About the Project
One of the advantages of group life, such as in birds, is increased protection against predation, which is for instance, assured by the complex patterns of collective escape by bird flocks under attack. Collective behaviour of flocks is, however, difficult to investigate empirically. As a solution, the proposed project concerns the computational modelling of collective escapes. This is done with the help of empirical data collected by another PhD candidate using robot-falcons (RoboFalcons) for controlled attacks on flocks.
The modelling project aims to gain understanding on what causes different patterns of collective escape under different conditions. For this, the PhD candidate will extend our computational model, StarDisplay, and may develop new models. The model will be informed by two empirical sources, namely, the experiments with RoboFalcons and the movies of huge starling flocks under attack by Peregrine falcons above Rome. The student will experiment with different escape strategies and attack strategies in the model to improve both understanding of the observations of patterns of collective escape and methods of driving flocks away.
The PhD will be appointed at the Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES -http://www.rug.nl/research/gelifes/)
Daily supervision will come from Prof. Charlotte Hemelrijk and Dr Hanno Hildenbrandt; Dr Colin Torney (Glasgow, UK) will co-supervise the project.
Qualifications
See: http://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/job-opportunities/overview?details=00347-02S0005IXP
Conditions of employment
The University of Groningen offers a salary of € 2,191 gross per month in the first year, up to a maximum of € 2,801 gross per month in the final year, based on a fulltime position (1.0 fte) excluding a 8% holiday allowance and a 8.3% end of the year bonus. The position must result in a PhD thesis within the 4-year contract period. A PhD training programme is part of the agreement and the successful candidate will be enrolled in the Graduate School of Science. The successful candidate will first be offered a temporary position of one year with the option of renewal for another three years. Prolongation of the contract is contingent on sufficient progress in the first year to indicate that a successful completion of the PhD thesis within the next three years is to be expected.
Application
Applications, including a letter of motivation, a curriculum vitae, a list of publications (if any), a list of examination marks, and the contact information of three academic referees, must be submitted online until 8 June / before 9 June 2017 Dutch local time by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement), http://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/job-opportunities/overview?reply=00347-02S0005IXP
The position will remain open until filled. All applications received by 9 June 2017 will be given full consideration.
Unsolicited marketing is not appreciated.
For more information
Prof. Charlotte K. Hemelrijk, +31 50 3638084, [Email Address Removed] (please do not use for applications)
Additional information
Behavioural & Physiological Ecology (BPE): http://www.rug.nl/research/gelifes/bpe/
Hemelrijk group: http://www.rug.nl/research/gelifes/bpe/hemelrijk/
TRÊS: http://www.rug.nl/research/gelifes/tres/people?lang=en
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