Area
Agricultural science
Sub-Discipline
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Austral University of Chile
- City: Valdivia,
- Commune: Valdivia,
- Region: Los Ríos Region
goals
The objective of the Doctoral Program in Forest Ecosystems and Natural Resources is to train researchers of the highest level in the Sciences associated with the Management and Conservation of Forest Ecosystems and Natural Resources. Graduates will possess an integrative and innovative vision in one or more of the following fields: ecology and restoration of native forest and plantations, invasive species, management of protected wild areas, forestry, obtaining and processing of biomaterials. As well as, in the areas of watershed hydrology, plant ecophysiology and effects of anthropic activities and climate change on the quality and quantity of ecosystem services evaluated at different spatial and temporal scales, through the description, monitoring and modeling of the natural resources and their relationship with the welfare of society.
Applicant Profile
The Doctoral Program in Forest Ecosystems and Natural Resources (DEFRN) considers a minimum income per year sufficient to maintain between 3-4 enrolled in the program to guarantee the basic financial sustainability of the DEFRN, as well as a maximum of 10 places per year for the entry of new students. The Program Committee has set this quota considering that the faculty are also involved in the development of the theses of the students of the previous Doctorate in Forestry Sciences.
The normal application period for the program is during the second semester of each year and will close 20 days before the CONICYT Doctoral Scholarship Contest. The Program Committee informs the candidates of their admissibility 10 days before the closing of the aforementioned contest. Successful candidates must enroll during the first academic semester of each year, unless they express in writing their willingness to do so the first semester of the following year. In this case, the Graduate School reserves the space for them. In the event that the admissible candidates are less than 10, an exceptional application period can be opened during the month of March of each year.
Applicants must meet the requirements established in the academic-administrative regulations of the Doctorate Program in Forest Ecosystems and Natural Resources and in the General Regulations for Doctoral Programs of the UACh.
The DEFRN Program has as an admission requirement that the applicant has the academic degree of Bachelor or Master in Conservation of Natural Resources, Renewable Natural Resources, Environmental Science, Forestry or Agriculture or related (for example, in areas related to forest sciences, natural resources, environmental management, biology and botany and agricultural sciences, among others). Applicants with bachelor's or master's degrees other than those described may apply, since ultimately the affinity of the academic degree with the doctoral program is sanctioned by the Program Committee when the applicant's background is reviewed.
The academic degree of Bachelor or Master of the applicant must be awarded by Chilean or foreign higher education institutions. However, those who are in the process of the bachelor's or master's degree process at a Chilean university can apply. In the latter case, this situation must be accredited by means of a certificate issued by the competent authority of the home university.
The application process is carried out online through a platform implemented for the case since 2017 and available at http://www.uach.cl/postgrado/principal/postlaciones. Applicants must provide the following documents established in the General Regulations for Doctoral Programs of the UACh:
to. Complete the application for admission, to which you must attach the following documents:
i. Curriculum vitae duly supported with certificates and documents.
ii. Letter with Declaration of Interests and motivation for the application.
iii. Support from a teacher of the program. To do this, you must contact the teacher (s) of the program related to the area or theme you want to develop and who can accommodate you in your work team.
iv. At the time of application, hold the academic degree of Bachelor, awarded by Chilean or foreign higher education institutions, with a minimum duration of 8 semesters completed.
v. Certificate of title and / or degrees.
saw. Officialized concentration of grades of their titles or degrees.
vii. If you have studied abroad, you must include a certificate issued by the higher education institution, explaining the equivalences.
viii. When the home university does not issue a certificate of equivalences, the applicant must present one based on the conversion scale of the Graduate School of the Faculty of Forestry and Natural Resources.
ix. Accredit academic excellence with at least one of the following requirements: Have obtained a final undergraduate average equal to or greater than 5.0, out of a maximum of seven (7.0) or its equivalent; or be within the top 30% of the undergraduate ranking.
x. Undergraduate Ranking Certificate where the position that the applicant occupied is explicitly stated with respect to the total number of graduates (the number of graduates must be stated). In case of not having such certification, a certificate from the university must be presented that demonstrates the inexistence of such indicator.
xi. Letter of recommendation from two academics, who can give references of the applicant.
xii. Medical certificate certifying health compatible with Program activities.
xiii. Applicants who have studied abroad must present their legalized background.
xiv. In the event that the applicant maintains an employment relationship during the development of the doctoral program, a letter of support from his employer must be attached, stating his commitment to grant the necessary facilities so that he can carry out the activities of the study plan ( require a minimum of 36 h / week of dedication to undertake the study plan).
b) Information regarding entry and selection requirements, and application deadlines are available on the website of the Graduate School of the Faculty of Forest Sciences and Natural Resources.
Graduate profile
Graduates of the program will have competencies and abilities to formulate and execute research projects, generate autonomous scientific contributions or form interdisciplinary research groups in the field of Forest Ecosystems and Natural Resources. Specifically, graduates of the program will develop said competencies in one or more of the following lines: Ecology, Conservation and Ecosystem Restoration; Forestry and Natural Resource Modeling; o Water Resources and Global Change. The foregoing, acquired through strong training in research processes and procedures and an integrative vision, which will allow them to detect and solve complex problems, allowing them to work in universities, research centers and public and private institutions, both national and foreign.
In order to define and evaluate in quantitative terms the competencies that the profile establishes, the program has prepared a document detailing generic and specific competences and their evaluation instances during the program.
Lines of investigation
The Doctorate in Forest Ecosystems and Natural Resources comprises three main lines of research:
1.-Ecology, Conservation and Restoration of Ecosystems. It includes the study of the dynamics, structure and function of ecosystems, and the design of plans for the conservation of biodiversity and restoration of forests and other ecosystems. In it, topics related to the performance of species in extreme environments, plant ecophysiology, paleoclimate, ecology of global change, ecosystem services, and the dynamics of ecosystems modulated by anthropic and natural disturbances are developed.
2.-Forestry and Modeling of Natural Resources. It is aimed at providing solutions so that society can obtain multiple goods and services from native forests, forest plantations and other natural resources in a sustainable way. For this, it considers the monitoring and modeling of ecosystem processes, as well as their dynamic interactions with society, aimed at maximizing environmental efficiency in the use of forest and natural resources.
3.-Water Resources and Global Change. It covers the study of the availability and dynamics of natural and water resources, at different spatial and temporal scales, from micro-basins to macro-regions, and from specific events to periods of hundreds and thousands of years; in interaction with the effects of human activities and climate change on the quality and quantity of these resources.