PhD at the crossroads of geology and paleoanthropology (M/F)
- Saint-Martin-d'Hères, Isère
- CDD
- Temps-plein
The PhD student will be based at ISTerre (Grenoble) but will be required to spend time in the partner laboratories. The thesis will be carried out in the Tectonics, Reliefs, Basins team at ISTerre, which is made up of 33 people including 15 permanent researchers and teacher-researchers, post-docs, engineers and 10 PhD students.
The doctoral school will be STEP (Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences).
Supervision will be provided by Laurent Husson (ISTerre), Sandrine Prat (MNHN), Jean-Renaud Boisserie (CEFE/Palevoprim). L. Husson's work focuses on Earth System Sciences, i.e. the relationships between the solid Earth, the biosphere, the atmosphere and the hydrosphere. S. Prat is a paleoanthropologist working on the evolution and diversity of hominins and their dispersal patterns. J-R. Boisserie studies the evolutionary history of extinct large mammals, their impact on fossil ecosystems, and the factors that shaped their paleobiology and ecological niches.
CNRS (Centre national de la recherche scientifique) is one of the world's leading research institutions. To meet the major challenges of today and tomorrow, its scientists explore life, matter, the Universe and the workings of human society. Internationally recognized for the excellence of its scientific work, the CNRS is a benchmark in the world of research and development, as well as for the general public.
ISTerre is a joint research unit of Grenoble Alpes University, CNRS, USMB, IRD and Gustave Eiffel University. It is part of the Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG) and the PAGE research cluster of the Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA). It has a staff of around 300, organized around 9 research and service teams, with the scientific objective of studying the physics and chemistry of planet Earth, with a particular focus on coupling observations of natural objects with experimentation and modeling of the associated complex processes. ISTerre also carries out solid Earth observation missions, and hosts and maintains national fleets of geophysical instruments, as well as a data center.Hominin evolution in the changing landscapes of the East African Rift:
The aim of this interdisciplinary thesis is to explore how the geological and climatic history of the East African Rift has impacted the biological evolution and dispersal patterns of early humans. To do this, it is necessary to consider all the processes that shape the environment: geodynamics, tectonics, volcanism, climate, flora, fauna, etc. Existing data will be supplemented by fieldwork, in order to reconstruct environmental boundary conditions continuously in time and space. These will then be used to model paleoenvironments and landscape evolution. Finally, macro-ecological numerical models will be used to quantify the impact of abiotic forcings on hominin diversification and dispersal between eastern and southern Africa, as well as outside the African continent.
References:
- Barboni et al., 2019. Springs, palm groves, and the record of early hominins in Africa, Rev. Paleobotany and Palynology.
- Boës et al., 2024, Aridity, availability of drinking water and freshwater foods, and hominin and archeological sites during the Late Pliocene-Early Pleistocene in the western region of the Turkana Basin (Kenya): A review.
- Husson et al., 2022, Javanese Homo erectus on the move in SE Asia circa 1.8 Ma, Scientific Reports.
- Nutz et al., 2020, Plio-Pleistocene sedimentation in West Turkana: Paleolake fluctuations, paleolandscapes and controlling factors, Earth-Science Reviews.
- Prat, 2017, First hominin settlements out of Africa. Tempo and dispersal mode: Review and perspectives, Comptes Rendus Palevol.
- Salles et al., 2024, Physiography, foraging mobility, and the first peopling of Sahul, Nature Communications.
- Sepulchre et al., Tectonic Uplift and Eastern Africa Aridification, 2006, Science.
- Stab et al., 2016, Modes of rifting in magma-rich settings: Tectono-magmatic evolution of Central Afar, Tectonics.RequirementsResearch Field Geosciences Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Astronomy Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Environmental science Education Level Master Degree or equivalentLanguages FRENCH Level BasicResearch Field Geosciences Years of Research Experience 1 - 4Research Field Astronomy Years of Research Experience 1 - 4Research Field Environmental science Years of Research Experience 1 - 4Additional InformationAdditional commentsDue to the multidisciplinary nature of the project, several profiles may be required.
The candidate will preferably hold a Master 2 in Earth Sciences, Planets, Environment, or Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution.
He should be highly curious and creative, with the ability to synthesize and organize information ranging from geodynamics to ecology.
He should be highly motivated by laboratory work, numerical modeling and fieldwork.
The ability to work as part of a team, to organize work and write, and to integrate quickly into different scientific cultures will be highly appreciated. Website for additional job detailsWork Location(s)Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Institut des sciences de la Terre Country France City ST MARTIN D HERES GeofieldWhere to apply WebsiteContact CityST MARTIN D HERES WebsiteSTATUS: EXPIRED
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