Soil mesofauna (including mites, springtails, and nematodes) are incredibly diverse and play an important role in maintaining healthy and functioning soils in terrestrial ecosystems. However due to their small size and cryptic habitat, these fascinating animals are often overlooked or underrepresented in ecological research. The Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM, Department of Biological Sciences, Montréal, Québec) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Ottawa Research and Development Centre, Ottawa, Ontario) invite applications for a motivated MSc or PhD graduate student to conduct research using metabarcoding molecular techniques to survey soil mesofauna in a newly-initiated large-scale comprehensive soil biodiversity survey in Québec and Ontario. The research will be part of a larger project designed to characterise microbial, fungal, and faunal soil biodiversity and to assess its relationship with soil physico-chemical parameters and changing land use patterns in agroecosystems and adjacent natural areas. The selected candidate will integrate with a dynamic, collaborative research team that values a respectful and inclusive work environment in the labs of Dr. Tanya Handa (UQAM), Dr. Marla Schwarzfeld (AAFC, Ottawa) and Dr. Benjamin Mimee (AAFC, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu). The candidate will also have the opportunity to become a student member of the Québec Center of Biodiversity Science.
Candidates must meet the admission criteria of the Department of Biological Sciences graduate program at the Université de Québec à Montréal
Candidates must have a valid driver’s licence and be willing to travel between Ottawa and Montréal on regular basis, as well as to sites around Ontario and Québec for field sample collection.
Preference will be given to applicants with demonstrated prior experience with scientific writing, community ecology, statistical analyses, molecular technique skills (e.g. DNA extractions, PCR, next-generation sequencing), bioinformatics and scripting, and/or entomology.
The student should be ready to start in May-June 2022.
Applicants should send a letter of motivation, CV, copy of academic transcripts and the names of three references to Marla Schwarzfeld (marla.schwarzfeld@agr.gc.ca), by January 28, 2022.
http://esc-sec.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ESC_logo-300x352.png00Bloghttp://esc-sec.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ESC_logo-300x352.pngBlog2022-01-11 17:01:112022-01-11 17:01:11Graduate Student Position in Metabarcoding of Soil Invertebrates – UQAM & AAFC
An exciting new position for an M.Sc. student is available through a multidisciplinary research program
involving researchers from the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta and the
Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute.
The successful applicant will contribute to the local and regional biodiversity assessment of Edmonton,
Alberta, and surrounding areas to assess potential introductions and dispersal mechanisms of oribatid
mites. Research will include work on the systematics and taxonomy of the Galumnoidea of Alberta.
The successful candidate will have a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree or equivalent by August 2022.
Desired skills include experience identifying small invertebrates using dissecting and light microscopy.
The candidate must be academically competitive and expected to work with a network of acarologists,
entomologists, and biodiversity scientists across Canada, and with oribatid experts outside of Canada as
needed.
The stipend is for 2.3 years with an annual amount of approximately $25,197, part of which will come
from teaching assistantships. The candidate’s M.Sc. program will be based in the Department of
Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. The candidate must either be a Canadian
citizen or have residency approval to start the program in September 2022.
See flyer for more information including application procedures, and contact Dr. Lisa Lumley
(llumley@ualberta.ca) or Dr. Heather Proctor (hproctor@ualberta.ca) for additional information and questions.
http://esc-sec.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ESC_logo-300x352.png00Bloghttp://esc-sec.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ESC_logo-300x352.pngBlog2021-11-30 21:06:472021-11-30 21:06:47M.Sc. Research Opportunity in ‘Oribatid Mite Ecology, Systematics and Taxonomy’
I am writing you on behalf of IUFRO WP 7.03.16 to let you know about a new initiative to highlight graduate student research on the behavioural and chemical ecology of forest insects. Beginning in January 2022 we will host a series of three webinars that will provide a platform for graduate students to present their work and develop their networks.
Talks will be pre-recorded and submitted in advance of each symposia for judging. The top three from each region will be presented for a total of six student presentations per symposia. The best talk from each region (i.e., two will be selected from each symposia) will be recognized and our goal is to offer financial assistance to each winner to attend the IUFRO All-Division 7 meeting in 2022 in Portugal where the winners will present their talks in a symposium highlighting student research in the working party (the symposia has been approved by the organizing committee of the All-Division 7 meeting and we have some funding already secured).
The first webinar will occur 24-January at 12:00 UTC and will have talks from graduate students studying in Europe (n=3) and Africa (n=3).
The second webinar will occur 21-February at 18:00 UTC and will have talks from graduate students studying in North America (n=3) and Central/South America (n=3).
The third webinar will occur 28-March at 04:00 UTC and will have talks from graduate students studying in Asia (n=3) and Oceania (n=3).
We ask your assistance in bringing this webinar series to the attention of anyone interested in attending and watching, and in particular helping make graduate students aware of this opportunity. Anyone interested in participating needs to visit the registration page
(see https://www.fabinet.up.ac.za/index.php/event/IUFRO_WP_7.03.16_Mentoring_Program/). Although only the top three talks from each region will be played in the webinars, all submitted talks will be uploaded to the WP 7.03.16 YouTube page where they can be viewed. Registration is now open and in a few weeks we will be contacting students interested in participating to explain deadlines and the submission process.
http://esc-sec.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ESC_logo-300x352.png00Cass Chowdhuryhttp://esc-sec.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ESC_logo-300x352.pngCass Chowdhury2021-11-30 03:28:152021-11-30 03:28:15Announcement: New Initiative Highlights Grad Student Research on Behavioural and Chemical Ecology of Forest Insects
Our IT provider – Showcare – will reach out to speakers, and moderators to schedule speaker/moderator training within the coming weeks. Poster presenters will also be contacted with instructions about uploading their posters on the platform. All other attendees will receive an invitation for the conference website a week before the conference starts.
This year, instead of the annual silent auction, the Student and Early Professional Affairs Committee of the Entomological Society of Canada is selling bandanas to raise money for the Annual Scholarship Fund.
This 100% cotton bandana, available in red or charcoal gray, is printed with the logo insects* of the ESC and all of the regional entomological societies, plus a bonus arctic wolf spider to represent the northern territories. The beautiful artwork is by Mary Capaldi, and you can find more of their work, much of it entomology-themed, here: https://linktr.ee/marycapaldi.
You can pre-order bandanas on Etsy or by contacting Catherine Scott by email or ontwitter. We anticipate that the bandanas will be available for shipping around the time of the 2021 online annual meeting, in plenty of time for holiday gift-giving.
Un bandana orné d’insectes pour soutenir les étudiants de la SEC
Cette année, au lieu des enchères silencieuses annuelles, le Comité des affaires étudiantes et des jeunes professionnels de la Société d’entomologie du Canada vend des bandanas pour amasser des fonds pour le Fonds des bourses de la SEC.
Ces bandanas sont faits de coton à 100%, sont disponibles en rouge ou gris anthracite, et ont des imprimés montrant les insectes* des logos de la SEC et de toutes les sociétés entomologiques régionales, en plus d’une lycose glaciale pour représenter les territoires. Cette belle œuvre d’art est de Mary Capaldi, et vous pouvez trouver davantage de ses œuvres, en grande partie sur le thème de l’entomologie, ici : https://linktr.ee/marycapaldi.
Vous pouvez précommander des bandanas sur Etsy ou en contactant Catherine Scott par courriel ou sur Twitter. Nous prévoyons que les bandanas seront prêts pour l’expédition au moment de la réunion annuelle en ligne de 2021, donc bien à temps pour offrir des cadeaux de Noël.
http://esc-sec.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ESC_logo-300x352.png00Bloghttp://esc-sec.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ESC_logo-300x352.pngBlog2021-10-07 17:25:062021-10-22 15:57:58An insect-adorned bandana to support ESC students!
Graduate Student Position in Metabarcoding of Soil Invertebrates – UQAM & AAFC
Soil mesofauna (including mites, springtails, and nematodes) are incredibly diverse and play an important role in maintaining healthy and functioning soils in terrestrial ecosystems. However due to their small size and cryptic habitat, these fascinating animals are often overlooked or underrepresented in ecological research. The Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM, Department of Biological Sciences, Montréal, Québec) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Ottawa Research and Development Centre, Ottawa, Ontario) invite applications for a motivated MSc or PhD graduate student to conduct research using metabarcoding molecular techniques to survey soil mesofauna in a newly-initiated large-scale comprehensive soil biodiversity survey in Québec and Ontario. The research will be part of a larger project designed to characterise microbial, fungal, and faunal soil biodiversity and to assess its relationship with soil physico-chemical parameters and changing land use patterns in agroecosystems and adjacent natural areas. The selected candidate will integrate with a dynamic, collaborative research team that values a respectful and inclusive work environment in the labs of Dr. Tanya Handa (UQAM), Dr. Marla Schwarzfeld (AAFC, Ottawa) and Dr. Benjamin Mimee (AAFC, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu). The candidate will also have the opportunity to become a student member of the Québec Center of Biodiversity Science.
Applicants should send a letter of motivation, CV, copy of academic transcripts and the names of three references to Marla Schwarzfeld (marla.schwarzfeld@agr.gc.ca), by January 28, 2022.
M.Sc. Research Opportunity in ‘Oribatid Mite Ecology, Systematics and Taxonomy’
An exciting new position for an M.Sc. student is available through a multidisciplinary research program
involving researchers from the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta and the
Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute.
The successful applicant will contribute to the local and regional biodiversity assessment of Edmonton,
Alberta, and surrounding areas to assess potential introductions and dispersal mechanisms of oribatid
mites. Research will include work on the systematics and taxonomy of the Galumnoidea of Alberta.
The successful candidate will have a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree or equivalent by August 2022.
Desired skills include experience identifying small invertebrates using dissecting and light microscopy.
The candidate must be academically competitive and expected to work with a network of acarologists,
entomologists, and biodiversity scientists across Canada, and with oribatid experts outside of Canada as
needed.
The stipend is for 2.3 years with an annual amount of approximately $25,197, part of which will come
from teaching assistantships. The candidate’s M.Sc. program will be based in the Department of
Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. The candidate must either be a Canadian
citizen or have residency approval to start the program in September 2022.
See flyer for more information including application procedures, and contact Dr. Lisa Lumley
(llumley@ualberta.ca) or Dr. Heather Proctor (hproctor@ualberta.ca) for additional information and questions.
Deadline to apply is 15 January, 2022.
Announcement: New Initiative Highlights Grad Student Research on Behavioural and Chemical Ecology of Forest Insects
I am writing you on behalf of IUFRO WP 7.03.16 to let you know about a new initiative to highlight graduate student research on the behavioural and chemical ecology of forest insects. Beginning in January 2022 we will host a series of three webinars that will provide a platform for graduate students to present their work and develop their networks.
Talks will be pre-recorded and submitted in advance of each symposia for judging. The top three from each region will be presented for a total of six student presentations per symposia. The best talk from each region (i.e., two will be selected from each symposia) will be recognized and our goal is to offer financial assistance to each winner to attend the IUFRO All-Division 7 meeting in 2022 in Portugal where the winners will present their talks in a symposium highlighting student research in the working party (the symposia has been approved by the organizing committee of the All-Division 7 meeting and we have some funding already secured).
The first webinar will occur 24-January at 12:00 UTC and will have talks from graduate students studying in Europe (n=3) and Africa (n=3).
The second webinar will occur 21-February at 18:00 UTC and will have talks from graduate students studying in North America (n=3) and Central/South America (n=3).
The third webinar will occur 28-March at 04:00 UTC and will have talks from graduate students studying in Asia (n=3) and Oceania (n=3).
We ask your assistance in bringing this webinar series to the attention of anyone interested in attending and watching, and in particular helping make graduate students aware of this opportunity. Anyone interested in participating needs to visit the registration page
(see https://www.fabinet.up.ac.za/index.php/event/IUFRO_WP_7.03.16_Mentoring_Program/). Although only the top three talks from each region will be played in the webinars, all submitted talks will be uploaded to the WP 7.03.16 YouTube page where they can be viewed. Registration is now open and in a few weeks we will be contacting students interested in participating to explain deadlines and the submission process.
Thank you for your assistance. Best wishes,
Jeremy, Sigrid, Andres and Quentin
IUFRO WP 7.03.16
Download brochure
2021 ESC/ESO JAM Updates
Hello JAM attendees!
Thank you so much for registering for the 2021 ESC/ESO JAM. Here are a few updates from the organizing committee.
Thanks, and we are looking forward to see you (virtually 🙂 in November!
Amro Zayed and Miriam Richards
An insect-adorned bandana to support ESC students!
(French follows)
This year, instead of the annual silent auction, the Student and Early Professional Affairs Committee of the Entomological Society of Canada is selling bandanas to raise money for the Annual Scholarship Fund.
This 100% cotton bandana, available in red or charcoal gray, is printed with the logo insects* of the ESC and all of the regional entomological societies, plus a bonus arctic wolf spider to represent the northern territories. The beautiful artwork is by Mary Capaldi, and you can find more of their work, much of it entomology-themed, here: https://linktr.ee/marycapaldi.
You can pre-order bandanas on Etsy or by contacting Catherine Scott by email or on twitter. We anticipate that the bandanas will be available for shipping around the time of the 2021 online annual meeting, in plenty of time for holiday gift-giving.
*list of featured taxa:
ESC – Grylloblatta campodeiformis
ESBC – Boreus elegans
ESAb – Apamea devastator
ESS – Melanoplus bivittatus
ESM – Cicindela formosa generosa
ESO – Danaus plexippus
SEQ – Limenitis arthemis arthemis
AES – Rhagoletis pomonella
Arctic wolf spider – Pardosa glacialis
Un bandana orné d’insectes pour soutenir les étudiants de la SEC
Cette année, au lieu des enchères silencieuses annuelles, le Comité des affaires étudiantes et des jeunes professionnels de la Société d’entomologie du Canada vend des bandanas pour amasser des fonds pour le Fonds des bourses de la SEC.
Ces bandanas sont faits de coton à 100%, sont disponibles en rouge ou gris anthracite, et ont des imprimés montrant les insectes* des logos de la SEC et de toutes les sociétés entomologiques régionales, en plus d’une lycose glaciale pour représenter les territoires. Cette belle œuvre d’art est de Mary Capaldi, et vous pouvez trouver davantage de ses œuvres, en grande partie sur le thème de l’entomologie, ici : https://linktr.ee/marycapaldi.
Vous pouvez précommander des bandanas sur Etsy ou en contactant Catherine Scott par courriel ou sur Twitter. Nous prévoyons que les bandanas seront prêts pour l’expédition au moment de la réunion annuelle en ligne de 2021, donc bien à temps pour offrir des cadeaux de Noël.
*liste des taxons représentés :
SEC – Grylloblatta campodeiformis
ESBC – Boreus elegans
ESAb – Apamea devastator
ESS – Melanoplus bivittatus
ESM – Cicindela formosa generosa
ESO – Danaus plexippus
SEQ – Limenitis arthemis arthemis
AES – Rhagoletis pomonella
Lycose glaciale – Pardosa glacialis