Natural Sciences of the Environment
Natural Sciences of the Environment
A1 SENSE Introductory Course
Course frequency: twice a year
Short Course Description
What is my work good for? Even the most nerdish PhD student asks himself or herself this question once in a while. Is it just for the sake of science or does it relate to other research or even to environmental policy? What are my SENSE colleagues working on in other departments and other universities? How does their research relate to mine?
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.
In addition, you will evaluate some examples where questions from society were translated into scientific research projects in terms of relevance and scientific validity with experienced researchers and other PhD students.
The course duration is three days.
General information
| Target group | Starting SENSE PhD students |
| Prerequisites | Basic Course in Environmental Science |
| Intended credits | 2.0 ECTS |
| Group size | 5 - 50 participants |
| Course frequency | Twice a year |
| Course fee | € 350; please note: due to the preparation costs, we urge you to check your calendar carefully before registering for this course. Last minute withdrawals will result in unnecessary costs for your institute |
| More information | Dr. A. van Dommelen (VU) - ad.van.dommelen@vu.nl |
| Registration | Register here |
Aim
After this course, the PhD students can describe several perspectives and approaches to analyse and to solve environmental problems.
They can explain the position of their own research project within other (multi-) disciplinary approaches and they can discuss advantages and disadvantages of their own approach compared to these alternatives.
Finally, they can evaluate some examples where questions from society were translated into scientific research projects in terms of relevance and scientific validity.
The primary goal of this week is to give PhD students insight into the multidisciplinary and policy context of environmental research, enabling them to position their own intended thesis research adequately. This week will also provide an opportunity for getting to know other PhD students in the SENSE research school and learning about each other’s research activities and the problems being tackled.
Course Programme
The course consists of an introductory week in an external conference venue. During the week, special attention will be paid to three contexts:
- the multidisciplinary SENSE context: socio-economic and natural sciences of the environment;
- the policy context: the mutual influencing of policy and research;
- the context of setting research priorities for the near future.
Other Course info
Course method: Lectures, workshops, excursion
Course materials: Reader
Former occurrences of this course
- 27-29 March 2018, Apeldoorn
- 17-19 October 2018, Soest
- 28-30 March 2018
- 4-6 October 2017
- 29-31 March 2017
- 5-7 October 2016, Soest
- 30 March - 1 April 2016, Apeldoorn
- 23-25 September 2015, Soest
- 18-20 March 2015, Apeldoorn
- 01-03 October 2014, UNESCO-IHE Delft
- 19-21 March 2014, Stayokay Apeldoorn
- 25-27 September 2013
- 20-22 March 2013
- 26-28 September 2012
- 21-23 March 2012
- 28-30 September 2011
- 15-17 March 2011
- 22-24 September 2010
- 19-22 January 2010