Aurora

Programs and Events

MSc Projects available – Saglek and Hopedale Blocks of the North Atlantic Craton

Positions are available for enthusiastic, motivated students to undertake M.Sc. thesis projects in the Hopedale and Saglek blocks in Nunatsiavut, Labrador, starting in May 2018. These projects address the tectonothermal evolution of two major Archean blocks on the Eastern margin of Canada; the ca. 3.2-3.9 Ga Saglek and ca. 2.8-3.2 Ga Hopedale blocks, both detached fragments of the North Atlantic craton which is centered in southern Greenland. The two blocks were assembled during the Neoarchean, although the extent and nature of their mutual boundary is yet to be accurately explained, and is largely obscured by the Mesoproterozoic-age Nain plutonic complex. Moreover, the Saglek and Hopedale blocks were structurally and thermally affected by the Paleoproterozoic-age Torngat orogen along their western flanks. The overarching goal of the project is to investigate the individual metamorphic histories of these two blocks, the tectonothermal effect of their apparent Neoarchean assembly, as well as the distribution and nature of Paleoproterozoic tectonothermal overprint. The proposed M.Sc. projects would tackle aspects of this complex and very exciting tectonometamorphic puzzle.

Interested students should contact deanne_vanrooyen@cbu.ca as soon as possible, additional projects can also be considered depending on individual interests.  For more information, please see here.

Mineralogical Association of Canada 2018 MAC Awards - Call for Nominations

Peacock Medal
The Peacock Medal is awarded to a scientist who has made outstanding contributions to the mineralogical sciences in Canada. There is no restriction regarding nationality or residency. The medal recognizes the breadth and universality of the awardee’s contributions to mineralogy, applied mineralogy, petrology, crystallography, geochemistry, or the study of mineral deposits.

Young Scientist Award
This award is given to a young scientist who has made a significant international research contribution during the early part of their developing scientific career. The scientist will have received his/her PhD not more than 15 years before the award. He or she must be a Canadian working anywhere in the world or a scientist of any nationality working in Canada. The research areas include mineralogy, crystallography, petrology, geochemistry, mineral deposits, or related fields of study.

Leonard G. Berry Medal
The Leonard G. Berry Medal is awarded annually for distinguished service to the association. The award recognizes significant service in one or more  areas, including leadership and long-term service in an elected or an appointed office. The medal is named aer Leonard G. Berry (1914–1982), a founding member of MAC, editor for 25 years of The Canadian Mineralogist and its predecessor, and first winner of MAC’s Past-Presidents’ (now Peacock) Medal.

Nominations for the 2018 medals and award are to be submitted to Ron C. Peterson, Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, Queen's University, 99 University Avenue, Kingston ON K7L 3N6, CANADA;  e-mail: peterson@queensu.ca.
 
For all of the above, please submit your nominations by 31 December 2017.

SFU Earth Science Seminar Series - Friday October 27, 2017

Speaker: Murray Gingras - University of Alberta
Seminar: Diagenetic Implications of Bioturbation in Porous Media
Location: SFU - SSB 7172 at 11:30am

Refreshments will be served (Bring your own coffee mug!)

Employment Opportunities

Roger E. Dean Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto

The Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Toronto invites applications for the Roger E. Deane Postdoctoral Fellowship, a highly competitive fellowship in any field of Earth Science. The department is interested in supporting innovative research and outstanding young geoscientists to work in collaboration with one or more faculty members. Applicants should contact potential hosts in advance to discuss areas of common interest and to develop proposal ideas.

A complete application includes: a curriculum vitae, three references sent by referees directly to geol_sec@es.utoronto.ca (subject line: Deane Postdoctoral Fellowship), and an innovative research proposal written by the applicant (2 pages maximum excluding references).

For more information and how to apply, please see here.

Postdoctoral Lake Research Position at APHYS, ENAC-EPFL

The Laboratory of Physics of Aquatic Systems (APHYS) at the Institute of Environmental Engineering ENAC / EPFL Lausanne (Switzerland) has an opening for an early-career science postdoctoral position on modelling primary production (PP) in stratified lakes.  
 
In collaboration with the Limnology Center at EPFL (http://limnc.epfl.ch) and partner institutions in and around Switzerland we have started an interdisciplinary project to estimate PP with new in-situ methods. To strengthen the team, we look for a postdoc with competence and experience in PP modelling. We expect a strong background in system analysis / model formulation, practical experience in working with large data sets from natural waters and the readiness and willingness to collaborate with related researchers in aquatic sciences, such as biology, biogeochemistry, remote sensing and hydrodynamics. As part of the interdisciplinary collaborative workstyle, we expect also participation in data collection on the to-be-built Research Platform on Lake Geneva (LéXPLORE) for high frequency interdisciplinary measurements and from boats. For more information see the Aquatic Physics website (http://aphys.epfl.ch/). This position is meant for at least two years, with the potential of prolongation, for a candidate who looks for a career in aquatic sciences.

Starting date: immediately, on the basis of competitive application (position is open until filled; first interviews will be on 24 November 2017). Contract duration: minimum 2 years (further extension on mutual agreement). Contact: Applications should include (i) the CV, (ii) a motivation letter along with a research outline and (iii) three contacts for reference letters. Please, send your application by e-mail to alfred.wueest@epfl.ch.

Tenure track assistant professor in Climatology/Plaeoclimatology, University of Arkansas

The Department of Geosciences at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville invites applications for a 9-month tenure-track Assistant Professor with an anticipated start date in August 2018. We seek an outstanding individual with expertise in climatology, paleoclimatology, meteorology, or exceptional strength in geospatial technology and big data analytics. The successful candidate will be expected to develop an independent, externally-funded research program and compliment collaborative research in the Department of Geosciences and the University of Arkansas. Teaching duties can include climatology, meteorology and upper division undergraduate or graduate courses in the candidate’s field of interest.

Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.

For mor infromation and how to apply, please see: https://jobs.uark.edu/postings/23208.

ESSAC Science Coordinator, European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD), University of Plymouth (UK)

The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) is an international research program that explores the history and structure of the Earth as recorded in seafloor sediments and rocks. The Program comprises three partners: the USA, Japan and a consortium of European countries (plus Canada) organized through ECORD (European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling - http://www.ecord.org/).

 The ECORD Science Support and Advisory Committee (ESSAC) is responsible for the scientific and technological planning and coordination of Europe's contribution to IODP. During the period 01 January 2018 to 31 December 2019 the ESSAC Office will be located at the University of Plymouth, UK, and supervised by the ESSAC Chair (Prof. Antony Morris).  The ESSAC Science Coordinator will be expected to manage the activities of the ESSAC Office. The role will be wide ranging, from the day-to-day management of the Office to communication with ESSAC delegates, the wider European, Japanese and US science communities and national funding agencies. You will assist in outreach activities, and will be expected to take the lead in preparing scientific reports that detail ECORD scientific participation and general science activities in IODP. You will act as full-time scientific secretary to the ESSAC Chair and, when requested, ECORD Council. You will attend meetings with the ESSAC Chair. Depending upon circumstances, you may have some time to be actively involved in academic research, including in IODP science themes.

You should have a background in Earth Sciences with a PhD degree, be fluent in English and have excellent (verbal and written) communication skills. Experience in management and science communication is required and the ability to function in a multidisciplinary research environment is essential. Initiative, flexibility and professional autonomy are important assets. You should ideally be able to work in a multilingual environment.

 Further information : You are encouraged to contact Prof. Antony Morris (amorris@plymouth.ac.uk) for further details about the position.  This is a Full Time position working 37 hours per week for a Fixed Term of 2 years commencing 1 January 2018.

 Formal application is online and should include a statement explaining why the job of Science Coordinator interests you, a CV, the names and contact details of three referees, and a publication list.

Closing date:  Tuesday 31 October 2017.  Interviews will be held in mid-November.  To view job details or to apply, visit: https://hrservices.plymouth.ac.uk/tlive_webrecruitment/wrd/run/ETREC105GF.open?WVID=1602750fTZ and enter job reference number A5640 into the search box.

Note that applications must be made on-line (postal and e-mail applications are not accepted).

PhD Position: Global Change Impact on Plankton Ecophysiology - The Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI)

In order to optimize nutrient uptake and light acquisition, different phytoplankton species have opted for different strategies resulting in large interspecific functional trait variability. Functional traits are the morphological, physiological, phenological, and behavioral characteristics of an organism that influence its performance or fitness. Intraspecific variability also exists, and it has for example been shown that different strains of one species can differ in a range of cellular characteristics including cell size and biochemical composition. Despite its potential significance for trophic interactions and nutrient cycling, trait variability between individual phytoplankton cells has not yet been characterized. Moreover, this information is particularly relevant in the context of global change as it places organisms under enormous pressure by radically changing the environment in which they live, hence directly altering individual traits. This project aims at filling these gaps by determining to which extent variability in phytoplankton traits is affected by global change and by testing how micro- and mesozooplankton respond to phytoplankton trait variability. The results from this project will enable us to evaluate individual producer and consumer adaptations that may dampen the impacts of global change.

For more information about the position and on how to apply please follow the link: https://www.awi.de/nc/en/work-study/jobs/job-offer/detail/jobs/phd-student-in-global-change-impact-on-plankton-ecophysiology.html

PhD Position: The Ice Core Lab, University of Rochester

The Ice Core Lab at the University of Rochester has an opening for a PhD student. Our work uses ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica to study past environmental change, with the goal of better understanding the Earth’s natural climate system. We regularly conduct ice core drilling expeditions in the polar regions, working both in the extreme frozen interiors of the major ice sheets as well as on their picturesque margins. 

Some examples of the Ice Core Lab’s current and possible future research projects:

1)    Understanding past changes in atmospheric methane (a powerful greenhouse gas) during natural climate warming events

2)    Using carbon-14 produced by cosmic rays in glacial ice to understand past changes in cosmic ray bombardment intensity and related changes in solar activity

3)    Using ice core measurements of carbon monoxide and its isotopes to understand past changes in the chemical reactivity of the global atmosphere 

For more information, please contact Vasilii Petrenko, vpetrenk@ur.rochester.edu; Web:http://www.sas.rochester.edu/ees/petrenko/index.html