Doctorado investigando las características determinantes de un clado para perdurar y diversificarse

Oferta compartida por Cristina

Research Scholarships


Biological Sciences: Swansea University Research Excellence Scholarships (SURES): Fully Funded PhD: The potential to persist and diversify using the shark phylogeny (RS227)

Closing date: 15 January 2023 (23:59 GMT)

Key Information


Fully Funded PhD Scholarship: Can the past predict the future? The potential to persist and diversify using the shark phylogeny

Funding provider: Swansea University

Subject areas: Biological Sciences

Project start date: 1 October 2023 (Enrolment open from mid-September)

Supervisors: Dr Catalina Pimiento (Swansea University and University of Zurich)
Dr Will Allen (Swansea University)
Professor Daniele Silvestro (University of Fribourg, Switzerland)

Aligned programme of study: PhD in Biological Sciences

Mode of study: Full-time

Diversity is unevenly distributed across the tree of life. What traits determine a clade’s capacity to persist and diversify? This PhD project will address this fundamental question using sharks as a model, taking advantage of their long evolutionary history and abundant fossil record, and building upon novel statistical and artificial intelligence methods. The specific objectives of this project include: a) to build a shark phylogeny using data on fossil and extant species; and b) to test the extent to which traits rooted in the deep time affect speciation and survival potential.

The selected candidate will have the opportunity to learn Bayesian and deep learning methods by working alongside co-supervisor Professor Daniele Silvestro (University of Fribourg, Switzerland) and to do international fieldwork to expand an existing fossil shark dataset. Additionally, the student will be offered ample opportunities to learn from world-leading experts in palaeontology, ecology and conservation by participating in research retreats and symposia with different research groups and attending national and international meetings.

The successful candidate will: be highly motivated to pursue their research project;
have a background in biology, ecology, or palaeontology;
be willing to learn new methods in R or Python;
have the ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Non-essential but desirable criteria include experience in phylogenetic methods using R or Python and basic knowledge of shark biology.

Swansea University is pleased to offer fully-funded Swansea University Research Excellence Scholarships (SURES) for full-time doctoral students to its fifth cohort, commencing in October 2023.

Each SURES scholarship includes tuition fees and a stipend – reviewed annually at the UKRI standard rate – and a £1,000 annual training allowance to support immersive training experiences, conference attendance, engagement with industry and international collaborative opportunities.

Each scholarship is offered for a maximum period of three years; SURES students are expected to submit their theses within this timescale.

Applicants should be aware that faculty-based shortlisting panels are expected to sit in January 2023. Please note that shortlisting panels may contact candidates within this period. Interviews are expected to take place in the week commencing 30 January 2023.

Informal scholarship enquiries from applicants to prospective supervisors – prior to the application deadline – are warmly encouraged; please direct these to the relevant member/s of faculty staff.

Applicants must be able to begin their course of study in October 2023. As a cohort-based programme, deferral to an alternative enrolment window within the academic year or to another academic year is not permissible.

Eligibility


Candidates must have attained, or must be expected to attain, a first-class honours degree and/or a distinction at master’s level. Where applicants have multiple master’s degrees, a distinction must be held in the degree that is most relevant to the intended PhD study.
If you are currently studying for a master’s level qualification with an expected award date that is later than 01/10/2023, you should hold a minimum of an upper-second-class (2:1) honours degree.
You should be able to demonstrate a pass with a minimum grade average of at least 70% for your part-one master’s degree modules (the taught aspect of your master’s course rather than a research-focused dissertation) and submit your dissertation by no later than 30/09/2023.

English Language requirements: If applicable – IELTS 6.5 overall (with a score of at least 6.5 in each individual component) or equivalent that is recognised by Swansea University. Details on the Swansea University English Language entry policy can be found here.

Due to funding restrictions, this scholarship is – at this time – open solely to applicants who are eligible to pay tuition fees at the UK (United Kingdom) rate, as defined by UKCISA regulations.

Please note that both the degree and language-proficiency entry requirements for SURES are higher than the baseline standard for entry that is stipulated for most of the PhD programmes at Swansea University.

NB: If you hold a non-UK degree, please see the Swansea University degree comparisons to find out if you meet the eligibility criteria.

If you have any questions regarding your academic or fee eligibility based on the above, please email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk with the web-link to the scholarship(s) you are interested in.

Funding


This scholarship covers the full cost of UK tuition fees and an annual stipend of £17,668, reviewed annually at the UKRI standard rate.

Additional research expenses will also be available.

How to Apply


To apply, please complete your application online with the following information: Course choice – please select Biological Sciences / PhD / Full-time / 3 Year / October

In the event you have already applied for the above programme previously, the application system may issue a warning notice and prevent application, in this event, please email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk where staff will be happy to assist you in submitting your application.
Start year – please select 2023
Funding (page 8) –‘Are you funding your studies yourself?’ – please select No
‘Name of Individual or organisation providing funds for study’ – please enter ‘RS227 - SURES7'

*It is the responsibility of the applicant to list the above information accurately when applying, please note that applications received without the above information listed will not be considered for the scholarship award.

One application is required per individual Swansea University led research scholarship award; applications cannot be considered listing multiple Swansea University led research scholarship awards.

As part of your online application, you MUST upload the following documents (please do not send these via email): CV
Degree certificates and transcripts (if you are currently studying for a degree, screenshots of your grades to date are sufficient)
A cover letter including a ‘Supplementary Personal Statement’ to explain why the position particularly matches your skills and experience and how you choose to develop the project.
Two references (academic or previous employer) on headed paper or using the Swansea University reference form. Please note that we are not able to accept references received citing private email accounts, e.g. Hotmail. Referees should cite their employment email address for verification of reference.
Evidence of meeting English Language requirement (if applicable).
Copy of UK resident visa (if applicable)

Informal enquiries are welcome, please contact Dr Catalina Pimiento (c.pimiento@swansea.ac.uk).

*External Partner Application Data Sharing – Please note that as part of the scholarship application selection process, application data sharing may occur with external partners outside of the University, when joint/co- funding of a scholarship project is applicable.