Two Ph.D positions available for ethnobotanists at the National Herbarium of the Netherlands (NHN) Leiden

Plant Use of the Motherland: Linking West African and Afro-Caribbean Ethnobotany is a new, NWO-funded, ethnobotanical research project that has started in February 2010 at the NCB Naturalis (section NHN). This study will compare medicinal and ritual plant use between the Suriname Maroons and their main ancestral tribal groups in Benin, Ghana and Gabon. We offer two PhD research projects:

Focuses on plants used for women’s health and child care in Benin and Gabon by means of literature reviews, database analyses, quantitative market surveys, interviews and plant collection in the field.
Focuses on plants used in traditional religion and magic rituals in Benin and Gabon by means of literature reviews, database analyses, quantitative market surveys, interviews and plant collecting in the field.

Release date	14/04/2010
Geographical coverage	Africa
Keywords	botany,taxonomy, ethnobotany

Profile

The selected candidate must have a degree (drs./MSc) in the domain of Biology or Anthropology, with a focus on Ethnobotany and Tropical (preferably African) Flora. He/she must be proficient in spoken and written English and French, have good communication skills and a strong interest in either the topic of plants used for women’s health and child care or the topic of African rituals and magic plant use.
Applicants must be willing to spend 6 months in Benin, 6 months in Gabon, and, while in the Netherlands, travel frequently between Wageningen and Leiden.

Further information and applications

For more information, please contact projectleader Dr. T.R. van Andel (Andel@nhn.leidenuniv.nl, Phone: +31 71 527 3585). Additionally, you can visit our websites:

www.leiden.edu
www.wageningenuniversity.nl/UK
www.ncbnaturalis.nl/nl/ (Dutch website)
http://www.nhn.leidenuniv.nl and the research project itself http://osodresie.wikispaces.com

More information on an employment as a PhD Student at Leiden University can be found at: www.research.leiden.edu/phd/index.jsp

Application

Do you identify with the profile above and do you aspire to have a career in research? Please apply by sending your written application via email and before 1rst of May 2010, using the vacancy number, including full Curriculum Vitae and the names and phone numbers of two references to:
Mrs. J.M. de Wolf
Email: dewolf@nhn.leidenuniv.nl