********************GradStudentPositions******************** Graduate position available PhD in Community Ecology & Biogeography Lab: Prof. Lessard, Concordia University, Montréal, Canada We invite applications for a funded PhD position starting Fall 2026. Research topics include biodiversity, insect ecology (ants, bees, dragonflies, soil arthropods), spatial ecology, global-change biology, ecological networks and data-driven modeling (R / GIS / quantitative ecology). The project will combine fieldwork, lab work, and computational analyses. Funding: stipend + TA/RA support Eligibility: MSc (or equivalent) in Ecology, Biology, Environmental Science or related field; background in ecology, entomology, GIS/data analysis is an asset. International applicants are welcome. To apply: send merged PDF: CV, cover letter (statement of research interests), academic transcripts, and contact info of 2-3 referees to: alisa.makusheva@concordia.ca Application deadline: January 9, 2026 Full role description https://app-ca.clickdimensions.com/blob/concordiaca-a8jj7/files/communityecologybiogeographylab.pdf?m=12/1/2025%2011:22:58%20PM Questions? Feel free to contact me. Please circulate among your networks. Alisa Makusheva (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca) ********************GradStudentPositions******************** PhD Student in Animal Science Department of Animal Biosciences *Genetic variation and genomic prediction in farm animals* We are looking for a motivated and committed PhD student who wants to understand the genetic consequences of modern breeding of farm animals and to develop the genomic breeding methods of the future. The position involves doctoral studies where you will analyze genomic data, develop new models and simulations, and present new scientific results. You will also take courses at the doctoral level, participate in international conferences, and communicate with collaborators in academia and industry. Opportunities for research visits abroad may be available. The research combines computational modelling and simulations with the analysis of large-scale genomic data of various types. The project primarily focuses on cattle and poultry, but comparative studies with other species may also occur. There is room for you to be creative and contribute to shaping the direction of the research. Qualifications: You must hold a degree in animal science, veterinary medicine, natural sciences, or engineering. You must also have documented proficiency in written and spoken English. Examples of knowledge and skills that may be of use in the position include animal breeding, population genetics, genetic diversity, statistical data analysis (e.g., linear models, linear mixed models, genomic prediction, genomic association studies, etc.), analysis of genotype and DNA sequence data, simulations programming/scripting languages such as R or Python, working with data in a Linux environment. Great emphasis will be placed on personal qualities such as commitment, ability to collaborate, analytical skills, independence, and initiative and organizational skills. The position will be offered to the candidate that after a qualitative assessment is deemed to be the most suitable to perform and develop the project tasks as well as contributing to a positive development of the subject area. Place of work: Uppsala Forms for funding or employment: Doctoral position, 4 years of study. Starting date: According to agreement. Application: Apply through the online system. The deadline is 2026-01-07. https://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/jobs-and-vacancies/doktorand/ Martin Johnsson (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca) ********************GradStudentPositions******************** We are recruiting a PhD student in the lab of Prof. Claudia Bank at the Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern. The last date of application is 9 January 2026. A fully funded 4-year PhD position, supervised by Suman Das and Claudia Bank, is available in our group at the University of Bern, Switzerland. The position is part of the SNSF project "Navigability of rugged fitness landscapes: determinants, consequences, and evolutionary feedback", in which we study adaptation from a fitness-landscape point of view. The PhD project is theoretical in nature and will involve mathematical modelling, computer simulations, and/or data analysis. We welcome applications from diverse scientific backgrounds (e.g., from physics, mathematics, statistics, computer science, biology). We are particularly interested in candidates who are fascinated by evolutionary biology, have a strong background in mathematical modelling and enjoy programming. Please see the link for further details. Please reach out to Suman Das (suman.das [at] unibe.ch) in case of questions. Link: https://banklab.github.io/positions/ Regards, Suman Das Theoretical Ecology and Evolution Division Institute of Ecology and Evolution University of Bern "suman.das@unibe.ch" (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca) ********************Jobs******************** Two Assistant Professor Positions, Biological Sciences (tenure track) The Department of Biological Sciences (https://www.ohio.edu/cas/biology) in the College of Arts and Sciences at Ohio University (www.ohio.edu) invites applications for two tenure-track faculty positions at the Assistant Professor rank in 1) Conservation Biology and 2) Animal Ecology. We aim to identify individuals who will contribute to our department's mission through high impact research, exceptional teaching, and meaningful service. The successful applicant is expected to: establish and maintain a vibrant, world-class research program that will attract external funding, recruit graduate students (MS and PhD), and contribute to collaborative and interdisciplinary research within the department and across the university. provide research experiences for undergraduate students and teach up to three (undergraduate/graduate) courses per year in their area of expertise. contribute professional service to the department and university. Further information on each position and application instructions: Conservation Biology: Ohio University - Job Site | Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, Conservation Biology (tenure-track) Animal Ecology: Ohio University - Job Site | Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, Animal Ecology (tenure-track) Closing date: January 19, 2026 Contact: Joey Pierce, piercej@ohio.edu Diego F. Alvarado-Serrano Assistant Professor Biological Sciences Department Ohio University "Alvarado Serrano, Diego" (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca) ********************Jobs******************** The Department of Biology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) at the University of Florida invites applicants for a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level focused on theoretical and quantitative approaches to the ecology and evolution of infectious disease. We are seeking an exceptional scholar to establish an externally funded research program to investigate fundamental questions on the dynamics of infectious disease and host-parasite systems using mathematical, quantitative or computational approaches. The position is aimed at deepening our theoretical and mathematical understanding of infectious disease systems, but we are open to applicants engaged in collaborative research at any level of biological organization, from cells to ecosystems, and in any system (e.g., marine, terrestrial, freshwater). This research program would ideally be broadly collaborative in nature, include both undergraduate and graduate students, and complement existing strengths in theoretical ecology and evolution in the department and across campus. Teaching could include contributions to the undergraduate curriculum in ecology and evolution, and specialized courses such as theoretical infectious disease biology, and the evolution of pathogens. The successful candidate would have an opportunity to interact with researchers in a wide variety of programs and units related to infectious disease at the University of Florida, including the UF Emerging Pathogens Institute, the Florida Museum of Natural History, the UF Genetics Institute, the UF Biodiversity Institute, the UF Informatics Institute, the Center for Statistics and Quantitative Infectious Diseases in the College of Medicine, and the Departments of Physics and Mathematics (among others) within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The candidate would also have access to extraordinary data management and analysis resources, including one of the nation's most powerful supercomputers. For more information, and to apply, see https://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/537810/assistant-professor-in-ecology-and-evolution-of-infectious-disease Charles F. Baer Professor Department of Biology / University of Florida Genetics Institute 621 Bartram Hall 876 Newell Dr. University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611-8525 USA Office: 352-392-3550 CELL: 352-327-1138 Fax: 352-392-3704 Email: cbaer@ufl.edu web: http://people.clas.ufl.edu/cbaer/about/ ********************WorkshopsCourses******************** Dear colleagues, Transmitting Science is offering a new edition of the course "Geometric Morphometrics for Beginners". Geometric morphometrics is useful tool in the study of evolution because it allows researchers to precisely quantify and compare shape variation among organisms. Course webpage: https://www.transmittingscience.com/courses/geometric-morphometrics/geometric-morphometrics-for-beginners/ The aim of this course is to introduce participants to geometric morphometric methods for quantifying biological shape variation. The course will cover landmark and semi-landmark data acquisition, Procrustes alignment, PCA of shapes, and interpretation of morphometric results. By the end of the course, students will be able to: * Understand the foundations of geometric morphometrics. * Interpret morphometric variation in biological datasets. Instruction will combine lectures, guided examples, and practical exercises. For any questions, please write to courses@transmittingscience.com Best wishes Sole Soledad De Esteban-Trivigno, PhD Director Transmitting Science www.transmittingscience.com/courses Bluesky @soledeesteban.bsky.social X @SoleDeEsteban Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2049-0890 Under the provisions of current regulations on the protection of personal data, Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 (GDPR), we inform you that personal data and email address, collected from the data subject will be used by TRANSMITTING SCIENCE SL to manage communications through email and properly manage the professional relationship with you. The data are obtained based on a contractual relationship or the legitimate interest of the Responsible, likewise the data will be kept as long as there is a mutual interest for it. The data will not be communicated to third parties, except for legal obligations. We inform you that you can request detailed information on the processing as well as exercise your rights of access, rectification, portability and deletion of your data and those of limitation and opposition to its treatment by contacting Calle Gardenia, 2 Urb. Can Claramunt de Piera CP: 08784 (Barcelona) or sending an email to info@transmittingscience.com or http://transmittingscience.com/additional-terms. If you consider that the processing does not comply with current legislation, you can complain with the supervisory authority at www. aepd.es . Confidentiality. - The content of this communication, as well as that of all the attached documentation, is confidential and is addressed to the addressee. If you are not the recipient, we request that you indicate this to us and do not communicate its contents to third parties, proceeding to its destruction. Disclaimer of liability. - The sending of this communication does not imply any obligation on the part of the sender to control the absence of viruses, worms, Trojan horses and/or any other harmful computer program, and it corresponds to the recipient to have the necessary hardware and software tools to guarantee both the security of its information system and the detection and elimination of harmful computer programs. TRANSMITTING SCIENCE SL shall not be liable. Soledad De Esteban-Trivigno (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca) ********************WorkshopsCourses******************** Dear all, registrations are open for the upcoming Physalia online course "Assembly and Annotation of Genomes", taking place 9-13 March 2026. Course website: ( https://www.physalia-courses.org/courses-workshops/course20/ ) This course will give you a solid, practical foundation in de novo genome assembly and annotation, from raw reads all the way to curated, high-quality reference genomes. Across five days of lectures and hands-on exercises, you'll explore: The full landscape of modern sequencing technologies Best practices for QC, error correction, and structural validation Assembly visualization, manual curation, and T2T concepts Annotation strategies using RNA-seq and IsoSeq data Real-world workflows based on the Vertebrate Genomes Project pipeline Designed for both beginners and experienced users, the course blends theory, practice, and interactive problem-solving. No prior experience with sequencing is required, and only minimal command-line familiarity is helpful. We will also have a few invited speakers who will enrich the course with their experience in different aspects of the genome assembly and annotation workflow, and they will be announced shortly on the website. If you're looking to deepen your understanding of genome assembly, strengthen your research workflows, or prepare for your next big genomics project, you won't want to miss this training. For the full list of our courses and workshops, please visit: ( https://www.physalia-courses.org/courses-workshops/course20/ ) Best regards, Carlo Carlo Pecoraro, Ph.D Physalia-courses DIRECTOR info@physalia-courses.org mobile: +49 17645230846 ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/physalia-courses-a64418127/ ) "info@physalia-courses.org" (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca) ********************WorkshopsCourses******************** Dear Friends, Colleagues, former Guarda Summer School participants It is my pleasure to announce the 2026 Guarda Summer School in Evolutionary Biology for master and PhD students. The main aim of the course is to develop the skills to produce an independent research project in evolutionary biology. The summer school will take place 13. - 20. June 2026 (Saturday to Saturday) in the Swiss mountain village Guarda. Faculty includes Judith Bronstein (University of Arizona, USA), Paul Turner (Yale University, USA), Roland Regoes (ETH Zurich, Switzerland), Sebastian Bohnhoeffer (ETH Zurich, Switzerland) and Dieter Ebert (University of Basel; course organizer). The course is intended for master students and early PhD students with a keen interest in evolutionary biology. Web page with all details: https://tb.ethz.ch/education/guarda.html Application is open now. Deadline is the 20. January 2026. Please communicate this information to interested students. If you receive this email multiple times, please excuse me. With best wishes, dieter Dieter Ebert University of Basel, Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology Vesalgasse 1, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland http://evolution.unibas.ch/ Email: dieter.ebert@unibas.ch Tel. +41-(0)61-207 03 60 Dieter Ebert (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca) ********************Conferences******************** Dear friends and colleagues of Kew, We are delighted to announce that registration and poster abstract submissions are open for the international State of the World's Plants and Fungi Symposium. Join us for this important hybrid event, taking place at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and online from 29 June to 1 July 2026. We would be extremely grateful if you could please share details with relevant colleagues and networks. Harnessing the benefits of specimen digitisation The world's herbaria and fungaria hold the most complete, expertly curated and important sources of information for plant and fungal life on Earth. Yet, for much of their history, these data have remained accessible only to physical visitors. Massive efforts are now underway to digitise these collections, unlocking billions of data points through high-resolution imaging, omics analyses and the generation of rich multimodal meta-data. This three-day symposium accompanies the publication of a cutting-edge report exploring the applications and implications of this digital revolution. It brings together international experts to examine how these emerging digital resources are being used to address pressing scientific, environmental and societal questions. Crucially, we will discuss how best to galvanise global support to increase digitisation, particularly in biodiverse, low-income countries. These discussions will be developed into an open access publication to drive future action and policy. Don't miss your chance to be part of the conversation that will shape the future of biodiversity research. Programme The symposium is based around themed sessions in which invited experts will explore critical topics through presentations and Q&A panel discussions: * Digitisation success stories from around the world * New frontiers in specimen science * Unlocking specimen data to accelerate biodiversity knowledge * Tapping into the biocultural wealth of collections * Digital data, open access and sovereign rights * Developing digital evidence for biodiversity policy In-person attendees will also be able to participate in a workshop to contribute their ideas towards the subsequent publication. View the programme [IMG] Register now for an early bird ticket Discounted early bird tickets are available until 28 February. Full ticket pricing can be found on the symposium web page. Submit a poster abstract Delegates attending the symposium in person are invited to submit an abstract to present a poster and a one-minute oral presentation. Prizes will be awarded for the best early career researcher poster presentations. Abstract submission deadline: 24 April. Register now We very much hope you can join us. Best wishes, Alex Professor Alexandre Antonelli (he/him) Executive Director of Science Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew kew.org/sotwpf-symposium Kew Science (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca) ********************Conferences******************** [EFP 2026] Call for abstracts & application for mobility grants Dear Colleagues, It is our great pleasure to announce that abstract submission and registration are now open for the 11th meeting of the European Federation for Primatology which will be held from June 29th to July 3rd, 2026 in Montpellier, France. *Call for abstracts* There are opportunities for regular talks (15 minutes), flash talks (5 minutes), as well as poster presentations. To promote inclusivity, all submitted abstracts will be accepted (while authors' preferences will be taken into account whenever possible, abstracts proposed as oral presentations may nonetheless be reassigned as posters). Please submit your abstract using the online Abstract submission form . Please prepare your abstract following the Guidelines for abstract submission . Abstract submission closes March 13th 2026. *Registration* Once you have submitted your abstract and confirmed your intention to attend, you must proceed with registration. We encourage early registration in order to benefit from the early-bird rates. Please consult our Registration fees according to your professional status. To register, kindly complete the online Registration form . Early birds registration rate closes February 27th 2026. For non-European colleagues, visa procedures can take a considerable time in France, particularly depending on your country of residence. We strongly recommend starting your visa application process well in advance, ideally at least six months before the conference. For your visa application, you may need an official certificate of participation at the EFP conference, which you can request from us after completing your registration. See further information on our website . *Mobility grants* The EFP is offering 6-8 mobility grants for primatologists from European countries (up to 500 euro ) and 4-6 mobility grants for primatologists from primate-range countries (excluding Japan) (up to 1500 euro ). These grants will be awarded primarily to students, PhD candidates, and Post-doctoral researchers submitting an oral communication (regular talk), to support their participation at the EFP conference (travel costs, registration fees, accommodation, up to the maximum amount). Please visit the Mobility Grant page (for European and non-European students) to find more information about the grant. To apply, you must first submit an abstract through the standard abstract submission form and then complete the separate mobility grant application form , which requests (1) a CV, (2) a short statement explaining your motivation, and (3) a provisional travel budget. Careful, you must submit your abstract before the official abstract-submission closing date if you wish to apply for a mobility grant: - students from primate-range countries : deadline is 15th January 2026 - students from European countries: deadline is 13th February 2026 The French-speaking Society of Primatology also offers 2 mobility grants for French-speaking primatologists from primate-range countries (excluding Japan) who collaborate with French-speaking partners or institutes, organisations, or agencies. To apply, please go here . Deadline for SFDP mobility grant : 7th January 2026 Don't hesitate to share this within your international network, including colleagues, collaborators, and students whom we may have difficulty reaching. *Practical information* You can consult the meeting website which contains useful information for organizing your stay. Should you require any further information or assistance, please contact the administrative secretariat: efp@alphavisa.com You can follow us on Bluesky (@efp2026.bsky.social) and join the EFP2026 mailing list to ensure you do not miss any announcements about the event. We are looking forward to welcoming you to Montpellier in June 2026! King regards, Alice Baniel, Marie Charpentier, et Elise Huchard (on behalf of the Organising Committee) Alice Baniel (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca)