 |
|
|
| View this newsletter online |
 |
Research School for Socio-Economic and
Natural Sciences of the Environment |
| SENSE e-News |
|
|
  |
Newsletter September 2018
30 August 2018 |
|
 |
| • |
Stress factors in a PhD trajectory? ›› |
| • |
Veni grants for Maryna Strokal and Franziska Glassmeijer (WUR) ›› |
| • |
Overview of PhD graduations upcoming period ›› |
| • |
Principles of Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics, 26-28 September ›› |
| • |
Summer School Archetype analysis in sustainability research, 8-12 October ›› |
| • |
A1 SENSE Introductory Course, 17-19 October ›› |
| • |
Overview of PhD / postdoc courses September - November ›› |
| • |
Overview of recently announced PhD / postdoc courses ›› |
| • |
B-Wise: Bioinformatics@Wageningen Seminar Series, 4 September ›› |
| • |
R-Ladies Wageningen, 4 September ›› |
| • |
IHE PhD symposium Nature for Water: Overcoming water challenges with sustainable solutions, 1-2 October ›› |
| • |
International Conference Water science for impact, 16-18 October ›› |
| • |
2018 Utrecht Conference on Earth System Governance: Governing Global Sustainability in a Complex World - Key Research Insights & New Research Directions, 5-8 November ›› |
| • |
Overview of upcoming events ›› |
| • |
New Collective Labour Agreement (CAO) Dutch Universities with improved arrangements for postdocs and employed PhD candidates ›› |
| • |
Promovendus: kom eens achter dat bureau vandaan ›› |
| • |
NWO Network event for women in science, 27 September ›› |
| • |
NWO call Living Labs in the Dutch Delta, application deadline 1 November ›› |
| • |
Vacancies at SENSE Partners ›› |
| • |
Other vacancies in the SENSE field ›› |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Editorial |
 |
| Stress factors in a PhD trajectory? |
It may sound so easy: ‘doing a PhD’ – but in fact it comes with (hopefully a lot of) ‘ups’ and (usually also some) ‘downs’. This challenge requires our full attention: one approach that will definitely not work at all would be ‘looking away’.
Therefore we are very pleased with the initiative taken by IVM/SENSE PhD candidate Anaïs Couasnon (Anaïs has a background in civil engineering, perhaps she has learned to ‘build bridges’ there – I wonder). On Thursday 30 August, a special PhD meeting takes/took place at IVM (due to Summer absences, communication may come too late for some to actually participate).
However, the preparations for this meeting also include a poll on PhD stress factors which includes 7 questions on this important subject for you: all SENSE PhD candidates are heartily invited to go to http://www.sense.nl/news_events/events/10895775/Reducing-Stress-at-Work-Improving-Mental-Health-SENSE-PhD-workshop-at-IVM-VU and find this poll there for you to answer (pls do so, your feedback will be highly appreciated – of course, you are also welcome to approach Anaïs directly about a possible follow-up). Obviously, many factors can be relevant for dealing with stress – but one of the possible remedies or mitigations is definitely enjoying the support potential of your networks, such as the SENSE network.
One upcoming opportunity to enjoy the SENSE network benefits is to participate in the IHE, Delft Symposium on 1-2 October: http://www.sense.nl/news_events/events/10894594/IHE-PhD-symposium-Nature-for-Water-Overcoming-water-challenges-with-sustainable-solutions (also organized by IHE/SENSE PhD candidates, follow link to find their names). Their message to all SENSE PhD candidates is quite clear in their invitation: “With the goal of integrating the [SENSE] PhD community, we also welcome a certain number of presentations from external PhD students on relevant topics”.
So, we hope to see many of you then and there – perhaps it may seem like an ‘additional stress factor’ to you at first sight... but I can assure you that the down to earth and friendly atmosphere of IHE, Delft will contribute to finding your own strengths (in combination with the pleasure of sharing ideas and friendships).
For the newest recruits in the SENSE family, we point to the next upcoming SENSE A1 Introductory course ‘Research in Context’, which will take place on 17-19 October in Soest: make sure to register timely at https://myportal.sense.nl/course/view.php?id=28 – we look forward to working with you in that course.
Let’s make SENSE together!
Ad van Dommelen |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Upcoming PhD Graduations |
|
| Overview of PhD graduations upcoming period |
- Kevin Broecks
Solving the communicator's dilemma for Carbon Capture and Storage
31 August 2018, Utrecht University, Innovation Studies - Innovation Dynamics of Emerging Technologies
- Tesfaye Cholo
Land fragmentation and sustainable land management as climate change adaptation strategy in Ethiopia
5 September 2018, Wageningen University, Soil Physics and Land Management
- Folmer Krikken
Understanding the predictability of Arctic climate
5 September 2018, Wageningen University, Meteorology and Air Quality
- Susakul Palakawong Na Ayudthaya
Organic acid production from starch-y waste by gut derived microorganisms
7 September 2018, Wageningen University, Microbiology
- Yared Ashenafi Bayissa
Developing an impact-based combined drought index for monitoring crop yield anomalies in the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia
IHE Delft, Hydroinformatics
Graduation date: 11 September 2018
- Julia Stürck
Mapping and modelling spatio-temporal dynamics of ecosystem services and land use change in the EU
13 September 2018, VU University Amsterdam, Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Spatial Analysis and Decision Support
- Efthymia Pavlidou
Time series analysis of remotely-sensed TIR emission: linking anomalies to physical processes
27 September 2018, University of Twente, Department of Earth Systems Analysis
|
|
|
 |
| Upcoming Courses |
|
| Principles of Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics, 26-28 September |
| Ecological genomics is a quite new scientific discipline, which studies ecological complexity, nutrient cycles, life-history patterns and responses of organisms to environmental stress at the genomic level. Analysis of environmental genomes will improve our understanding of ecosystem functions and biodiversity and may help to define and measure environmental quality. This course is intended for those just embarking on genomics within an ecological setting and teaches the fundamentals of the discipline, while concentrating on ecological questions. The course will focus on three topics, each of which is treated by introductory lectures, assignments, case studies and student presentations. |
|
|
|
| Summer School Archetype analysis in sustainability research, 8-12 October |
Interdisciplinary sustainability research, e.g., on land-use or adaptation to climate change, is increasingly confronted with the difficulties of embracing complexity while building and testing theories that synthesize such complexity into actionable theories. Comparative case studies are frequently employed for this task. However, rigorous comparative approaches are yet frequently hampered by (i) a high heterogeneity of cases that limit generalization, and (ii) multiple epistemic perspectives (e.g. from institutional economics, geography or modelling) that are not easily integrated. In recent years, archetype analysis has been evolving as an approach to deal with this twofold challenge.
The summer school provides a cutting-edge introduction to archetype analysis by internationally leading experts. The approach will be trained by hands-on applications, accompanied by an introduction to and training of suitable analytical methods (Qualitative Comparative Analysis or Cluster Analysis), and further developed. |
|
|
|
| A1 SENSE Introductory Course, 17-19 October |
| In the SENSE course 'Environmental Research in Context' several perspectives and approaches to analyse and to solve environmental problems are discussed. You will find out how your own research project fits within other (multi-) disciplinary approaches and you will discuss the advantages and the disadvantages of your approach compared to these alternatives. |
|
|
|
| Overview of PhD / postdoc courses September-November 2018 |
- Advanced Microeconomics (NEW)
3 September - 26 October 2018, Wageningen
- Theories for Business Decisions (NEW)
3 September - 23 October 2018, Wageningen
- Analysing Discourse: Theories, Methods and Techniques (NEW)
3 September - 12 October 2018, Wageningen
- Advanced Social Theory (NEW)
3 September - 24 October 2018, Wageningen
- Hydrological and Hydrogeological Field Methods
5-6 September 2018, UFZ Leipzig, Germany
- Farming Systems and Rural Livelihoods - Pathways to sustainable development (NEW)
16-28 September 2018, Uganda
- Mapping Ecosystem Services
18-19 September 2018, UFZ Leipzig, Germany
- Ethics in Environmental Research: Arguments for the Conservation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
20 September 2018, UFZ Leipzig, Germany
- Geostatistics for Water Management and Environmental Sciences
24-28 September 2018, Delft
- Principles of Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics
26-28 September 2018, Wageningen
- PCDI course Employability Outside Academia
28 September, 19 October and 16 November 2018 (all Fridays; spare date: 14 December), Utrecht
- Understanding and Managing Technology Conflicts – A course for natural scientists
1 October 2018, UFZ Germany
- Summer School Archetype analysis in sustainability research
8-12 October 2018, Germany
- Business Development Course (NEW)
9, 16 & 30 October 2018, Leeuwarden
- Big Data in the life sciences (NEW)
15-19 October 2018, Wageningen
- Bayesian Statistics (NEW)
15-16 October 2018, Wageningen
- A1 SENSE Introductory Course
17-19 October 2018, Soest
- Linking Community and Ecosystem Dynamics
21-26 October 2018, Schiermonnikoog
- Risk Assessment
22-26 October 2018, Wageningen
- Utrecht Winter School on Earth System Governance 2018
31 October - 4 November 2018, Utrecht
- Handling and Analyzing Geospatial Data in R
5-6 November 2018, UFZ Germany
- Introduction to R for statistical analysis (NEW)
8-9 November 2018, Wageningen
- Basic Course 'Electron Microscopy from A to W' (NEW)
12-16 November 2018, Amsterdam & Wageningen
- Ecology for non-ecologists
26 November - 19 December 2018, Sweden
|
| Overview of recently announced PhD / postdoc courses |
|
In case you are interested in either participating or teaching a course that is currently not in the programme, please do not hesitate and contact us with your suggestions. |
|
|
| Discussion groups |
|
| B-Wise: Bioinformatics@Wageningen Seminar Series, 4 September |
| A large number of researchers routinely apply state-of-the-art bioinformatics tools or develop novel algorithms to analyze their data. Through B-Wise, the Bioinformatics@Wageningen Seminar Series, we aim to bring people together on a regular basis to exchange ideas, discuss problems, present our research and learn from each other.Each first Tuesday of the month we meet over lunch (starting at 12.00), followed by two short scientific presentations on bioinformatics research in various groups. |
|
|
| R-Ladies Wageningen, 4 September |
| The first official meetup of the R-Ladies Wageningen! We will discuss our ideas for the coming meetups. Bring your friends! |
|
|
| Upcoming Events |
|
| IHE PhD symposium Nature for Water: Overcoming water challenges with sustainable solutions, 1-2 October |
We are pleased to announce the PhD symposium 2018 scheduled for 1st-2nd October, 2018 to be held at IHE Delft, Institute for Water Education. This symposium will provide a unique opportunity for PhD fellows/students to present their research to the IHE community.
The theme for the 2018 PhD symposium is “Nature for Water: Overcoming Water Challenges with Sustainable Solutions” and will run under 4 main topics. We welcome presentations which make a statement on the theme of the symposium.
With the goal of integrating the PhD community, we also welcome a certain number of presentations from external PhD students on relevant topics. |
|
|
|
| International Conference Water science for impact, 16-18 October |
| Water Science for Impact will focus on water quality and quantity in the broadest sense. The conference brings together leaders in science, policy, and the public and private sectors to examine water science from a multidisciplinary perspective. Water science is crucial to expanding our understanding of water quality and quantity related issues that humankind encounters. Such understanding is key towards identifying critical water-related challenges, developing novel solutions and implementing steps that contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals. We welcome contributions from both the natural and social sciences, as well as from stakeholders and decision makers and from private and public sectors. |
|
|
|
| 2018 Utrecht Conference on Earth System Governance: Governing Global Sustainability in a Complex World - Key Research Insights & New Research Directions, 5-8 November |
The 2018 Utrecht Conference stands in a long tradition of global conferences on earth system governance, from Amsterdam (2007 and 2009) to Colorado (2011), Lund (2012), Tokyo (2013), Norwich (2014), Canberra (2015), Nairobi (2016), and Lund (2017). In this long-standing event series, the Utrecht Conference will have a special status: in 2018, the Earth System Governance Project’s current Science and Implementation Plan will be replaced by a new 10-year science plan; and new, enthusiastic leadership will take over the helm of our project.
This conference will hence focus on harvesting the many findings of our community over the last decade, combined with a bold outlook to the future and the next scientific challenges for earth system governance research. |
|
|
|
| Overview of upcoming events |
| Recently announced: |
- Symposium Drought, plant hydraulic traits and vegetation modeling
4 September 2018, Wageningen
- From water to waste to product - The next step of water recycling: how to upcycle waste-water into useable material?
4 September 2018, Amsterdam
- Seminar Rune Graversen "On the linkage between atmospheric circulation and Arctic sea-ice melt"
5 September 2018, Wageningen
- European Water Tech Week 2018: Connecting Global Water Tech Hubs
24-27 September 2018, Leeuwarden
- De snelste weg naar Parijs: klimaattafels of 'hard ingrijpen'?
24 September 2018, VVM Utrecht
- Symposium "Earth Futures"
19 October 2018, Wageningen
- Eleventh Annual Meeting of the Integrated Assessment Modeling Consortium IAMC
13-15 November 2018, Spain
- Symposium Dier of ding? - Ethische dilemma's in het natuurbeheer
24 November 2018, Utrecht
- ESP regional conference Africa 2019: "Management of Ecosystem Services for Nature Conservation and Human Wellbeing in Africa"
4-8 February 2019, Togo, Africa
|
| Full list of interesting upcoming events: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tips |
|
| New Collective Labour Agreement (CAO) Dutch Universities with improved arrangements for postdocs and employed PhD candidates |
On 30 June 2018 the VSNU and four Labour Unions agreed upon a new Collective Labour Agreement (CAO), that runs from 1 July 2017 till 31 December 2019.
The new CAO contains improved arrangements with regard to postdocs and PhD candidates with an employment at the university.
One of the points we would like to bring to your attention, is the improved arrangement about taking parental leave by PhD candidates. In the former CAO a PhD candidate had the right to take parental leave, but without the right to an extension of employment. This made taking parental leave by PhD candidates an unappealing option, unless the chairgroup was willing to pay for the extension. In the new CAO the right to an extension of employment for the duration of the parental leave is included. This is good news for some young parents among you!
PhD candidates are also given the right to do an internship of at maximum 6 months during the PhD trajectory.
Next to that there are arrangements about more career perspectives and job security for postdocs. |
|
|
|
| Promovendus: kom eens achter dat bureau vandaan |
| Promovendi zijn een soort academische kluizenaars, ploeterend met vuistdikke onderzoeksvoorstellen en perfecte publicaties. Daar zit niemand op te wachten en zelf gaan ze eraan onderdoor, betoogt geograaf Julian Kirchherr. |
|
|
|
| NWO Network event for women in science, 27 September |
| The NWO Domain Science attaches considerable value to diversity in science and to strengthening all of the talent present within science. NWO Science is contributing to this by organising the network event Insight Out on Thursday, 27 September 2018. The theme of Insight Out 2018 is: Connecting women in science. For example, how can you find each other so that you can collaborate and how can you make optimum use of your own and each other's networks? These are two key questions during this second edition of the event. The programme offers inspiring stories from role models and experts, including professor of astrophysics Anna Watts, as well as a range of workshops and plenty of networking opportunities. The day will be hosted by Ans Hekkenberg, head of communication at CWI (the national research institute for mathematics and computer science). Insight Out is the number one event for sharing insights and strengthening connections with fellow scientists. So make sure you are there! |
|
|
|
| NWO call Living Labs in the Dutch Delta, application deadline 1 November |
| Within the call Living Labs in the Dutch Delta researchers can request funding on behalf of a consortium for research projects focussed on existing or planned large scale nature-based interventions and the improvement of the resilience of the main water system in The Netherlands. The Living Labs are physical locations where researchers (fundamental, applied and user-orientated), companies and public authorities collaborate on the interface of geoscience, ecology and related social and economic aspects. |
|
|
| Job vacancies |
|
| Vacancies at SENSE Partners |
|
|
| Other vacancies in the SENSE field |
|
|
| More vacancies |
| During the month new vacancies are regularly posted on the SENSE vacancy page. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The research of 