Invitation to 2017 Triple Autumn School

In the EVOBLISS E.U. project we are exploring the synergies between microbial fuel cells,  robotics, and artificial chemical life. The goal of this Autumn school is to give selected highly motivated postgraduates students or passionate STEM enthusiasts a hands-on focussed experience in one or more of the following technologies: Open Source Liquid Handling Robots, Microbial Fuel Cells, and Artificial Chemical Life.

The autumn school covers three topics. Each topic will be covered by talks by leading scientist and by extensive lab work. The following topics are covered:

  • Liquid Handling Robots – You will build your own advanced liquid handling robot EvoBot based on our open-source design. You will only pay for materials (€1000) and will be instructed in how to assemble the system and apply it to simple tasks. After the summer school you take the robot with you.
  • Microbial Fuel Cells – You will build your own microbial fuel cell based on our open source design and receive training in monitoring and maintaining the microbial fuel cells. You will only pay for materials and chemicals (€90), and you will have the chance to power up different small electrical devices using your handmade MFCs. Also, you will take you own microbial fuel cell home after the workshop.
  • Artificial Chemical Life – You will be taught how to create simple chemical droplet systems that are able to show primitive, but diverse behaviors using safe chemicals.  After the summer school you can order the reagents online and continue experiments in your own lab.

The autumn school is organized over a week where the above topics are covered in sequence. You can either pick individual topics or stay for the whole period it is up to you and your interests. The summer school is co-located with the 12th Advanced Biofilm Course (October 9 – 14, 2017; details: http://bioold.science.ku.dk/mkuhl/index.html), which complements this summer school with specific focus on biofilms and the use of the EvoBot robotic platform for biofilm imaging.

CONFIRMED TEACHERS

Liquid Handling Robots – Prof. Kasper Stoy, Assistant Prof. Andrés Faíña, IT University of Copenhagen

Microbial Fuel Cells, Prof. Ioannis Ieropoulos, Pavlina Theodosiou, Bristol Robotics Laboratory

Artificial Chemical Life – Associate Prof. Martin Hanczyc, Silvia Holler, University of Trento and Dr. Alon Henson, University of Glasgow

IMPORTANT DATES

Application deadline: 1st of August 2017

Notification of acceptance: 15th of August 2017

Summer school: 2nd-6th of October  2017

HOW TO APPLY

Applications should be sent via email to Pia Kystol Sørensen (pksr@itu.dk). Please state on  a single page:

  • Your scientific background and degree
  • Your motivation to come to this school
  • Your expectations for the course
  • Indication of interest in selected topics of the summer school or all
  • A paragraph of what you expect to get out of this summer school
  • Any prior knowledge in the relevant fields
  • CV with list of publications

The summer school is free, but you have to pay for prototyping parts, your own accommodation, food, and transportation.

ORGANIZATION

The autumn school is jointly organized by the EVOBLISS consortium, which is an FP7-funded consortium aimed at improving microbial fuel cells using synergies between robot technology, artificial chemical life and microbial fuel cells. It is furthermore the goal of the project to increase our understanding of how microbial fuel cells function using advanced imaging techniques. The principal investigators (listed under teachers) will all play an important role in the summer school.

INFORMATION

For latest and updated information please visit the project website http://evobliss-project.eu.

On behalf of the EVOBLISS consortium,

Kasper Stoy – ksty@itu.dk

Principal organizer

Pia Kystol Sørensen – pksr@itu.dk

Local organizer