[Biojava-l] Phyloinformatics Summer of Code

[Hilmar Lapp]

(Apologies if you receive multiple copies of this. The message is  
being posted to multiple channels.)

(Note that leading developers from both Biojava and BioPerl are  
amongst the mentors.)

Phyloinformatics Summer of Code 2007

A collaborative Phyloinformatics Group, sponsored by the National  
Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent: http://www.nescent.org/), is  
working to develop user-interfaces, improve software interoperability  
and support data exchange standards in evolutionary bioinformatics.   
The specific projects are diverse in nature and range from the  
development of AJAX components for web-based bioinformatics  
applications, managing workflows using approaches from functional and  
logic programming, and developing data exchange standards for  
phylogenetic substitution models.

The Phyloinformatics group will be sponsoring student collaborators  
through the Google Summer of Code program (http://code.google.com/ 
soc), which provides undergraduate, masters and PhD students with a  
unique opportunity (over three summer months) to obtain hands-on  
experience writing and extending open-source software under the  
mentorship of experienced developers from around the world.  We are  
particularly targeting students interested in both evolutionary  
biology and software development.  Students will have one or more  
dedicated mentors with expertise in phylogenetic methods and open- 
source software development.  Our project proposals are flexible and  
can be adjusted in scope to match the skills of students with less  
programming proficiency. If the program sounds interesting to you but  
you are unsure whether you have the necessary skills, please email  
the mentors at phylosoc {at} nescent {dot} org.  We will work with  
those who are genuinely interested to find a project that fits your  
interest and skills.  Students will receive a stipend from Google and  
will be invited to participate in future collaborative events such as  
the NESCent Phyloinformatics Hackathons (http://www.nescent.org/wg/ 
phyloinformatics).

TO APPLY:
Students must apply on-line at the Google Summer of Code website  
(http://code.google.com/soc). The application period for students is  
now open and ends on Saturday, March 24, 2007 (one week from now).

The Phyloinformatics Summer of Code project and ideas page is at the  
following URL:
http://phyloinformatics.net/Phyloinformatics_Summer_of_Code_2007

The above page also contains links to the GSoC program rules,  
eligibility requirements, and stipend payment mechanism. We encourage  
all interested students to email any questions, or self-proposed  
project ideas, to phylosoc {at} nescent {dot} org. This will reach  
all prospective mentors.

Eligibility requirements for students:
http://code.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=60279&topic=10730

Stipend for students:
http://code.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=60322&topic=10731

Please disseminate this announcement to appropriate students at your  
institution.

Hilmar Lapp
Assistant Director for Informatics
NESCent