Professional Skills - Science Connect

1.5 EC

Semester 1 & 2, period 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

5224PSSC2Y

Owner Master Biological Sciences
Coordinator dr. Eleni Spyropoulou
Part of Master Biological Sciences, Master Biomedical Sciences, track Oncology, Master Biomedical Sciences, track Cognitive Neurobiology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Master Biomedical Sciences, track Psychopharmacology and Pathophysiology, Master Biomedical Sciences, track Infection and Immunity, Master Biomedical Sciences, track Cell Biology and Advanced Microscopy, Master Biomedical Sciences, track Experimental Internal Medicine, Master Biomedical Sciences, track Molecular Neurosciences, Master Physics and Astronomy, track Advanced Matter and Energy Physics, Master Physics and Astronomy, track Science for Energy and Sustainability, Master Physics and Astronomy, track Theoretical Physics, Master Physics and Astronomy, track GRAPPA, Master Physics and Astronomy, track Astronomy and Astrophysics, Master Biomedical Sciences, track Physiology of Synapses and Networks, Master Physics and Astronomy (joint degree), track Biophysics and Biophotonics, Master Biomedical Sciences, track Developmental and Therapeutic Biology, Master Biomedical Sciences, track Medical Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Master Physics and Astronomy (joint degree), track General Physics and Astronomy, Master Earth Sciences,

Course manual 2021/2022

Course content

In this course you as a student will take part in an societal activity or contribute to solving a societal problem by using your academic knowledge and skills. You join or start an activity within the Science Faculty or in the interface between the Science Faculty and society. A few of the existing activities are Betabreak, TalkThatScienceRadio, WiF-Students, DiversityTalks, Right2Education, Inspire2Aspire, Soft Landing Master students etc. But you can also develop your own project. For instance, you might want to improve your master or former bachelor programme, by working out ideas to reduce drop-out of first-generation students or newly enrolled master students, start new social activities etc.

You will learn by doing. Use your own brains to have impact on specific situations, by investigating, interviewing, intervening, analysing, reporting, advising etc. Before the intake you will formulate a rudimentary project idea. We will provide coaching sessions in which you shape your project proposal and discuss the progress. You will write a (personal) project plan within the time you have available (42 hours in total).

Objectives

  • The student is able to integrate their academic knowledge and skills to a project dealing with a problem or activity in the interface between academia and society
  • The student is able to formulate a project proposal in line with the scope of the course
  • The student is able to analyze the context of the project such as the stakeholders
  • The student is able to reflect on their own functioning and contribution to project proposal
  • The student is able to collaborate and communicate with (multidisciplinary) team members and coach

Teaching methods

  • Self-study
  • Presentation/symposium
  • Working independently on e.g. a project or thesis
  • Supervision/feedback meeting

Learning activities

Activity

Hours

Self study

42

Total

42

(1.5 EC x 28 uur)

Attendance

Requirements of the programme concerning attendance (OER-B):

  1. Attendance during practical components exercises is mandatory.

Additional requirements for this course:

Participation during the kick-off meeting and coaching sessions is mandatory.

Assessment

Item and weight Details

Final grade

Project proposal and reflection report

Must be ≥ pass

You are assessed on your project proposal and  in which you also reflect on the impact of your work and your own performance. For this we use a rubric which results in a pass/fail for the course (min. 5,5).

 

Assignments

Final assignment:

Project proposal and reflection report

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

You can perform your project in any time between 2 and the full 6 months of the semester. As soon as you have a rudimentary project idea (contributing to an existing activity or your own project idea) you can upload this document on Canvas and a coach will contact you for the first coaching session.

Set up course:

Kick off meeting, project plan discussion, 2 or 3 coaching sessions

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Contact information

Coordinator

  • dr. Eleni Spyropoulou