[seek-taxon] Draft job descriptions for SEEK postdocs

[Robert K. Peet]

Here is a draft job description for the two postdocs I need to hire for
the SEEK project.  SUggestions are welcome.

Bob



Postdoctoral opportunities in Biological Classification and Nomenclature.


We seek two postdoctoral fellows to participate in a large, NSF and
Mellon-funded ITR Project directed at development of a technology
framework for data discovery, integration, and visualization for
biodiversity research.  The persons in these positions will be involved
specifically in development of standards, methods, and tools for
representing biological nomenclature and classification information.  Even
though the rules of taxonomy are quite specific, taxonomic understanding
is dynamic, leading to constant changes in the taxonomic entities, the
names applied to those entities, and their phylogenetic relationships.
Consequently, taxonomic concepts and the application of names to those
concepts vary through time and with the authority employed.  Effective
integration of data from diverse sources requires that the multiple and
overlaping taxonomic concepts be tracked, as well as the multiple names
that have been applied to them. We envision that the need for data
integration will reshape the way organisms are reported in biodiversity
and ecological data and publications, and the way biological taxonomists
and ecologists conduct, report, and disseminate their research.
Developing this link between ecology, systematics, and informatics is
crucial to developing effective and useful ecological informatics tools.
The postdocs will work directly with researchers at NCEAS and the
University of North Carolina, and will be expected to locate at one of
these institutions.  Strong background in both biological systematics and
computer and database skills is desirable. Send applications and at least
two letters of recommendations by May 26 to Robert K. Peet, Dept. of
Biology, CB#3280, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
27599-3280, 919-962-6942, peet at unc.edu.


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 Robert K. Peet, Professor              Phone:  919-962-6942
 Department of Biology, CB#3280         Fax:    919-962-6930
 University of North Carolina           Cell:   919-368-4971
 Chapel Hill, NC  27599-3280  USA       Email:  peet at unc.edu

             http://www.bio.unc.edu/faculty/peet/

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