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Research School for Socio-Economic and
Natural Sciences of the Environment |
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Newsletter September 2024
13 September 2024 |
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SENSE highlights |
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Registration is now open! SENSE Symposium 2024. 7 October 2024 (Amsterdam): The annual SENSE Symposium for PhD candidates and researchers is soon approaching! Inspired by the title of Ian Scoones’ latest book “Navigating Uncertainty: Radical Rethinking for a Turbulent World” as focus of this year’s keynote, the Symposium will revolve around the question of how to deal with and manage uncertainties when striving for sustainable transitions. The Symposium will take place at De Veranda, in Amsterdam. Registrations close on 2 October. For more information and registration go here.
Enroll now for the upcoming MOOC: Co-creating sustainable cities. 1 October to 1 February 2024 (online): This is an all-included, immersive course where fundamental issues around carbon sequestration in agricultural lands are treated from different perspectives, including that of farmers. The course takes place on site in France from 14-20 September. For more information and registration go here.
Registration deadline is soon approaching for the A1 SENSE Introductory Course. 23 - 25 October 2024 (online & Ede): This course brings together PhD candidates from different institutes that are part of SENSE, and that have the ambition to work on environmental issues. We will use the diversity of opinions to reflect on what it means to do research for you personally, create your own vision, and set learning goals to help determine which steps you want to take during the PhD trajectory. For more information and registration go here. |
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| Editorial |
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| Welcome to the September SENSE newsletter. We hoped you enjoyed a nice holiday break and feel recharged for the new academic year! We are happy to share an exciting number of upcoming SENSE activities, initiatives and courses for this Autumn.
SENSE has ambitious plans for the future. While consolidating the strenght of the Dutch Network, it aims at expanding internationally, developing transdisciplinary academic and non-academic collaborations also abroad. This will provide SENSE researchers and PhD students a growing number of training, research, career development and job placement opportunities.
To kick-off the academic year, SENSE is pleased to invite its community to join the yearly full-day symposium on October 7. The theme of the symposium will be “Uncertainty”. We live in fast changing times with high levels of unpredictability that affect multiple societal and environmental dimensions, from hydro-climatic change, to pandemics, global finance, technological innovation as well as geopolitical instability, just to name a few.
The SENSE symposium, organized in the beautiful premises of De Veranda in Amsterdam, will start with Ian Scoones’ key note lecture “Navigating Uncertainty”, followed by a PhD scientific poster competition and a multi-disciplinary roundatable discussion, all accompanied by live music. We hope to see you there, and please register soon as places are limited!
Caterina Marinetti and Jampel Dell’Angelo, on behalf of the SENSE Management Committee
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| Upcoming courses and discussion groups |
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The Choice: Un-box your PhD process & take charge of your performance | 12 September - 29 October 2024 Wageningen
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| The Choice is an experiential personal leadership course that provides you with tools and insights to become more in charge of your own performance as you proceed with your PhD process. In any PhD process productive and joyful periods alternate with more challenging ones. In the Choice you will discover ways to lead yourself and others more effectively, increase your impact and improve your personal vitality. The unique combination of physical approaches (such as boxcoaching), systemic constellations and group reflections will give you deep insights in your in current ways of acting, communication styles and effects. You will experience and feel how you can use your personal strengths and drives effectively in your collaboration with others, while overcoming recurring obstacles and increasing your impact. For more information and registration see here. |
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International Summer School – Transdisciplinarity methods and tools for dealing with sustainability and land use conflicts | 14-20 September 2024 Germany
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| Inter- and transdisciplinary research approaches are essential to solve the complex global problems we face in the 21st century that cannot be solved with disciplinary approaches only. ISST (UPC BarcelonaTech) and ZTG (TU Berlin) organize this international summer school on transdisciplinary methods to provide master and PhD students with the basics of co-designing solutions, co-producing knowledge and co-evaluating the results of the research practice. The summer school ensures the link to the ‘real world’ and involves academic and societal actors from the region to contribute to the solution of these problems. This edition focuses on the current regional sustainability and land use conflicts in the region of Northeast Brandenburg. Master and PhD students from technologically-oriented disciplines (e.g. engineering, planning, environmental studies) as well as students from other fields (e.g. social sciences, law, politics) are invited to apply. For more information and registration see here. |
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Grounding carbon farming | 14-20 September 2024 On site on a farm in France
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| In this one-week course, we go onsite on a dairy farm where many recommended carbon sequestration practices are implemented. We talk to soil and social scientists, legislators, carbon certifiers. Using a transdisciplinary and immersive approach, we seek to see, to witness, experience, and truly understand: What is carbon farming? For more information and registration see here. |
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Summer School: Human-Nature Relationships for Transformative Change | 16-20 September 2024 Wageningen |
| What is the role of Human-nature relationships (HNR) and “inner transformations” to leverage systemic change for sustainability? This PhD summer school is an opportunity to explore theories and practices of how we relate to nature and how this matters for transformative change and research towards future sustainability. It will be held at Wageningen University, on campus and in nearby nature, with two nights of camping during the week of 16-20 September 2024. For more information and registration see here. |
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Advanced Course Bioprocess Design| 16-20 September 2024 Delft
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| The focus of the course is on design of innovative microbial fermentations, for bio-products such as amino acids and monomers for bio-plastics, complemented with examples of marine and mammalian processes, for micro-algae products and bio-pharmaceuticals. A substantial part (ca. 40% of the time) will be dedicated to a case study, executed in teams of 4-6 participants, on the design of a bioprocess for the production of a chemical (1,4-butanediol). Basic theory on thermodynamic, microbial stoichiometry and kinetics, transport phenomena and scale up/down will be extensively applied and integrated. The team with the best design performance wins the Genomatica Bioprocess Design prize. For more information and registration see here. |
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Intermediate Research Software Development with Python | 24 September - 22 October 2024 Online
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| This course aims to teach a core set of established, intermediate-level software development skills and best practices for working as part of a team in a research environment using Python as an example programming language. The core set of skills we teach is a selective set of tried-and-tested collaborative development skills that provides a firm foundation for continuing on your learning journey. For more information and registration see here. |
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MOOC: Co-creating sustainable cities | 1 October 2024 - 1 February 2025 Online
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| This MOOC will teach you about the dynamics of co-creation and the key principles of citizens interacting with service providing companies, technology and infrastructure developers, policy makers and researchers. You will gain an understanding of major types of co-creation and their interdependency with their socio-technical and political contexts. You will become equipped to indicate how you can use co-creation to develop innovative technologies, policy arrangements or social practices for a sustainable city in your own community. You will demonstrate this by developing an action plan, research proposal or project idea. For more information and registration see here. |
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Linking Community and Ecosystem Dynamics | 13-18 October 2024 Herdershut, Schiermonnikoog
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| This course focuses on theoretical concepts, such as autocatalytic loops and positive and negative feedbacks between organisms in ecological networks as well as the importance of non-trophic interactions by ecosystem engineers. The course will address how these principles can be used to link communities to ecosystems enabling a better understanding of how environmental changes affect community and ecosystem dynamics. Students will construct ecological networks of their own study system or based on literature data and analyse these using structural equation modelling. For more information and registration see here. |
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Intermediate Programming in R | 14 - 21 October 2024 tbd
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| The scope of this course is to extend the basic knowledge of R users by teaching them more advanced programming concepts and how to use R for more advanced problem solving, going beyond just statistics. This course is for participants who want to deepen their knowledge on R programming and be able to use R in their career to deal with any sort of data and analytics related challenges.
For more information and registration see here. |
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From topic to proposal: Getting started | 15 October - 14 November 2024 Wageningen University: Leeuwenborch
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| If you’re fresh into the PhD, this course is there to help you getting started with writing your proposal. In four interactive sessions we touch on different aspects relevant to formulating your research problem, translating it to research questions and thinking about your research approach. You will also meet with other participants in several peer consultation sessions to jointly discuss and reflect on your progress and provide each other with feedback. A coach will be present at these sessions to provide support from their expertise as social scientist.
For more information and registration see here. |
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A1 SENSE introductory course | 23-25 October 2024 De Bosrand, Ede
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| This course brings together PhD candidates from different institutes that are part of SENSE, and that have the ambition to work on environmental issues.
During the course, you will discuss your own personal wishes and ambitions, what impact you would like to have with your research, and set personal learning goals for your PhD.
We will have open discussions on finding your own way within science, and how inter- and transdisciplinary science can play a role for you. The course will also be an introduction to personal leadership, exploring what is important to you, and talking about how to tackle challenges you may face along the way.
For more information see here registration starts August 1st. |
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New Frontiers in Microbial Ecology | 17-22 November 2024 Groningen
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| This course will examine our current understanding of the diversity and functioning of the relevant microbial communities in the above systems.
A limited number of expert teachers will deliver lectures and the students will also have the opportunity for in depth study a topic of their choice from the literature, after which the topic will be put up for discussion with the teachers and other students.
For more information see here |
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Modelling and Computation for Micro-organisms in Bioprocesses | 2-6 December 2024 Delft
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| This course brings together contributions from different disciplines: bioprocess technology, applied physics, transport phenomena, molecular biology and biomedical sciences. They all address different elements on the coupling between several time and length scales in the simulation of different bioprocesses (e.g. bioreactor and bioprocess operation, microbial strain improvement, tissue and organ cultivation, plant design and integration). Computational methods will deepen the understanding of the connecting principles between different scales.
For more information see here |
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| 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. |
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| Upcoming Events |
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| SENSE Symposium 2024 – Uncertainties in sustainability | 7 October 2024, De Veranda, Amsterdam |
Inspired by the title of Ian Scoones’ latest book “Navigating Uncertainty: Radical Rethinking for a Turbulent World” as focus of this year’s keynote, the Symposium will revolve around the question of how to deal with and manage uncertainties when striving for sustainable transitions. In his keynote address, Ian Scoones will invite us to reflect on the way we manage what is not known, arguing for a need to “adjust our modernist, controlling view and to develop new approaches, including some reclaimed and adapted from previous times or different cultures. This requires a radical rethinking of policies, institutions and practices for successfully navigating uncertainties in an increasingly turbulent world”.
Organised in collaboration with the Amsterdam Sustainability Institute, the keynote will also welcome a discussant who will further reflect on the theme and open the floor for questions from the audience. After the keynote, we will move to a convivial lunch and enjoy a poster competition, to then reconvene in a plenary roundtable. To get to know each other better and strengthen our SENSE network, the Symposium will end with a light borrel (Dutch word for refreshments) and we will be delighted with some live music played by our PhD candidates. We hope you will join and look forward to having stimulating discussions and a good time with you all!
For more information see here.
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| Home River Bioblitz: biodiversity in and around freshwater ecosystems | 20 September 2024 IHE Delft & Abtswoudse Bos |
Home River Bioblitz engages citizens in observing and documenting the biodiversity of their surrounding river ecosystems. By doing so, we aim to raise awareness about the importance of rivers in maintaining ecological balance and to promote community involvement in river protection and conservation efforts. This event in Delft is part of a global series of bioblitzes happening simultaneously across various rivers and local leaders worldwide. Participants in Delft will join an international network of citizen scientists, contributing to a collective understanding of river ecosystems while recording biodiversity data. Our specific focus will be on observing and recording biodiversity, associated with aquatic ecosystems, using tools like iNaturalist apps.
For more information see
here
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| Diary of Travelling Rivers – Film and discussion | 25 September 2024, Lumen Filmhuis, Delft |
Travelling Rivers is a collective counter-mapping initiative that aims to illustrate and mobilise the knowledge, imaginaries and conflicts around rivers that are generally hidden, but perceived and experienced daily by riverine communities. From April to June 2023, fishing and peasant communities, social movements and activists-artists and researchers from the Riverhood and River Commons projects engaged in local counter-mapping workshops on four rivers in Colombia and two in Ecuador: the Magdalena, La Miel, Bogotá and, Sumapaz and the Guargalla y Alao rivers. By taking the mapping workshops and the maps themselves from one context to another, the different experiences and struggles were woven together, connecting stories, concerns, debates and movements. Rivers travelled and promoted transnational solidarity.
For more information see
here
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| Dies natalis Open Universiteit | 26 September 2024, Theater Heerlen |
Op 26 september 2024 is het precies 40 jaar geleden dat de Open Universiteit officieel van start ging. Op die dag reikte koningin Beatrix aan onze eerste studenten het studiemateriaal uit tijdens een grote bijeenkomst in de Heerlense schouwburgIn dit lustrumjaar kijken we terug, maar vooral vooruit! Tijdens de academische zitting van deze bijzondere dies natalis worden onder meer eredoctoraten uitgereikt en de winnaar van de Wetenschapsprijs 2024 bekend gemaakt. Na afloop is er een receptie in feestelijke ambiance. Iedereen is welkom. Noteer de datum alvast in je agenda: donderdagmiddag 26 september in Theater Heerlen.
For more information see
here
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| IHE Delft Science Weekend | 5 October 2024, IHE Delft |
IHE Delft is taking part in the Netherlands-wide science festival Weekend van de Wetenschap! On Saturday, 5 October, the Institute welcomes curious visitors for hands-on experiments! We’ll have several stations at which visitors of all ages can learn about water in a fun and interactive way. All are welcome – bring your family and friends!
For more information see
here
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| 2024 ESG Forum on 'Re-imagining Earth System Governance in an Era of Polycrisis | 14-18 October 2024 Online |
In an era marked by multiple and compounding global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, the lingering effect of the COVID-19 crisis, economic inequality, political instability, and the geopolitical consequences of ongoing war and conflict, the need to re-imagine Earth System Governance has become ever more paramount. In order to navigate these complex and interlinked global crises – a “polycrisis” – there is a need to re-evaluate traditional paradigms and tenets of global sustainability governance. This re-imagination requires a multidimensional and multidisciplinary approach.
For more information see
here
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| WCSG Conference 2024 Governing sustainability transformations 16-17 October 2024 |
| Transformation of society and sustainability governance requires significant reordering: one that changes existing drivers and structures to drive change towards fundamentally novel systems. During the conference we focus on thecentral question, can sustainability transformation be governed? And if so by
whom, what and how? For more information, see here.
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6th National Interdisciplinary Education Conference: Inter- and Transdisciplinarity Beyond Buzzwords 4-6 November 2024 ITD Alliance Utrecht |
| This conference offers leading trainers, researchers, practitioners, and students from around the world the opportunity to share their knowledge, insights, and expertise on the critical issues in inter- and transdisciplinarity needed to build capacity in and through research, education, policy making, activism, and artistic engagement. For more information, see here.
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Water and Development Symposium 2024 | 14 November 2024 Online |
| Join online for the second annual symposium of the Water and Development Partnership Programme! Symposium speakers and participants will discuss how development practices can be reimagined by integrating forms of knowledge that are different from the dominant understandings of how water is used, shared and managed. For more information, see here.
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Pathways to Sustainability Conference 2024 28 November 2024 Utrecht University |
| A just and sustainable future can only be reached with a feeling of HOME for all. All living creatures need a safe place where they can grow and flourish. But what constitutes HOME? What is a sustainable HOME, in the broadest sense, and how do we achieve that? For more information, see here.
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| Upcoming PhD graduations |
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| Overview of PhD graduations September 2024 |
- Caspar (Jasper) Tobias Johannes Roebroek
The role of hydrometeorology in river plastic pollution
13 September 2024, Wageningen University
- D (Donghao) Xu
Large-scale impacts of nutrient management on soil acidification and cadmium mobilization in Chinese croplands
17 September 2024, Wageningen University
- R (Ronny) Rotbarth
The Future Face of the Last Frontier – Boreal Forest Resilience to Global Change
23 September 2024, Wageningen University
- WB (Wouter) Mol
Sunlight variations under broken clouds
27 September 2024, Wageningen University
- Ana Maria Paez Trujillo
An Optimisation Framework for Planning Drought Management Measures
30 September 2024, IHE Delft
- KAU (Kathleen) Uyttewaal
Linking past, present and future pathways to fire adaptation: a transdisciplinary approach in Mediterranean Europe
4 October 2024, Wageningen University
- Md Ataul Gani
Nitrogen Retention in Different Geomorphic Units of a Large Lowland River
7 October 2024, IHE Delft, IHE Delft
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