars, conferences, taking part in organizing of scientific events, supervising undergraduate/graduate theses within her/his research area, etc.
The position offers also the possibility for close academic collaboration with the other institutes and departments of the university (in particular with the Institutes of financial analysis, information management, and economic research, and the department of mathematics), as well as relevant departments of the Universities of Geneva and Lausanne (these last ones in the frame of the collaboration agreement “Triangle d'Azur”).
SALARY AND BENEFITS
The successful candidates will receive benefits and salary in accordance to the rules and regulations of the University of Neuchâtel (see http://www2.unine.ch/rh/page12271_fr.html).
Rough and non-binding estimates of the salary for 100% employment go from a gross salary of around CHF 68,000 (€ 48,000)/year in the first year to roughly CHF 79,000 (€ 56,000)/year in the fourth year.
HOW TO APPLY
Each applicant should send ONE (paper) copy of the following to the address below
(1) Transcripts of certificates of graduate university courses
(2) Copies of bachelor/master diplomas
(3) A CV including biographical information, degrees, work experiences, list of publications (if any), and list of honors, awards, scholarships, fellowships
(3) A short statement (1-2 pages) describing the applicant’s interest in the research area, if possible also the work that he or she would like to do during the appointment (this statement is not a commitment to conduct the outlined work, but is important evidence of the applicant’s ability to think of an appropriate scientific project), her/his views on teaching, relevant previous experiences related to didactic activities of any kind, etc. other experiences and interests demonstrating the qualities listed in the section on QUALIFICATIONS AND ASSESSMENT GROUNDS FOR APPOINTMENT
(4) Three reference letters to be sent directly to the address indicated below. The candidate should arrange for the letters to be posted by the application’s deadline. The names and addresses (including e-mail and FAX) of three referees should be included in the CV.
Address: Secrétariat de l’Institut de Statistique,
Faculté des Sciences Économiques,
Pierre a Mazel, 7
2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
In addition the documents (1) to (4) should be sent electronically to the address: messagerie.istat@unine.ch
(if an electronic version of document (1) is not available, a legible digital picture or a scanned copy should be provided with the original paper version sent by normal mail to the address above).
Applications will be considered on an on-going basis and interviews will be conducted until the qualified candidates are found. The positions will begin in August 2010. The appointment will be announced on the web page of the Institute of Statistics as soon as the positions are filled.
For further information write to Catalin Starica at catalin.starica@unine.ch
Postgraduate scholarship by The Bentley Cropping Systems Fellowship (Canada)
This Fellowship (a bequest from Helen S. Bentley and C. Fred Bentley) provides assistance to Canadian and developing-country graduate students with a university degree in agriculture, forestry or biology, who wish to undertake postgraduate, applied, on-farm research with cooperating farmers in a developing country.
In principle, IDRC supports research on all parts of the developing regions of the world. At this time, Fellowships and Awards is not supporting awards which involve research in Burma, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Eastern Europe or Central Asia.
Projects should evaluate and/or promote the use of fertility enhancing plants, such as leguminous forages, shrubs, cover crops, and grain legumes in small farms. The intent is to seek ways to increase the yield of food crops, improve farmers` livelihoods, and improve soil fertility.
The research should seek cropping system changes that will lead to: sustainable and increased crop yields; production of more and improved animal feed; improved soil and water conservation; improved weed control, and/or biological fixation of nitrogen. Projects should be planned and executed in cooperation with an international agricultural research centre, or with a developing-country institution involved in agricultural research that has an applied on-farm orientation.
Eligibility
1. Applicants
Applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada, or citizens of a developing country who are currently enrolled full-time in a graduate program (Master`s, doctoral, post-doctoral) at a recognized university in Canada or in a developing country for the duration of the award period.
2. Key Selection Criteria
A. Focus of the Research:
Proposals must focus on very simple cropping systems research that can benefit smallholder farmers in developing countries, especially rural women farmers.
B. Participatory Research:
Applicants must use simple experiments executed by cooperating farmers under guidance by the researchers (see details about the location of individual on-farm experiments), and conduct their research with the active participation of the farmers, including women farmers. This requires that farmers be involved in all stages of the experiment on their land, including all the stages of land preparation, seeding, and harvesting.
Research proposals must include details of the comparisons envisioned between the traditional cropping practice of cooperating farmers and the side-by-side alternative cropping practice, which must include some type of leguminous crop or plant. Please consult the attached diagram that shows how a simple on-farm experiment might be compared to either one or two alternative cropping systems. Thus, experiments must compare crop yields from traditional unicrop practice with yields of the same crop combined with some kind of leguminous plant grown either simultaneously with the traditional crop, or perhaps in some cases, grown before the traditional crop is planted.
Similar experiments executed in rural school gardens, conducted with the help and advice of the Fellowship holder, and with the participation of both students and teachers, are also encouraged.
The research procedures must include extensive dissemination of the research results. Smallholder farmers, including rural women farmers, should be the major focus of such publicity:
a. The results should be presented in formats that can reach the various stakeholders, such as field days, farmer visits, briefs for policy-makers;
b. Dissemination will actively involve farmers, extension workers, local development initiatives, and agricultural organizations by addressing other smallholder farmers, especially rural women farmers;
c. The publicity should include farmers` visits and farmer-to-farmer teaching and learning.
The applicant must:
- Provide evidence that a large part, or all of the research, will be carried out on the farms of resource poor or smallholder farmers. The award will not support research carried out on the farms of large land holders or on research stations;
- Provide evidence that farmers will actively participate in the experiments. Thus, the development of simple on-farm experimental designs with appropriate controls to determine the practicality and profitability of introducing a leguminous crop in their cropping system is essential;
- Scholarship applicants must provide explanations of how they will make the frequent trips from the `home base` to the villages of the cooperating farmers. This is essential for successful execution of on-farm tests;
- Explain how the research data was collected and how the introduction of leguminous plants in their cropping systems is expected to improve the economic benefits to farmers;
Applicants should suggest anticipated benefits/improvements and sustainability of their proposal.
C. Sustainability:
The applicant must:
- Provide evidence that he/she is or will be supported by local institutions that have a good working relationship with target communities, farmers and/or extension agencies;
- Indicate that he/she will seek cooperation, help and support from the local `extension officers` and/or NGOs in the identification of individual farmers who are likely to be suitable and cooperative.
Duration
Award tenure corresponds with the period of field research. In general, this will be between eighteen months and twenty-four months.
Value
The value of the award is up to CA $30,000. If there is strong evidence of significant potential benefits, the award may be extended upon re-application.
Progress Reports
Fellowship holders will commit to provide IDRC with three brief progress reports per year.
Deadlines
October 1, 2010 (awards will be announced by mid-December 2010).
Tenure must be undertaken by December of the following year.
Please submit all documents listed in the List of Supporting Documents to be Submitted. Complete applications must be received at the Centre by the deadline. Incomplete applications will NOT be considered for the competition. Applications must be sent to the following address:
By regular mail, Canada Post Priority Post or XPRESSPOST:
The Bentley Fellowship
Fellowships and Awards
International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
PO Box 8500
Ottawa, Ontario
K1G 3H9 - Canada
By courier services:
The Bentley Fellowship
Fellowships and Awards
International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
150 Kent Street, Mailroom Suite 990
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 0B2 - Canada
Fax: (1 613) 236-4026
Telephone: (1 613) 236-6163 ext.: 2098
E-mail: cta@idrc.ca
More information on the website:
http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-84362-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html
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