We have a postdoctoral opening in our group (www.vanasiri.in) in the broad
field of evolutionary ecology. We are based at IISER
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala, India; www.iisertvm.ac.in), a young
institute aiming to be a world-class centre for research and
teaching.
We work on various aspects of evolutionary ecology, including
insect behaviour. The preferred research themes are below. The
postdoc will have the flexibility of designing projects that
complement existing research areas in the lab, or work on
something new that enriches research in our group (see www.vanasiri/research).
Main research themes in our lab:
- Prey-predator interactions
- Life-history trait evolution
- Insect-plant interactions
- Phenotypic plasticity
- Life-history trait evolution
- Insect-plant interactions
- Phenotypic plasticity
We work
on a several model systems, and research is primarily question
based, rather than model-system based. Our current model systems
include insects (primarily butterflies), plants and reptiles.
Interested applicants can also through our publications
(http://vanasiri.in/papers) to get better idea of what kind of
work we do.
The IISER-TVM Vithura campus is an excellent place for many kinds
of studies in ecology and evolution
(http://icreee.org/#facilities). Our campus includes, and is
contiguous with, some of the best tropical rainforest areas in
India, which translates to an abundance of study subjects and
opportunities for field studies.
MODEL of SELECTION: The formal advertisement will
come up on the institute website soon. In the meanwhile, if
interested in the position, please get in touch with Ullasa
(ullasa@iisertvm.ac.in).
DEADLINE: Will be announced on the IISER-TVM website soon.
Decisions on the applications are expected to be taken by December
2019.
SALARY: Rs. 55,000 per month.
DURATION: 2 years (1 year initially, extendable based on performance)
LIFE IN KERALA AND THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (TRIVANDRUM): The picturesque campus (http://www.iisertvm.ac.in/pages/campus) is in Vithura, which is ca. 45 km from the coastal city of Thiruvananthapuram. Some people prefer to live on, or near the, campus, while others commute from the city. Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of Kerala, and has a rich cultural heritage. It is within a stone’s throw away from world-famous beaches such as Kovalam and Varkala, and lovely backwater tourism areas such as Poovar. Several hill stations (e.g Ponmudi) and wildlife sanctuaries are close by. Being a major medical tourism destination, the city has good medical care facilities. There are several good schools in the city with English as the medium of instruction, and English is widely spoken across the state.
Thiruvananthapuram is a relatively small city, and the cost of living tends to be considerably lower than in bigger Indian cities. A 2-bedroom apartment can be rented for Rs 10,000 - 15,000 per month. There are plenty of options for dining out – a meal at a decent local restaurant can start from as low as Rs 50, but a good meal with a drink even in a five-star hotel need not cost more than Rs 1000. Costs for groceries and other daily needs can be looked up on www.kada.in. Taxis can be hired from Rs 10 per km (with a minimum fare of Rs 50). Taxis can be hired from Rs 10 per km (a minimum fare of Rs 50), while the cost of driving your own small car (not for the faint-hearted!) is about Rs 5 per kilometer (petrol: Rs 67/litre, diesel: Rs 55/litre).
SALARY: Rs. 55,000 per month.
DURATION: 2 years (1 year initially, extendable based on performance)
LIFE IN KERALA AND THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (TRIVANDRUM): The picturesque campus (http://www.iisertvm.ac.in/pages/campus) is in Vithura, which is ca. 45 km from the coastal city of Thiruvananthapuram. Some people prefer to live on, or near the, campus, while others commute from the city. Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of Kerala, and has a rich cultural heritage. It is within a stone’s throw away from world-famous beaches such as Kovalam and Varkala, and lovely backwater tourism areas such as Poovar. Several hill stations (e.g Ponmudi) and wildlife sanctuaries are close by. Being a major medical tourism destination, the city has good medical care facilities. There are several good schools in the city with English as the medium of instruction, and English is widely spoken across the state.
Thiruvananthapuram is a relatively small city, and the cost of living tends to be considerably lower than in bigger Indian cities. A 2-bedroom apartment can be rented for Rs 10,000 - 15,000 per month. There are plenty of options for dining out – a meal at a decent local restaurant can start from as low as Rs 50, but a good meal with a drink even in a five-star hotel need not cost more than Rs 1000. Costs for groceries and other daily needs can be looked up on www.kada.in. Taxis can be hired from Rs 10 per km (with a minimum fare of Rs 50). Taxis can be hired from Rs 10 per km (a minimum fare of Rs 50), while the cost of driving your own small car (not for the faint-hearted!) is about Rs 5 per kilometer (petrol: Rs 67/litre, diesel: Rs 55/litre).
Ullasa
Kodandaramaiah ullasa@iisertvm.ac.in