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Multivariate Analysis - April 2024
Wednesday 10 – Friday 12, Monday 15 and Tuesday 16 April 2024
In this course, the participant will be provided with both the basic understanding of the principles of multivariate methods and the skills needed to use those methods in his/her own work. The course consists of lectures and computer practicals using RStudio.
Companion Modelling
Sunday 14 - Friday 19 April 2024
In the management of agricultural and environmental resources, a large number of stakeholders with distinct interests are commonly involved. Exploring improved management options for these systems, requires the involvement of these stakeholders. Companion Modelling (ComMod) is a participatory gaming and simulation approach that uses role-playing games and simulation models to tackle complex issues in the fields of renewable resources and environment management together with stakeholders.
Ecology and Evolution of Phenotypic Plasticity
Monday 29 April - Friday 3 May 2024
This course covers concepts and theory related to phenotypic plasticity and discusses quantitative genetic and molecular approaches. The course is composed of a series of lectures, discussions sessions, working group activities, and a final presentation and debate session on the groupwork output.
Redesign agriculture to improve Resource Use Efficiency
Monday 13 - Friday 17 May 2024
Agriculture is at a crossroads and solutions are needed to ensure that present and future systems can produce food in sufficient quantity and quality for the growing population. One big challenge is to deal with the resources that are getting scarce and are under strong regulations to limit their impact on the environment, such as nitrogen and water. Improving resource use efficiency (RUE) is therefore a relevant process for more sustainable agriculture. RUE can be defined and improved at different levels: from soil processes to field and to whole farm management. In this course, we will thus approach RUE at three different levels: the soil and plant level, the field level and the farm level. We will focus on how to improve RUE at the different levels and explore how changes at one level influence RUE at the other levels. We will concentrate on nitrogen and water use efficiency as these resources are key drivers of agricultural productivity and their use needs to be improved to ensure sustainability.
Basic Statistics
Monday 13, Tuesday 14, Wednesday 15, Tuesday 21, Wednesday 22 May 2024
This is a refresher course. The level is that of a second course in Statistics. We will refresh basic knowledge of Probability, Statistical Inference (Estimation and Testing), t-tests, simple cases of Regression and ANOVA, Experimental Design, Nonparametric Tests, and Chi-square Tests. Some time is reserved to discuss statistical problems of the participants.
Knowledge integration in transdisciplinary research
21 May 2024 (11:30-13:00)
It is often unclear what social scientists do in transdisciplinary research in sustainability transitions. We often hear that “we need to involve social scientists” because the grant scheme demands it. But what does this mean in practice? How do social scientists participate in knowledge integration and what knowledge to they bring back to their ‘own’ fields? We will discuss these and other questions with a number of WUR researchers from the natural and social sciences who are experienced in transdisciplinary research and with the audience.
Design of Experiments
29-31 May 2024
The aim of this course is to provide an understanding of the statistical principles underlying experimentation. A proper set-up of an experiment is of utmost importance to be able to draw statistically sound conclusions.
Linear Models
Tuesday 4 - Thursday 6 June 2024
In this module we continue with Regression, ANOVA, and ANCOVA, set in the general framework of Linear Models. We look at topics like parameter estimation and interpretation, checking model assumptions, regression diagnostics, analysis of unbalanced designs and multiple comparisons.
Mixed Linear Models
Thursday 13 and Friday 14 June 2024
In this module we discuss how to analyse data for which the assumption of independence is violated. So: Do you have a nested experimental set-up? Or repeated measurements? Or weight of the same animal over time? Or pseudo-replication? Then, you are likely to need Mixed Models. In this course, you will learn all about it!
Generalized Linear Models
Wednesday 19 till 21 Friday June 2024
In this module we study how to analyse data that are not normally distributed. We look at fractions (logistic regression), counts (Poisson regression, log-linear models), ordinal data (threshold models), and overdispersion. We discuss (quasi-) maximum likelihood estimation and the deviance.
Bayesian Statistics
Monday 1 and Tuesday 2 July, Thursday 4 and Friday 5 July 2024
Classical statistics offers a powerful toolbox for data analysis. This toolbox, however, may not always be sufficiently flexible for modern data situations. The Bayesian framework allows for the integration and inclusion of information from many sources as well as a natural quantification of uncertainty in subsequent analysis.
Tidy data transformation and visualization with R (online) - July 2024
Friday 1, Monday 4, Friday 8, Monday 11 March 2024
In this workshop, participants will learn the principle of tidy data, how to transform and combine datasets using the tools from the tidyverse and how to generate advanced visualization with the ggplot2 package.
Introduction to R and R Studio (online) - September 2024
Monday 2, Friday 6, Monday 9, Friday 13 September 2024
The aim of this course is to provide an introduction to R and R Studio. It introduces the participants to R language syntax, to enable them to write their own R code. They will also learn about R data-types and data-structures, and they will be taught how to explore the data and produce plots. The course will be a combination of lectures and practicals.
Soil Biology Lab Skills Course For Assessing Soil
Monday 2 - Friday 6 September 2024
The Soil Biology Group of Wageningen University is organising a laboratory skills course to define which measurements of soil biology are relevant for which soil functions. This course will provide the participants with an overview of a range of methods related to the five soil functions and will provide detailed practical training in a subset of measures. The training will be a combination of lectures, laboratory and field sessions (interactive lectures and practical sessions each day). Assessing a range of measurement types, from simple visual assessments in the field, to training in microscope identification techniques for nematodes and earthworms, and functional measures in the lab such as MicroResp. All methods described in the course will be made available to participants as well as advice on how to analyse the data.
Mixed cropping as a means to sustainable agriculture: Pro’s Con’s and solutions
Monday 23 -  Friday 27 September 2024
Intercropping is the next frontier for diversifying agriculture and increasing its productivity, resource use efficiency and resilience to abiotic and biotic stresses in a sustainable manner. Given the challenges of biodiversity decline and climate change it might well be that intercropping is one of the solutions to strengthen the resilience of cropping systems to these environmental threats and sustain food security.
Linking Community and Ecosystem Dynamics
13 - 18 October 2024
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.
Intermediate Programming in R course (online)
Monday 14, Wednesday 16, Friday 18 and Monday 21 October 2024
This course is for participants who want to deepen their knowledge of R programming and be able to use R to deal efficiently with computational problems and programming tasks. Participants will also gain more knowledge on working with R data structures and solving common problems, like working with and manipulating factors, extracting information from statistical models, working with other types of data (textual, time and dates) and handling multiple data files.
Tidy data transformation and visualization with R (online) - November 2024
Monday 4, Friday 8, Monday 11, Friday 15 November 2024
In this workshop, participants will learn the principle of tidy data, how to transform and combine datasets using the tools from the tidyverse and how to generate advanced visualization with the ggplot2 package.
New frontiers in microbial ecology & climate change
17 - 22 November 2024
The main goal of the course will be achieved if the participants acquire novel ideas and techniques for their own research. The course is primarily aimed at PhD level students, but is also open to advanced Master level students with interest in microbial ecology.