The following is a selection of upcoming courses. For an overview of all SENSE courses, please visit www.sense.nl/courses/list.html

S110 Soil and Plant Analysis and Data Handling (SOQ-WUR/SENSE)

13 September - 09 October 2010
Link to the course: www.sense.nl/courses/course/s110

S030 Physical Modelling (SENSE)

6 September - 29 October 2010
6 ECTS
Coordinator(s): Karel Keesman (SCO-WUR) & Rachel van Oothegem (SCO-WUR)
Link to the course: www.sense.nl/courses/course/s030

S131 Special Topics in Ecotoxicology: Marine Ecotoxicology (SENSE)

3 - 6 October 2010
1.5 ECTS
Coordinator(s): Kees van Gestel (IES-VU) & Tinka Murk (TOX-WU)
Link to the course: www.sense.nl/courses/course/s131

Autumn School: 'Biogeochemistry and -physics of the lower atmosphere'(SENSE/IMPRS)

9 - 17 October 2010
Link to the course: www.atmosphere.mpg.de/enid/09a25884d0f553a19575c75a66a605e0,0/BGCP_2_ss_/Welcome_7dc.html

S010A4 Bayesian Statistics (SENSE/PE&RC)

21 - 22 October 2010
0.6 ECTS
Coordinator(s): Claudius van de Vijver (PE&RC)
Link to the course: www.sense.nl/courses/course/s01a4

S010A5 Introduction to R for Statistical Analysis (SENSE/PE&RC)

25 - 26 October 2010
0.6 ECTS
Coordinator(s): Claudius van de Vijver (PE&RC)
Link to the course: www.sense.nl/courses/course/s01a5

S080 Introductions Scientific and Professional Publishing on Environment and Sustainability(SENSE)

25 October - 22 December 2010
3 ECTS
Coordinator(s): Wilfried Ivens (OU) & Lily Fredrix (OU)
Link to the course: www.sense.nl/courses/course/s080

S240E Ecophysiology of Plants (RSEE/EPS/SENSE)

15 - 19 November 2010
0.6 ECTS
Coordinator(s): Corine Eising (RSEE)
Link to the course: www.sense.nl/courses/course/s240e

Skills Courses

An updated overview of all skills courses at SENSE universities and institutes is available now at www.sense.nl/docs/2503.

The following is a selection of interesting external courses.

Coping with the Challenges of a PhD Study (Tress & Tress)

25 - 27 October 2010
Link to the course: www.tress-tress.com/products/phd-studies/phd-bootcamp.html

Geostatistics (PE&RC)

25 - 29 October 2010
Link to the course: www.pe-rc.nl/database/Courses%20&%20Activities/PE&RC%20postgraduate%20courses/Geostatistics.htm

Innovation for Sustainability: Bringing Theory into Practice (PE&RC)

1 - 5 November 2010
Link to the course: www.pe-rc.nl/database/Courses%20&%20Activities/PE&RC%20postgraduate%20courses/Transforum%20Innovation%20for%20Sustainability.htm

Uncertainty propagation in spatial and environmental modelling (PE&RC)

13 - 17 December 2010
Link to the course: www.pe-rc.nl/database/Courses%20&%20Activities/PE&RC%20postgraduate%20courses/Uncertainty%20propagation%20in%20spatial%20and%20environmental%20modelling.htm

Barbara Hermann
Opportunities for Biomaterials: economic, environmental and policy aspects along their life cycle
30 August 2010, 12.45 hrs, Utrecht

Tania Vasconcelos Fernandes
Hydrolysis inhibition of complex biowaste
10 September 2010, 11.00 hrs, Wageningen

Lucia Hernandez Leal
Removal of micropollutants from grey water via combined biological and physical chemical processes
10 September 2010, 13.30 hrs, Wageningen

Pascal van der Veeken
Dynamic partitioning of nanoparticluate metal species between gel layers and aqueous media
14 September 2010, 13.30 hrs, Wageningen

Tjisse Hiemstra
Surface complexation at mineral interfaces: Multisite and Charge Distribution approach
13 October 2010, 13.30 hrs, Wageningen

Sven Stremke
Designing Sustainable Energy Landscapes: Concept, Principles and Procedures
22 October 2010, 11.00 hrs, Wageningen

Thi Anh Pham
Mitigating water pollution in Vietnamese aquaculture production and processing industry. The case of pangasius and shrimp
27 October 2010, 16.00 hrs, Wageningen

Bart van Limpt
Performance relations in Capacitive Deionization systems
2 November 2010, 16.00 hrs, Leeuwarden

Don't forget to announce your own graduation at www.sense.nl/graduations. Or send an email to renske.terhurne@wur.nl.

SENSE PhD student Hidayat created a Wikipedia page as part of his SENSE A2 project. The page, which can be found at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahakam_River, describes different aspects of the Makaham River basin, which is also the area where Hidayat conducted his research on rainfall-runoff modelling.

Hidayat is very positive about the Wiki-experience: "It is exciting to collaborate virtually to make such a page, not only writing the content (with a limited available information for this basin) but also formatting the the page, putting pictures during fieldwork on Wikimedia common files, and collaborating with other users.
Besides the English version, I also contibuted to the wikipedia page for this river in local language, Bahasa Indonesia, so further collaboration with the locals is expected in the future. "

Do you also have an interesting idea for your SENSE A2 project? Please contact the coordinator of the A2 course, Ad van Dommelen, to discuss about different possibilities.

"To protect species of wild animals and plants..." Are you or do you know an outstanding, talented, young or mid career conservationist? You or your colleague may be eligible for one of the three Future for Nature Awards of € 50.000 each! Interested? Please apply no later than August 29th, 2010, via www.futurefornature.net.

The Earth System Governance Project, a new ten-year global research initiative under the auspices of the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change, has recently launched its own newsletter.

The Project defines ‘earth system governance’ as the interrelated system of formal and informal rules, rule-making systems and actor-networks at all levels of human society (from local to global) that are set up to steer societies towards preventing, mitigating, and adapting to environmental change and earth system transformation, within the normative context of sustainable development.

The bimonthly Earth System Governance Newsletter is of interest for all scholars and practitioners dealing with environmental policy, law and institutions, at all levels of decision-making. The Newsletter contains recent research highlights from the Earth System Governance Project, including conference announcements, new publications and working papers, major upcoming events, and other updates from our network.

You can read the first edition online at www.earthsystemgovernance.org/newsletter/2010-1. On the website you can also subscribe yourself to this interesting newsletter.

More information on the Earth System Governance Project is available at the frequently updated website www.earthsystemgovernance.org.

Date: September 20, 2010
Location: UNESCO-IHE, Delft, The Netherlands
Duration: all day.

The theme of the 2010 edition of the PhD week is 'Climate Change, Variability, and Adaptation in the Developing Countries'. The PhD week will be combined with the SENSE A1 course.

Knowledge over the bio‐physical dimensions of climate change is being generated every day and understanding it all, sometimes with seeming contradictions, including the arguments of the skeptics and the way the media deals with this issue, is difficult. Dr. Rob Swart will provide an overview of the key issues in climate change, and will try to unravel some of the complex arguments surrounding the scientific substance of the climate change problem. Prof. Martin Parry will explore how the impacts of climate change can further exacerbate many of the existing problems in developing countries. Prof. Joyeeta Gupta will explore the evolution of the politics on this issue at global through to local level to explain the discussions about who should be held responsible for creating the problem and for addressing it.

Date: February 28, 2011
Location: Aachen, Germany
Duration: all day.

Dear students of SETAC Europe,

Your Student Advisory Council (SAC) is organising the second Young Environmental Scientists Meeting exclusively for degree and PhD students. This meeting will be held from 28 February to 02 March 2011 in Aachen, Germany. This conference will focus on the needs of students more than usual scientific meetings do. There will be a workshop focusing on how to produce excellent publications, careers talks from senior scientists representing the tripartite structure of SETAC, and a job-corner to help students get in contact with potential future employers.

Throughout the year NWO organizes Talent Days and Talent Classes which offer researchers on PhD and Postdoc level indepth workshops and trainings on diverse topics.

For the Fall 2010 programme, there are still a few Talent Classes available:

- 28 September: Media Training

- 7 December: Media Training and Networking Training

Please visit www.nwo.nl/indepth for more information and subscription.

Date: September 8, 2010
Location: C541/3, Institute for Environmental Studies, VU University Amsterdam
Duration: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM

After the crises of 2009 and early 2010, the role of the IPCC is being challenged. What is its role at the interface of climate change science and climate policy? Are the crises emblematic of the strenuous relationship between science and policy, or were there simply mistakes? And what are the challenges of the science-policy interface at the global level?

The Research cluster D-bate on Science, Technology and Environmental Governance is proud to present its first debate: On Wednesday 8 September Prof. Frans Berkhout (IVM) and Prof. Arthur Petersen (PBL) will discuss about the present and future of IPCC in the global climate policy (moderated by Laurens Bouwer).

Date: September 14, 2010
Location: Nieuwspoort, Den Haag
Duration: 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Het omgaan met onzekerheden in de postnormale wetenschap leidt regelmatig tot heftige debatten. Dit speelt zich meer en meer af in de media tussen zowel wetenschappers als burgers, bestuurders en vertegenwoordigers van maatschappelijke instellingen. Gevolg is dat bij het zoeken naar zekerheid en draagvlak om beslissingen te nemen de gezagswaarde van de wetenschap ter discussie staat en het vertrouwen erin afneemt. Vers op het netvlies liggen de perikelen rondom het IPCC-klimaatrapport.

Reden voor de VVM om een ‘high-level’ debat te organiseren over de gezagswaarde van de (milieu)wetenschap, de kennisdemocratie, de sociaal-maatschappelijke ontwikkelingen en de rol van burgers en media in deze ‘post-trust society’. Gezocht zal worden naar wegen die bij complexe (milieu)vraagstukken leiden naar betere relaties tussen wetenschap, politiek en maatschappij.

Date: September 24, 2010
Location: Beurs van Berlage, Damrak 277, 1012 ZJ, Amsterdam
Duration: 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Ten years ago, in the millenium year 2000, the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED) of the University of Amsterdam was founded with a mission to increase our understanding of the biodiversity and functioning of ecosystems and their response to natural and human-induced changes. This year, increasing concern about the impact of human activities on ecosystems worldwide and in particular their species diversity prompted the United Nations to declare 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity. Possible threats of biodiversity by climate change, overfishing, acidification of the oceans and habitat degradation make our research mission more relevant than ever.

For that reason, IBED will celebrate its 10^th anniversary by a symposium on recent developments in international biodiversity research. Our guest of honour is professor David Tilman of the University of Minnesota, who greatly advanced our understanding of biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics in the last decade.

Date: October 11, 2010
Location: NIOO Yerseke, The Netherlands
Duration: all day.

In October 2010 a CALMARO Workshop on Applied Biostatistics will be held in Yerseke, The Netherlands, organized by the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW).
 
The workshop aims to provide a basic understanding of univariate statistics for PhD students and early postdoctoral fellows working in ecology and biogeochemistry. It will be led by Dr. Mark Lenz from IFM-GEOMAR (Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences, Kiel, Germany) with input from scientific staff of NIOO-KNAW using R, the open source language and environment for statistical computing.

Date: March 11, 2011
Location:
Duration: all day.

The aim of "Resilience, Innovation and Sustainability: Navigating the Complexities of Global Change'' is to advance understanding of the relationships among resilience, vulnerability, innovation, and sustainability. It will do so by bringing together scientists to share their work on the dynamics of interconnected social-ecological systems. Conference attendees will include people from the government, business, NGOs, and academic sectors concerned with resource governance, and economic and social development. A key outcome of conference discussions will be the development and refinement of new ideas for meeting the challenge of global change.

Date: June 6, 2011
Location: Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
Duration: all day.

You are cordially invited to the 3^rd International Microbial Fuel Cell Conference, which will be held in 2011. The conference is organized by Wetsus, Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology and the sub-department of Environmental Technology of Wageningen University. Both institutes are known for their advanced research in the fields of MFCs and MECs.

The following list shows the SENSE Events Calendar for the next months, plus recently added events. Click on the title of an event for its full details.

Would you like to suggest any event for publication in this calendar?
Please feel free to use the online form on our website ... thanks in advance!

The UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education offers post-graduate courses and PhD research programmes in Delft, The Netherlands, and carries out research and capacity building projects all over the world. The mission of UNESCO-IHE is contribute to the education and training of professionals and to build the capacity of sector organisations, knowledge centres and other institutions active in the fields of water, the environment and infrastructure in developing countries and countries in transition.

The UNESCO-IHE Department of Water Engineering conducts research and provides post‐graduate education and training to professionals in the fields of water resources assessment and control, water supply, irrigation and drainage, navigation and hydropower, river, port and coastal engineering, and floods, droughts and pollution. The department’s history and mission are traced to the origins of UNESCO‐IHE and are today organized into four scientific core groups: 1) Hydraulic Engineering – River Basin Development, 2) Land and Water Development, 3) Hydrology and Water Resources Management, and 4) Coastal Engineering and Port Development, each headed by a professor. More information is available at the WE Department Website (http://www.unesco‐ihe.org/we). The department wishes to appoint a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Hydraulic Engineering and River Basin Development (m/f) – 1.0 FT. The lecturer will join the Hydraulic Engineering – River Basin Development (HERBD) Core, which is primarily concerned with education and research related to water infrastructure in rivers and river basins that is needed to enhance the beneficial and sustainable use of water and/or to control water‐related problems. The current staff of the HERBD core anchors the teaching program and leads research and capacity‐development projects around the world. The Lecturer is expected to have his or her main expertise in the field of hydraulic engineering with insight and understanding of river basin development as a whole. Furthermore, the successful candidate should be able to integrate hydraulic engineering into the wider technical, social, economic and environmental context of the basin water cycle. The core seeks to be a leader in development‐related education and research, relevant for both developed and developing countries. In this context the Lecturer should participate in international networks for acquisition of education, research and capacity building projects.

The UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education offers post-graduate education and PhD research programmes in Delft, The Netherlands, and carries out research and capacity building projects all over the world. The mission of UNESCO-IHE is to contribute to the education and training of professionals and to build the capacity of sector organisations, knowledge centres and other institutions active in the fields of water, the environment and infrastructure in developing countries and countries in transition. UNESCO-IHE has a permanent staff of 170, of which 90 are academic staff, while about 250 guest-lecturers from academia and industry contribute to the educational programme. Each year 750 participants (incl. about 175-200 new MSc students per year) from all over the world attend the various MSc programmes and short courses at UNESCO-IHE. The functions of the Institute include serving as an international standard-setting body for postgraduate water education programmes and continuing professional training, building human and institutional capacities through education, training and research, setting up and managing networks of educational and water sector institutions and organisations worldwide, functioning as a ‘policy forum’ for UNESCO member states and other stakeholders, and providing advice on water education to partner organisations and other members of the UN water family. The Department of Environmental Resources provides post-graduate education and training to professionals in the fields of environmental science, technology, planning and management, and carries out research and capacity development projects in these areas. The department has two scientific core groups: Freshwater Ecosystems and Pollution Prevention and Control. Each scientific core is headed by a full professor who takes the academic leadership of the core. More information is available at the Environmental Resources Department Website (http://www.unesco-ihe.org/er). In partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), UNESCO-IHE has established the WWF Chair in the Wise Use of Freshwater Ecosystems to advance research and training on solutions for the interconnected issues of water management, sustainable development, poverty reduction, environmental flows and ecosystem and biodiversity conservation.

Ben je promovendus en heb je belangstelling voor hoger onderwijs- en wetenschapsbeleid? Heb je gevoel voor bestuurlijke en politieke verhoudingen? Heb je tijd en zin om je in te zetten voor alle promovendi in Nederland? Wil je ook een niet-wetenschappelijk netwerken opbouwen? Dan is een bestuursfunctie in het PNN echt iets voor jou.