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Training schools

Training schools

Two workshops (one virtual [M10] and one with physical presence [M24]) dedicated on grant proposal writing, project planning, implementation and coordination will be conducted. The UP will lead this initiative among APs organizing the virtual training that will address the following topics:

  • - Overview of Grant proposal writing
  • - Types of funding models
  • - Identifying and assessing the relevance of calls
  • - Developing a hypothesis and concept
  • - Assessing the call and putting a management team in place
  • - Identifying research and industrial partners
  • - Overview of project management and implementation of the project
  • - Administration issues and legal aspects.

During on-site workshop at the WI, the following topics will be addressed:

  • - Courses on project management, scientific writing and communication
  • - Training in entrepreneurial skills
  • - Presentation of case studies of successfully accomplished projects by each AP
  • - Presentation of successfully accomplished Twinning projects of the WI.

Dates: March 29th/30th 2023

Location: University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany, Science Park Potsdam, GO:IN

https://potsdam-sciencepark.de/

 

The two-day workshop presents and discusses scientific and application aspects of priming to mitigate the negative effects of abiotic stress on crops:

  • Scientific aspects: the priming concept; classes of priming agents and priming protocols; current research directions
  • Techniques required to perform plant growth trials, application of priming agents (in the field), and examples from research
  • Tools and techniques for applying biostimulants and priming agents, incl. aspects of precise crop monitoring, statistics and digital tools
  • Market and regulatory aspects for applying priming agents in agriculture, the path from applied research to market (challenges, hurdles, and open questions to make priming suitable for agriculture); data-based approaches to shape innovation

Both, young and experienced researchers from the PRIMESOFT partner institutions as well as guest speakers from academia and industry will participate and use the opportunity to share knowledge, and contribute to a fruitful discussion.

Day 1
  • - Life Cycle concepts
  • - Life Cycle thinking
  • - LCA & LCCA approaches and relevant international standards
  • - LCA and ecolabels
Day 2
  • - Life Cycle approaches: strengths, weaknesses and perspectives from practitioners/commissioners
  • - Open discussion on the LCA & LCCA tools and concepts
  • - Commissioning a LCA project
Day 3
  • - LCA software: tools, Life Cycle inventory flowsheets and balances, issues with coproducts,
  • - Commercial LCA Software training activities: (i) LCA Environmental impact, (ii) Product Life Cycle Stages, (iii) carbon footprinting (iv) interpretation, sensitivity and uncertainty analysis in LCA, Group project presentations, course evaluations, course summary and key learnings.

Expected outcomes: The participants will render themselves capable to perform product and process LCCA using accepted methods and tools, to understand Life Cycle concepts and the relationship to product and process improvement and environmental impact. ER/ESRs will render themselves capable to apply this knowledge to real-life case studies, development of a solid understanding of the process, data requirements and results, learning through the LCA & LCCA to assess the environmental dimension of circular economy including technical and biological materials cycles, using the life cycle principles to make effective product decisions.

Day 1
  • - General introduction
  • - Sampling techniques for VOC analysis
  • - An introduction to GC-MS
  • - Case study SPME-GC-MS
  • - SPME-GC-MS hands-on experience
Day 2
  • - Optimal Experimental Design to optimize VOC analysis protocols
  • - An introduction to SIFT-MS
  • - Case study SIFT-MS
  • - SIFT-MS hands-on experience
Day 3
  • - Multivariate statistics to analyze VOC data
  • - An introduction to TDU-GC-MS
  • - Case study TDU-GC-MS
  • - TDU-GC-MS hands on experience
  • - Course evaluation

Expected outcomes:Trainees will acquire insights in the complete process of volatile analysis starting from headspace sampling until final data analysis including method optimization through experimental design. Participants will obtain hands-on experience on the main MS-based techniques to analyze VOCs.

Day 1
  • -An Introduction to phytochemicals and their role in food quality and health
  • - Description of main analytical methods to be used for assessment of phytochemicals
  • - Identification of fruit-relevant phytochemicals and the methods for their analysis and quantification
Day 2
  • - Preharvest treatments affecting phytochemical composition
  • - Main biochemical mechanisms involved in biosynthesis and degradation of phytochemicals
  • - Agronomic practices to enhance desirable phytochemicals for quality and health
  • - Identification of fruit handling and agricultural practices and postharvest storage on fruit-relevant phytochemicals
Day 3
  • - Postharvest technologies affecting the phytochemical composition of fresh fruit
  • - Main metabolic changes occurring during postharvest storage that affect phytochemicals
  • - Fruit processing effects on food phytochemicals
  • - Identification of the potential effects of different treatments on phytochemical metabolism and function

Expected outcomes:Trainees will become familiar with the main phytochemical groups in the foods studied as well as the identification of their role in food quality and biological effects in humans. The trainees will also be able to realize how different pre- and post-harvest treatments and condition can affect phytochemicals composition and how this finally affects to food quality and health and nutritional properties.