Fifteen places are available for the school, and applications are welcomed from PhD students from all around the world. Successful students will find that most of their costs are covered for the week-long course, including APEX flights or other international transportation to and from Pisa, local transfers, and meals and accommodation.

The programme for the school, which runs from October 4 to 8, will include lectures given by internationally renowned experts from ENDURE partners or other higher education and research establishments, and team work to stimulate the active participation of selected students and their interaction with lecturers.

The types of themes that will be treated by expert lecturers are:

How do processes of invasion happen? Possible aspects that can be treated are:

• Processes of establishment, proliferation and spread of a new species
• Analysis of traits which make a species ‘invasive’
• Interactions among native and new species

New species and agro-ecosystems:

• Agro-ecosystems functions and dynamics affected by new species
• The effects of new species on crop health and on yield quality and quantity

 Management strategies for controlling new species at national and international levels:

• What strategies could be used to control invasive species (prevention, eradication, control)?
• Which are the most dangerous new species in Europe?
• What strategies are being adopted at the moment?

The school is being organised by ENDURE partner the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa (SSSUP), which established SIAF in Volterra, 60km south-east of Pisa, in conjunction with the Foundation of the Cassa di Risparmio di Volterra.

SSSUP has created a website for the third ENDURE summer school and applications can now be made online. Applicants will be expected to be enrolled in a PhD programme revolving around crop protection and to have a clear affinity with the study of invasive species in agro-ecosystems.

Applicants must include:

• A completed application form, including specification of visa request
• A short CV (maximum two A4 pages, Times New Roman 12pt)
• A summary of their PhD project (maximum one A4 page, Times New Roman 12pt)
• A motivation letter (maximum one A4 page, Times New Roman 12pt)

Deadlines

• 11 June 2010: receipt of applications (applications will be no longer be accepted)
• 21 June 2010: notification of acceptance to applicants (via e-mail and the summer school website)
• 30 June 2010: communication of formal acceptance by selected students to endure.summerschool@sssup.it.
• 15 July 2010: travel plan proposal to endure.summerschool@sssup.it.

 
To find out more and apply:  go directly to the third ENDURE Summer School website.