Summer School: Blue-green biodiversity. Research and practice at the interface of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems

The WSL Biodiversity Center and the Blue-Green Biodiversity Research Initiative are pleased to announce their upcoming “Summer school: Blue-green biodiversity. Research and practice and the interface of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems”, to be held in August 2023 in Davos, Switzerland. 

Freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems are closely interconnected, but they are often studied in isolation from each other. In the context of global change, it is urgent to understand how blue (water) and green (land) ecosystems are similar or different in terms of biodiversity patterns, ecological and evolutionary processes, and their responses to global drivers. Evidence-based understanding of blue-green biodiversity is necessary to inform policies and action to halt and reverse nature loss that threatens human well-being.

The goal of the “Summer School: Blue-green biodiversity. Research and practice and the interface of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems” is to provide an in-depth understanding of the linkages between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and the interdependencies between social and ecological systems. While focusing on Swiss habitats, we will highlight how an integrated approach that considers the ecological, evolutionary, and social dimensions of blue and green ecosystems benefits the conservation, maintenance, and restoration of biodiversity. 

The program consists of lectures, field excursions, and group work led by WSL and Eawag researchers and invited speakers. State-of-the-art knowledge and approaches will be presented and discussed considering the expectations of current and future blue and green ecosystems from scientific, nature conservation, management, and socio-economic perspectives. The participants will reflect on their own scientific work with respect to other disciplinary methods and discuss possible benefits of interdisciplinary approaches in their field.

The preliminary list of speakers includes Cécile Auberson (info fauna - Centre Suisse de Cartographie de la Faune CSCF), Ariel Bergamini (WSL), Kurt Bollmann (WSL), Matthias Buchecker (WSL), Lauren Cook (Eawag), Giulia Donati (Eawag), Marius Fankhauser (WSL), Sabine Fink (WSL), Cristian Gees (ecowert), Marco Moretti (WSL), Anita Narwani (Eawag), Luca Pegoraro (WSL), Francesca Pittino (WSL), Benedikt Schmidt (UZH), Danina Schmidt (Eawag), Ryan Shipley (WSL), Ross Shackleton (WSL), and Cornelia Twining (Eawag).

You can find the preliminary program here.

Applications are now open. Deadline: 14 May 2023.

* We are pleased to offer registration fee reductions for qualified participants affiliated to/working for an institution located in a Low- Income (LIC), Lower-Middle Income (LMIC) or Upper-Middle Income Country (UMIC) as per the current World Bank Country Classification. See details below. 

Application

• The Summer School is open to PhD students, MSc students in their last year, and PostDocs in biodiversity research and related disciplines from any country in the world.
• Please note that the Summer School is held in English only.
• You can submit your appplication via Conftool until 14 May 2023.
• To apply to the Summer School, please provide your CV, a motivation letter (one A4 page) and your PhD thesis abstract.
• A selection committee will review all applications. Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application by the end of May.

Costs

Fees: 700 Swiss Francs (exclusive of VAT). This includes accommodation (in shared rooms) at the Hotel Shima and meals during the Summer School, course materials, and excursions. Accepted participants are expected to bear travel costs to Davos.  

Reduced fees: 175 Swiss Francs. This reduction is available for qualified participants affiliated to/working for an institution located in a Low- Income (LIC), Lower-Middle Income (LMIC) or Upper-Middle Income Country (UMIC) as per the current World Bank Country Classification. The financial support does not cover travel or visa costs. Funds are limited, so please only request a fee reduction if you don't have funding from your institution.

* Students are expected to stay in shared rooms. However, if you have a need for specific hotel accommodations (due to health reasons), please contact us. Each request will be evaluated on case-by-case basis.

Diversity, equity and inclusion

We encourage and welcome the participation of applicants from different backgrounds in terms of gender, origin, religion and values, gender identity or sexual orientation, age, or impairment. We aim to promote a culture of respect and inclusion among all participants in our Summer School.

How to apply

Dr. Nadia Castro Izaguirre (WSL Biodiversity Center)

Dr. Morgane Brosse (BGB Initiative, Eawag)

Prof. Dr. Catherine Graham (WSL Biodiversity Center)

Hotel Shima
Dischmastrasse 63
7260 Davos Dorf
Tel. +41 81 410 12 00

www.shima-davos.ch

Davos ist approx. 2.5 hours away from Zurich Airport (see map).

By train:

With the "Rhätische Bahn" to Davos Dorf (one stop before Davos Platz). From Davos Dorf take bus Nr. 13, destination "Teufi" to the stop "Duchli" (ca. 20 m from our hotel).

For further information on public transport connections see www.sbb.ch.

By car:

After the train station Davos Dorf continue direction Davos Platz on the Promenade, passing Parsenn-Mountain-Railway on the right and the Migros supermarket on the left. Ca. 200 m after Migros, turn left into Dischmastrasse. Follow that road outside of town ca. 1.5 km to "Künzli Holzbau" (carpenter’s shop). U-Turn to the hotel’s parking lot.

The Blue-Green Biodiversity Research Initiative is an Eawag-WSL collaboration focusing on biodiversity at the interface of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

https://www.wsl.ch/en/about-wsl/organisation/programmes-and-initiatives/blue-green-biodiversity-research-initiative.html