September 2007 EES newsletter
From EESwiki
Contents |
Newsletter 01 - September 2007
What is EES?
The EES program is happy to present to you its first newsletter! Most of you have probably heard about some aspects of the EESLMU Program (Munich Graduate School for Evolution, Ecology and Systematics). But let us assure you, there's more! With this newsletter, we will keep you informed about recent and upcoming events as well as other topics of interest. This newsletter was produced by Jennifer Lohr and Christoph Rupprecht, who will begin their first semester in the EES master's program in October.
EES Agenda 2007:
28th July - EES Summer Excursion
1st Sept - Deadline for EES Prizes
9-14th Sept - EES Summer School
4-5th Oct - First EES Conference
15th Oct - EES Master's Program begins
EES Conference
The first annual EES conference will take place on the 4th and 5th of October 2007 in the main auditorium of the Biozentrum. During the first day of the conference, master's students will meet their designated mentors for the program and then participate in a variety of planned events. Simultaneously, EES staff will meet to plan future EES activities. During the second day, which is open to the public, invited speakers will give talks in different areas of evolutionary biology. See First EES Conference.
EES Master's Program
The first semester of the new EESLMU master's program, being taught out of the Biozentrum building in Martinsried, will begin on the 15th of October 2007. The EESLMU master's program is open to both German and International students with a background in biology or a related subject. Ten students have been accepted into the program for the 2007 winter semester, coming from a wide variety of countries; Peru, Columbia, Uganda, Bolivia, the Philipines, the USA, Canada and Germany. The program was awarded first prize in a competition for innovative educational concepts by the Volkswagen Stiftung. LMU biology diploma students may transfer to the EESLMU master's program after their 6th semester. For more information on how to transfer contact Michael Bögle. See alsoEESlmu Master
GLF & IRT 3 Trial
The GLF (Global Learning Fund) provides 4.000 € per year to cover travel expenses and fees for summer schools and workshops. The funding may also be used to partially fund a stay in another country to conduct research. GLF grants are open to PhD students who are working with a core faculty member of the EESLMU program as well as to EES master’s students. The IRT (Independent Research Training) 3 trial was set up to give diploma students experience in research and grant writing. The maximum award provided is 1.000 €. Applicants must be LMU biology students majoring in ecology, evolution or systematics, or students with a different major but who are completing their "Diplomarbeit" in one of these three areas. For information regarding application procedures, rules and deadlines please visit the EES website at EES global learning fund and IRT 3 trial.
EES Summer Excursion
The 2007 EES summer excursion was led by Herwig Stibor from the 28th of July to the 4th of August. This year’s location was the tidelands near Wilhelmshaven. In cooperation with the Terramare Research Centre for Shallow Seas, Coastal Zones and Marine Environments as well as the Niedersachsen Tidelands National Park, there were a variety of interesting topics to study. These included the developmental process of a tideland and its harsh living conditions, the study of moor plant succession and human-flora interactions, collection and analysis of statistical data and a boat trip riding the tidal waves upstream. The participants are sure to have brought back some amazing stories.
Alumni Survey
What happened to those promising diploma graduates? How useful was a degree in biology for their careers? Did their education prepare them for the things to come? These questions are addressed by a recent alumni survey conducted by Rita Verma. The survey focuses on LMU ecology, evolution and systematics diploma graduates from the years 2000 to 2007. The survey is still underway and looking for more participants and so we kindly ask everyone to pass the word around. The survey is a 15-minute questionnaire, which can be found at: Alumni Survey.
Summer School
The EES Summer School 2007 will be held from the 9th to the 14th of September on the charming island of Frauenchiemsee. The topic of this year’s program is "Evolutionary and Ecological Consequences of Global Change". Speakers from Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and France will talk about the effects of climate and global change on bird populations, genotypes and trophic interactions from a below-ground perspective. Details on how to apply as well as the program schedule and directions to Frauenchiemsee are available online through the EESLMU website. Questions can be directed to Sebastian Diehl, Reinhard Agerer or Bart Kempenaers. See Summer school 2007.
EES Prizes
Did you know that from now on, there are prizes every year for the best master's and PhD theses in the fields of evolution, ecology and systematics? The best master’s thesis or "Diplomarbeit" will be awarded 1000€ and the best PhD thesis 1500€. Winners also get the opportunity to present their work at the upcoming EES conference. The prize money is dedicated to support the student's academic career, paying for a visit to an international conference, participation in a scientific workshop or similar events. Interested? Know someone who would be? The application deadline is September 1st 2007, so get your name in now! More information can be found on the EESLMU website, see EES Prizes.
Volvox
The Volvox network has an informational wiki site designed by EES PhD students for EES PhD students. It is also an excellent site for prospective PhD students to learn about the program as well as the staff and students involved. The website holds information on upcoming events in the faculty, courses, meetings and available grants. For more information visit the Volvox website at http://www.eeslmu.de/wiki
