Winter School „Towards Sustainable Land Management“
17th – 20th November 2014, Berlin
Theme and Objectives
The Winter School will provide a forum for a deepened exchange on PhD projects and young researchers’ perspectives on the subject area of land management. In particular, it will enable a stronger link between approaches and joint projects on sustainable land management and will focus on chances and challenges of inter- and transdisciplinary research. Besides reflecting and contextualizing their own research projects, participants will have the opportunity for extensive dialogue with researchers and practitioners from the field.
Format
The programme will feature keynote lectures as well as the presentation and intensive discussion of individual PhD projects. Beyond that, the programme will provide extensive opportunities for group and individual exchange on methods and framework conditions of PhD research in land management, related challenges, chances and future perspectives.
In particular, the winter school will offer a unique opportunity for discussing research on land management, bridging and connecting disciplinary perspectives that range from social and economic sciences, agricultural and soil sciences to biodiversity and hydrology. For instance (but not exclusively), PhD projects may focus on aspects from the following areas:
- Spatial Planning/Governance
- Information and Knowledge Management, Decision Support
- Land Use Patterns and Material Flow Management
- Regional Value Chains.
Methods and approaches that may be covered include stakeholder involvement (e.g. interviews, surveys, constellation analysis), assessment of land use intensity and land use scenarios, agricultural management practices, ecosystem services, carbon and further GHG dynamics, nutrient emissions, and hydrological modelling. However, further suitable topics and approaches are explicitly invited to apply.
Participants
During the winter school, the students will receive feedback and take part in discussions on their individual questions and methods applied. By that, a forum for identifying linking elements and fostering community building among young researchers from within the land research community will be provided.
In order to prepare for the discussion of individual projects, participants are asked to design a poster and a flashtalk presentation (ca. 7 minutes) according to a number of key questions that will be sent to accepted participants.
Besides the individual project presentations, the programme will leave sufficient space for discussions and exchange during evening events and dinner breaks so that the participants can also discuss individual and specific questions regarding their work with their fellow participants as well as with the invited speakers.
Organisation
The Winter School will take place from Monday, 17th to Thursday, 20th November 2014 at GLS Campus in Berlin. It will be organized by the scientific coordination project for joint research on Sustainable Land Management at Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF). There will be no fee for the winter school for accepted participants; the organisers will provide for the event venue, working material and catering (lunch and dinner). Travel costs and accommodation will not be covered; a number of affordable accommodation options close to the venue in Berlin will however be suggested.
How to apply
For participating in the Winter School, please fill out the application form and send it together with a short description of your PhD/research project (max 1 page; both on-going and recently completed projects are welcome) to Annegret Repp (E-Mail:
