Mingma Norbu Sherpa Memorial Scholarships 2010

In honoring Mingma Norbu Sherpa's legacy in conservation, and in hopes ofinspiring new future conservationists, two Mingma Norbu Sherpa MemorialScholarships will be provided. The scholarships are available for twostudents interested in pursuing a Masters Degree at Lincoln University, NewZealand.
Applicants from remote mountain regions and women are encouragedto apply.

1. Number of AwardsTwo Scholarships for two years period (January 2010 to December 2012)2. Fields of StudyMaster in Natural Resource ManagementMaster in Parks, Recreation and Tourism

3. Scholarship BenefitsFully paid tuition coverage for two years.One round trip airfare to New Zealand.Partial contribution to living expenses.

4. RequirementsApplicants must be Nepali nationals, under the age of 35 years, and havecompleted a Bachelors degree in Environmental Sciences, Forestry, Agricultural Sciences or other relevant fields.

Applicant must be able to demonstrate his/her recent English Language
Proficiency by presenting TOEFL scores of 100 iBT, 600 paper, or 250computer, and essay rating (TWE) 5, or an IELTS of 6.5. Lincoln University reserves the right to accept or reject the test scores.The scholarships are intended to support Nepalese who are committed to thefuture of environmental protection and sustainable natural resourcemanagement in Nepal. A two page essay demonstrating track records of havingwork in these areas and commitments for the future must accompany theapplication.
5. Application

Deadline: July 17 2009

Completed application with one passport size photograph, resume withcontact information (phone number) and supporting documents must be mailed to: Selection Committee Secretariat, Mingma Norbu Sherpa Memorial Scholarship, P.O. Box 224, Kathmandu, Nepal or email: lisa@mos.com.np
Only short listed candidates will be called for an interview.

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International Summer School 2009 in Göttingen, Germany

Dear All,
In case, the following announcements have not reached you, I would like to share with you the Call for Papers (attached) for the Summer-School inGoettingen, Germany, 21 Sept- 02 October 2009 (I am afraid this is during Dashain). In the mean time, please also have a look into the program that weare going to organize in Dehradun, in November 2009 under the following link:
http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/114487.html
For both cases, only the travel back and forth from Nepal will be considered.I am not sure whether I will join the Dehradun event, but for sure I will bein Goettingen during the summer school. It would be nice to meeting you some of you who are not in Goettingen.
I hope you all are doing fine.
Namaste,
Netra
PS: Please share this email to other colleagues who are graduated from Germanuniversities (forestry). Read more...

1.02 Billion People are Hungry !

ScienceDaily (June 20, 2009) — World hunger is projected to reach a historic high in 2009 with 1,020 million people going hungry every day, according to new estimates published by United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).The most recent increase in hunger is not the consequence of poor global harvests but is caused by the world economic crisis that has resulted in lower incomes and increased unemployment. This has reduced access to food by the poor, the UN agency said.
"A dangerous mix of the global economic slowdown combined with stubbornly high food prices in many countries has pushed some 100 million more people than last year into chronic hunger and poverty," said FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf. "The silent hunger crisis — affecting one sixth of all of humanity — poses a serious risk for world peace and security. We urgently need to forge a broad consensus on the total and rapid eradication of hunger in the world and to take the necessary actions."
"The present situation of world food insecurity cannot leave us indifferent," he added.

Poor countries, Diouf stressed, "must be given the development, economic and policy tools required to boost their agricultural production and productivity. Investment in agriculture must be increased because for the majority of poor countries a healthy agricultural sector is essential to overcome poverty and hunger and is a pre-requisite for overall economic growth."
"Many of the world's poor and hungry are smallholder farmers in developing countries. Yet they have the potential not only to meet their own needs but to boost food security and catalyse broader economic growth. To unleash this potential and reduce the number of hungry people in the world, governments, supported by the international community, need to protect core investments in agriculture so that smallholder farmers have access not only to seeds and fertilisers but to tailored technologies, infrastructure, rural finance, and markets," said Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
"For most developing countries there is little doubt that investing in smallholder agriculture is the most sustainable safety net, particularly during a time of global economic crisis," Nwanze added. "The rapid march of urgent hunger continues to unleash an enormous humanitarian crisis. The world must pull together to ensure emergency needs are met as long term solutions are advanced," said Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme.
Hunger on the rise

Whereas good progress was made in reducing chronic hunger in the 1980s and the first half of the 1990s, hunger has been slowly but steadily on the rise for the past decade, FAO said. The number of hungry people increased between 1995-97 and 2004-06 in all regions except Latin America and the Caribbean. But even in this region, gains in hunger reduction have been reversed as a result of high food prices and the current global economic downturn.
This year, mainly due to the shocks of the economic crisis combined with often high national food prices, the number of hungry people is expected to grow overall by about 11 percent, FAO projects, drawing on analysis by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Almost all of the world's undernourished live in developing countries. In Asia and the Pacific, an estimated 642 million people are suffering from chronic hunger; in Sub-Saharan Africa 265 million; in Latin America and the Caribbean 53 million; in the Near East and North Africa 42 million; and in developed countries 15 million in total.
In the grip of the crisis
The urban poor will probably face the most severe problems in coping with the global recession, because lower export demand and reduced foreign direct investment are more likely to hit urban jobs harder. But rural areas will not be spared. Millions of urban migrants will have to return to the countryside, forcing the rural poor to share the burden in many cases.
Some developing countries are also struggling with the fact that money transfers (remittances) sent from migrants back home have declined substantially this year, causing the loss of foreign exchange and household income. Reduced remittances and a projected decline in official development assistance will further limit the ability of countries to access capital for sustaining production and creating safety nets and social protection schemes for the poor.
Unlike previous crises, developing countries have less room to adjust to the deteriorating economic conditions, because the turmoil is affecting practically all parts of the world more or less simultaneously. The scope for remedial mechanisms, including exchange-rate depreciation and borrowing from international capital markets for example, to adjust to macroeconomic shocks, is more limited in a global crisis.
The economic crisis also comes on the heel of the food and fuel crisis of 2006-08. While food prices in world markets declined over the past months, domestic prices in developing countries came down more slowly. They remained on average 24 percent higher in real terms by the end of 2008 compared to 2006. For poor consumers, who spend up to 60 percent of their incomes on staple foods, this means a strong reduction in their effective purchasing power. It should also be noted that while they declined, international food commodity prices are still 24 percent higher than in 2006 and 33 percent higher than in 2005.
The 2009 hunger report (The State of Food Insecurity in the World, SOFI) will be presented in October.

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Britain's 10 richest footballers .... and their wives

They’re young, talented, worshipped by fans and paid millions of pounds. The recession has done little to hit the earning power of Britain’s footballers, with many climbing their way up the Sunday Times rich list. The particularly astute players continue to rake it in with sponsorship deals and a WAG-filled wedding featured in OK! Magazine.
Here are the top ten richest footballers aged under 30.
1. Michael Owen
Worth: £40 millionThis week Owen, 29, accepted a substantial payout from the Daily Express over "incredulous allegations" that his football career was over. The injury-prone star is currently out of contract but he was earning £105,000 a week at Newcastle United. He also has a sponsorship deal with Umbro, netting him £2 million a year.
2. Wayne Rooney
Worth: £35 millionOne can only imagine the life of luxury that baby Rooney will be born into later this year. Wayne and Coleen, who are expecting their first child, are worth a staggering £35 million – not bad for 23 year olds. Manchester United pay Wayne £100,000 a week and he has endorsement deals with Nike, Coca-Cola and EA Sports, the computer games company. Last summer, he signed a £1 million two-year deal to become a global face for Mercedes.
3. Rio Ferdinand
Worth: £30 millionThe Manchester United defender has come a long way since his days growing up on a Peckham council estate. The 30 year old earns £120,000 a week and has a lucrative sponsorship deal with Nike. He also has properties in London, Morocco and the Caribbean.
4. Frank Lampard
Worth: £20 millionLampard, 30, is likely to be financially hit by the split from his ex-fiancé, Elen Rives, who has moved out of their £8.5 million townhouse with their two daughters. He signed a five-year, £140,000-a-week deal with Chelsea in August.
5. Steven Gerrard
Worth: £20 millionLiverpool’s talisman, 28, earns £120,000 a week, and endorsement deals with Adidas and Lucozade add £750,000 a year to his income, giving him annual earnings of at least £7 million. His wife, leading WAG Alex Curran, admitted in February to Tatler that the credit crunch had reined in her spending. “I do my nails myself,” she said. “The nail varnish I’m wearing was only £2 from a bargain bin.”
6. Cristiano Ronaldo
Worth: £18 millionRecently dubbed “Mr. Metrosexual” after being spotted wearing a pink baseball cap with a flower tucked behind his ear, the Manchester United forward can afford to splash out on colourful accessories. The 24 year old has a £120,000-a-week contract and is the face of Coca-Cola and Nike. He has also opened a fashion boutique under the name "CR7" – his initials and shirt number.
7. John Terry
Worth: £17mThe England and Chelsea captain’s mother and mother in law were arrested recently on suspicion of theft, after making off with £800 worth of clothes and groceries from Tesco and Marks & Spencer. It all seemed rather bizarre given that their son is one of the best paid players in the Premier league, earning £130,000 a week.
8. Damien Duff
Worth: £14 millionNotoriously shy Duff does not rake in the cash from magazine deals or sponsorships, but the Newcastle defender has invested in property in Ireland, London and the Caribbean. With a wage of £70,000 a week he can afford a little privacy.
9. Ashley Cole
Worth (with wife Cheryl Cole): £13 million Ashley Cole, aka “Britain’s most hated celebrity”, was recently arrested for being drunk and disorderly whilst wife Cheryl was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief. His marriage may be turbulent but his earning power continues to increase, with a £4 million salary from Chelsea and a lucrative Adidas boot deal.
10. Harry Kewell
Worth: £12 million"Australia's finest football export" now plays for Galatasaray in Istanbul, although he is based in the UK with his former Emmerdale actress wife, Sheree Murphy, and their three children. Kewell left Liverpool last year after five years on £60,000 a week.
By Lauren Thompson

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A reception for Humboldt Scholars and their families by the Honorable President of Germay

Welcome speech by the President of Germany(center) ! His wife (left) and President of Humboldt fundation (right).

We were more than 1200 participants on the annual meeting of Humboldt foundation in Berlin on June 8-10, 2009. The President of Germany, Dr. Horst Köhler, gave a reception for the Humboldt fellows and their families in the garden of President office. Among these participants 613 were research fellow, 324 spouses and more than 300 childrens. All were in the same hotel and it was very big international gathering. The research fellows were from 82 countries. We were two nepalies families there. The other research fellow was Dr. Rameshor Adhakari from the Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu. He is Assistant Professor. Presently he is Humboldt fellow in Martin Luther University in Halle. He is going back to Nepal in last of July after completion of his research stay in Germany. I am sharing some of the photos of the ceremoney. However, I could not take a picture with the honorable president.

(Dr. H. Bhattarai and Dr. B. Paudel with other Nepalese scholars at the premise of Premises of President's Office, Berlin, Germany!)

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International Graduate School Life Science Munich (LSM), Germany

The Graduate School Life Science Munich (LSM) of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich offers an international PhD program in life sciences covering areas of anthropology, biochemistry, cell biology, ecology, evolution, genetics, microbiology, plant sciences, systematics and zoology. The program will be complemented by lectures, seminars and workshops, and provides scientific training in one of Germany’s top universities. Applicants will be selected based on academic qualification, research experience and motivation. The LSM also accepts outstanding students with a Bachelor’s degree, which will be enrolled in a preparatory program (covered by a stipend of 643 Euro per month).
Further Scholarship Information and Application
http://www.lsm.bio.lmu.de

Application Deadline: 30 June 2009

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Ph.D. in Agriculture at Goettingen University

Application Deadline: until 15th July for the upcoming winter semester.
“International Ph.D. Program for Agricultural Sciences in Göttingen (IPAG)” at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Georg-August University in Göttingen, Germany. IPAG is designed to provide PhD candidates professional training in one of the following six majors:
-Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology
-Agronomy
-Animal Production
-Management of Natural Resources
-Agribusiness
-Tropical and International Agriculture
The PhD program emphasizes independent research on the part of the participants. The graduate program includes lectures, tutorials, seminars, and methods courses. In addition, IPAG provides training in oral and written communication skills, including scientific writing and publishing, elective courses, and participation in international conferences or workshops. IPAG also emphasizes soft skills like teamwork, problem solving and moderation techniques. The study advisory provides any necessary assistance with regards to courses and logistic matters.
At the end of the PhD program, a doctoral thesis can either be submitted in a traditional format or as a collection of scientific publications: the latter must have been published in internationally recognized journals and be supplemented with a general introduction and a discussion of the results. The degree PhD or, alternatively, Dr. sc. agr. will be awarded after successful defence of the doctoral thesis and publication of the thesis.

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Our minister's Chartikala

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Democracy or anarchy?

By GUNA RAJ LUITEL

Rajendra Bajgain, a tourism entrepreneur in Kathmandu’s Thamel, called me on Sunday night and spoke in a sad voice. “My 10-year-old son has asked me to leave Nepal and go to America”, he said. “He’s scared by scenes of tire burning and vandalism by Maoists to protest the death of their comrade.”The father and son were enjoying an evening drive when these scenes played out before their very eyes. They have lost confidence in Nepal’s political situation. When they finally managed to reach the tourist hub of Thamel, Bajgain called me before passing the phone over to his son.Shivering and in a broken voice the boy explained what he had just witnessed. He recounted scenes of tire burning and breaking of road railings . Although children throughout our country are exposed to such scenes from a distance or through the TV, I believe this was the first time the well-protected boy had witnessed such happenings with his naked eyes from close quarters.
I was forced to walk on the road in the scorching heat, as everyone else en route to their workplaces had to do.Last week, students of Saipal Academy were trapped in a violent protest near Gopi Krishna Cinema in Kathmandu after a motorcyclist and pillion rider were killed in a road accident. The victim’s family and supporters took to the streets to demand compensation and bring the culprit to justice. Amid the chaos, the children’s school bus was pelted with stones. Shocking images of students trying to escape and flee the scene were splashed all over the newspapers, leading to a deluge of letters in the reader’s sections of Nagarik and Republica as well as their online versions.The road was again tense following the death of a Maoist cadre Rajendra Phuyal. This time it was not an individual family seeking justice but a political party, which was in power for almost nine months, that took over the streets in a call to investigate the cause of Phuyal’s death and bring the culprit to justice. As it turned out, the death resulted from suicide through poisoning. With no prior notice, and without waiting for the facts, the Maoists paralyzed the whole country.I woke early on Monday morning and left my Kapan home by motorbike to head to my yoga center in Gaushala. I was about to reach the access road near Gopi Krishna Cinema when I sensed tension on the other side of the bridge. The people who had amassed appeared scared and vehicular movement was almost at a standstill. I reached the road and five or six policemen came towards me, advising me not to proceed. I asked what the problem was and one replied, “Someone was killed yesterday and people are obstructing vehicular movement.”Instead of providing security, the police was alerting people to turn around and go home. Given little choice, I returned home without attending my regular yoga class to prepare for the day ahead. Back home, I surfed the television channels and found some news about what had happened the previous evening in Balaju.While scanning the morning newspapers, I remembered the call I had received from my friend and his son the night before. For the past few years, I have stopped riding my motorbike during bandas as agitators never allow me through. Journalists are manhandled and press vehicles vandalized during every single banda and I was tired and not looking forward to have to face the rude and unruly mob time and time again. Why should my mood suffer for their cause? So, I started to walk instead.On my way to office, I saw boys with stones in hand, busy puncturing bicycle tires. Previous bandas used to allow bicycles. But now, they’ve stopped allowing that as well. I was forced to walk on the road in the scorching heat, as everyone else en route to their workplaces had to do. Laborers are the biggest victims of bandas as their daily livelihood is taken away from them.Those who organized the banda burned Dr Roshan Raut’s motorbike while he was rushing to Sahid Gangalal National Heart Center at Bansbari for an emergency case. The unruly mob refused to listen to reason and burned the vehicle anyway. The next day, I saw a picture of the doctor’s motorbike burning on Republica’s cover page along with the caption, “The Buddha is not smiling”. In the picture, children bear witness to the scene with fearful faces, though one boy is shown eating an ice-cream to avert the heat.I received a call from Dr Chakra Raj Pandey, who had to walk from Lazimpat to the Medicare Hospital at Chabahil, on the day of the banda. It seems the unruly mob has stopped understanding the value of the essential services of doctors and other professionals, including journalists. All this for civil supremacy? Is this democracy or anarchy?

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NARC to launch farm support drive

POST REPORT
KATHMANDU, June 17 - The Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC) is gearing up to launch an agriculture village model programme 'Scientists with the Farmers' in the coming fiscal year. Bhola Man Singh Basnet, chief agronomist at the NARC, said the innovative farmer-oriented drive aims to involve scientists and farmers across the country to share expertise.
The scientists will interact with farmers of specific regions separately, encouraging the latter to apply efficient technologies and opt for agro-biodiversity (crops, livestock and fish).
The agronomist said the scientists will be mobilised at Tarahara in Sunsari district for the eastern region, Parwanipur for the central region, Lumle for the western region and Khajura in Banke district for mid-western and far-western regions. This programme will enable farmers to interact directly with agricultural scientists, say NARC officials.
The programme will identify the crops, livestock and fisheries for the specific regions and promote them. For instance, NARC will extensively promote Rara-12, a rice variety, in the eastern region, Basnet said. The programme also aims to raise awareness on NARC's improved crop varieties and encourage the farmers to use the improved seeds for better production.
The research council has released 221 improved varieties of 44 crops in 48 years. Farmers have been using old improved seeds for over a decade, Basnet said, suggesting the use of newly-released batches of improved seeds. Among others, the scientists teams will comprise crop experts, irrigation and manure experts.
'We want to reach out to the farmers to show we can utilise our scientific knowledge on the field for better crop yield,'' said Basnet.

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Ph.D. Scholarship in Climate Change, Australia

Predicting the effects of climate change on community structure and function: An assessment using temperate grassland invertebrates Applications are invited for a top-up scholarship for a PhD student to join a research team investigating the effects of climate change on community structure and function for temperate grassland invertebrates. The PhD position will be based in Dr Heloise Gibb’s research laboratory at La Trobe University, Melbourne, with collaborators from the University of NSW and the University of New England.
The scholarship would provide an additional stipend of $5000 per annum and the applicant’s research will be supported by operating funds from an ARC grant. An extension of support to 3.5 years for up to 6 months in the form of a full scholarship would also be considered.
The successful applicant will need to obtain an Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) scholarship at La Trobe University, and thus a good first class honours mark will be essential. The preferred starting date for this project is late 2009 to early 2010 and the project will support a top-up for a suitably qualified applicant willingto apply for an APA at the end of 2009.The project will involve field surveys, field transplant experiments and laboratory work to assess the relationship between climatic gradients and species composition and functional morphology of insect herbivore assemblages on native grasses.Field work will be conducted throughout Victoria, NSW and southern Queensland in collaboration with researchers from UNE. Cutting edge statistics for use in this project will be developed at UNSW to allow community-level prediction of responses and testing of these predictions.
For further information, please contact Dr Heloise Gibb h.gibb@latrobe.edu.au
Applications should consist of a cover letter detailing the experience and interests of the applicant, a curriculum vitae and details of two people who can provide references. Applications are due on the 1st of July 2009.

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Could Power Point Presentations Be Stifling Learning?

ScienceDaily (June 12, 2009) — We've all sat through one of those presentations where the animated slides are more interesting than the speaker. Bold and brassy titles slide into view, tasty slices of pie chart fill the screen one by one, and a hail of arrows spikes the points the lecturer hopes to highlight.

But, are these custom animations and slide fades and dissolves actually adding anything to the lecture, or do they have a dark side that detracts from the message and impacts negatively on the message being presented?
Microsoft PowerPoint has, over the last couple of decades, become the tool of choice for creating instructional slideshows. Long gone for most are the overhead projector with its fickle fan and its high-temperature and temperamental bulb, the smudgy marker pen, and the transparent plastic sheet.
Instead, lecturers, speakers and anyone else with a visual message to present with their talk uses PowerPoint and its ilk to present their digital slides. According to the authors of a study in the International Journal of Innovation and Learning published this month, many instructors use these options regularly with the impression that such effects enhance student learning by allowing concepts to be introduced incrementally.
Stephen Mahar of the University of North Carolina Wilmington and colleagues have explored the impact of custom animation in PowerPoint lectures and examined the idea that custom animation may, in fact, negatively impact student learning.
To test their hypothesis, the team recorded two versions of a PowerPoint lecture. The presentations differed only in the presence of animation to incrementally present information. They then showed students either the animated or non-animated lecture and then tested the students recall and comprehension of the lecture.
The team found a marked difference in average student performance, with those seeing the non-animated lecture performing much better in the tests than those who watched the animated lecture. Students were able to recall details of the static graphics much better. Animated slides meant to present information incrementally actually require greater concentration, which makes it harder to remember content as well as reducing overall exposure time to the "complete" slide, the researchers found.
Although students appear to like the use of animations in lectures delivered using PowerPoint, there is now strong evidence that animation is nothing more than an entertaining distraction.
The team points out that their study was applied only to the teaching of new concepts. It is possible that teaching a technique might work more effectively with animated, rather than static, slides. Follow-up work will investigate that possibility.

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meadows at witzenhaussen

This meadow at Witzenhaussen in Germany, reminded us the long and open meadows of Jumla, Nepal. This is a must to see site in Germany for nature lovers specially those who works in pasture management and forestry! Please enjoy it !

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Commercial Cherry Plantation in Witzenhaussen, Germany

This is the short movie clip of cherry plantation in Germany.

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Paris trip of GöNeS members

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Sujata ko JAYA, Sailaja ko PRAJAYA: defeat of the country

There is the popular saying in nepal, "Sati le Sarapeko Desh" meaning the country cursed by Widow. Due to the curse of the widow of Kaji Bhim Malla, Sati, Nepal can never be prosperous and the people who used to be good, noble and dedicated for the sake of country will have never prosperity in the country instead the corrupt, selfish, cunning in short the notorious, ill famed, unpopular and bad intended people gets benefit, name and fame, and prosperity in the country. It seems quite realistic.

If we compare the personalities, dedication, hard work, sacrifices of two prominent women figure of Nepal we found the same things. Sujata Koirala (Alas ! Jost) and Sailaja Acharya. Sujata, is the one who married and moved to Germany during the difficult times in Nepal, Panchayati period, and Sailaja who never got time to think about herself and never been married due to her involvement in politics and struggle for democracy! Sujata who institutionalised the corruption, groupism in Nepal, whereas Sailaja who sacrificed her ministerial position lobbying to eliminate corruption from her own ministry. Sailaja who was the sybol of hard work, dedication, selflessness and another Sujata who is all against. If we compare the prosperity that these two leaders are getting, then it seems quite true about the proverb "SATI LE SARAPEKO DESH". Sujata, the puppet of Indian imperialism and queen of corruption, is anonymously offered the powerful ministry "FOREIGN Ministry" and the Sailaja who was the holy deity of selflessness was almost denied even the Ambassador post (which is below the secretary position in designation of same ministry!)! Sujata who is enjoying all the resources and good portfolios in the country where the symbol of dedication and hardwork, Sailaja died almost anonymity. What a pity situation for Nepal and nepalese well wisher!

I would like to heartly offer deep condolence and few drops of tears in sad demise of Sailaja Acharya. Eventhough the country, her partymen and other relevant institution didnot provide her that much importance for which she rightly deserves, nepalese people will put her in their heart and mind as an courageous, hard working, dedicated and selfless woman of all time! Please visit our earlier posting about her http://nepaleseingoettingen.blogspot.com/2008/04/sailaja-acharya-struggler.html

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Ph.D. scholarship on impact of climate change

PhD studentship (3 years contract) Impact of Climate Change on Cereal Aphids and Natural Enemies

Application deadline: 15.08.2009We are looking for a highly skilled, motivated and collaborative person with a Mas-ter degree (or equivalent) in Agriculture/Horticulture or Biology/Ecology to investi-gate the impact of climate change on population dynamics of cereal aphids and selected natural enemies. The project is part of the research initiative KLIFF (Kli-mafolgenforschung), which is funded by the Ministry of Lower Saxony. The net-work "Climate Change and Production of Economic Plants - Processes and Adap-tation Strategies until 2030" consist of 14 sub-projects which investigate the impact of climate change on agriculture and horticulture (www.unigoettingen.de/zlu).The specific tasks of the PhD student at LUH will be:• Evaluation of climate change effects on cereal aphids and natural enemies with a special focus on existing modelling approaches (literature work).• Investigation of specific climate change effects, in particular changing winter/spring temperatures, on population development of cereal aphids and synchronisation with key natural enemies under controlled conditions.• Verification of laboratory results in semi-field experiments (protected green-house agroecosystem) and field studies.• Development of advanced approaches to integrate climate change projections and experimental data in cereal aphid population models.The candidate will be registered at Leibniz University Hannover (http://www.uni-hannover.de) as PhD student. We expect a sound background in applied entomol-ogy/plant protection in particular biocontrol. Experience in handling and statistical analysis of complex data sets is most desirable. Candidates with experience in population ecology / modelling are especially encouraged to apply. PhD funding is based on 0.5 TV-L E13. Working place is Hannover. A driving licence is important since experimental fields are located in the periphery of Hannover.Send your application and CV, including a letter of motivation and two references, no later than 15.08.2009 to: Institute of Plant Protection and Plant Diseases, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuserstr. 2, D-30419 Hannover, Germany. Electronic application is preferred to Meisel@ipp.uni-hannover.de.For further information contact: Prof. Dr. Hans-Michael Poehling (poeh-ling@ipp.uni-hannover.de), phone: ++49/511/7622641 or Dr. Rainer Meyhöfer (meyhoefer@ipp.uni-hannover.de)

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Ph.D. scholarship available at Goettingen University, Germany

PhD Scholarship in Development Economics or Agricultural Economics
There is one PhD scholarship (1/2 TVL E13, research position) funded by the newly-built Courant Research Center “Poverty, Inequality and Growth in Developing Countries” at the University of Goettingen, Germany. This center is mainly focusing on the broad issues in developing and transition economies. This PhD position is expected to closely work with the Junior Research Group ‘Agricultural Economics/Rural Development’, and other members in the center as well, while fulfilling the requirements for the PhD degree (Economics, Agricultural Economics or Statistics). The funding will cover at least three years or until this person complete his PhD degree. The basic requirements include:

• A master (or Diploma in Germany) degree in agricultural economics, economics, statistics, business management, mathematics or other closely-related fields;

• Good ability and motivation to acquire quantitative and statistical methods;

• Good oral and written command of both English and German language; (Our working language is English).

• Strong research passion on broad issues, such as, poverty and inequality in developing countries, in particular, in African, Asian, and Eastern European countries;

• Pursuing a career of academic professions after completing the Ph.D. degree. The selection would depend on the candidate’s research potential and the research proposal. The research topics include, but do not limit in:

• Consumer behaviors, food safety and nutritional status

• Agricultural production, efficiency and technological innovations Risk share and contracts in agricultural economics

• Price transmissions in space and time

• Environment, resource use and economic growth

• Demographic changes, health and economic development

• Applied econometrics.

Please send

(1) a full CV including the contact information of two academic referees,

(2) transcripts, and

(3) a research proposal (two or three pages); and if possible, master thesis or a writing sample to Dr. Xiaohua YU (Tel:+49-551-3910678 / Email: xyu@gwdg.de ) by July 6, 2009, or until the position is filled. All materials must be in English.

The Position could start immediately. More information about the Courant Research Center-PEG could be found in the center homepage: http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/82144.html

The Georg-August University is committed to an equal opportunities policy in the recruitment and selection of staff. It therefore seeks to increase the participation of women in areas in which they are currently underrepresented and therefore explicitly urges women to apply. Disabled persons with equivalent aptitude will be favored.

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Visas State University, Leyte, Philippine

This is the famous university in the Philipinnes where the TIF students from Georg August University, Goettingen, Germany has gone there for the field works. Students were happy there to get international exposure there.

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New Experience on Ship and Sea

Jeetendra inside the ship on the Sea ! in the Philipinnes !

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राजा वीरेन्द्रसँग बीस वर्ष

टीका धमला (Source: Kantipur Dailiy)
नेपालको राजनीतिक इतिहासमा राजा वीरेन्द्रको सम्झनाले हृदयस्पर्श नगर्ने सायद कमै नेपाली होलान् । विशेष गरेर प्रजातान्त्रिक राजनीतिक विकासका लागि उहाँबाट पुर्‍याइएका योगदानबारे इतिहासकारहरूले चनाखो भएर जिज्ञासा राख्ने गरेका छन् । त्यसमध्ये केही लिखित र केही अलिखित उदाहरण यस लेखमा प्रस्तुत गरिएको छ ।
राजा वीरेन्द्र बाल्यकालदेखि नै ज्यादै साधारण तथा शालिन व्यक्तित्वका धनी हुनुहुन्थ्यो भन्ने कुरा सुन्न-जान्नमा आएकै हो । दार्जिलिङको स्कुलमा पढ्दाखेरि एकपटक उहाँलाई नेपालका राजकुमार हुन् कि भनेर शंका लागेर कसैले 'बाबुको घर कहाँ हो' भनेर सोध्दा उहाँबाट सरल तरिकाले 'काठमाडौंको दरबारमार्ग हो' भन्ने जवाफ दिइएछ । हार्वर्ड विश्वविद्यालयका उहाँका शिक्षक पान्सिस जी हचिङको 'डेमोक्रटाइजिङ मोनार्क' नामक किताबमा पनि वीरेन्द्रका शालिनता र सरलपनसम्बन्धी प्रशस्तै उदाहरण उल्लेख गरिएका छन् । यो पंक्तिकार स्वयम् बीसौं वर्षसम्म राजा वीरेन्द्रको अंगरक्षक भएर बिताएका क्षणहरूसमेत उत्तिकै घतलाग्दा छन् ।
०५४ असोज १८ गते राति १२ बजेपछि राजा वीरेन्द्रका साथमा विशेष परिस्थितिवश नागार्जुन दरबारबाट त्रिशूली जाँदा उहाँ आफैंले ल्यान्डरोभर मोटर चलाउने काम भयो । यो पंक्तिकार अगाडि बस्यो, पछाडि सिटमा जित नामको जर्मन सेर्फड कुकुर थियो । राजाको विभिन्न ठाउँमा आवत-जावत हुँदा अगाडि छाडी सुरक्षा हुनु अनिवार्य हुन्छ । तर त्यसदिन सुरक्षा व्यवस्था मिलाउन खोज्दा उहाँलाई मान्य भएन र यसरी राति कसैलाई थाहा नदिई हिँड्नु पनि एक सुरक्षा हो भनेर चित्त बुझाउने काम भयो । तर यो सुरक्षा दृष्टिले सही तरिका थिएन । बिहान सात बजे सकुशल त्रिशूली ब्यारेक पुगियो ।
त्यसदिनको सन्दर्भ यहाँ उद्धृत गर्नखोजेको कारण राति बाटोमा सायद मोटर चलाउँदा निद्रा लाग्ला भनेर होला, राजा वीरेन्द्रबाट नेपाली जनतामाथि पञ्चायतकालमा होस् वा ०४६ पछि राजनीतिक शोषण भएको बारेमा धेरै कुरा भयो । कुनै चित्त नबुझेको कुरामा केही उत्सुकता राख्दा उहाँबाट पुस्टयाइँ हुने किसिमले जवाफ आउँथ्यो । प्रसंगवश त्यसरात नेपाली सेनाको ब्यारेकको कुरा निस्कियो । उहाँले ब्यारेक निरिक्षणका क्रममा सेनाका कमाण्डरहरूले दुइटा कुरामा मुख्य ध्यान दिनुपर्ने उल्लेख गर्नुभयो । त्यो हो, सिपाहीको भान्छा र शौचालय । यी दूई ठाउँ सुविधाजनक भए, अरू ठाउँ त्यसै ठीक हुन्छ भन्ने उहाँको भनाइ थियो । जहिले पनि ब्यारेक भ्रमण हुँदा सिपाहीसँग कुरा गर्न रूचाउने राजा वीरेन्द्र क्वाटरगार्ड निरीक्षणमा सिपाहीसँग भलाकुसारी नगरेको क्षण यो पंक्तिकारलाई थाहा छैन ।
२०४६ सालमा क्षेत्रपाटी, चाक्सीबारीमा केही भारतीय नेताहरूसहितको उपस्थितिमा हुनलागेको आमसभा त्यसबेलाको सरकारले रोक्न खोज्दा राजा वीरेन्द्रबाट उनीहरूलाई आमसभा गर्न देउ, बाँकी निर्णय जनताले गर्छन् भन्ने निर्देशन भयो । ०४७ सालको संविधान बनाउने सम्बन्धमा कैयौंपटक राजा वीरेन्द्र र संविधान बनाउने टोलीबीच विशेषगरी तत्कालीन प्रधानमन्त्रीसँग अन्तरक्रिया भइरहन्थ्यो । वीरन्द्रले ०४७ सालको संविधानलाई बढी परिस्कृत र व्यावहारिक बनाउन केही सुझाव र सल्लाह दिइरहनुहुन्थ्यो ।
नेपाली जनता, राजनीतिक पार्टी, नेता वा कसैबाट पनि बन्धक हुनुहुन्न र यदि बन्धक हुन वा गराउन खोजिएमा त्यसलाई मुक्त गर्न अन्य स्थापित राज्यहरूको संविधानको मूल्य-मान्यता हेरेर परिस्कृत बनाउनुपर्छ भन्ने उहाँको सोच थियो । सोही अनुरूप त्यसबेलाका प्रधानमन्त्रीसँग ०४७ सालको संविधानको मस्यौदामा केही हेरफेर गर्नुपर्ने सुझाव राजा वीरेन्द्रबाट हुँदा बाहिर संविधानमाथि राजाबाट हस्तक्षेप हुनलाग्यो भन्ने आरोप लाग्यो । त्यसपछि उहाँले तुरुन्तै प्रधानमन्त्रीलाई दरबारमा बोलाई 'यो संविधान तपाईंहरूले बनाउनु त भयो, यसमा धेरै राम्रा कूराहरू पनि छन्, तर यसमा जनताका प्रतिनिधिको रूपमा रहेका प्रधानमन्त्री शक्तिसम्पन्न कागजी रूपमा देखिएका छन्, पछि व्यवहारमा निरीह हुनसक्छन्' भन्ने कुरा राख्नुभयो । त्यसैले यो संविधानले १० वर्षजति त धान्ला, त्यसपछि गार्‍हो पर्नसक्छ भन्ने विचार त्यसबेला राजा वीरेन्द्रबाट व्यक्त भएको थियो । यसको स्मरण सम्बन्धित व्यक्तिहरूमा आज आएर भएको हुनुपर्छ ।
राजा वीरेन्द्रले कहिल्यै पनि आफूलाई अविकसित र अशिक्षित देशको कमजोर राष्ट्रप्रमुखको रूपमा प्रस्तुत गरेको पाइँदैन । अन्य देशका राजनीतिक व्यक्तित्व, प्रशासक र योजनाकारहरूसँग हुने विचार आदान-प्रदान जहिले पनि अविकसित देशको समस्या कसरी समाधान गर्न सकिन्छ भन्नेमै केन्दि्रत हुन्थ्यो । यसै सन्दर्भमा राजा वीरेन्द्रबाट संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघको आयोजनामा भएको अल्पविकसित सम्मेलनमा उद्घोष भएको १६ भदौ २०३८ को सम्बोधनको केही लाइन यहाँ प्रस्तुत गर्नु सान्दर्भिक देखिन्छ ः 'मैले बोलेको यसैबेला दालभातका लागि कराइरहेको एउटा बालकको आवाज म सुन्छु । तर हामी उसलाई दालभात अथवा रोटीको बदला बम दिन्छौं । ऊ दयाको भीख माग्दै हामीतिर हेर्छ । तर हामी उसलाई निर्दयताको तिरस्कार दिन्छौं र ऊ शान्तिको कामना गर्छ, हामी युद्धको तयारी गर्छौं ।' के यो विकसित भनाउँदा देशको लागि चुनौती थिएन र ?
अर्कोर् उदाहरण काठमाडौंमा आयोजित सार्कको तेस्रो शिखर सम्मेलन -१६ कात्तिक २०४४) को सन्देशबाट पनि लिन सकिन्छ, जसमा 'राष्ट्रहरूलाई खण्डित गर्ने विचारधाराको जसरी नेपालले दृढताका साथ विरोध गर्दै आएको छ, त्यसरी नै एक मुलुकमाथि अर्को मुलुकको कुनै पनि प्रकारको अधिपत्यको नेपाल विरोध गर्छ ।' यी उदाहरणबाट राष्ट्र र राष्ट्रियताको लागि राजा अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय र क्षेत्रीयस्तरमा आफ्नो विचारको पारदर्शिता निर्भीक र नीडर रूपमा प्रस्तुत भएको पाइन्छ ।
०४७ सालपछिको अन्तरिम शासनकालमा कृष्णप्रसाद भट्टराई प्रधानमन्त्री हुँदा कालीमाटीमा केही प्रहरीहरू निर्ममतापूर्वक मारिए, जसले गर्दा प्रहरीभित्रै विद्रोह सुरु भयो । त्यसबाट तत्कालीन नेताहरू आतंकित हुनथाले । त्यस स्थितिमा प्रधानमन्त्री भट्टराई राजिनामा लिएर दरबार पुग्नुभयो । राजाबाट उहाँलाई आश्वस्त पार्दै निर्देशन भयो, 'तपाईं नआत्तिनुहोस्, धैर्य लिएर काम गर्नुहोस्, म सहयोग गर्छु ।' लगत्तै बहुदलीय व्यवस्थालाई सबैले सहयोग गर्नु भन्ने सन्देश राजाबाट बाहिर आयो । राज्यप्रमुख र सरकार प्रमुखबीच त्यस्तै संस्कार र इमान अहिले देख्न पाइएला ? राज्यप्रमुख र सरकार प्रमुखबीच अप्ठयारा परिस्थिति राजा वीरेन्द्रका पालामा पनि आएका थिए । तर त्यसलाई सुल्झाउन वीरेन्द्रबाट तत्कालीन सरकारलाई कति सहयोग र समर्थन हुन्थ्यो भन्ने कुरा हालसम्म जीवित त्यसबेलाका प्रधानमन्त्रीहरूलाई सम्झना हुनुपर्छ ।
राज्य सञ्चालनका दौरान दलहरू एवं नेताहरूबीच द्वन्द्व त हुन्छ नै, तर त्यो संहारका निम्ति नभई अग्रगामी विकासको निम्ति हुनुपर्छ । राजा वीरेन्द्रको राज्यकालमा भएका द्वन्द्वमा अग्रगामी राजनीतिक विकास नै भएको पाइन्छ । जस्तै- ०३० दसकको सुरुमा नेपाली कांग्रेसका दूरदर्शी नेता बीपी कोइराला र राजा वीरेन्द्रबीचको राष्ट्रिय मेलमिलापको नीति, ०३६, ४२ र ४६ मा भएको राजनीतिक किचलोमा राजा वीरेन्द्र र तत्कालीन शीर्ष नेताहरूको दूरदृष्टिले नै निकास पाएको होइन र ? राजनेतामा बदलाको भावना होइन, वास्तविकता महसुस गरेर देश निर्माणमा सँगै अगाडि बढ्न/बढाउन सक्ने क्षमता हुनुपर्छ ।
राजा वीरेन्द्रको उच्च शालिनता, राजनीतिक समस्याहरूलाई अग्रगामी विकासका लागि अवसरको रूपमा प्रयोग गर्नसक्ने क्षमता, अन्तर्राष्ट्रियस्तरमा नेपाललाई सशक्त रूपमा प्रस्तुत गर्नसक्ने गुणका बाबजुद यी विकासप्रेमी राजाको ०५८ जेठ १९ गते दरबारमा भएको अकल्पनीय घटनामा देहावसान भयो । जसले गर्दा उहाँलाई चिन्ने-जान्ने विश्वका थुपै्र मानिस शोकाकुल भए । कतिसम्म भने राजा वीरेन्द्रको शवयात्रा कमलपोखरी पुग्दा एक अधबैंसे तिब्बती मूलकी महिला निर्माणाधीन घरको छतबाट उहाँको खुलिरहेको मुहार हेर्दै मेरो राजा मर्दा पनि हाँसी-हाँसी मरेछन् भन्दै विह्वल हुँदै छतबाट शवयात्रामा भएको हुलमाथि खसेर मूच्र्छा परिन् । उनलाई अस्पताल नै लैजानुपरेको थियो ।
आज लाग्छ, हरेक नेपालीको घर-घरमा र राजा वीरेन्द्रलाई चिन्ने-बुझ्नेहरूको मनमस्तिष्कमा उहाँको अनुपस्थिति खड्किएको छ । उहाँको प्रस्थान भएको आठ वर्ष पूरा भएको यस घडीमा दिवंगत आत्माको चिर शान्तिको कामना ।
नेपाली सेनाका अवकाशप्राप्त उपरथी धमला ०३८ देखि ५८ सम्म तत्कालीन राजा वीरेन्द्रका अंगरक्षक थिए ।

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Ph D scholarship available inProject Invasion Biology

The Swiss Federal Research Institute Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon ART, located in Zürich, is looking for a highly motivated PhD student to join the biosafety group. This group is responsible for all aspects in research and implementation of biosafety issues related to or-ganisms used in biological control, to genetically modified plants and to invasive arthropods. The incumbent will work on a project funded by the Swiss Federal office for the Environment (http://www.bafu.admin.ch/) in collaboration with the University of Fribourg (http://www.unifr.ch/biol/ecology/).
Rationale:

Invasive alien species are regarded as one of the major threats to biodiversity. Invasion is a process involving several steps. The routes followed by invaders and processes enabling their survival and reproduction after arrival have received little attention. Sound knowledge on the initial dispersal stage is particularly important as early detection and eradication is considered the most cost-effective approach to reduce the negative impact of invasive species.
Ever-growing human travel, tourism and trade erased barriers between previously isolated geographical regions and facilitate the movement of animals and plants across bio-geographic regions. The worldwide airline transportation network contributes to unwanted species movement by providing frequent transportation, mostly of small organisms such as insects, along numerous routes. Climate, especially temperature has a strong and direct influence on insect development, reproduction and survival. A fundamental requirement for the establishment of any species outside its home range is that the potential invaded range must have suitable climatic conditions for the invader. Like invasive species, climate change is thought to represent a major threat to ecological equilibrium. Predicted climatic changes are expected to increase / decrease the geographical range, affect phenology, and influence the growth rate and development time of several species. Surprisingly, invasive species and! cli-mate change have largely been studied independently. The proposed project aims to identify pests and pathways (cargo type and origin) that are posing a high risk to European agriculture and ecosystems under current and future climates. This knowledge could be used to tailor inspection schemes and monitoring plans at and around airports for early detection, and to develop action plans for eradication campaigns for the most likely pest organisms. The project will be conducted in close collaboration with a research group at the University of Fribourg (Sven Bacher) as well as different international partners.
Requirements:

Applicants for the PhD position should hold a masters degree in Biology or Agronomy. Knowledge or expertise in applied entomology, statistical multivariate analyses, climate-matching tools (e.g. CLIMEX), large database management and interest in independent re-search and team work would be relevant. Good oral and written communication skills in Eng-lish are expected.
Conditions:

Total duration of the project is 3 years. The doctoral thesis will be done as a series of English manuscripts. The working place will be the Agroscope ART research station close to Zurich (http://www.art.admin.ch).
Start of the project: To be discussed
ApplicationsIf you are interested, please send your CV, certificates, and the names (with E-mail address) of potential referees per E-mail to Dr. Alexandre Aebi, Agroscope ART, Reckenholzstr. 191, 8046 Zurich, Switzerland, E-mail: alexandre.aebi@art.admin.ch.
The deadline for application is June 30, 2009.
For further information, please contact Dr. Alexandre Aebi via E-mail or phone (+41-44-3777669).

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Photos from Paris and Berlin trips

The families of nepalese students recently visited the capitals of Germany (Berlin) and France (Paris), the trip was very pleasant and memorable. These are few photos about our trips.

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Nepalese student families visited Paris

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Ph D scholarship available in Australia

"Effects of variation in groundwater level on health of woody vegetation in the Australian outback"
Degree PhD Duration 3 years (Start: June 2009)
Principal Supervisors Prof. Mark A. Adams, Dr. Pauline F. Grierson, Dr. Sebastian Pfautsch Institutions involved
Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource, University of Sydney

Ecosystems Research Group, School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia
Keywords: Tree water use, Ecosystem health, Wood anatomy, Eucalyptus spp., Hydrology
Outline:

The Pilbara, in the northwest of Australia, is an ancient landscape rich in minerals and has attracted large-scale mining operations.
Mining and several other industries and towns require the abstraction of groundwater. Changing the depth of water tables may affect vegetation, especially trees that may or may not be groundwater-dependent.
The proposed research will focus on how artificial lowering/raising of groundwater affects tree physiology, growth and health.
Students interested in this fascinating part of Australia and in developing knowledge of key and iconic species of Eucalyptus, Acacia and Melaleuca, as part of their PhD are strongly encouraged to apply. Research will use sap flow methods as well as a range of novel stable isotope approaches, micro-meteorological analyses, and model applications.
Goals:

On a global scale, ecology and national economies are increasingly intertwined. PhD graduates in this important area of strategic basic research are keenly sought as employees by industry, government and non-government organizations. PhD candidates in this program will learn how to design and apply techniques used widely in field-based ecological research. The University of Sydney is one of the world’s top 50 universities.
Prerequisites:

Applicants should hold a M. Sc. or equivalent (average mark above 80%) in a discipline relevant to the topic (forestry, ecology, biology, environmental sciences, hydrology). The research project requires a high level of autonomy and organization. Extended working periods in remote field locations will be required. The applicants must demonstrate a strong interest and experience in conducting interdisciplinary research and should be willing to co-operated with other researchers. The applicants must meet TOEFL requirements for enrolment at any Australian University. The successful candidate will have to move to Australia for the period of the project.
Scholarship and tuition fees:

Outstanding candidates will be eligible for a $27K pa living allowance. Tuition fees will not be applicable. A modest relocation allowance will be negotiated.
Application:

Applicants should sent and application letter, CV, the name, postal and email address of two persons familiar with the previous performance of the applicant to: s.pfautsch@usyd.edu.au

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