Arba Minch University (AMU) in collaboration with Ghent University (UGent, UCLouvain) has initiated a research Project “SOSforEthiopia” with the support of TEAM 2024 project from VLIR-UOS grant. Therefore, we invite interested applicants to work in the project entitled “Seeking optimal symbiotic interaction inoculants for enhanced cowpea and soybean productivity in southern Ethiopia”. PhD students who admitted at AMU and completed their course work are highly appreciated. The selected applicant will work on soybean and cowpea legumes and their symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria (rhizobia) and phosphate solubilizing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF).
The project will be done at AMU and UGent. Activities such as sampling, phenotyping, rhizobia isolations and nodule DNA preparation, and implementation of inoculants in smallholder farmers’ fields will be carried out in Ethiopia. Moreover, isolation and genotyping of AMF associating with the soybean and cowpea will be carried out at AMU. Practical hands-on AMF isolation and molecular characterization will be done in Belgium by the support of UCLouvain. Besides, nodule microbiome and rhizobia genome analysis as well as fluorescent tagging of rhizobia will be carried out in Belgium at UGent.
Requirements: applicants should meet the following requirements:
- MSc degree in Microbiology, Biotechnology, Plant Sciences, Botany, Soil Sciences, Agronomy, Biodiversity or related fields
- Highly motivated to undertake academic research in an international context
- Hard-working and able to manage a project independently, taking initiatives and meeting deadlines;
- Develop concept note (pre-proposal)
- Willing to implement project and work with staff and MSc students
- Willing to respect the project agreements
- Believe in project confidentiality and have proper data handling and processing skills
- Willing to contribute to the administrative management of the project
- Leadership ability and willing to supervise MSc student’s thesis projects
- Good communication skill and the ability of working in different groups
- Be a staff member of AMU and willing to sign a job contract agreement with AMU during and beyond the PhD research project.
- Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply
Benefit packages for the PhD candidate
The PhD candidate will receive a monthly allowance of 1,900 € when she/he will be in Belgium for PhD scholarship. A monthly allowance of 1.500 € while in Belgium for predoctoral scholarship with indirect travel costs of 200 €. During the research stay in Ethiopia the candidate expenses related to the PhD work will be covered by the project. The candidate will have a promotor Prof. Sofie and co-promotors, Dr Judith from UGent; and Dr. Ashenafi from AMU
At the end of a successful completion, he/she receives a PhD degree from Arba Minch University.
Application Process
- Applications in the form of a CV, concept note and motivation letter should be submitted by e-mail to
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Deadline
- Deadline for submission is on 5 Sep 2024, before midnight.
Selection Process
- The project teams from UGent and AMU will evaluate the submitted concept note and CV of the candidates. Potential candidates can be invited for online interview in the presence of experts from IPBO.
Call for MSc Projects Grant
MSc Topic 1: Isolation and characterization of rhizobia nodulating soybean and cowpea
SOSforEthiopia project seeks to isolate optimal rhizobia nodulating soybean and cowpea and develop the rhizobia inoculants for the plants. This project invites MSc students at AMU who completed their first-year academic work and are interested to work his/her thesis project on rhizobia nodulating the soybean and cowpea. For this project, soil samples will be collected from different sites in Ethiopia where soybean and cowpea are growing, the soils will be used to trap rhizobia using the host legumes. The trapped rhizobia will be characterized phenotypically, genotypically and screened for symbiotic efficiency to use in farmers’ fields. The MSc student will work under a PhD candidate.
MSc Project 2: Isolating and characterization of AMF associating with soybean and cowpea
SOSforEthiopia project seeks to isolate optimal AMF associating with soybean and cowpea and use the isolates for enhanced phosphate solubilization and supply to the plants. Thus, this call for project invites MSc students at AMU who completed their first-year academic work. The project will be involved in isolation and purification of AMF from the soils collected in Ethiopia. Specifically, (1) trap AMF culture on a suitable host under greenhouse conditions for spore production, (2) soil sieving, extraction of spores and monosporal cultivation under greenhouse conditions, (3) maintenance of the collection during the duration of the project, (4) characterize the AMF phenotypically as well as genotypically. The MSc student will work under a PhD candidate. All the MSc project work will be covered by the SOSforEthiopia project.
What we offer?
- Basic trainings on AMF and Rhizobia isolation and characterizations
- Exposed to genome analysis of bacterial and fungal strains
- Introduced to partners from Ghent university to create networks for future collaborations and networking
- The project has no stipends but will cover all project activities.
- Perdiems and fuel costs will be covered from the project for field travels and experiments
Requirements
- Can be MSc students from Microbiology, Biotechnology, Plant Sciences, Soil Sciences, Biodiversity, Environmental Sciences, horticultural sciences related fields
- The applicant must be MSc student at AMU and completed his firs-year course work;
- Good academic performance is required
- You are highly motivated to undertake academic research in an international context
- Willing to publish the project findings
- You are hard-working and able to manage a project independently, taking initiatives and meeting deadlines
- You develop a detailed concept note (pre-proposal) and demonstrate that you have the ability to finish it and produce a fully researchable and competitive proposal
- You are ready to bring creativity, uncovering hidden issues that will benefit the project, science and local livelihood in general
- You are frank and willing to respect agreements
- Willing to work with the PhD candidate
- Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply for the positions
Application Process
- Applications in the form of a CV and motivation letter should be submitted by e-mail to
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and cc toThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. andThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Deadline
- Deadline for submission is on 5 Sep 2024, before midnight.
Selection Process
- The project teams from UGent and AMU will evaluate the submitted concept note and CV of the candidates. Potential candidates can be invited for online interview in the presence of experts from IPBO.
School of Graduate Studies, AMU would support towards the success of the project