[CDHC] Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation Fellowship Program Announcement

[Cheryl Woodley]

Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation Fellowship Program

The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (LOF) sponsors graduate 
fellowships for doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers whose 
research supports conservation, management and restoration of coral reef 
ecosystems. Beginning in 2009, a dedicated and hard working individual 
will have the opportunity to participate in a multidisciplinary global 
coral reef expedition, with research opportunities in French Polynesia, 
Kiribati, Palau, Philippines, Maldives and other locations. The primary 
objectives of the cruise are to characterize coral reef ecosystem health 
across gradients of human and natural disturbance, determine global and 
local processes that control the functioning of these ecosystems, 
identify and predict impacts across gradients, and identify strategies 
to mitigate impacts. Potential areas of research include:



1) Identification of factors that impart ecological resilience to global 
threats (e.g., climate change) and how these indicators vary across 
gradients of human and environmental stressors;

2) Characterization of key processes (e.g., herbivory, recruitment, 
predation) that drive ecosystem health, and how diversity, productivity, 
habitat structure, anthropogenic disturbances, environmental 
determinants and other factors;

3) Elucidating genetic connectivity within and between reef systems and 
the roles of biological (e.g., reproductive strategy) and physical 
factors; and

4) Evaluation of bioindicators that enhance the ability of corals to 
resist environmental stress, such as cellular-diagnostic markers (e.g., 
heat shock proteins), genetic diversity of algal symbionts and 
associated microbial communities, and genetic estimates of clonal 
structure within reefs.

The Living Oceans Foundation Fellowship will provide up to a $35,000 
annual stipend to cover legitimate educational and research expenses 
such as tuition and research field-work expenses. The fellowship 
recipient will be known as the “Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans 
Foundation Research Fellow.” Fellows may receive up to three continuous 
years of financial support based upon annual competitive reapplication. 
Candidates must have demonstrated oral and written communication skills 
and have the knowledge and expertise needed to develop a dissertation 
topic related to the mission of the Foundation and its role in marine 
conservation. Ph.D. candidates must also meet the requirements of 
graduate programs at accredited universities. Applications must 
originate from the accredited university. Applications will include: 1) 
proof of enrollment or admissions in an accredited university, 2) copies 
of undergraduate and graduate transcripts, 3) an essay explaining your 
interest in marine conservation, 4) a research proposal, 5) two letters 
of recommendation, and 6) written endorsement of your established, or 
prospective academic advisor.

Please see http://www.livingoceansfoundation.org and click on 
“fellowships” for more information. Applications can be submitted by 
email to Bruckner at livingoceansfoundation.org or by mail to: Andy 
Bruckner, Living Oceans Foundation, 8181 Professional Place, Suite 215, 
Landover, MD 20785

*Deadline for application: May 30, 2008*

-- 
Cheryl Woodley, Ph.D.
Coral Health and Disease Program

DOC/NOAA/NOS/NCCOS
Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research
Hollings Marine Laboratory
331 Fort Johnson Rd
Charleston, SC 29412
843.762.8862 Phone
843.762.8737 Fax
cheryl.woodley at noaa.gov