The Graduate School "Human Development in Landscapes" at the Christian Albrechts-University in Kiel, Germany, has available for immediate occupation two PhD positions.

Applications are invited of outstanding young researchers who will, with their research, contribute to the project "StymphaCore- reconstructing the environmental history of the northern Peloponnesus"

One of the key questions to be answered by the project is the relationship between the climate and the historical record in the eastern Mediterranean region with a focus on the Northern Peloponnesus. The aim is to gain sediment records from at least the last 9000 years, i.e. back to the Neolithic. With the combination of different geochemical and geophysical methods we want to reconstruct the spatiotemporal patterns of land use and the effect of climate on the environmental development of the region. Two main questions of the project focus on the balance between sustainability and exploitation: How did the different cultures manage the water resources? And how sustainable was the agricultural land use.

1. project: The environmental history of lake Stymphalia aims to connect climate variability as documented in lacustrine sediment cores with human- and landscape development in the karst polje of Stymphalia. Settlement activity is known from least the 4th century BC and described by Pausanias ca. 150 AD. The PhD candidate will establish time series of climate variables based on detailed 14C dating and different geochemical and geophysical analyses (e.g. XRF, Magnetic Susceptibility).

2. project: The environmental history of the Elean coast (Greece) aims to connect marine and climate variability as documented in cores from lagoonal lakes and peat bogs with human- and landscape development in the coastal area between Cape Araxos and Pyrgos. Human activity is known since pre-classic times. The PhD candidate will establish time series of climate variables based on detailed 14C dating and different geochemical and geophysical analyes (e.g. XRF, CNS). Based on the proxies we use it should be possible to detect e.g. periods with increased storminess and sea level fluctuations and to reconstruct the human response to these changes.

Strong collaboration with other PhD-projects is expected. The graduate programme is jointly offered by the faculties of Humanities, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Medicine, Agriculture and Nutrition Sciences. Supervision will be provided at an interfaculty level. The willingness to work in an interdisciplinary research environment is a prerequisite. For further information you may visit http://www.uni-kiel.de/landscapes/ or contact Prof. Ingmar Unkel (iunkel@ecology.uni-kiel.de).

A grant of 1200 Euro per month will be provided for two years with the option of an extension for one additional year. Eligible candidates must hold an outstanding university degree (diploma or master) in either Geology, Ecology, Geography, Archaeology or related subjects, with a background in geochemistry. Experience in field work and analysis of large data sets is desired.

Applications (in English) should include a cover letter outlining the motivation for applying and detailing the research interests, a CV, copies of credentials and two letters of support. Submission must be done before 6^th November 2009 to:

Prof. Ingmar Unkel
Ecology Centre CAU Kiel,
Olshausenstr. 75,
24118 Kiel (Germany).

Applications may also be sent by e-mail as one PDF file (not more than 5 MB) to: iunkel@ecology.uni-kiel.de