Newsletter February 2009
February 2009
Contents
1. News from the Board
2. RECETO M.Sc. Thesis Merit Scholar Stipend, Postdoctoral Positions, and Travel Grants
3. Symposia and Conferences Relevant to RECETO
4. Upcoming Ph.D. Courses and Other Relevant Courses
5. Vacancies and Positions
6. News about RECETO Names
RECETO has started reneval of ”contracts” on cooperation between the partners in RECETO. The Department of Environmental Technology, DTU, is the first which has signed a new contract. The other partners will be contacted in near future for development of similar agreements on cooperation.
RECETO has met with the research school STAIR (Soil Technology And inter-disciplinary Research in Soil and Environmental Sciences) affiliated with DJF-AU (Lis Wollesen de Jonge is coordinator). RECETO and STAIR aggreed to strengthen cooperation on courses, annual symposia, summerschools and internationalisation. It was suggested that the two research schools should work towards complementary programmes instead of duplication. The first common activity is the intensive Ph.D. course on phosphorus biogechemistry in wetlands, October 2009.
The final reporting on activities of the RECETO starting grant has been submitted to the Research Councils. In addition the annual report for 2007 has been
finished and submitted to the Reserarch Councils.
The closing date of application for five Ph.D. fellowships affiliated with RECETO and co-financed by The Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation, Danish Universities and other donors was on February 17, 2009. RECETO recieved 40 applications for the 11 announced positions - candidates will be appointed in five out of 11 projects.
The titles of the 11 projects are:
- Occurrence and fate of protozoan parasites in separated animal slurry applied to agricultural soil
- Occurrence and characterization of virulence genes amongst naturally occurring environmental bacteria
- Ecological function of pathogenic traits in environmental soil bacteria
- Eco-toxicology of silver-based nanomaterials (SNMs) and emergence of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria
- Chemical profiling of oil and PAH polluted soil and drainage water - A step toward novel paradigm in risk assessment
- Bioaccumulation and toxicity of ionising organic compounds at different pH
- Diffusive sampling strategies for environmental pollutants in wet solid matrices
- Tree species effects on the carbon and nitrogen cycles - carbon sequestration, N2O emission and nitrate leaching
- Applied photochemistry of iron oxides - photo-Fenton degradation of organic pollutants in soils and groundwater
- Pesticide Contaminated Soil: Fast Field Assay and Remediation by Ozonolysis
- Sources and formation of humic substances in the atmosphere
The applicants will be assessed by a impartial committee, and hopefully the positions will be occupied by April 1st, 2009.
The RECETO summer school for 2009 has been announced (see
Upcoming Ph.D. Courses and Other Relevant Courses below and
RECETOs home page). The topic is "Fate and effects of natural compounds in soil". Inge Fomsgaard is course coordinater, and the intensive part of the course will take place at Research Centre Flakkebjerg, Aarhus University. Application deadline is June 1
st, 2009.
Dr. Philipp Mayer, DMU, has resigned from the RECETO board, and instead Dr. Niels Kroer, DMU, has joined the board. Philipp is now member of the STAIR board. The agendas and minutes of board meetings are posted online at http://www.receto.dk/Organization/Board/Minutes.aspx
RECETO M.Sc. Thesis Merit Scholarships
A number of scholarships – each DKK 30,000 – have been established to ensure that the best M.Sc. thesis work in the RECETO framework culminates in a fully developed paper that is submitted to a scientific journal. Students who are working on topics in environmental chemistry, microbiology, and toxicology within one or more RECETO research groups can apply for the scholarship at any time: See www.receto.dk
RECETO Postdoctoral Positions
RECETO Ph.D.s can apply for postdoctoral positions of three to six months. The purpose of the postdoctoral programme is to strengthen collaborative research among the research groups within RECETO and to contribute to RECETO educational activities. The next application deadline is March 1, 2009. See www.receto.dk
RECETO Travel Grants for Ph.D. students
RECETO Ph.D. students can at any time apply for travel grants to support their participation in Ph.D. courses that are held abroad. See www.receto.dk
Symposia
October 2009
7th ISRR Symposium: Root Research and Applications (RootRAP)
Vienna, Austria, September 2–4, 2009
The Symposium on Root Research and Applications is organized by the root research working group from University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) in a close co-operation with the International Society of Root Research (ISRR). During the last three decades six different ISRRSymposia have brought together root researchers from different scientific disciplines and nationalities. These symposia have contributed significantly to a better understanding of root functions and their various aspects from plant scale up to the entire ecosystem. The aim of this 7th Symposium is to approach the complexity of root research through a co-ordinated teamwork between multidisciplinary specialists, in order to support the application of recent findings into practice and to figure out future priorities.
Major topics
- Root growth, anatomy and morphology
- Root uptake, use efficiency and competition
- Rhizosphere and soil organisms
- Allocation and partitioning in roots, contributions to soil C sequestration
- Climate change and environmental stresses
- Root-soil interactions: modelling concepts
- Methods for root observation and measurement
Importants dates
Abstract Submission (300 words): January 31st, 2009
Notification of Acceptance: March 15th, 2009
Preregistration: April 30th, 2009
Short Paper Submission (up to 4 pages): June 15th, 2009
Details at http://rootrap.boku.ac.at
Download poster
Download folder
Conferences
March 2009
CLIMATE CHANGE - Global Risks, Challenges & Decisions
Copenhagen, Denmark, March 10-12, 2009
www.climatecongress.ku.dk
The main findings of this congress will be included in the official material for the COP15 meeting.
The Organisers of the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP15) to be held in Copenhagen at the end of 2009 have asked IARU to organise this conference as part of the run-up to the COP Summit. The purpose of the conference is to try and capture some of the enormous research energy currently being devoted to the elucidation, mitigation and adaption to climate change. Thus, the focus of the conference is on providing a picture of the “big issues” that the scientifi c community feels it is necessary that policy makers are aware of in order to make enlightened decisions with respect to the balancing of adaptation and mitigation in the societal response to climate change.
The International Scientific Congress will take place at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark.
For futher information, please visit www.bellacenter.dk/english/bella+center
Deadline for submitting abstracts is 1 November 2008. You can submit your abstract at the official Congress website: http://climatecongress.ku.dk/call-for-abstracts/
Download flyer
Danish Water Forum, Danish Research Platform – Water and ViVa hereby invite you to participate in a workshop on:
“Identifying water and climate related topics for research”
LIFE, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, March 13, 2009
The purpose of the workshop is to discuss impact of climate change in relation to water and experiences with this – and with adaptation measures in Denmark and in developing countries. Further the aim is to discuss the establishment of a working group within Danish Water Forum and the Research Platform - Water with focus on climate change and water. The aim of the group is to be decided by participants, but ideas are to improve knowledge sharing and cooperation and identify research projects within water and climate change. This will provide an opportunity to get access to Danish, European and other research funds, and to improve the integration of research into Danish development assistance. Workings groups between researchers, companies, water users and authorities have existed on other topics within the Research Platform Water and has proved a good tool to share knowledge and develop proposals.
Adaptation to a changing climate is an international challenge and for a working group on climate change it is relevant not only to address issues related to Denmark, but also to the rest of the world including developing countries. Participants from developing countries have been invited to present projects at this workshop and are invited to participate in a working group on water and climate.
For more information, visit the home page of ViVa
April 2009
The 2009 Ground Water Summit— The Science and Engineering Conference on the theme
“Adapting to Increasing Demands in a Changing Climate”
Tucson, Arizona, April 19-23, 2009
NGWA – National Ground Water Association – has organized a conference to address the critical role of ground water in the context of a changing climate with regard to water resources and the challenges and opportunities ahead. The program will focus on the following topics:
Toward More Sustainable Use of Ground Water Supplies: Availability, Access, and Allocation Issues
Ground Water Shed Management, Ground Water/Surface Water Interactions, Ecosystem Support, Aquifer Protection, and Ground Water Remediation
Modeling of Ground Water Systems, Decision Support Systems, and Data/Information Management
For the complete conference program and registration, visit the homepage of NGWA.
The deadline for abstract submission is October 3, 2008.
May 2009
SETAC Europe 19th annual meeting:
Protecting ecosystem health: facing the challenge of a globally changing environment
Göteborg, Sweden, May 31 – June 4, 2009
The SETAC Europe Annual Meeting is Europe's biggest meeting on environmental toxicology and chemistry with more than 1500 presentations in parallel platform sessions and poster sessions, participants and scientific speakers from academia, business and government and a blend of scientists and practioners, researchers and regulators all in attendance. We hope to see you there!
For more information and registration, visit the home page of SETAC.
June 2009
International Conference on Water Policy 2009:
WATER AS A VULNERABLE AND EXHAUSTIBLE RESOURCE
Prague, Czech Republic, June 22 - 26, 2009
You are welcome to participate in the Water Policy 2009 Conference, which is jointly organized by the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CULS) – Faculty of Environmental Sciences, the European Association of Life Sciences Universities (ICA) and the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges USA (NASULGC).
Themes
· Water Policy and Integrated Water Management
· Climate and Man-made Changes and their Impact on Catchments
· Hydrological Extremes - Floods and Droughts
· Water Quality and Environment
· Economics and Social Issues in Face of Water Scarcity
· Sharing Water-orientated Curricula and Student Exchange
Conference Secretariat and Registration
E-mail:
For more information, visit http://www.fzp.czu.cz/waterpolicy2009
August 2009
EmCon 2009 - 2nd International Conference on Occurrence, Fate, Effects, and Analysis of Emerging Contaminants in the Environment
Colorado State University, Colorado, 4-7 August
EmCon 2009 will focus on the most recent developments and findings concerning the occurrence, fate, effects, and analysis of Emerging Contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, hormones, personal care products, nanoparticles, and their degradation products in the environment.
Keynote speakers are Karen Kidd - University of New Brunswick, Canada, Kevin Thomas - Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Bent Halling-Sorensen - University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Thomas Bucheli - Agroscope Reckenholz-Tanikon Research Station ART, Switzerland.
For more information, see the homepage of EmCon2009.
March 2009
Course in Child Health and the Environment
Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden March 23-27, 2009
The objective of the course is to provide state-of-the-art knowledge about the environmental threats to child health in Europe in the context of health risk assessment. Overarching themes will be the specific susceptibility and exposure of the developing foetus, infant and child to environmental toxicants and the importance of modifying factors, e.g. nutrition and genetics.
The course is intended for PhD students, post docs, senior scientists and other professionals. Funding for travel, subsistence and course fee is available for PhD students and post docs.
The course is organised by RA-COURSES, a project funded by European Union Marie Curie Actions and the Postgraduate programme in Environmental Factors and Health at Karolinska Institutet in collaboration with CASCADE Network of Excellence.
For application and further information: www.cascadenet.org/~RA-COURSES and www.cascadenet.org
April 2009
Techniques for Writing and Presenting a Scientific Paper
KU-LIFE, April 20-24, 2009
Presented by Michael Grossman, Ph.D., University of Illinois, USA
Communicating science is as important to the scientific process as designing and conducting the experiment itself. The workshop focuses on essential techniques for effective writing and presentation of scientific information, and includes a session on the publishing process and on ethics of scientific publication.
We will discuss sections of a scientific article, coherence, choice of words, tight writing, parallel structure, and transitions to link ideas. We will also discuss correct grammar, punctuation, preparation of tables and figures, and writing statistics. You will practice writing an abstract, delivering an oral presentation, and creating a poster.
By the end of this workshop, you should see improvement in your ability to:
• write and communicate
• reason and evaluate
• read and discuss logically
• analyze and synthesize
• cooperate in a team environment
• work quickly
Registration deadline: April 1st 2009
For registration, please send an E-mail to Scientific-writing@life.ku.dk
Decomposition of forest plant litter leading to carbon sequestration in humus
Department of Biology, University of Naples, Italy, April 20 – May 15, 2009
The Ph.D. and Post Doc course will cover the process of litter decomposition from litter fall to the formation of recalcitrant compounds. The concept "Decomposition of plant litter" will be approached as a set of biogeochemical processes (microbial), including chemical changes in the litter as the decomposition proceeds and factors that influence the process.
The course is followed by an exam on May 22, 2009.
For further information, contact Björn Berg at his mail address ()
Stereology: Sampling and Measurement of 3D Structures
LIFE, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, April 28 - May 1, 2009
Theory and practical techniques of making unbiased 3D measurements using microscopy, remote sensing and other bioimaging techniques. Stereology is the statistical inference of geometric parameters from spatially sampled information. The focus will be on applications in life sciences and technology. The course emphasizes the practical application of stereology, with original theories explained heuristically. Examples include the description of food texture, tissue cellular structure, trabecular bone connectivity, produce internal quality, root length estimation, and mapping yield, growth, disease or injury in plant canopies.
For more information, contact course responsible Dvoralai Wulfsohn and/or download flyer.
Deadline for registration: March 15, 2009
May 2009
The PhD School at LIFE offers five sessions of
Global Writing for Scientific Staff at LIFE
The 20/5; 27/5; 3/6; 10/6 and 17/6, 2009
Presented by GlobalDenmark A/S*
What will you gain from these five sessions?
This workshop will enable you to write in clearer and more correct English. On top of that, you stand to save time on language trivialities, such as spelling and punctuation. This will make it possible for you to concentrate on what really counts: your research.
We shall work with the structure of your text, with the style characteristic of the various sections of an academic paper and, not least, the way in which you present your subject in writing
You may have participated in courses in academic writing before. Such concepts as connectives, frontloading and syntax may therefore not be entirely new to you.
However, while theory is indeed vital in many respects, this is a workshop: our starting point is a practical one, with your own production as an important element.
When the workshop is over, you should master techniques that will enhance your writing in a measurable fashion. In addition, it may be easier for you to give others credible and useful feedback on their writing. Ideally, you might even begin to believe that writing in academic English is a source of great personal satisfaction!
Registration deadline: May 1st 2009
For registration, please send an E-mail to
Scientific-writing@life.ku.dk
*GlobalDenmark a/s is a training and consultancy firm that specialises in international competence. This implies training courses in languages that are relevant where professionals work.
June 2009
Microbial N transformations and NO/N2O emissions
UMB, Ås, Norway, June 7-12, 2009
By Åsa Frostegård and invited teachers
The course will cover biogeochemical processes that involve nitrogen transformations. Special focus will be on factors that affect nitrification/denitrification, which are the major processes responsible for emissions of NO and N2O from the biosphere to the atmosphere. Experimental work will include field measurements of gas fluxes, as well as laboratory experiments including gas kinetics and molecular techniques to investigate the composition of denitrifying genes and their expression. In addition to the experimental exercises, a series of lectures will be given covering also other aspects of the nitrogen cycle such as biogeochemical N transformations at larger scales and symbiotic nitrogen fixation.
The course will offer an amalgam of traditional and cutting-edge technology combined with a series of lectures by active scientists from the Nordic and Baltic countries. As all Nordic PhD courses, it will offer a unique possibility to meet other PhD students and scientists working in adjacent fields, and to make contacts that are very important in future research and other professional activities. The course will be unique in providing in-depth and comprehensive knowledge in the biological aspects of the ongoing nitrogen enrichment of the biosphere, which is one of the most urgent present and future environmental challenges, beyond that of global warming.
Deadline for application is May 1st, 2009
For more information, visit SoilSoc course catalog
Topics on Environmental Mixture Toxicity
University of Aveiro, Portugal, June 15–19, 2009
Course Coordinators: Susana Loureiro and Amadeu Soares
This one-week post-graduate workshop aims to provide knowledge on chemical interactions and mixture toxicity in the environment.
Main themes are:
- Concepts of mixture toxicity analysis
- Complex toxic mixtures
- Combined effects of natural stressors and chemicals
- Toxicokinetic modeling
- Molecular mechanisms of mixture toxicity
- Basic concepts of concentration addition (CA) and independent action (IA); The biologically relevant deviations from of CA and IA
- Test strategies and designs and analysis of mixture effect
- Chemical characterization and interactions
- Exposure Issues and Bioavailability
- Practical work using existing data
Deadline for registration: May 15, 2009
For more information, download flyer.
RECETO PhD course: Modeling of plant uptake and application in environmental science and engineering
Technical University of Denmark, June 22-26, 2009
By Stefan Trapp, Arno Rein and invited teachers
This course aims at giving a theoretical and practical introduction to chemical uptake into plants and its relevance for environmental science and engineering. The focus is on mathematical modeling and the application in practice. The course will cover the plant physiological and mathematical basics of plant uptake. Some frequently applied mathematical concepts and models for neutral and ionic organic compounds as well as for heavy metals will be studied, together with the application of these models in the fields of human exposure assessment, risk assessment, pesticide design and phytoremediation. Students will have hands-on on all models during exercises, and can take the source codes with home. Practical work in laboratory and in field will supplement the teaching. The active use of plants for the cleanup of contaminated sites will be studied during a short excursion to phytoremediation field sites. The tree core sampling method for the delineation of subsurface plumes will be exercised. The course will finalize with the preparation of an own model and a short project report.
The course is given at the Technical University of Denmark by local and international teachers and is credited with 5 ECTS points. The course material will be electronically available in advance from the course homepage at homepage.env.dtu.dk/stt/teaching.htm
The course fee is 800 Euro for professionals and 400 Euro for students and includes a social event. RECETO students and PhDs from OSIRIS, 2-FUN and ModelPROBE can join for free. Students without project money can ask for dispensation of costs. Cheap rooms are available in the DTU PhD guest house.
Please contact Arno Rein arnr@env.dtu.dk for further information or to sign-up.
Download flyer
Practical approach to ecotoxicogenomics
University of Aveiro, Portugal, June 29 - July 3, 2009
Course Coordinators: Mónica Amorim and Amadeu Soares
This one-week post-graduate workshop aims to provide knowledge on the development of molecular markers of stress using molecular biology techniques. This includes among others the following: RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, basic cloning techniques, PCR reaction development and optimisation, real time PCR, DNA sequencing, and development of microarrays (cDNA arrays), their hybridization and analysis.
This course will comprise a combination of lectures and practical work in which hands-on experience will be gained.
Deadline for registration: May 29, 2009
For more information, download flyer.
July 2009
RECETO summer school - Bioactive natural compounds in soil: Analysis, fate and effects
Research Center Flakkebjerg, University of Aarhus, July 26-31, 2009
Bioactive natural compounds from plants have been in research focus for decades, firstly due to their pharmacological effects, and with that their health effects when present in edible parts of plants, and secondly due to their defense properties against insects, weeds and diseases. The effects of bioactive natural compounds on weeds, other plants or soil-borne diseases and pests will depend on the mobility and fate of the compounds in soil. During the transport of the compounds from the emitting plant to the target organisms the plant allelochemicals get in contact with soil microorganisms and metabolites will form. This fact was seldom considered in earlier allelopathy studies.
As soon as bioactive natural compounds are leached or exuded into soil from plant material, there is a risk that the compounds or their metabolites may have an effect on non-target organisms or can leach into superficial and groundwater and thus affect both the environment and human health.
This course will cover the chemistry of several groups of bioactive natural chemicals from either agricultural crops or other plants, their sorption, degradation and leaching in soils, chemical analytical techniques and studies into the suppressive effects on weeds.
Preliminary program
The course is arranged as follows:
1. Preparatory reading of course literature (made available no later than 2 months before the start of the intensive part of the course)
2. Participation in a 5-days on-site course at Aarhus University, Campus Flakkebjerg from Sonday evening 26 July to Friday 31 July – both days included. Download the the programme for the 5-days on-site course.
3. Hand-in of a report no later than one week after the on-site course.
Lecturers
Senior Scientist Inge S. Fomsgaard (IFO) (course coordinator), Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Aarhus University
Professor Hans Christian Bruun Hansen (HCBH), KU-LIFE
Associate Professor Anne Louise Gimsing (ALG), KU-LIFE
Associate Professor Bjarne W. Strobel (BWS), KU-LIFE
Head of Research Group Per Kudsk (PK), Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Aarhus University
Guest Lecturers
Dr. Steve Duke (SDU), National Center for Natural Products Research, USDA.
Other guest lecturers with a high reputation in the area of bioactive natural compounds will
be announced shortly.
Course coordinator: Inge S. Fomsgaard, Tel. no. +45 89993610 or +45 22283399, E-mail
Deadline
Deadline for registration and payment: 1 June, 2009. Registration by filling in the registration form (download below) and e-mail it to:
Download the program
Download the registration form
See the complete course listing at www.receto.dk
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RECETO Postdoctoral Positions
RECETO Ph.D.s can apply for postdoctoral positions of three to six months. The purpose of the postdoctoral program is to strengthen collaborative research among the research groups within RECETO and to contribute to RECETO educational activities. The next application deadline is March 1, 2009. See www.receto.dk
RECETO currently has 50 Ph.D. students affiliated.
RECETO PhD Dissertations:
Jacob Bælum was awarded his Ph.D. in Environmental Microbiology and Environmental Chemistry on September 28, 2008. The title of his thesis is: Expression and Diversity of Functional Genes Involved in Phenoxy Acid Degradation in Indigenous Environmental Microbial Communities.
Supervisors: Bjarne W. Strobel, KU-LIFE, and Carsten S. Jacobsen, GEUS.
Lian Kuet Chai was awarded his Ph.D. in Environmental Chemistry. The thesis title is Degradation, sorption and leaching of pesticides in Sarawak soil used for vegetable crop.
Supervisors: Hans Christian Bruun Hansen, KU-LIFE, and Søren Hansen, KU-LIFE
Pia Haugaard Jensen was awarded her Ph.D. in Environmental Chemistry on January 30, 2009. The thesis title is: Analysis and Fate of Toxic Glycoalkaloids from Solanum tuberosum in the Terrestrial Environment.
Supervisors: Hans Christian Bruun Hansen, KU-LIFE, Bjarne Westergaard Strobel, KU-LIFE, and Ole Stig Jacobsen, GEUS.
Is there news you would like to contribute? To submit news, activities, or courses to the RECETO website and the newsletter, send a mail to
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RECETO - Department of Basic Sciences and Environment - Thorvaldsensvej 40 - 1871 Frederiksberg C
Phone: +45 353 32695 - Fax: +45 35332399 - receto@life.ku.dk
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