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.

  • Advanced Organic Chemistry
    Advanced course for WUR PhD candidates
  • Exposure assessment in nutrition research
    The course is meant for university graduates in biomedical sciences; nutrition, epidemiology etc. Knowledge on basic statistical concepts and methods (e.g. linear regression, paired t-test, correlation, ANOVA) and study designs is assumed. The course welcomes PhD candidates and postdocs as well as participants from industry and research centres.
  • Life Sciences Data Integration Challenge
    Data science is revolutionizing our understanding of biology in biotechnology and systems health… Can you uncover something new in one week? Current and future scientific problems require multi-disciplinary solutions and research teams composed of members from broad domain backgrounds. To train our future researchers, the Life Sciences Data Integration Challenge 2024 is targeted at MSc students and PhD candidates from life science, biotechnology, and bioinformatics fields. Over 5 days, participants will form multi-disciplinary teams to analyse a research problem using data science, statistical analysis and mechanistic models, with the aim of uncovering new insights and observations.
  • 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.

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

  • Bayesian Data Analysis: a new perspective in the VLAG domain
    A short introduction to the benefits of using Bayesian Data Analysis, with examples from the domains of biotechnology, microbiology, environmental sciences, food, and nutrition. Interesting for staff members, PhDs, postdocs and PIs alike.