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Biodiversity is an essential part of Nature and is even more attracting attention by research and public opinion on the future of the Earth. Biodiversity can be investigated through basic and applied research (genetics, agronomy, economics, crop protection against harmful organisms, environmental sciences, etc.).
This PhD is characterized by a strong interdisciplinary approach over all these themes in four curricula: Plant genetics and biotechnology; Environmental sciences; Sustainable Mediterranean agriculture; Crop protection. The goal of the PhD is to provide skills in the research themes with a holistic viewpoint, and educates researchers for public and private research activity, and in private enterprises involved in healthcare, agriculture and management of the environment.
PhD PROGRAMME IN BIODIVERSITY, AGRICULTURE, AND ENVIRONMENT
CUN Scientific Area: 07 – Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences; 05 – Biological Sciences
Scientific Subject Code: AGR/01, AGR/02, AGR/03, AGR/04, AGR/05, AGR/07, AGR/11, AGR/12, AGR/17, AGR/19, BIO/03, BIO/04, BIO/05, BIO/07, CHIM/12 and ICAR/03
Coordinator: Prof. Enrico de Lillo
Administrative office: Dipartimento di Scienze del Suolo, della Pianta e degli Alimenti (DiSSPA)
PEC: disspa@pec.uniba.it
Duration: 3 years
Curricula:
1)Genetics and Plant Biotechnology (Scientific Subject Code: AGR/07);
2)Environmental Sciences (Scientific Subject Codes: BIO/03, BIO/04, BIO/05, BIO/07, CHIM/12 and ICAR/03);
3)Mediterranean Sustainable Agriculture (Scientific Subject Codes: AGR/01, AGR/02, AGR/03, AGR/04, AGR/05,AGR/17 and AGR/19);
4)Crop Protection (Scientific Subject Codes: AGR/11 and AGR/12).
Total number of positions with fellowships n. 3
Call for proposal: NRRP Initiative, Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 1.4 “Strengthening research structures and creation of R&D “National Champions” on Key enabling technologies” D.D. n. 3138 DEL 16.12.2021 – Next Generation EU
Project Name: Agritech National Research Centre for Agricultural Technologies (CUP: H93C22000440007 Cod: CN00000022)
Curriculum 1
Thematic title: Plant, animal and microbial genetic resources and adaptation to climatic changes
Project Scholarship title: De novo and in silico exploration of crop biodiversity to advance genetics and breeding of Mediterranean crops
Research activity description: Recent advances in sequencing technologies allow exploring genomic variation at relatively moderate costs. In addition, a progressively larger amount of digital sequence information (DSI) is being made available to the scientific community.
The research project hereby presented aims at the collection of DNA sequence and phenotypic data for several crop species widespread in the Mediterranean area (pea, lentil, almond), using both de novo and in silico approaches. Targeted elaboration of data will be carried out to gain insights on the crop genetic structure and evolutionary history, identify marker-trait associations, and define genes putatively underlying phenotypic variation.
Call for proposal: NRRP Initiative, Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 1.4 “Strengthening research structures and creation of R&D “National Champions” on Key enabling technologies” D.D. n. 3138 DEL 16.12.2021 – Next Generation EU
Project Name: Agritech National Research Centre for Agricultural Technologies (CUP: H93C22000440007 Cod: CN00000022)
Curriculum 3
Thematic title: Plant, animal and microbial genetic resources and adaptation to climatic changes
Project Scholarship title: Plant-Based Indices to assess and monitor the fruit tree functionality under the threat of climate change
Research activity description. Fruit tree crops accumulate the effects of climate change stresses along their long life. Furthermore, in order to evaluate the effect of such cross-breeding programs, it is necessary to wait the fruiting period on these species.
The rapid and accurate screening of plant functionality may help to perform a preliminary selection of those genotypes more performing under the threat of climate change. The present project aims at: (i) studying the ecophysiology of the fruit tree crops; (ii) developing a pool of Plant Based Indices (PBI) to monitor the plant status when subjected to climate change stresses (mainly abiotic) in an accurate and rapid way;(iii) using the developed PBI for phenotyping studies and to evaluate the performance of genotypes under the threat of climate change.
Call for proposal: NRRP Initiative, Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 1.4 “Strengthening research structures and creation of R&D “National Champions” on Key enabling technologies” D.D. n. 3138 DEL 16.12.2021 – Next Generation EU
Project Name: Agritech National Research Centre for Agricultural Technologies (CUP: H93C22000440007 Cod: CN00000022)
Curriculum 4
Thematic title: Enabling Technologies and sustainable strategies for the smart management of agricultural system and their environmental impact
Project Scholarship title: Innovative and ready-to-use diagnostic tools for phytopathogens detection
Research activity description: Human activities contribute significantly to spreading phytopathological adversities. Early detection of pathogen using fast, precise, and inexpensive diagnostic techniques is a relevant goal in managing plant health, especially for emerging diseases or pathogens that spread with asymptomatic plants.
The research activity will be developed involving biological, biotechnological and plant pathology expertise, with the aim of improving and making available portable, easy-to-use, and IoT based sensors for detecting early and univocally plant pathogens or the presence of toxic metabolites to human health. In this context, portable systems based on miniaturized molecular approaches, the analysis of hyperspectral data, and the Internet of Things are sectors of interest and constantly evolving.
Admission mode:
The selection will be made following the art. 6, typology B of the call.
The examination will be based on the evaluation of candidate qualification, proposed project, oral interview, and foreign language knowledge checking (English).
Admission tests for foreigners:
The videoconference interview of foreign candidates will be in English.
Admission interview:
Qualification: December 28, 2022
Proposed project: December 29, 2022
Oral interview: January 3, 2023 at 9:00 am.
Location: Aula Ciccarone – Agricultural Building, Via Amendola, 165/A – Bari
In accordance with D.M. 226/2021, the aforementioned positions with scholarship are banned pending final ministerial approval, will be activated “sub-conditions” of accreditation of the doctoral course and will be awarded subject to the granting of the relevant funding; positions with scholarship funded by the National Research Council -Institute of Biomedical Technologies of Milan, will be attributed only following the conclusion of the agreementwith which the research foundation funder transfers the funds to the University of Bari.
Therefore, the assignment of the positions put out to tender as well as the awarding of scholarships are subject to ministerial approval and the signing of the Acts of Obligation relating to the projects involved; in the event that the MUR does not pay the funding for the coverage of the aforementioned scholarships, the same will not be disbursed, with consequent forfeiture of the positions attributed to the winning candidates.
The selection and assignment of scholarships will take place exclusively on related topics for the description of which please refer to the attached forms, which are an integral part of this decree, containing information also on the methods and dates of completion of the admission tests.
The submission of the application for admission, according to the procedures referred to in art. 3 shall entail acceptance by candidates of the rules contained in this notice. The absence of the candidate, whatever the cause, will therefore be considered as a waiver of the concourse.
This call is to be notified in full. Therefore, candidates are required to comply with the information specified in the PhD sheet attached to this decree for the completion of tests.
There are no positions without scholarship or supernumerary admissions; therefore the doctoral course will be automatically resolved in case of withdrawal of the scholarship.
The Doctoral Courses have a three-year duration, which is scheduled to start on 1 February 2023.
The use of the male gender has no discriminatory character but, understood as gender neutral, it responds only to needs of more immediate communication.
Art. 2 – ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Candidates holding one of the following qualifications are eligible regardless of their citizenship and age:
-degree awarded under the system “vecchio ordinamento” in place prior to the one introduced by MinisterialDecree(D.M.) no. 509 of 03 November 1999, amended by Ministerial Decree (D.M.) no. 270 of 22 October 2004;”laurea specialistica” or “laurea magistrale” (second cycle degree);
second-level academic qualification (“titoli accademici di secondo livello”) awarded by Institutions belonging tothe AFAM (“Alta Formazione Artistica e Musicale”) sector;
-master’s degree awarded abroad, recognised as such solely for the purpose of admission to the competition.
A)Admission to the selection for the candidates with an academic degree conferred abroad
Those in possession of a degree from a foreign university which has not yet been declared equivalent to an Italiandegree will have to apply for their equivalence solely for the purposes of admission to the Ph.D. programme forwhich they intend to apply.
In such case, in order to allow for assessment of the qualification, application for participation must be accompanied,by the following documentation:
•(In the case of Italian and EU citizens) Self-certification, according to D.P.R. 445/2000 and subsequentmodifications, of the academic qualification obtained with details of examinations, the relative results and thelegal duration of the programme.
•(Non-EU citizens) A certificate attesting to the academic qualification obtained with details of examinations, therelative results and the legal duration of the programme together with a translation into Italian and/or english.The translation must be signed under the applicant’s own responsibility in order to allow the qualification to berecognized.
The suitability of qualifications obtained abroad will be evaluated by the Judging Commission in accordance with the regulations in force in Italy and in the country where the qualification was obtained and relative treaties and international agreements on the recognition of qualifications for the continuation of studies.
In case of admission to the Ph.D. programme, applicants must submit, within 60 days from the date of registration, the following documentation:
•Curricular qualifications translated into Italian and legalized by the relevant Italian diplomatic or consularrepresentations abroad;
•“Certificate of equivalence of qualification” of the foreign qualification issued by the relevant diplomatic orconsular representations abroad. Alternatively, the Certificate of comparability of the foreign universityqualification issued by the ENIC-NARIC centre in Italy (CIMEA) may be presented, containing all theinformation necessary for the assessment of the qualification.
For the purposes of entry into Italy, citizens of non-EU countries resident abroad must register on the Universitaly portal and apply for an entry visa (post-graduate visa type D) to the Italian Embassy or Consulate competent for the territory.
In case of doubts about the qualification validity, the University also reserve the right to request the “Certificate of equivalence of qualification” to those who have obtained a qualification in a European Union country.
B)Admission to the selection for candidates who have not yet received the degree
Candidates who are going to obtain the qualification necessary for entry to the Ph.D. programme may also apply ifthey are to obtain their qualification by and no later than January, 31 2023. Failure to gain the relevant qualificationsby this date will result in exclusion from the call.
These candidates will be admitted sub condicione and no later than January 31, 2023 must send by PECuniversitabari@pec.it the self-certification (or certification in the case of qualifications obtained abroad) with dateand handwritten signature, accompanied by a copy of a valid photo identification document indicating:
-the name of the university issuing the qualification;
-date of completion of the qualification;
-type of qualification (specialist/master/old cycle degree, second level academic degree issued byinstitutions belonging to AFAM);
-final result.
Candidates who, for whatever reason, do not communicate the obtainment of the relevant qualification by the deadlines indicated or who send incomplete, incorrect applications, by different means or to different addresses other than those indicated above will be excluded from the call.
Those who have already benefited, even partially, from a scholarship for attending a doctoral course will also be excluded from participation.
SCHOLARSHIPS:
The scholarships available in accordance with the profiles attached to this call, as well as those potentially added in accordance with Article 1, will be awarded with the Rector Decree in order of the merit ranking lists of each PhD course.
The annual scholarship is of € 16.243,00 subject to INPS social security contributions. The duration of the scholarship is equal to the entire duration of the programme.
The scholarship will be paid in deferred monthly instalments and the maximum total annual gross income limit necessary in order to qualify for a scholarship is set at € 16.000,00 (sixteenthousand/00).
The determination of this income limit includes income from property and assets as well as income of any other nature.
Exceeding the income limit will lead to the loss of the right to the scholarship for the year in which the excess occurs and obliges the repayment of any monthly payments already received.
The scholarship cannot be combined with other scholarships or grants, except for those intended to supplement research during stays abroad.
The scholarship cannot be awarded in the case of a suspension of more than thirty days, or exclusion from the programme.
During the programme the doctoral candidate may, for research needs, be authorized by the Coordinator for periods of up to six months, or by the Academic Board (Collegio dei Docenti), for periods of more than six months, to complete a period of study in Italy and/or abroad or to carry out an internship with either public or private bodies.
The amount of the scholarship is increased by 50% in the case of periods spent abroad.
Those entitled to a scholarship must, at the time of application, submit a declaration of expected gross personal income as well as declaring the absence of any eventual incompatibilities as outlined in the present article. Scholarship beneficiaries will be required to set up an INPS contribution profile, enrolling in the “Gestione separata” scheme of that Institute.
Scholarships shall be subject to tax relief provisions in accordance with Art. 4 of Law 13.08.1984 No. 476.
In any case the special provisions in each specific financing agreement for the scholarship, remain valid.
It is understood that, if a scholarship is declared ineligible for funding following verification by the competent ministerial office, the candidate registered in the post corresponding to that scholarship will be declared forfeited.
Art. 3 – APPLICATION AND ENTRY TO THE CALL:
The application for participation in the selection must be submitted using only the appropriate procedure made available to ( log in here Apply now or Register on pica and apply online here APPLY NOW) no later than 19 December 2022 at 12.00 (Italian time CET), under penalty of exclusion from the selection.
Access to the procedure takes place on the PICA portal (Integrated University Competition Platform) which can be accessed upon registration or with SPID credentials, as indicated in the Guidelines. Applications received in a different way will be considered unvalid.
The registration fee for the competition is € 50.00; for foreign applicants residing abroad, no payments due. The
entry fee is non-refundable for any reason.
The candidate must pay the fee by clicking on the “Paga con Pago PA” button and choosing as the payment method:
•Credit/debit card: for card payment
•Current account: for direct debiting your account
•Other payment methods: such as PayPal or Satispay
Candidates wishing to participate in more than one call must submit multiple applications each showing the relevantqualifications and necessary attachments along with payment for each individual application made.