VLAG courses and conferences

VLAG Graduate School forms a community of research and post-graduate education in the areas of Biobased, Biomolecular, Food, and Nutrition Sciences. The Graduate School provides a platform for high-quality post-graduate education and professional development of young researchers.

For detailed information please visit VLAG webpage: http://www.vlaggraduateschool.nl/en/courses.htm

1. VLAG Scientific courses

The graduate school organises a large number of advanced scientific courses. Topics chosen for these courses are of particular interest to PhD candidates within VLAG, but the courses are also open to external participants.  Some courses are organised annually, but most are organised every two or three years. All courses are in English.

  • Algae Biorefinery
    Course aimed at designing optimal multi-product algae-based biorefinery processes. The topic will span from unit operations to the entire process chain, for both research and commercial applications, with emphasis on current bottlenecks. at designing optimal multi-product algae-based biorefinery processes. The topic will span from unit operations to the entire process chain, for both research and commercial applications, with emphasis on current bottlenecks.
  • Advanced Organic Chemistry
    Advanced course for WUR PhD candidates
  • Big Data Analysis in the Life Sciences
    Technological and scientific advances have pushed the Life Sciences into the BIG data era. The increased volume and heterogeneity of available data challenges scientists to master techniques for comprehensive data analysis. Extracting meaningful (biological) information from large datasets is increasingly becoming a challenge in all fields of life sciences. Thus, the ability to select and deploy analysis tools and algorithms has become an indispensable skill for all researchers. In this course, we aim to introduce participants to techniques for comprehensive data analysis of large, heterogeneous datasets and extract relevant information for elucidating biological design principles. The course is modular and focuses on data generation, mining, analysis, data integration, and visualization.
  • Enhancing food supply chain integrity- the role of blockchain in traceability
    The objective of this course is to provide interested participants with the theoretical and practical knowledge required to understand the integration of blockchain technology within traceability systems to enhance food supply chain integrity.
  • Healthy and sustainable diets
    International Master class to broaden disciplinary thinking in agriculture, food sciences, nutrition and health to arrive at a disciplinary research perspective on healthy and sustainable diets. It aims to contribute to synergy between scientific disciplines, applied research and stakeholders along the food supply chain.
  • Microalgae Process Design: from Cells to Photobioreactors
    This course provides the essential skills for designing microalgae-based production processes, for both research and commercial purposes.
  • NanoBioPhysX Course
    This course focuses on PhD candidates working on fundamental topics (experiment or theory) within the crossover field of nanotechnology, biology, physics and chemistry, interested in broadening their academic scope and societal reach. The course aims to: Immerse participants in an interdisciplinary scientific environment and widen their scientific horizon. Foster scientific discussion and develop an interdisciplinary fundamental scientific community. Gain societal outreach experience and improve popular science writing targeted at the general public.
  • Rheology: the do`s and don`ts
    Participants will learn how to identify typical material characteristics in rheological data (yield stress, shear thinning, fracture, etc.).
  • Reaction kinetics in food science
    The aim of the course is to acquire in-depth knowledge about kinetic modelling, and to apply and use kinetics in food science problems using modern software.
  • Stable Isotope Methods in Nutrition Research
    In vivo assessment of nutrient absorption, status and metabolism can benefit a lot from the use of stable isotope methods. These methods can help to better understand biological processes, provide quantitative data on fluxes of nutrients through different compartments in the body, and help to determine nutrient status which links to health and diseases. This course will provide a solid scientific background on the application of stable isotopes in nutrition research. Topics will include Deuterium-based methods like body composition, energy expenditure and breast milk intake (dose to mother technique), as well as cover vitamin/mineral bioavailability and protein digestibility.

2. General courses

General courses deal with various issues relevant for the professional and personal development of PhD candidates.
VLAG organises the following general courses:

  • VLAG PhD week
  • Philosophy and Ethics of Food Science and Technology
  • various Statistics courses

VLAG also contributes to the organisation of general/skills courses jointly organised by Wageningen Graduate Schools. For detailed information please visit: https://wgs.crs.wur.nl/

  • Applied Statistics
    Each day consists of lectures and practicals using R. The examples used in the lectures and practicals are based on data provided by researchers of VLAG.
  • Chemometrics
    Each day consists of lectures and practicals using R. Examples of datasets delivered by the course participants in advance will be used in the lectures and practicals when possible.
  • VLAG PhD week
    The aim of the PhD week is to make freshman PhD candidates aware of the importance of the professional skills such as presentation techniques, scientific writing, project management, science ethics, ... in the research arena. Moreover this week aims at network formation within the VLAG PhD community, and getting insight into the wide spectrum of scientific research being carried out within the Graduate School. More at: http://www.vlaggraduateschool.nl/en/courses/General-courses/VLAG-general-courses/VLAG-PhD-week.htm
  • VLAG Midterm event: PhD on track
    The PhD on track event is organised for VLAG PhD candidates at the end of the 2nd year, or start of the 3rd year of their PhD. It revolves around the following questions: - Am I on schedule? - Am I (aware of and) making optimal use of opportunities? - What do we need for life/career after the PhD?
  • Introduction to R
    The aim is to provide an introduction to R, a computer language and environment for statistics and graphics. The course will focus on getting familiar with the R environment by means of RStudio, to use R for manipulation and exploration of data and to perform simple analysis. Basic programming as well as visualization of results in R will also be part of this course.

3. VLAG conferences

  • Transition from a (Sandwich) PhD programme at Wageningen University to an academic career in Africa
    This workshop is an initiative of three Sandwich PhD graduates – from Benin, Zimbabwe, and Zambia - who will also be our special guests. They have moved to an academic position at their home institute and will share their experiences and will reflect on successes, challenges, and opportunities of the PhD programme at Wageningen University and their experience afterwards. We will also highlight on how to maximize on mutual benefits for all involved, the PhD candidates, their Wageningen counterparts and the African Universities / partner institutions involved, and how to navigate pitfalls.