The Department of Archaeology, University College Cork, invites applications for two four year PhD studentships in biological anthropology as part of a new European Research Council funded project (directed by Dr R Pinhasi): "From the earliest modern humans to the onset of farming (45,000-4,500 BP): the role of climate, life-style, health, migration and selection in shaping European population history". The research will involve the study of cranial and postcranial morphological variation, activity patterns, behaviour, mobility, diet, demography and health in approx. 700 European Upper Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic skeletons.
Students will be supervised by Dr Ron Pinhasi at UCC with co-supervision by Dr Jay Stock (Cambridge) and Dr Noreen von Cramon-Taubadel (Kent University) as part of the ERC funded programme. The work will also involve collaboration with leading geneticists, simulation specialists and anthropologists engaged in building an interdisciplinary view of the major events in European human prehistory. Candidates will gain experience in a broad range of osteological and quantitative methods as well as in the study of stable isotopes.
A full award covers fees and an annual stipend of €17, 042 (2010/2011 rates).
Essential Requirements:
- A Masters degree and a first or upper second class BA/BSc degree in a relevant subject
- Background in human osteology and the application of quantitative methods in biological anthropology or related disciplines
- Students for whom English is not their first language must meet the required minimum level of English language proficiency (IELTS 7 in all skills, or equivalent)
We are particularly interested in candidates with a strong background in one or more of the following:
- Morphometrics or statistical shape analysis
- Biomechanics or functional anatomy
- Human dietary evolution, stable isotope research, specifically nitrogen, carbon and strontium
- Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic archaeology
The starting date is either April or September 2011.
The closing date for applications is 7th March 2011.
To apply, please send curriculum vitae (3 pages max) and details of two academic referees by mail to:
ERC Bioanth PhD Application
Department of Archaeology
University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
