Description of the thesis topic

The thesis aims to (1) decipher the interactions between nano and microstructures in the genesis of multifunctional properties associated with transparency: optical properties, thermal properties and wetting properties in around thirty species of transparent butterflies with a variety of structures; (2) examine how species integrate variations in their environment at the macroscopic scale and achieve the multifunctional trade-off in action by conducting behavioural experiments; (3) integrate these two approaches to characterise the multifunctional landscape linking structures (nano and micro) to functions, identify synergies and trade-offs, and put the behavioural modulation back into the picture to understand multifunctionality.
The thesis is at the frontier between physics and biology: it involves a strong modelling component in various areas of physics as well as comparative analyses in biology (objectives 1 and 3), characterisation and manipulation of structures and various experimental measurements (objectives 1 and 2), and behavioural experiments under controlled conditions in the field in Ecuador (objective 2). Since transparency is an area that has been little studied, the results will be easy to publish in quality journals.

Work Context

Understanding the biological determinants of multifunctionality is a major issue in both biology and physics, but this has been relatively little studied because it involves working at the frontiers between different disciplines. Transparency in Lepidoptera has appeared many times independently and is underpinned by a novel structural diversity (at nano, micro and macroscopic scales) that we have characterised in previous projects. Our work has suggested the existence of varied structural solutions with similar properties (optical, wetting) and potential trade-offs between different vital functions (thermoregulation, wetting, camouflage). It therefore seems crucial to take advantage of the progress made in our knowledge of butterfly transparency to examine multifunctionality and its structural determinants, as well as the multifunctional compromises selected by evolution in different environmental contexts.
The thesis will be carried out mainly at ISYEB, the Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité du and at the Centre de Recherche sur les Collections, a laboratory specialising in optics and chemistry, both of which are laboratories of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris. The thesis will be supervised by Marianne Elias (ISYEB), and co-supervised by Christine Andraud (CRC) , Doris Gomez (CEFE) and Thierry Ondarçuhu (IMFT).
Visits will be planned at the IMFT in Toulouse and the CEFE in Montpellier, where the project's collaborators are based. The student will be required to work as part of a team, with all the project partners and in the field in Ecuador, initially accompanied and then working independently. He/she will also interact with the German partner (Karlsruhe) associated with the project.
The thesis will be attached to the MNHN doctoral school (ED227).

Constraints and risks

Location of the thesis. The research work will be carried out at the ISYEB and CRC laboratories of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, at the CEFE in Montpellier and at the IMFT in Toulouse. A long mission to Tena in Ecuador is also planned. If political conditions are not favourable, the mission will be postponed to Peru, Colombia or Panama.

Additional Information

Qualifications for the position:
For this position, you must meet the following prerequisites:
- Solid training in ecology or evolution
- Excellent programming (R, Python, etc.) and statistical skills
- Scientific curiosity and autonomy
- A strong interest in interdisciplinarity
- Fluency in written and spoken English
- Intellectual rigour
- Good teamwork skills and adaptability

The following would be a highly appreciated bonus
- Knowledge, experience and interest in physics
- At least one field experience
- Spoken and written knowledge of Spanish


Recruitment process
All applications must be submitted via this portal (i.e. the CNRS Job Portal) by May 26, 2024 and must include:
- CV (2 pages maximum)
- Covering letter briefly mentioning your background, your interest in the post, and why you think you would be the perfect person for the job (1 page)
- Academic transcripts for undergraduate and Master1 degrees
- Contact details of two referees
- One or two examples of scientific writing where available (as a public link or sent privately)
For a full examination of your application, all the items listed above must be included or their absence justified.
Informal e-mail requests prior to full applications are welcome.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview in June 2024.