Postdoctoral Fellowship: Max Weber Programme for Postdoctoral Studies

Highlights:

1. The overall aim of the Max Weber Programme (MWP), the largest postdoctoral training programme in the Social and Human Sciences in the world, is to support the fellows in the development of a successful academic career.

2. The most important benefits of the programme lie in the professional schooling it offers fellows. To this end they are affiliated with one of the EUI teaching departments, where they participate in seminars and workshops.

3. Within the MWP, a broad variety of activities are organized for the fellows throughout the year with an individual focus on really developing to be internationally competitive.

4. The Max Weber Programme is geared to developing the academic skills of postdoctoral fellows, while leaving ample time for individual research agendas.

5. The next deadline for applications is 25 October 2009

6. Read this before clicking the MWP application form

7. Prepare your CV with a list of publications in RTF or PDF

8. Prepare a statement of career ambitions and research plans (1-3 pages) in RTF or PDF using standard international fonts and avoiding macros, special characters and password-protected attachments

9. The statement should include a summary of research contributions and interests, academic career plans, fields of specialization, and teaching experience (a detailed research proposal is not required)

10. Filling in the MWP application form

11. Letters of reference: Two confidential letters of reference must be sent directly to the EUI by referees to arrive by the 25 October deadline

12. Referees can send letters using the on-line form here or as an email attachment to ReferenceFellow@eui.eu

13. References should be in RTF or PDF, using standard international fonts and avoiding macros, special characters, or password-protected attachments

14. References from current full-time/part-time EUI professors will not be accepted

15. Application form : The online application form

for the Max Weber Fellowships is now active. The annual deadline is 25th October.

16. Selection Procedure: Candidates are reviewed by the professors of the relevant Department and the Director of the MWP, and selected by the Max Weber Steering Committee.

17. Final approval is made by the Executive Committee of the EUI. Their decision is final and no appeal is possible.

18. Contacts: If you cannot submit your application on-line, contact us well before the deadline at:

Academic Service

European University Institute

via dei Roccettini 9

I-50014 San Domenico di Fiesole

Email applyfellow@eui.eu

Tel. +39 055 4685 377

Fax +39 055 4685 444

19. Reference:

http://www.eui.eu/ServicesAndAdmin/AcademicService/PostdoctoralFellowships/MaxWeberFellowships/Index.aspx

Breast milk protect Newborn baby health

Highlights:

1. The levels of the components in breast milk change every 24 hours in response to the needs of the baby. A new study published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience shows, for example, how this milk could help newborn babies to sleep.

2. Breast milk contains various ingredients, such as nucleotides, which perform a very important role in regulating babies' sleep. The new study confirms that the composition of breast milk changes quite markedly throughout the day.

3. The scientists looked for three nucleotides in breast milk (adenosine, guanosine and uridine), which excite or relax the central nervous system, promoting restfulness and sleep, and observed how these varied throughout a 24-hour period.

4. The milk, collected from 30 women living in Extremadura, was expressed over a 24-hour period, with six to eight daily samples. The highest nucleotide concentrations were found in the night-time samples (8pm to 8am).

5. "This made us realise that milk induces sleep in babies", Cristina L. Sánchez, lead author of the article and a researcher at the Chrononutrition Laboratory at the University of Extremadura, tells SINC.

6. "You wouldn't give anyone a coffee at night, and the same is true of milk – it has day-specific ingredients that stimulate activity in the infant, and other night-time components that help the baby to rest", explains Sánchez.

7. In order to ensure correct nutrition, the baby should be given milk at the same time of day that it was expressed from the mother's breast. "It is a mistake for the mother to express the milk at a certain time and then store it and feed it to the baby at a different time", points out the researcher. .

8. The benefits of breast milk

9. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says breast milk is the best food for the newborn, and should not be substituted, since it meets all the child's physiological requirements during the first six months of life. It not only protects the baby against many illnesses such as colds, diarrhoea and sudden infant death syndrome, but can also help prevent future diseases such as asthma, allergies and obesity, and promotes intellectual development.

10. The benefits of breastfeeding also extend to the mother. Women who breastfeed lose the weight gained during pregnancy more quickly, and it also helps prevent against anaemia, high blood pressure and postnatal depression. Osteoporosis and breast cancer are also less common among women who breastfeed their children.

11. Reference:

a. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001091757.htm  

b. Sánchez et al. The possible role of human milk nucleotides as sleep inducers. Nutritional Neuroscience, 2009; 12 (1): 2 DOI: 10.1179/147683009X388922

Ph.D. Programmes and Post Doctoral Fellowship: Spring Semester 2009-10

Highlights:

1. Indian Institue of Technology Roorkee (Formerly University of Roorkee), a premier Institute of Science and Technology, has a distinguished tradition of excellence spanning over 160 years.

2. The Departments / Centres of the Institute are engaged in teaching, research and consultancy in the field of Engineering, Technology, Science and Management. The Institute offers 21 Undergraduate Courses including IDD and Integrated

3. M.Tech. in Engineering & Architecture and 51 Postgraduate Courses in Engineering, Architecture, Science, Technology and Business Administration.

4. The Institute has been placed at the top in the country in coveted sector employment in Science and Technology.

5. Applications are invited for admission to full time/part time Ph.D. Programmes in the following departments/centres:

6. Alternate Hydro-Energy Centre • Architecture and Planning • Biotechnology • Chemical Engineering • Chemistry

7. Civil Engineering • Earthquake Engineering • Earth Sciences • Electrical Engineering • Electronics & Computer Engg.

8. • Humanities and Social Sciences • Hydrology • Management Studies • Mathematics • Mechanical & Industrial Engineering

9. • Metallurgical & Materials Engineering • Physics • Paper Technology • Water Resources & Management

10. An applicant possessing the following qualifications in appropriate area shall be eligible to apply for admission for Ph.D. programme of the Institute.

11. Masters degree in Engineering / Technology/Architecture/Urban & Rural Planning/Sciences/ Humanities & Social Sciences and Management in respective discipline or equivalent with a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 6.00 on a 10 point scale or equivalent as determined by the Institute wherever letter grades are awarded; or 60% marks in aggregate (of all the years/ semesters) where marks are awarded. OR

12. Applicants with B.Tech./B.Arch. degree or equivalent in respective discipline with excellent academic record (with a minimum CGPA of 7.00 on a 10 point scale or equivalent or 70% marks) may be considered eligible for admission.

13. Applicants for admission for full-time studies who do not possess a M.Tech./M.Arch./MURP degree or equivalent in the relevant field must have a valid GATE score (at least 75 percentile) for Engineering / Technology/ Science disciplines or must have qualified national level fellowship examinations such as

14. NET (JRF/LS) conducted by UGC/CSIR for Science/ Humanities and Social Sciences disciplines.

15. Engineering/Architecture graduates from any IIT/erstwhile University of Roorkee having CGPA Score > 8.00 or marks > 80% are also eligible for admission without GATE score .

16. A limited number of fellowships are available to carry out advanced research in all the disciplines as mentioned above. Interested candidates having a Ph.D.

17. Degree may apply for Post-Doctoral Fellowship in all the disciplines mentioned above. Qualification: Candidate with a Ph.D. degree in Science and Engineering or those who have recently submitted their doctoral theses can apply. Age: Criteria for age should be same as for Ph.D. Duration : 2 years (renewable for one more year). Fellowship : (i) Rs. 25,000/- p.m. for a Ph.D. with 2 years experience (ii) Rs. 20,000/- p.m. for a recent Ph.D. degree holder.

18. Contingency : Rs. 20,000/- per annum. H.R.A. : As admissible Desirable: First class in degree preceding to Ph.D. and publications in journals of repute.

19. For more information, please contact : Chairman, PG Admission-2010 , Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee - 247667 (India) Ph: (01332) 285875/284010. Fax (01332) 285874, E-mail : pgadm@iitr.ernet.in Website : http//www.iitr.ernet.in/admissions

20. LAST DATE FOR RECEIPT OF COMPLETED APPLICATION FORM IS OCTOBER 30, 2009

21. More Information:

http://www.iitr.ac.in/admissions/uploads/File/2009/PhD/Poster%20for%20Detailed%20Information.pdf

PhD Fellowship Scheme in Hong Kong

Highlights:

1. Established in 2009 by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC), the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme aims to attract the outstanding students in the world to pursue their PhD degree programmes in Hong Kong's institutions.

2. The Fellowship provides a monthly stipend of HK$20,000 (approximately US$2,600) and a conference and research-related travel allowance of HK$10,000 (approximately US$1,300) per year for a period of three years.

3. 135 PhD Fellowships will be awarded for the 2010/11 academic year1. For awardees who need more than three years to complete the PhD degree, additional support may be provided by the chosen institutions. For details, please contact the institutions concerned directly.

4. Eligibility: Those who are seeking admission as new full time PhD students in UGC-funded institutions of Hong Kong, irrespective of their country of origin and ethnic background, should be eligible to apply.

5. Applicants should demonstrate outstanding qualities of academic performance, research ability/ potential, communication and interpersonal skills, and leadership abilities.

PhD Positions in Ecology: Soft Sediment Ecology

Highlights:

1. University and the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research are jointly seeking TWO PhD students to work in a new program entitled “After the outfall: recovery from eutrophication in degraded New Zealand estuaries”.

2. Applicants must have completed a thesis as part of a BSc Honours or MSc degree (preferred), and achieved excellent grades.

3. Initial contact outlining your background, interests and (unofficial) record should be made either to Professor David Schiel (david.schiel@canterbury.ac.nz) or Dr John Zeldis (j.zeldis@niwa.co.nz). We intend to start the student program as quickly as possible, but it is expected that candidates will apply for scholarship support in the next scholarship round at the University of Canterbury (deadline: 15 October 2009).

4. Information on University scholarships can be found at http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/scholarships/ucschols/uc_doctoral.shtml (for NZ students), and http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/scholarships/ucschols/uc_intl_doc.shtml (international students).

5. The intended PhD programs and specific qualifications required are outlined below.

6. This project will provide new information on the processes and time scales of change in coastal ecosystems that have been severely impacted by excess nutrients but are subject to rehabilitation following nutrient reduction.

7. To do this we will take advantage of the unique event provided by the wastewater diversion from the Avon-Heathcote estuarine system in Christchurch into an ocean outfall, one of the largest and most expensive such diversions ever done in NZ, that will begin late in 2009.