No Frontiers in Microbial Ecology:
Parkhotel de Bosrand, the Netherlands
Microbial communities are vital to life on Earth. These “invisible creatures” catalyze global elemental cycles, regulate climate, and support human and environmental health and thereby play a critical role in mitigating climate change, ensuring sustainable food and energy production as well as sustainable industrial production.
This one-week course explores the dynamic interplay between microbiomes and their environments, focusing on their contributions to sustainability. Participants will tackle critical questions: How do microbial communities influence climate regulation, nitrogen and carbon cycling, and how they play in mitigating or exacerbating climate change? How can microbiomes support sustainable agriculture by enhancing soil fertility and health, improving crop resilience, and reducing reliance on chemical inputs? What potential do microbial ecosystems hold for sustainable energy production, while minimizing environmental impacts? How can microbiome science be applied to solve challenges in waste management and resource conservation? How can we steer microbiomes to reach these goals? It may not give clear answers, but lots of new ideas, insights, perspectives, friends and research directions, we expect. More than enough reasons to participate in this course!
The course is composed of a series of lectures, subsequent discussions, working group activities, and poster sessions. The course will start on Sunday in the late afternoon (4 PM) with welcome drinks, a dinner, and poster pitches. You can find the detailed program here.
Sunday 6 April | Arrival, dinner and pitch talks at the course venue |
Monday 7 April | (A) Concepts in Microbial Ecology; (B) Climate Change: Greenhouse gases and microbial processes: understanding methane and nitrous oxide emissions in soils and mitigation strategies |
Tuesday 8 April | Sustainable food production, Science-policy interface |
Wednesday 9 April | Visit to the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO) and mid-term feedback group activities |
Thursday 10 April | Sustainable energy/industry |
Friday 11 April | Group work presentations |
Target Group | The course is aimed at PhD candidates, postdocs, and other academics |
Group Size | Max. 24 participants |
Course duration | 6 days |
Language of instruction | English |
Frequency of recurrence | Every three years |
Number of credits | 1.5 ECTS |
Lecturers | See description above |
Prior knowledge | Basic knowledge of microbial ecology is assumed |
Location | Parkhotel de Bosrand, Ede |
FEE 1 | |
a) PE&RC / WIMEK / WASS / EPS / VLAG / WIAS PhD candidates with an approved TSP / WU EngD candidates b) RSEE PhD candidates |
€ 420,- |
All postdocs and staff of PE&RC | € 840,- |
All other academic | € 920,- |
All non-academic participants | € 1680,- |
1 The course fee includes accommodation, all meals, course materials, coffee/tea, and water. It does not include beverages in the bar.
Note: If you would like to cancel your registration, ALWAYS deregister yourself with the link in your confirmation email. Do not assume that by NOT paying the participation fee, your registration is automatically cancelled, because it isn't (and do note that you will be kept to the cancellation conditions).
IMPORTANT: ALWAYS read the Cancellation conditions for PE&RC courses and activities.
PE&RC Office
Email: office.pe@wur.nl
After registering you can chose your payment preference. You can request a payment through your institute (invoice or Proqme) or pay directly yourself by Ideal or Credit card.
WUR participants: please have your department cost center code (kostenplaats) and project number at hand when registering. Your secretary will be able to provide you with this information.