[Coral-List] Volunteer for a Ph.D dissertation evaluation

[Fernando A. Zapata]

Coral-list members,

We are seeking an international referee for a Ph.D. dissertation. This was
written by a doctoral student in the Department of Biology at Universidad
del Valle in Cali, Colombia. The dissertation is titled “Effects of natural
lesions on fecundity: implications for the size structure of a population of
the coral Montastraea annularis in a degraded coral reef in the Colombian
Caribbean”. Universidad del Valle requires that Ph.D. dissertations be
evaluated by three referees, an internal one (from Univ. del Valle), and two
external ones (one national and one international). We are, however, finding
it difficult to find an international referee, and hope that through
Coral-list we might find a suitable referee. The process would involve
reading the entire ms, submitting a written evaluation within one month of
receiving the ms, and attending a public defense or presentation here in
Cali, Colombia. Ideally we would like the process to be completed before the
end of June 2008. All costs of travel, food and lodging will be covered by
Universidad del Valle, but there will be no honoraries.

If you have a Ph.D., have expertise on the specific topic, are at least able
to understand written Spanish comfortably, and can afford to spend some time
evaluating the dissertation and have two or three days available for a trip
to Colombia, please respond.

Please respond primarily to Dr. Guillermo Barreto (Graduate Committee
Chair), or Dr. Alberto Acosta (Student's major advisor) and c.c. me
(although I'll be away in the field April 21-27). PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THE
ENTIRE LIST.

We hope someone will be able to help us in this process and contribute to
improving the quality of our doctoral program.

Thank you,

Fernando

Fernando A. Zapata
Departamento de Biología
Universidad del Valle
Apartado Aéreo 25360
Cali, Colombia
 
Tel. (+57-2) 321-2100, Ext. 2824
Fax. (+57-2) 339-3243