Dear all,
Gubbi Labs is offering a certificate and credit course in Primer in Methods
and Ecological Research in *May 2016 *in India. Last date for application
is *10th April 2016. Application end in 5 days from today. *
Please go through the details below and apply on line.
PRiMER: Primer in Methods and Ecological Research
What is PRiMER?
PRimer in Methods and Ecological Research is a certificate course designed
and offered by Gubbi Labs to provide experiential learning on how to
appreciate and pursue research in ecology. This is first of a kind
intensive programme aimed at inspiring participants to be an ecologist, and
imparting essential skills.
Ecology, a unified field in biology, over the years has transcended
boundaries of subjects like physics, chemistry, mathematics and social
sciences. From being a mere observational and natural history based domain,
ecology has progressed to enable the understanding of complex processes and
behaviour seen in the natural world. PRiMER will enable the participants to
venture into fields of natural history, environmental biology and
theoretical ecology. The course is specifically designed for students and
professionals alike.
PRiMER is a two credit course with over 40 hours of contact teaching. It
will be facilitated by faculty members comprising of an expert panel of
ecologists and research scientists, with extensive experience in field
ecology. Core faculty members include Drs. Gururaja KV and Sudhira HS. We
will also draw insights and relevant skills from other subject experts.
What to expect in PRiMER?
The training will enable participants to carry out objective research
across various disciplines.
PRiMER exposes participants to the basic skills such as the art of asking
research questions, project planning and management, hands-on training in
census, sampling and monitoring techniques, ecological statistics, remote
sensing, mapping (GIS, spatial analysis and modelling), science
communication (presentations, writing scientific papers and popular
articles) and writing grant proposals. It will also expose participants to
soft skills such as effective leadership, adaptive management and highlight
the importance of working in teams.
Broad themes dealt in PRiMER
1. Introduction to Ecological Research: Fundamentals of research; planning
and management of independent research; literature review; seeing the big
picture and framing objective. The course will provide hands-on exposure to
mind-mapping tool (Freemind) and reference manager (Mendeley®).
2. Ecological Statistics: Fundamentals of data collection, database
management and exploratory analysis; nature of data and data types
(parametric and non-parametric); data visualization; descriptive
statistics; diversity indices; probability distributions; statistical
hypothesis testing; choosing and using appropriate statistical tests.
Introduction to tools for statistical analysis viz., Biodiversity Pro®,
PAST®, R, RStudio™ .
3. Mapping and Modelling: Fundamentals of mapping and remote sensing; use
of navigation gadgets (Garmin eTrex 30; Smartphone based tools);
geo-spatial analysis; species distribution modelling; geo-visualization;
hands-on training in making maps. Tools exposed: QGIS®, MaxEnt, Google
Earth®
4. Ecological Census and Monitoring techniques: Fundamentals of field data
collection techniques; hands-on training in sampling techniques such as
line and belt transects, point, quadrat, time-constrained, audio-visual
encounter surveys; mark–re-capture techniques and camera trapping. Usage of
automated data collecting devices (acoustics and weather monitoring).
5. Communicating Research: Fundamentals of science communication; art of
storytelling; the nuances of presentation skills and techniques, writing
scientific and popular articles, and research grant proposals. Basics of
science journalism; developing a communication message; writing a press
release; pitching to reporters and giving effective sound and video bytes.
PRiMER provides you the tools necessary to synthesise field observations,
analyse data, interpret, visualize and report findings in a succinct
scientific framework. This intense field course will be beneficial to
aspiring biologists, researchers, forest managers, teachers, environmental
management consultants, nature enthusiasts and photographers. The training
and skill sets inculcated in PRiMER are necessary tenets for a career in
ecology and helpful in trans-disciplinary research.
Certificates will be awarded to all participants upon course completion.
Credits are subject to successful completion of the course and evaluation.
Venue: Gubbi Labs Eco-Station, Gubbi, Tumakuru District, Karnataka State,
India.
Course Dates: 2nd May to 7th May 2016.
Course Fee: Students (Undergraduate, Post-graduate, PhD students and
Postdocs; Independent Researchers): ₹ 10,000/-
Professionals: ₹ 20,000/-
Foreign nationals: US $ 500
Course fees includes vegetarian food and a basic accommodation on sharing
basis.
Maximum number of participants: 20
Fellowships: Gubbi Labs Fellowship for Research is available for deserving
candidates. Five Fellowships will be offered for whom the course fees will
be waived off by 50 to 75%. Those aspiring for the fellowship can
specifically mention while applying online.
Participants have to bring their own laptop.
Apply online at http://courses.gubbilabs.in/content/primer
Last date for application: 10th April 2016
First list announcement: 15th April 2016
Second list announcement: 20th April 2016
Contact Us:
Gubbi Labs LLP
#2-182, 2nd Cross Extension, Gubbi—572216, Tumkuru District, Karnataka
State, India
Email: courses@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Web: http://courses.gubbilabs.in/content/primer
P: +91 94823 73575 | +91 94481 13575 | +91 94801 87502
Best Regards
Vidisha Kulkarni
On behalf of Gubbi Labs Team
