We are hiring a postdoc! BVOCs and trophic interactions in tropical rainforests
We are looking for a postdoc to work on BVOCs and trophic interactions for a two position. Applicants should possess a Ph.D. degree in insect ecology, with research experience in, and knowledge of, biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) and plant-herbivore-predator interactions. They should also have experience in field work, strong publishing record, problem solving skills, good time management and the ability to work collaboratively. Applicants who have experience in ecological experiments and scientific communication skills are desirable.
The appointee will participate in a NSFC/RGC joint funding study of BVOCs roles for canopy and understory trophic interactions. The collaborative project will employ observational and experimental techniques to understand the relationships between BVOCs, herbivores and predators across climatic gradients. The appointee will lead field work in tropical and sub-tropical canopies of Yunnan Provence, China. The appointee will take a lead role in coordinating field sampling, laboratory analyses, preparing manuscripts for publication and disseminating the research at international conferences. Enquiries about the duties of the post should be sent to Dr. Louise Ashton at lashton@hku.hk
Salary will be around 58K USD/year for a two year position, in addition to annual leave and medical benefits.
The University only accepts online application for the above posts. Applicants should apply online and upload CV and research statement addressing the selection criteria. Review of applications will commence as soon as possible and continue until 10 February 2023, or until the post is filled, whichever is earlier.
Online applications can be submitted here: https://jobs.hku.hk/en/job/518708/postdoctoral-fellow
More details and how to apply here:
https://jobs.hku.hk/en/job/516259/senior-research-assistant#.YxBfiNniqEk.twitter
Friends in the forest: Jun
By Brinna Barlow
A large part of novel scientific research is the collection of samples, which will eventually be converted into numbers for quantitative, data-driven analysis. Most of my career as an ecologist has focussed on sample-collection or “fieldwork”, whether that be for my own research, as a research assistant collecting samples for another researcher or working for a Non-Government Organisation. Often this work takes place in remote locations: secluded savannahs, remote rainforest, and other far-flung fields. Despite the isolation of locations, this is not isolating work. It’s important to have at least one teammate for safety, efficiency and (hopefully) for fun.
In this series of blogs entitled “friends in the field” I would like to introduce some of the people who have made my research possible and to share their experience of what it means to do fieldwork in Hong Kong.
In this fourth instalment I would like to introduce Jun, he is a third-year undergraduate studying at the University of Hong Kong, currently undertaking an internship in the Biodiversity and Ecological Change lab and graduating this summer.
I am here with Jun who is working on an internship in our lab. Jun, please tell us what that entails.
This internship is for my capstone course that I have to fulfil for my graduation. For this internship I am helping you to study insect food webs and collecting the samples like some leaves, some mosquito larvae etc. to learn more about the interactions.
And do you think you’ve learnt anything so far?
Hmm, yes. I think I have learned some techniques to use for lab work.
So, have you got any previous experience doing fieldwork?
I have taken some courses in the past which involved a field trip or fieldwork.
What sort of work was that?
We identified and we measured the trees in a quadrat.
Oh that’s a classic, that’s where we all start. Anything else?
Also, I have gone down to the mangrove sites and identified the trees and learned about the structure and the survival tactics of the mangroves.
Ok, so you have some experience. What are your expectations for the fieldwork that we will do today?
We are going to hike a little bit and go to different sites to collect the leaf samples and then just hike back. I don’t know.
Yeah, that’s pretty much it for sure. Ok, any other expectations?
Hmmm, I think it will be a fun one.
Ok, well I hope so. That’s all the questions for now and I will ask you the other ones when we have finished.
So, this is Jun at the end of the day. So, earlier you said you had some expectations about doing the work and I want to know: were your expectations met?
Mmm, I think it’s a bit more challenging than I anticipated.
Oh yeah? Ok.
Yeah, it’s kind of interesting though.
Ok, good. I am glad. What was something that surprised you about today?
Mmm, I was not expecting it to be so sunny… and there are quite a few quite spikey trees.
Oh yeah.
Yeah, I got poked a bit and some other trees hit me in the face.
Yeah, that happens. Ok, to summarise and wrap it up: how was the overall experience?
I think it’s great.
Wow, that’s good, that’s good stuff. Thank you very much.
Friends in the forest: Victoria
By Brinna Barlow
A large part of novel scientific research is the collection of samples, which will eventually be converted into numbers for quantitative, data-driven analysis. Most of my career as an ecologist has focussed on sample-collection or “fieldwork”, whether that be for my own research, as a research assistant collecting samples for another researcher or working for a Non-Government Organisation. Often this work takes place in remote locations: secluded savannahs, remote rainforest, and other far-flung fields. Despite the isolation of locations, this is not isolating work. It’s important to have at least one teammate for safety, efficiency and (hopefully) for fun.
In this series of blogs entitled “friends in the field” I would like to introduce some of the people who have made my research possible and to share their experience of what it means to do fieldwork in Hong Kong.
In this third instalment I would like to introduce Victoria, Portuguese-Russian-German and all American. She is a first-generation college student and has recently moved to Hong Kong to read a PhD in urban ecology at the University of Hong Kong.
What are your expectations for today?
I think it will be difficult, having heard other people’s stories. I know that we’ll be a bit off-piste so maybe I’ll get to see something new in Hong Kong.
So, were your expectations met?
They were met, but in a good way they were met.
Oh, in a good way they were met?
Yes, it was actually I wouldn’t call it hard fieldwork with what we did today, but it was fun.
Ok
It was a lot of swinging around trees and falling down. I like that stuff though. I think it’s enjoyable and I did feel the burn going up that last hill, so I feel like I got a bit of a work-out in.
So, expectations met in a good way, good. My next question is: what was something that surprised you about today? What was something that you didn’t expect?
What did I not expect? I didn’t expect it to be so hard to find the caterpillars.
Oh ok.
I was shocked at how bad I was [at finding them]. Some of them I was looking around like “where the heck is the flagging tape” and it was right in front of my eyes.
Yeah, you have to get your eye in.
You have to get used to looking.
Yep.
Get your search image in your brain. But I think I did ok.
Yeah, you did we got all of them pretty much. No caterpillar left behind.
Another thing, genuinely what surprised me was that the slopes were really slippery and that I did slip and fall. I thought that everyone was blowing it out of proportion that it was really steep and really slippery fieldwork, but they were right. I can see why people have been falling over. It’s pretty tough.
It’s true, it is pretty tough. So how was your overall experience of today?
Um, it was a 9.5 out of 10. It was very enjoyable: perfect weather, nice and cool out, good breeze, clean air, pretty drive. Also, I saw monkeys, and I hadn’t seen those before. Actually, those surprised me. I was surprised at how large they are and how beefy their muscles look.
Yeah, they’re quite buff.
I don’t think I would win in a fight.
You don’t think you would?
I think you would, but I don’t think I would.
Haha, well hopefully neither of us will ever have to find out.
Yeah.
Fingers crossed.
Friends in the forest: Coşkun
By Brinna Barlow
A large part of novel scientific research is the collection of samples, which will eventually be converted into numbers for quantitative, data-driven analysis. Most of my career as an ecologist has focussed on sample-collection or “fieldwork”, whether that be for my own research, as a research assistant collecting samples for another researcher or working for a Non-Government Organisation. Often this work takes place in remote locations: secluded savannahs, remote rainforest, and other far-flung fields. Despite the isolation of locations, this is not isolating work. It’s important to have at least one teammate for safety, efficiency and (hopefully) for fun.
In this series of blogs entitled “friends in the field” I would like to introduce some of the people who have made my research possible and to share their experience of what it means to do fieldwork in Hong Kong.
In this second instalment I would like to introduce Coşkun, he is Anglo-Turkish having been raised in both these countries. He is a first generation graduate student currently reading a PhD in the Biodiversity and Ecological Change lab at the University of Hong Kong.
My first question is: have you had previous ecological fieldwork experience?
Yes
What is that experience?
So, I’ve worked in freshwater field surveying in East England, in Norfolk. We were surveying crayfish in rivers, catching them, I had to put on waders and spend hours standing in rivers. I also spent time surveying ponds for invertebrates, catching fish and surveying herbaceous plants species along the coast and in salt marshes. So quite a lot. Also in Wales, I did quite a bit there, but that was looking at succession of grazing from sheep. So, there’s all that and I also did some air pollution monitoring around London.
Wow, that’s a lot. So, that’s interesting: you’ve mentioned that you have done aquatic invertebrate surveys and also succession which are the two things that we are looking into with the current research. Did you have a good grasp of the research that we were doing before you came on field work?
No, I didn’t, I didn’t, I joined as a loose cannon and then slowly but surely found out through talking to you.
Ok. Now you’ll have to think back because of course we have already done fieldwork [together]. But what were your expectations for the fieldwork before you came out?
I expected to get very hot and covered in bugs and very muddy and very dirty and that was it. That was the limit of my expectations.
Ok great, and were those expectations met?
No, I actually got cold, there were barely any bugs on me.
Well, it’s winter!
There was one day that we went out where I got totally covered in mud do you remember?
Yup, yes I remember. Good day.
Apart from that it’s been pretty chill to be honest.
Ok well come out in summer and we can meet some more of those expectations.
Some more mud?
Definitely. Tell me, what was something that surprised you about coming out for fieldwork?
Um, how cold it gets in Hong Kong.
Yeah? Have you not had a winter here before?
I did but I never actually felt cold until in rained and was cold at the same time. At that time I felt cold and started to appreciate that this environment has a lot of variation.
It does, it really does, it has about a 30°C swing, crazy.
That is mad.
Yes. So, the only surprise was to do with the weather, not with the work?
Um, the works was kind of just as you would expect, I guess.
Ok well I am glad that I set you up in good stead not to be surprised by the work. So how in general was the overall experience?
Positive, you feel like you go out into the field with Brinna, you’re in safe hands. You [Brinna] know what you’re doing.
Aw, that’s so sweet, I thought you were about to make me look bad.
Haha, please, please put the gun down.
Haha, ok are those the end of your comments?
Yes.
Great.
[Disclaimer: there was no gun I promise]