PRR Project

Summary

The prospective employee will conduct interdisciplinary research in the crossroads between biological sciences, history of science, and museum studies. Research topics should have a particular focus on the biodiversity of the Portuguese speaking world, its natural history collections and scientific heritage. The employee will retrieve data from the past to consolidate modern knowledge, answers new and cutting-edge research questions, and contribute to the UN Development Agenda and other pressing global needs. The prospective employee will be responsible to create a modern school of natural history in the country, that will work as a scientific hub primarily between Portugal, the Portuguese speaking countries in Africa, South America and Asia, but also in other countries where BIOPOLIS-InBIO has established partnerships. Such natural history school aim to contribute to cataloguing the still undescribed diversity of life on the planet by applying modern and technologically advanced methods to the historical disciplines of taxonomy, systematics and nomenclature and to train a new generation of global naturalists. Concomitantly, this school will aim to develop protocols to retrieve data from historical natural history collections and archives, in an approach that can be described as “applied history of science”, where traditional historical research methods will be complemented by modern technologies such as artificial intelligence applied to data extraction of historical documents, the extraction and amplification of ancient DNA from historical specimens, the use of CT-Scans for the study of internal and external specimen morphology, and the use of other molecular techniques to retrieve other sources of data from specimens, adopting the extended specimen concept as the its conceptual core. In parallel to the biological and historical research, the employee, through this school of natural history, will also work on aspects related to the use, management and conservation of natural history collections and its associated practices. This includes research on the multidisciplinary nature of biological specimens and the development of modern solutions to its preservation, training students, technicians and researchers on the best practices of specimen collecting and preservation, conservation and restoration of natural history specimens, and best policies for using and managing natural history collections. The employee is expected to have a prolific scientific production, with the publication of high impact scientific papers in international peer-reviewed journals, books, and teaching materials, as well as the ability to attract students and postdoctoral fellowships. Finally, the employee is expected to promote and disseminate the scientific knowledge to the public sphere, through the publication of science popularization articles in newspapers, popular books, public talks, and documentaries.For such position, BIOPOLIS-InBIO is looking for an experienced biologist/historian of science with an outstanding track record in the aforementioned areas. Experience in taxonomy and systematics is fundamental, especially a good track records on species descriptions and taxonomic revisions, and all its associated activities, such as specimen collecting, ability to endure and organize field work in tropical areas, ability to use historical specimens in modern research, etc. Proven knowledge and experience in the areas of history of science is critical, as well as in curation, management and research in natural history collections. This experience in history of science and collections is preferably related to the Portuguese speaking world, which has its own particularities and challenges. Experience in biological nomenclature and its associated debates is also fundamental to this role. BIOPOLIS-InBIO expects that the employee has a wide web of international contacts and active participation in international scientific societies and/or commissions. The employee should also have a good record of complete and/or ongoing student supervisions, both at master’s and PhD levels.Expertise in natural history is exceedingly rare in the world and it is almost unavailable in Portugal and in the Portuguese speaking world. Such school and its associated research and training doesn’t exist in any research unit or university in Portugal. Many researchers, students, and technicians in both biodiversity research centers as BIOPOLIS-InBIO or in museums across the world demand support and training in such critical and fundamental areas. Establishing a natural history school/laboratory BIOPOLIS-InBIO will contribute to reinforce the center as a leading research institution in Europe and attract international students, postdoctoral fellows, collaborators and projects. At the same time, such position will be able to fulfill the demands of BIOPOLIS-InBIO extended partners in the TwinLabs networks in Africa and Brazil.