We are happy to share with all of you our course plan for the spring and summer 2022! With covid-19 restrictions being partly lifted, most of our courses will be taught on site. We are also looking forward to the field season with courses on hydrozoans, soil invertebrates and lichens taught at our field stations. We hope that more of our members and associates will be able to travel again and will be very glad to see you all in person at our courses!
ForBio course: Writing a Scientific Paper March 7– 8, 2022, Drøbak Marine Station
This course aims to help you write a scientific paper to submit to a journal. Through lectures and constructive interactions with the other students, along with some serious time on your own, you will write, edit, write some more, edit way more times than you originally thought necessary, make a final draft, edit, make even more drafts, and then produce a version that you are happy with. Application deadline: 31 January 2022
ForBio and University of Gothenburg course: Target capture for Illumina sequencing March 21–25, 2022, Tjärnö
The Target capture for Illumina sequencing workshop will cover state-of-the-art methodology for generating DNA sequence data from multiple loci and individuals for phylogenomics and population genomics analyzes. You will learn the complete process from designing a next generation sequencing (NGS) target capture project, the most essential steps in the lab, and the bioinformatic processing of the produced data. The course is aimed at equipping students with the necessary knowledge to design and carry out their own target capture project, and make sensible and informed decisions along the way. Application deadline: 14 February 2022
ForBio and STI course: DNA barcoding - from sequences to species 2022 March 28–April 1, 2022, NTNU, Trondheim
DNA barcoding has found multiple uses in biodiversity science and management, as well as in authentication and bioinformatics. This five-day intensive course on molecular identification will give a basic introduction to the theory and best practice of DNA barcoding in biodiversity science and management. Various topics will be presented by recognized experts in the field, and students will actively contribute to their own learning through hands-on exercises and seminars. Extended application deadline: 4 February 2022
Transmitting Science and ForBio course: Introduction to Bayesian Inference in Practice April 4–8, 2022, Virtual
Bayesian methods have become standard practice in several fields, (e.g. phylogenetic inference, evolutionary (paleo)biology, genomics), yet understanding how these Bayesian machinery works are not always trivial. This course is based on the assumption that the easiest way to understand the principles of Bayesian inference and the functioning of the main algorithms is to implement these methods yourself. Application deadline: 28 February 2022
This course will introduce the theory and method of how to visually represent your scientific research. Being able to translate complex research into information that can be understood by a wide range of audiences is an important skill that will help you throughout your career. Communicating your work using different methods helps you to think about your work from different perspectives. Not only will this help you understand your own research better, but it will also give you the tools to be able to explain your work to others. Application deadline: 21 March 2022
May 9–13, 2022, University Museum of Bergen, University of Bergen
High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) comprises different DNA sequencing approaches of the next and third generation, i.e. short and long read sequencing. Prior to data analysis, sequencing reads undergo different quality control and editing steps to identify target sequence information and prepare data for subsequent analysis. In our course, we will focus on this black-box between raw data received from the sequencing instrument and analysis of data in a biological context. Teaching goals are introduction to Unix command line, Illumina read quality assessment and trimming, blasting, mapping, mitochondrial genome reconstruction, annotation and analysis. Application deadline: 14 March 2022
This course introduces participants to field methods, taxonomy, ecology, and morphological species identification of three groups of soil organisms that are critical to functioning of northern ecosystems in northern ecosystems. In addition, an introduction to molecular species identification via DNA barcoding is provided and the role of both morphological and DNA-based approaches is discussed. Application deadline: 15 May 2022
In this field course, we will introduce the rich diversity of lichens and lichenicolous fungi in one of Norway’s biodiversity hotspots, the Dovre Mountain area south of Trondheim. The course will cover the following themes: (1) Species knowledge on characteristic lichens and lichenicolous fungi in mountain habitats, (2) Field sampling techniques and identification of lichens and lichenicolous fungi, (3) Preservation techniques and labelling of scientific collections, (4) Databasing and online resources (5) Phylogeny and biosystematics of lichens and lichenicolous fungi, (6) DNA barcoding and molecular identification. Application deadline: 15 April 2022
ForBio course: Phylogenomics October 17–28, 2022, Drøbak Marine Station
Advances in high-throughput sequencing and genomics have revolutionized research in evolutionary biology and systematics. The use of genomics data in phylogenetic analyzes has brought new challenges in terms of data handling and analysis. This course aims to help those who have basic experience in bioinformatics and molecular phylogenetics, and have projects focused on high-throughput sequencing data and phylogenetics, to become acquainted with tools, programs and pipelines for phylogenomics and want to conduct phylogenomic studies beyond the standard, also addressing potentially confunding biases in their datasets. Application deadline: 15 August 2022
Funding opportunities
ForBio Course grants
These course grants enable ForBio members to attend courses with a taxonomic focus that ForBio does not offer, but which are relevant for the current or future research interests and needs of the ForBio member. ForBio will fund members based in Norway (http://www.forbio.uio.no/membership/). The grants can cover the course fee, travel and accommodation, and a detailed budget should be included in the application (grants are up to 30 000 NOK). Please note that we have a limited budget for travel grants and we will prioritize grant applications that most closely meet the objectives of this program. The application procedure requires you to fill out a ForBio course grant application. At the end of the form you will need to attach (1) a letter of recommendation from your main supervisor, and (2) a personal CV.
ForBio & Transmitting Science ForBio organises some courses together with Transmitting Science (announced in the ForBio website). For these courses, ForBio will cover the registration fee for all accepted ForBio members. In addition, ForBio will cover travel and accommodation for ForBio members affiliated to Norwegian institutions. In order to benefit from this agreement, you need to indicate you are a ForBio member when registering through the transmitting Science website. A 30% confirmation fee may be required when registering; this will be reimbursed to ForBio members after the course.
ForBio members and associates also get a 20% discount on ALL Transmitting Science courses. You just need to indicateyour ForBio affiliation when registering.
Vacancies
Head of Botany. An exciting job working with Natural History collections in Stockholm. The Naturhistoriska riksmuseet in Stockholm
Application deadline: February 6th, 2022
2-y researcher in biogeography to work on short- and long-term dynamics of plants and vegetation in relation to climate and land use changes globally, and in Eurasia and Norway in particular. Naturhistorisk museum, Oslo
Application deadline: February 13th, 2022
TIP: Lots of interesting jobs and other opportunities are published on the Evolution Directory (EvolDir) mailing list, and not all of them make it to the ForBio newsletter! You can subscribe to EvolDir or check out the recent postings here.
. short and long read sequencing. Prior to data analysis, sequencing reads undergo different quality control and editing steps to identify target sequence information and prepare data for subsequent analysis. In our course, we will focus on this black-box between raw data received from the sequencing instrument and analysis of data in a biological context. Teaching goals are introduction to Unix command line, Illumina read quality assessment and trimming, blasting, mapping, mitochondrial genome reconstruction, annotation and analysis.
