Who Should Apply:
Senior-level graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, junior and senior investigators that are interested in learning how to leverage sequence-based genomic resources to understand coral health and disease. No previous experience with bioinformatic tools is required. Maximum of 20 participants.

Cost
The course is sponsored by NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program though the Coral Disease and Health Consortium which allows us to offer the course at minimal cost. All meals and lodging at the National Wildlife Conservation Training Center in Shepardstown, WV, which is located approximately 60 miles west of Washington Dulles International Airport, Sterling, VA, are included for those accepted to the course.

Participants will be responsible for any incidental charges they incur.

Travel Scholarships
Limited scholarships are available for applicants for travel costs and are subject to open competition. Please see our application information and terms and conditions.

Applications
Applicants will be required to complete an application form containing their CV together with a 1000 word maximum statement of the relevance of the course to their research and tell us how you will benefit from taking the course. See the Application Form for details. Note: The application deadline is January 15, 2009.

Please note that postdoctoral or PhD student applications will require a letter of support from the applicant's supervisor or head of department.
Please note: Incomplete applications will be rejected.

Selection Criteria
Applications will be reviewed by members of the course faculty and applications will be ranked based on the following criteria:

• Involvement in coral reef research or evidence of proposed involvement
• Demonstrated ability to apply the training skills for research in home institution
• Availability for the entire duration of the course
• Predoctoral students and postdocs should have at least one letter of support included in application submission
• Provide a 1- 2 page essay, that includes a) description of current research b) how bioinformatics and access to genomic resources could enhance the current project, and c) some evidence of home institution commitment to apply genomics tools

Application form

Applications and letters of support should be sent to:
Dr. Cheryl Woodley
Coral Health and Disease Program
DOC/NOAA/NOS/NCCOS
Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research
Hollings Marine Laboratory
331 Fort Johnson Rd.
Charleston, SC 29412
"Email" <cheryl.woodley barney noaa fred gov>