I am happy to consider taking on PhD students or supporting postdoc applications in any of my research areas, including but not limited to freshwater ecology, urban ecosystems, mimicry/camouflage, socio-ecology, odonatology, and climate change ecology. Please get in touch to discuss a topic.

Postgraduate opportunities (see below for postdocs)

There are a number of opportunities to come and work with me, but these often require application for funds by the student/postdoc. For general postgraduate scholarship information, try the University of Leeds Scholarships Database, where you can search based on your nationality and requirements. Here are a few (hopefully helpful) links to specific resources:
  • University of Leeds Anniversary Research Scholarships – this is a one-off scheme being run by the University of Leeds for entry into the 2015/16 academic year to study for a PhD. There are a large number of awards, so this represents one of the better odds of obtaining funding. Deadline is 18 February 2015 and you must be UK/EU to be eligible (see link for details).
  • Leeds International Research Scholarship – PhD funding for International (i.e. non-EU, non-UK) students.
  • University Research Scholarship – PhD funding for UK or EU students.
  • Frank Stell Scholarship – a very specific scholarship that requires that “Beneficiaries of the awards must be resident or have a parent or parents resident within the former administrative area of the County Council of the West Riding of Yorkshire.” Likely to be low(er)-hanging fruit, so if you or your parents live in West Yorkshire then this is worth investigating.
  • Frank Parkinson Scholarship – like the Frank Stell scheme, this scholarship requires that “Beneficiaries under the Fund must be born of British parents who have been domiciled in Yorkshire for a period of not less than ten years.” Definitely worth looking at if you are from Yorkshire.
  • University Endowed Scholarships – a suite of PhD scholarships, but often aimed at very specific groups of applicants.
  • CONACYT – The University of Leeds offers a discount on fees to Mexican students in receipt of a CONACYT scholarship.  You can find out more on their website. I currently have a Mexican PhD student working with me, so this has been successful before.
  • Canadian Government Scholarships – NSERC and other Canadian funders offer opportunities for both postdoctoral fellowships and PhD studentships to be held in the UK. See the website for more details.
  • Fullbright: Not much on offer from the US, I’m afraid, although there are a limited number of Fullbright scholarships (one specific to Leeds, and one general) which will fund one year of a postgraduate degree.
  • Commonwealth Scholarships: The UK Government offers a small number of scholarships to students from developing Commonwealth countries (list here).
  • Chevening Scholarships – the UK government’s global scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and partner organisations. The Scholarships are awarded to outstanding established or emerging leaders to pursue one-year Master’s degrees in any subject and at any of the UK’s leading universities.
  • Beit Trust Scholarships – these provide funding for students from Malawi, Zimbabwe or Zambia to undertake PhD study abroad. There is also a specific scholarship for MSc study at Leeds.

Postdoctoral opportunities

For postdocs who are interested in working with me at Leeds, here are some general notes on what the Faculty of Biological Sciences can offer you. There are extensive lists of funding opportunities here and here, and below are a few sources of funding that my colleagues and I have used in the past:
  • Marie Curie International Fellowships (UK/EU/International) – a two-year position working with a host at an EU institution carrying out a project agreed-upon by the PI and the fellow. Good money and a great opportunity to gain overseas experience. We have an excellent EU office here at Leeds who are very good at getting these awards (I’ve had a couple of EU grants recently).
  • Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Research Fellowships (UK, and possibly EU) – a three-year postdoc for any study in the physical or life sciences. See website for details.
  • NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowships (Canadian only) – two-year postdocs for Canadians with PhDs from Canadian universities that can be held overseas.
  • Royal Society Newton International Fellowship (non-UK only) – for non-UK scientists to work at a UK institution for two years. Any subject in the natural sciences, social sciences, or humanities.
  • Royal Society University Research Fellowship (UK only) – For outstanding scientists in the UK at an early to mid-stage of their research career who have the potential to become leaders in their field.
  • Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship (UK only) – For outstanding scientists in the UK at an early stage of their research career who require a flexible working pattern due to personal circumstances such as parenting or caring responsibilities or health issues.
  • NERC grants – not a postdoc, per se, but I’d be happy to consider supporting an application to NERC for a project with an enthusiastic postdoc as the named investigator.
  • And then there are the larger, more independent fellowships offered by Leverhulme, NERC, HFSP, ESRC, etc.