PhD school in biology - MB120C126

• Title: PhD school in biology
• Czech title: Doktorandské studium v biologii
• Guaranteed by: Department of Botany (31-120)
• Faculty: Faculty of Science
• Actual: from 2023
• Semester: both
• E-Credits: 2
• Hours per week, examination: 0/20, C [HS]
• Capacity: 30
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: taught
• Language: English
• Note: course is intended for doctoral students only; enabled for web enrollment; you can enroll for the course in winter and in summer semester
• Guarantor: doc. Clément Lafon Placette, Dr.
• Teacher(s): Mgr. Matyáš Fendrych, Ph.D.; RNDr. Filip Kolář, Ph.D.; doc. Clément Lafon Placette, Dr.

Annotation

Many PhD students are often isolated from their peers and left unequipped to face the many challenges inherent
to the PhD student life. This may lead to a lack of motivation, unhappiness, burnout, and eventually dropout. This
does not have to be, and a PhD project can be a fulfilling experience made of learning science but also other so-
called "soft" skills, networking and achievements. To help students in this, we open a PhD school interlinking
biology research at relevant departments of PrF UK (Botany, Experimental Plant Biology, Ecology, Zoology,
Microbiology). Our goal doing so is to support a networking cohort where PhD students will meet, discuss science
and learn together across the years, which will build a solid basis for networking and present/future collaborations
and connections, independently of their country of origin or scientific background. We also aim at providing skills
that are crucial to lead a PhD (and projects beyond) successfully, and yet that are barely taught at university.
This course is only for PhD students.

Last update: Štefánek Michal, Mgr. (17.05.2023)

Course completion requirements

To pass the course, the students need to join at least 3 out of 4 meetings.

Last update: Štefánek Michal, Mgr. (17.05.2023)

Syllabus

The PhD school will consist of one-day-long meetings, once per month (so 4 meetings per semester). In each of these meetings, the program will consist of:
- “PhD club”: presentations by students, discussion moderated by students. PIs will not be part of this, allowing a peer-to-peer discussion to happen.
- Soft skills training: initiation to a particular soft skill.
- An informal gathering between PhD students with refreshments.

On top of these monthly meetings, a few additional (non mandatory) activities will be proposed:
- ad hoc methodological workshops on approaches relevant to PhD students in evolutionary/molecular biology
- one weekend retreat with different activities (team building and connection, soft skill training, and leisure)

Soft skills training preliminary program for the first year:
Semester 1 session 1: presentation and self confidence 1
Semester 1 session 2: presentation and self confidence 2
Semester 1 session 3:open communication and conflict solving
Semester 1 session 4: research integrity
Semester 2 session 1: time management
Semester 2 session 2: mental health and stress in PhD life 1
Semester 2 session 3: modern teaching methods for higher education
Semester 2 session 4: career planning

Semester 3 session 1: intercultural communication
Semester 3 session 2: mental health and stress in PhD life 2
Semester 3 session 3: early career plan (postdoc stage)
Semester 3 session 4: scientific outreach

Last update: Lafon Placette Clément, doc., Dr. (03.10.2024)