Courses

The course also includes practical guidance on professional development, including strategies for strengthening one’s LinkedIn profile and presenting skills and experience effectively to potential employers.

Teaching takes place through weekly interactive seminars held over Zoom. These sessions feature invited speakers representing a range of career trajectories and provide opportunities for discussion and exchange among course participants. In addition to attending the seminars, students complete a series of assignments designed to help them reflect on their goals and prepare for future career decisions. A central component of the course is the development of a personal career plan, outlining concrete steps toward the student’s next professional milestone.

PhD students from outside the Biology Section at Stockholm University are welcome to participate if space allows.

Credits: 3 hp

For more information and course registration contact the the course leaders:

Sara Rydberg (sara.rydberg@su.se) and Deniz Özata (deniz.ozata@su.se)

Next start will be announced in BioResearch School's calendar!

The aim of this obligatory course is to introduce new research students in biology to the scientific community and to practical and philosophical aspects of research in the field of biology. It will also function as a kick-off for participation in the BioResearch School. This course will give research students the required qualifications in didactic and pedagogics required to participate in teaching activities at undergraduate level. The course runs over two weeks.

The course activities include some home assignments so be prepared for home work. Therefore, plan for home assignments and reading!

For registration or if you have any questions contact:
Deniz Ozata (coordinator, Molecular Life Sciences) deniz.ozata@su.se
Sara Rydberg (coordinator, Ecology, Biodiversity and the Environment) sara.rydberg@su.se

Understanding ecological systems requires the ability to think in terms of models — to identify key processes, evaluate competing hypotheses, and simplify complexity without losing essential dynamics.

This course introduces PhD students to model thinking as a practical tool for exploring ecological questions and refining research ideas.

The course helps students develop the modelling mindset needed to analyse ecological systems. Through hands on examples and guided discussions, participants learn how modelling can reveal the key factors and relationships that drive system behaviour, and how these insights can inform and streamline empirical research.

Structure and Format

The course runs over four years, with one full day workshop each semester. Across this period, students are introduced to eight modelling themes, allowing them to join sessions that best support their research at different stages of their PhD.

Each workshop includes:

• A preparatory session introducing modelling basics, using Julia (with R as an optional alternative).
• A full day seminar exploring a selected ecological theme through multiple modelling approaches.
• Hands on work with provided model notebooks.
• Small group discussions (2–3 students) on how the models relate to participants’ own research.

Students earn 0.5 credits per workshop, up to a total of 4 credits.

Project Work

Students may choose to develop a model related to their research after any workshop. Guidance is available from the course leader, and the project concludes with a mandatory seminar presentation approximately two months later. Completing one project awards 2 additional credits

Credits: 6 hp (4 hp for seminars, 2 hp for project work)

For more information and course registration contact the the course leader:
Jon Norberg (jon.norberg@su.se)

Scientific results are primarily communicated through papers published in peer‑reviewed journals. Being able to write a clear, well‑structured scientific manuscript is therefore an essential skill for every researcher.

This course aims to train PhD students in how to plan, structure, and write a scientific paper based on their own research.

A central component of the course is the writing process itself. You will draft a manuscript from your own data, revise it in response to feedback, and provide constructive comments on the manuscripts of other participants. To benefit fully from the course, you should therefore have results ready and be prepared to begin writing when the course starts.

The course consists of 12 seminars held approximately every two weeks over a period of up to eight months.

The course usually starts in October (see the calendar for current dates).

Credits: 6 hp

In order to register send an email to the course leaders:
Sara Rydberg (sara.rydberg@su.se ) or Ann-Kristin Östlund Farrants (anki.ostlund@su.se )

This course provides both an overview and a deeper understanding of how stable isotopes can be applied in modern ecological research and archaeological investigations. The focus is on research questions and practical applications, complemented by the theoretical foundations needed to use stable isotopes effectively.

Credits: 3 hp

For registration and further course information, please contact the course leader:
Fredrik Dalerum (fredrik.dalerum@zoologi.su.se)

This course is designed to give you the statistical knowledge and practical skills needed to navigate the increasingly complex, data‑driven landscape of modern ecological research.

The course literature is Experimental Design and Data Analysis for Biologists, which provides the foundation for our weekly discussions on advanced statistical concepts. Each session focuses on a new chapter, allowing you to explore both the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of statistical methods.

In addition to the book based discussions, the course integrates conversations around the participating PhD students’ thesis work, creating opportunities to connect statistical theory with real research challenges.

Course credits are awarded based on the number of sessions attended.

For more information and course registration contact the the course leaders:
Ayco Tack (ayco.tack@su.se) and Peter Hambäck (peter.hamback@su.se).

Mark the heading with “PhD statistics book reading”