We
propose a position in empirical evolutionary biology for a evolutionary
biologist with a strong experimentally based program who would
complement the expertise in theory and molecular phylogenetics already in place
in the Departments of Zoology and Botany at UBC. UBC now boasts one of the best
evolutionary biology groups in the world and the best in Canada. This strength
is based on theoretical work in the Zoology Department and on molecular
phylogeny in the Botany Department. This
expertise needs to be complemented by addition of empirically based scientists.
New techniques have come into the field recently and a new realization of the
importance of field work permeates the discipline. We propose hiring an
empirical evolutionary biologist with emphasis in the selection process choosing
the individual with the most exciting research program with a strong field-based
component. This hire would bring
the evolutionary biology group to critical mass, further enhance our
international reputation in the field and stimulate the ecology and biodiversity
initiatives in the Zoology Department.
Evolutionary
biologists at UBC are attached to several departments, including Zoology,
botany, forest genetics and mathematics, and represent several sub-fields of the
discipline. Zoology has strength in theoretical evolutionary studies. To
complement this we would add strength in the empirical study of evolution.
The study of the process of evolution has a strong tradition of close
interaction between theoretical and empirical work that has led to rapid
progress, particularly at universities that have had strong representation in
both areas.
Exciting
progress is not being made in several aspects of field evolutionary biology,
such as the measurement of natural selection in the wild, the elucidation of
fundamental processes of speciation, discoveries about the basics of evolution
of diseases and their co-evolution with hosts, and work on topics as diverse as
evolution in spatially structured populations, the evolution of species ranges,
and the evolution of mating systems and the genome.
Most of these topics are studies at UBC largely in theory; an empiricist
with a specialty in any of these areas would greatly enhance the group.
Evolutionary
biology is a rapidly growing field, and large numbers of extremely qualified
people are available. We therefore have the opportunity to hire the
best-qualified, most dynamic researcher in the field by a broad search.
Because this individual will have a strong field component to her
research, this position will strengthen the already strong ecology group at UBC
as well as also greatly enhance the Biodiversity Centre initiative. Start-up
funding for an excellent candidate in this field would need to be 100-150K$.