Curtin University Research Fellowships - Department of Applied Geology Expressions of Interest

The Curtin Research Fellowship scheme aims to attract high quality postdoctoral researchers with excellent potential for providing future academic and research leadership at the University. It is highly competitive and, in providing postdoctoral salaries for 4 years, continues to be amongst the most prestigious fellowship schemes in Australia.

The call for applications in 2013, for commencement in 2014, will comprise two schemes: 1) Early Career Researcher Fellowship: suitably qualified applicants who received their PhD within the last five years. 2) Senior Research Fellowship: suitably qualified applicants with more than five years post-doctoral experience. Information about the 2013 scheme is yet to be released, but 2012 information can be found at http://research.curtin.edu.au/research-funding/fellowships.cfm

The Department of Applied Geology at Curtin University, Perth, is one of Australia’s leading institutes for geoscience research and has an international reputation for quality research and extensive research infrastructure (http://geology.curtin.edu.au/). The department is currently seeking Expressions of Interest (EoIs) from researchers interested in applying for the forthcoming round of Curtin Research Fellowships. EoIs are sought from postdoctoral candidates that have outstanding research track records relative to opportunity. These EoIs will be used to identify candidates that are suitably qualified to be competitive within the Fellowship scheme. These candidates will be supported by the department and invited to develop a full application for a Curtin Research Fellowship for submission around early September 2013. Applicants invited to go to full application will be assigned a mentor from the department to assist in the development of the full application.  

To be competitive all potential applicants should aim to meet the following criteria, though assessment will be evaluated relative to opportunity:

·       A PhD in an appropriate discipline of Geology, Geophysics or Geochemistry.

·       Demonstrated ability to develop and manage a research portfolio including the accurate and timely delivery of research outputs.

·       Evidence of ability to attract research funding via Nationally Competitive funding schemes.

·       Proven ability to work effectively and collegially in a team environment.

·       Proven effective oral and written communication skills.

The position is full time Academic. Salaries start at level ALB – 82,979 $AU/yr (Research Fellow) or ALC – 101,647 $AU/yr (Senior Research Fellow). Benefits include 17% employer superannuation contribution. At the end of their four-year term, past Curtin Fellows in the Department of Applied Geology have enjoyed a high conversion rate to a continuing Faculty position.  Selection is subject to performance review and budgetary constraints.

EOI submission details

EOIs should include a CV (including PhD completion date), publication list and a 1 page statement on the research direction that will be followed in the full application. Submissions should be sent to Dr. Fred Jourdan (F.Jourdan@curtin.edu.au) by 14^th June 2013. Shortlisting of EoIs will be undertaken in mid June with a likely Curtin Fellowship final submission deadline of early August 2013.

Announcement of 3rd GIRAF workshop from 23 through 27 September 2013 in Ghana

Dear YES Members,

I would like to announce and invite you warmly to the 3rd GIRAF workshop which will take place from September 23rd through the 27th in Ghana. The event will be organized by the CGI together with Australian Aid, UNESCO and BGR. The workshop will coincide with the centennial celebrations of the Geological Survey of Ghana who have kindly offered to host and locally organize the meeting.

The main topic will be Geoscience Information and Sustainable Mining and Mapping. However, contributions to all geoscience Information topics, in particular for Africa, are welcome.

Australian Aid and BGR are currently working together on the 5-day workshop programme. In addition, we are up-dating the GIRAF website (www.giraf-network.org) where you can register to participate in GIRAF 2013 in early May. Our web administrator will send you an email as soon as the web form is online.

We are looking forward to the 3rd GIRAF workshop and look forward to hearing from new developments in your countries and organizations!

With Best Wishes,
Kristine Asch and Felix Toteo
GIRAF Coordinator and GIRAF Chair

PhD position in metamorphic petrology at RWTH Aachen - Germany

The Institute of Mineralogy and Economic Geology at RWTH Aachen University invites applications for a DFG-funded PhD position within a research project focussing on the pressure-temperature-time-deformation evolution of high-pressure metamorphic rocks in the Palaeoproterozoic Nagssugtoqidian Orogen in South-East Greenland. The salary will be 75%TVL13.

The Nagssugtoqidian Orogen is one of a few Palaeoproterozoic collisional orogens, in which high-pressure metamorphic rocks have been preserved. Relict eclogites and/or high-P granulites occur within mafic dykes in the orthogneiss-dominated core of the orogen. Mineral assemblages of garnet and clinopyroxene as well as clinopyroxene-plagioclase symplectites indicate PT-conditions outside the plagioclase stability field. Preliminary work to this project indicates that the rocks underwent retrogression at medium-to high-pressure granulite facies grades, but it is currently unknown from which depth these rocks were exhumed. In collaboration with the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), the research will combine pressure-temperature-time paths obtained from pseudosection modelling and U-Pb dating of minerals such as zircon, rutile, and titanite with detailed kinematic investigations of shear zones to the north and south of the high-P domain.

The position will be for three years. Applicants should have a Master or equivalent degree in Earth Sciences, a strong interest in phase diagram modelling and geochronology, and the ability to conduct field work in the Arctic. The appointment will start on the 1st of July 2013 or soon thereafter.

Applications, including a curriculum vitae, a letter describing the research interests and background, as well as the names and email addresses of two referees, should be emailed as a single pdf-file by May 22 to:

Annika Dziggel (adziggel@iml.rwth-aachen.de). Information about the Institute of Mineralogy and Economic Geology at RWTH Aachen University can be found at http://www.iml.rwth-aachen.de.

Visiting position in petrology at Boston College

The department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Boston College seeks applications for a one-year visiting professor position for the 2013-14 academic year with expertise in the broad field of igneous or metamorphic petrology. Candidates for this position should have completed their Ph.D. by the time of appointment, but applicants nearing completion (ABD) will also be considered. The teaching load for the

academic year will consist of the equivalent of four full-semester courses, including introductory geology (Exploring the Earth), Igneous & Metamorphic Petrology and two additional courses with at least one at an upper level in the applicant’s specialty. We expect the successful applicant to have a strong commitment to promoting excellence in teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate level, and to complement existing

research strengths in the department to offer new student research and learning opportunities. The department of Earth and Environmental Sciences is host to a range of analytical facilities to support research in the broad field of petrology including: a new scanning electron microscope facility equipped with EDS, EBSD, and CL imaging; a Laser Raman Micro-Spectroscopic Imaging Lab; and rock preparation and mineral separation facilities.

To apply, applicants should send a curriculum vitae, statements of teaching and research interests, and the names and contact information of at least three references in a single PDF-file email attachment to Prof. John Ebel (john.ebel@bc.edu). Review of applications will begin May 20 2013 and continue until the position is filled. Boston College is an academic community whose doors are open to all students and employees without regard to race, religion, age, sex, marital or parental status, national origin, veteran status, or handicap. Additional information on the department, its faculty and research strengths can be viewed online at www.bc.edu/eesciences.

Vacancy - Natural Resources Applications Specialist at CARL ZEISS, Cambridge

CARL ZEISS MICROSCOPY LTD

Due to continuing investment, a new role has become available for a geologist with a good knowledge of mineral exploration and extraction, process mineralogy or oil and gas.  The candidate should be an independent thinker and effective communicator who is comfortable interacting with customers and colleagues at all levels.  The ability to quickly comprehend and communicate the key requirements and motivators of the marketplace is essential.  This is an important new role which offers significant scope to influence the company’s product and market strategy. 

The purpose of the role is to increase market share, brand strength, and business success of the Cambridge based products which are directed at the natural resources and extractive industries market.  It is a varied role which entails a wide range of activities, including conducting customer demonstrations and sample analysis on our scanning electron microscopes, and benchmarking the instrument against market requirements and industry standards.  Other key tasks includes generating marketing literature and presenting at industry and corporate events.

The successful candidate will have a science degree, and preferably a degree in geology, metallurgy or related field, experience in the extractive industries or natural resources, and ideally knowledge of mineral exploration or automated mineralogy.  Prior experience of scanning electron microscopes is not essential.  The role is based in our Cambridge office, but will require international travel.

To apply for this role please provide a recent CV and an indication of salary expectations to lindy.tegg@zeiss.com

Strictly no agencies.

Julia Hudson

Carl Zeiss Microscopy Ltd
Carl Zeiss Group
http://www.zeiss.com/microscopy

AGU/AGI webinar - May 17th, 1 pm EST - Best practices for recruiting undergraduate students

Save the date for the May AGU/AGI Heads and Chairs Webinar:

The May 2013 webinar on Best Practices for Recruiting Undergraduate Students to Introductory Geoscience Courses is just around the corner. Please consider registering yourself or invite any of your faculty or colleagues who are interested in learning more about how you can recruit more students to not only introductory courses but also into secondary or tertiary courses in your programs. Have something to share about what your department is doing? Then please join panelists Wayne Powell (Brooklyn College, CUNY) and Robert Thomas (University of Montana Western) to explore these issues on Friday 17 May 2013 from 1:00 P.M. - 2:00 P.M. EST. Register for the webinar. Learn more about the webinar series or watch recording of previous webinars.

Best wishes,

Pranoti Asher , Ph.D.

Manager, Education and Public Outreach
American Geophysical Union
www.agu.org

11th International GeoRaman Conference (June 15-19, 2014, St. Louis, MO, USA)

With great pleasure, we invite you to attend the 11th International GeoRaman Conference, one of the two major international conferences concentrated on laser Raman spectroscopy and its applications, to be held in the continental United States for the first time.

The 11th International GeoRaman conference in St. Louis will focus on two major aspects of laser Raman spectroscopy:

1. The most advanced technologies and instrumentation, from laboratories to a wide variety of field applications, e.g., industrial and security monitoring, geo-fields, deep ocean, and on other planets;
2. The newest applications in studying inorganic, organic, and bio-genetic materials in Earth Sciences, Planetary Sciences, Environmental Science, Forensic Science, Archaeology and Archaeometry, Gemmology, and Astrobiology.

Similar to previous GeoRaman conferences since 1986, we will build a strong scientific program containing oral and poster presentations on world-class scientific studies in the above fields. In addition, for the first time in GeoRaman history, we will present awards to young laser Raman spectroscopy scientists in the following four categories:

1. The best oral presentation given by a graduate student;
2. The best poster presentation given by a graduate student;
3. The best oral presentation given by an early career scientist (within 5 years of the PhD);
4. The best poster presentation given by an early career scientist (within 5 years of the PhD).

Preliminary information for your planning:

·  Time: June 15-19, 2014,

·  Place: Umrath Hall, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA

·  Official website: http://georaman2014.wustl.edu

Preliminary schedule:

·  Opening ceremony (Sunday): 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

·  Conference days (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday): 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

·  Field trip (Wednesday): 9:00 am to 9:00 pm

·  Closing ceremony: Thursday, 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Important dates and webpages:

·  Proposal for specific session due: July 31, 2013 http://georaman2014.wustl.edu/sessprop.php

·  Notice of Interests due: Oct 31, 2013 http://georaman2014.wustl.edu/interest.php

·  Abstract due: March 31, 2014 http://georaman2014.wustl.edu/abs.php

·  Early registration due: April 30, 2014 http://georaman2014.wustl.edu/register.php

·  Blocked period for hotel reservation: March 1 to May 31, 2014 http://georaman2014.wustl.edu/hotels.php

Additional information

·  Awards http://georaman2014.wustl.edu/award-sched.php

·  Maps http://georaman2014.wustl.edu/maps.php

·  Travel information http://georaman2014.wustl.edu/travel.php

·  Need supporting letter to apply US visa ? http://georaman2014.wustl.edu/visa.php

·  Previous GeoRaman and their scientific programs http://georaman2014.wustl.edu/previous

·  Touring St. Louis for the families http://georaman2014.wustl.edu/tour.php

Holmes Lounge is where the Conference Dinner, Closing Ceremony, and Award Presentation will be held.

More information on sponsorships, session schedules, field trip, and social events will appear on our official website gradually. Please keep your eyes open for updates.

Welcome to the United States!
Welcome to St. Louis!
Welcome to Washington University!

Organization Committee in US:

·  Professor Alian Wang (co-chairman), Washington University in St. Louis

·  Professor Craig Marshall (co-chairman), University of Kansas

·  Professor Jill Pasteris, Washington University in St. Louis

·  Dr. I-Ming Chou, United States Geological Survey

·  Dr. Pablo Sobron, Canadian Space Agency

I-Ming Chou

954 National Center

U.S. Geological Survey

Reston, VA 20192