paleonet 2006 Paleobiology Database Intensive Summer Course in Analytical Paleobiology

[John Alroy <alroy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Colleagues:

Please give the widest possible distribution to the following  
announcement.

Cheers,

John Alroy
The Paleobiology Database
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis
735 State Street, Suite 300
Santa Barbara, CA 93101-3351
phone: (805) 892-2519
FAX: (805) 892-2510
e-mail: alroy@nceas.ucsb.edu

PALEOBIOLOGY DATABASE INTENSIVE SUMMER COURSE IN ANALYTICAL PALEOBIOLOGY

The Paleobiology Database (http://paleodb.org) is sponsoring an  
intensive course in analytical paleobiology that will be held at the  
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at the  
University of California, Santa Barbara. The course will take place  
between Tuesday, June 27th and Monday, July 24th 2006.

Topics will include community paleoecology, quantitative  
biostratigraphy, diversity curves, speciation and extinction,  
morphometrics, and phylogenetics. Both simulation modelling and data  
analysis methods will be explored. The course will combine lectures  
and labs, and students will be given hands-on instruction in  
programming and the use of analytical software, with an emphasis on  
R. In addition to the course coordinator, each week a new instructor  
will be present. Participating instructors are expected to include  
John Alroy, Michael Foote, Nigel Hughes, Mark Patzkowsky, Pete  
Wagner, and Mark Webster.

There is no fee for registration, and students will be housed for  
free in apartments on the UCSB campus. Students are urged to apply  
for travel funds from their home institutions. If such funds are not  
available, all travel expenses beyond the first $400 will be  
reimbursed completely, regardless of the country of origin. Students  
are responsible for meal expenses. Additional funding for students  
from outside of the United States, Canada, and Western Europe may be  
provided. There are no other charges of any kind, and no other major  
expenses are likely.

Participating students should be in the early stages of their own  
research in paleontology. They should have a background in basic  
statistics, and preferably also programming. The course is open to  
all students, but first or second year graduate students are  
particularly encouraged to apply, as are international students.  
Applications from professionals who have completed their studies will  
be considered, but strong preference will be given to students.

Applications should be submitted in PDF form to John Alroy  
(alroy@nceas.ucsb.edu) no later than March 1st. Applications should  
consist of a one page statement, plus a recommendation letter written  
by the student's academic advisor and e-mailed separately. No form  
needs to be filled out. The statement should include a description of  
current research plans, a list of relevant classes taken and degrees  
earned, and an account of the student's background in statistics and  
programming.  Applicants are encouraged to explain why the topics  
addressed by the course are of special interest to them, and which of  
these subjects are taught at their home institutions.