WISDOM PhD Positions

WISDOM PhD Positions *Closing date: Friday, 18 May 2007* The United
Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS),
in collaboration with the Centre for Development Research of the University
of Bonn (ZEF), the GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam (GFZ) and the Department of
Plant Nutrition of the University of Bonn (INRES) is offering 14 PhD
scholarships for outstanding students to carry out research within the
WISDOM (Water-related Information System for the sustainable Development Of
the Mekong delta in Vietnam) project. WISDOM is a German-Vietnamese
initiative comprising eighteen institutions based in Germany and Vietnam and
coordinated in Germany by the German Aerospace Centre and in Vietnam by the
Southern Institute of Water Resources Research. The PhD scholarships are
offered by UNU-EHS on behalf of the four organisations above through funding
from the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF).
Please make sure, that you have read the General
Requirements,
as well as the special information provided through the "read more" link for
each position. The entire advertisement can be downloaded
here.


- W1: Development, testing and installation of flood level field
measurement equipment
The equipment considered are GPS buoys and pressure conductors. In
addition, development of an optimal sampling position scheme taking into
account remote sensing data, field data collection and evaluation, and
characterisation of flood dynamics in the study area. This position is
hosted by GFZ .
— Read more [Apply
now]

- W2: Integration of field data with high temporal resolution and
remotely sensed data with high spatial resolution in hydraulic model
calibration
In addition, application and further development of multi-criteria
and multi-objective model calibration strategies. This position is hosted by
GFZ .
— Read more [Apply
now]

- W3: Analysis of hydro-meteorological time series of the Mekong
basin
This includes multivariate statistical analyses of gridded data sets,
time-frequency analyses and extreme value statistics. This position is
hosted by GFZ .
— Read more [Apply
now]

- W4:Pesticide monitoring and pesticide use assessment in selected
case study areas of the Lower Mekong
Several surface water bodies will be monitored for a selected number
of currently used pesticides and surveys will be carried out to identify the
sources of detected compounds so as to offer mitigation measures. This work
will be carried out in close collaboration with Pos. W8. This position is
hosted by UNU-EHS .
— Read more [Apply
now]

- W5: Pesticide fate modelling in the Lower
Mekong
The modelling will be carried out in two selected case study areas
and will involve definition of the system, parameterisation, simulations and
calibration. Existing pesticide fate models will be used but some specific
algorithms may have to be developed. This work will be carried out in close
collaboration with Pos. W4. This position is hosted by
UNU-EHS.

— Read more [Apply
now]

- W6: Vulnerability assessment to sudden onset hazards – particularly
floods in the Lower Mekong
The assessment of vulnerability of local communities to sudden onset
hazards will be carried out in case study areas focusing on rural and urban
communities. This task will imply the contextualisation of meta-frameworks
for vulnerability assessment, data gathering at provincial and local level
and the implementation of own questionnaire based household surveys. The
work will be carried out in close collaboration with Pos. W7. This position
is hosted by UNU-EHS .
— Read more [Apply
now]

- W7: Vulnerability assessment to slow onset hazards – sea level rise
and droughts in the Lower Mekong
This position will focus on how to measure the vulnerability of local
communities to creeping and future environmental changes in the Mekong
Delta. This task will encompass the development of a methodological
framework and measurement tools to capture the various vulnerabilities and
the coping capacity of local communities to creeping processes in the
region, particularly drought and sea level rise. This work will be carried
out in close collaboration with Pos. W6. This position is hosted by
UNU-EHS .
— Read more [Apply
now]

- W8: Adaptation of an ELISA-test to determine endocrine
disruptors
An existing ELISA-test will be tested on its robustness and be
optimized. Extraction of Eds from different matrices such as soil, water,
different organic wastes (e.g.) animal slurry and waste water will be
developed. The method will be established in Vietnam. This work will be
carried out in close collaboration with Pos. W4 and W9. This position is
hosted by INRES .
— Read more [Apply
now]

- W9: Monitoring of endocrine disruptors and mitigation options to
reduce the emissions of endocrine disruptors in case study areas of the
Lower Mekong
Several surface water bodies will be monitored for a selected suite
of endocrine disruptors and surveys will be carried out to identify the
sources of detected compounds so as to offer mitigation measures. This work
will be carried out in close collaboration with Pos. W4. This position is
hosted by INRES .
— Read more [Apply
now]

- W10: Water policy and regional planning in
Vietnam
The research will focus on the ways in which water resources are
managed and governed on different societal levels and in different
sub-sectors of the water sector. The objective will be to describe an
overarching picture of various organizations, institutions (values, norms,
rules, laws and law enforcement), and interest groups that are of prime
importance within organizations. Empirical research is necessary in order to
assess the complexity of the current situation, the organizational structure
and institutional plurality of the water sector and their (overlapping?)
responsibilities, concurrent competencies and competing interests with
regard to water resources. This position is hosted by
ZEF.

— Read more [Apply
now]

- W11: Knowledge systems and knowledge dissemination processes in
selected organizations in the water sector in the Mekong
Delta
One of the major objectives will be the analysis of the transfer of
data and knowledge between the involved organizations and relevant
stakeholders. To contribute to this objective socio-scientific research will
have to devise strategies for knowledge sharing that take the specific
institutional and political nature of the water sector into consideration. A
knowledge transfer strategy that solely focuses at the national water
administration and water experts fails to account for the heterogeneity and
complexity of the institutional and socio-political context of the water
sector. The following aspects are of relevance:
- Where can you find/get which information and how is it made
available/accessible to users?
- Which institutions willingly share their information with
others? and for what reasons?
- How and why is access to information controlled?
This position is hosted by ZEF .
— Read more [Apply
now]

- W12: Water and livelihood strategies in the Mekong
Delta
Priority of the research proposal is the analysis of the
socio-economic impact of water and resource management in the region. There
is a need to understand the diversity of livelihoods and livelihood
strategies and how they are shaped by both, environmental and demographic
changes and the ongoing political and institutional transformation process.
This position is hosted by ZEF .
— Read more [Apply
now]

- W13: Local knowledge and resources management in the Mekong
Delta
In this research project, different knowledge systems according to
different types of water use at the local level will be investigated. It is
understood that local knowledge systems are also shaped by water policies
and other larger social forces and change processes. One element of the
local knowledge system, which will deserve further attention, is the
knowledge of local rights and norms. In relation to water the following four
dimensions have to be studied:
- What are the different forms of water use?
- What are the water needs?
- Which water rights (legal entitlements) currently exists?
- How is water allocated?
This position is hosted by ZEF .
— Read more [Apply
now]

- W14: Strategic groups and power relations in the water
sector
One of the major objectives will be the analysis of the transfer of
data and knowledge between the involved organizations and relevant
stakeholders. To contribute to this objective strategic groups and strategic
networks and their interest in the water sector have to be examined.
- To what extent do power relations develop in knowledge management?
- Which are the important strategic groups and their interests
in the water sector?
- Which are the relevant members of the civil society that have
to be included in knowledge exchange and decision support processes? What
kind of framework has to be created to allow for inclusive strategies of
knowledge exchange?
This position is hosted by ZEF .
— Read more [Apply
now]