Prospective Students and Postdocs

I am always looking for enthusiastic and motivated students to join the lab! My new lab begins several innovative projects to explore the impacts of climate and global warming on different levels of ecological systems, from individuals, to populations and communities. There are several exciting opportunities for Master and PhD students.  Undergraduate students are also welcome to assist in our on going studies or develop their own independent projects. If you are interested in joining the lab, please contact me at levyofi@gmail.com.
I also welcome international students. For information on fellowship opportunities for foreign students, please visit the Tel Aviv University International website.  

In my lab, you should be prepared to engage in both empirical and computational approaches to maximize your research goals, but you will also have the ability to develop your project according to your own strengths and interests. I will encourage you to challenge yourself and to develop skills that will not only make your research stand out, but will also make you a strong candidate for your next academic or industrial appointment. In my lab, you will get experience on how to (1) design and build an experiment based on the research questions; (2) collect, save, verify and analyze your data; (3) and present and publish your results.  As a lab, we will regularly attend scientific meetings, where you get the chance to present your research to other scientists and get feedback and inspiration from the work of others. If interested, please send me a short statement explaining your research interests and previous research experience. 

I am also looking to recruit excellent post docs, especially with a strong experience integrating  empirical and modeling approaches. If interested, please send me a short statement of research interests, CV, and examples of publications. Below are some links to funding opportunities:
Fulbright Fellowships (US candidates)
Fellowships of the French International Volunteers Program
The Azrieli Fellows Program (Canadian candidates)
The Zukerman STEM Leadership Program (US and Canadian candidates)
​The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities (IASH) Postdoctoral Fellowships
Branco Weiss Fellowships

Possible Research Directions

The effect of climate on lizards

The variety of lizards and habitats in Israel makes it a natural laboratory to study how lizards are adapted to different environments. The lab especially focuses on the ability of lizard embryos to complete development under harsh environments using behavioral and physiological adaptations.  

Using deep-learning to calculate microclimates

As deep-learning is revolutionizing data analysis, the lab aims to adapt this technique for improving current  approaches that transform point data (e.g., from weather stations) to maps of microclimates at the surrounding area. 

Infectious diseases under climate change 

Infectious diseases are spreading worldwide into regions that were previously too cold for insect hosts. To better understand these phenomena, the lab is developing a research program to study how climate affects the spread of sandflies, one of the vector species of the Leishmaniasis disease.

Modeling risks of heat-strokes in human hikers

The frequency and spread of heat-related illnesses are increasing globally. The lab aims to develop models that  map the risks of overheating, especially under natural conditions (e.g., hiking activity).

Simulating climatic constraints on predator-prey interactions 

Although top-speed is considered the main factor determining predation success, animals' ability to maintain their body temperatures during chasing or escaping may also have important consequences for survival. The lab aims to explore how climate may affect evolutionary arms race between predator species and their prey.

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