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Advanced Field School in Computational Ecology

Play, Model, Integrate

May 19 to 26, 2023 at the Couvent de Val-Morin

 

The structure and functioning of northern ecosystems remain poorly understood. However, the rapid emergence of new technologies and powerful computational analysis methods offers an unprecedented opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of the functioning of Arctic biodiversity and to model the complexity of these ecosystems.

Set in the natural beauty surrounding the Couvent de Val-Morin, this international Ph.D. school in computational ecology focuses on predator-prey dynamics and analysis methods for complex datasets. Through a novel experiential game-based approach (the “TrophIE game”), participants will be introduced to state-of-the-art methods for monitoring and modelling behaviour and interactions in animal ecology, under the supervision of experienced mentors from various disciplines like biology, ecology, physics, and computer science. The activities of this school will take place within the framework of a real research program, leading to the publication of a scientific article to which the participants will be invited to contribute.

This school is a joint initiative of the Sentinel North program at Université Laval and BIOS2 at Université de Sherbrooke.

 

Photos and testimonials

 

école écologie computationnelle sentinelle nord

école écologie computationnelle sentinelle nord

école écologie computationnelle sentinelle nord

école écologie computationnelle sentinelle nord

école écologie computationnelle sentinelle nord

école écologie computationnelle sentinelle nord

école écologie computationnelle sentinelle nord

école écologie computationnelle sentinelle nord

école écologie computationnelle sentinelle nord

école écologie computationnelle sentinelle nord

Click to enlarge. Crédit : Tess Berthier

 

 

The summer school was a wonderful opportunity for me to meet students outside of my field. I learned a lot both in ecology and in interdisciplinary collaboration. And of course, it was a lot of fun too in a beautiful place!

Mélisande Teng, Ph.D. in Software Engineering,
Université de Montréal


Who'd have thought that one day we'd be playing tag to better understand ecological phenomena? The school came up with the crazy idea of bringing researchers from many fields and having them run and hide in the forest equipped with sensors. A sense of fraternity took hold and scientific minds were ignited. From start to finish, the school was action-packed, collaborative and emotional ; the only disappointment left is having to leave this fantastic group!

Gabriel Bergeron, Ph.D. in Biology,
Université Laval


Pour ma première participation à une école doctorale, j’ai été très impressionnée par le rassemblement de mentors et d’étudiant(e)s motivé(e)s par les mêmes intérêts de recherche. Le large spectre des domaines scientifiques impliqués a été, à mon avis, la plus grande force du programme ; je crois que la pluridisciplinarité est une des clés essentielles afin de faire progresser les connaissances scientifiques actuelles et former des relations de collaboration enrichissantes.

Camille Gaudreau-Rousseau, Ph.D. in Biology,
Université Laval


Cette expérience m'a inspiré et a élargi mes perspectives sur les approches que je souhaite considérer dans mes études. Ma participation a été bénéfique pour mon développement professionnel et académique. J'ai acquis des connaissances approfondies dans plusieurs domaines clés de l'écologie, j'ai pu interagir avec d'autres étudiants et chercheurs passionnés, et j'ai été inspirée en vue d’explorer de nouvelles approches dans mes études futures.

Rachel Dubourg, Ph.D. in Biology,
Université Laval

  • Program overview

    The school promotes an experiential approach, with lectures, discussions, and a significant hands-on component led by experts from several disciplines. It covers the following topics:

    Animal population dynamics, with emphasis on polar species

    Behavioural ecology and predator-prey relationships

    Computer analysis methods

    - Spatial analysis
    - Machine learning (artificial intelligence)
    - Complex systems modelling
    - Behaviour classification through accelerometry (bio-logging)

     

    The TrophIE game

    During school, participants will be invited to contribute to an original dataset by taking part in simulations of predator-prey interactions in natural environments following various scenarios. At the end of these games, players’ movement and behaviour will be analyzed through an interdisciplinary lens (biology, ecology, physics, computer science, and more) and participants will be invited to contribute to the writing of a collaborative scientific paper.

  • List of experts

    Antoine Allard, Sentinel North Research Chair on the Applications and Theory of Network Analysis and Professor, Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Université Laval

    David Bolduc, Master's Student in Biology, Université Laval

    Frédéric Dulude-de Broin, Ph.D. Student in Biology, Université Laval

    Audrey Durand, Professor, Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Université Laval

    Maxime Fraser-Franco, Ph.D. Student in Computational Biology, UQAM

    Dominique Gravel, Canada Research Chair in Integrative Ecology and Professor, Department of Biology, Université de Sherbrooke

    Daniel Fortin, professeur au Département de biologie, Université Laval

    Akiko Kato, CNRS Research Engineer, Bio-logging Platform, Data Analysis and Modelling

    Pierre Legagneux, Sentinel North Research Chair on the Impact of Animal Migrations on Arctic Ecosystems and Professor, Department of Biology, Université Laval

    Pierre-Olivier Montiglio, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, UQAM

    Yan Ropert-Coudert, Director of Research CNRS – Marine Predators Team, Centre of Biological Studies of Chizé

    Catherine Villeneuve, Master's Student in Software Engineering, Université Laval

  • Participants

    Maria Isabel Arce Plata, Ph.D. Student in Biological Sciences, Université de Montréal

    Alex Arkilanian, Ph.D. Student in Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador

    Francis Banville, Ph.D. Student in Biological Sciences, Université de Montréal

    Emmanuelle Barreau, Ph.D. Student, Université du Québec en Outaouais

    Gabriel Bergeron, Ph.D. Student in Biology, Université Laval

    Guillaume Blais, Ph.D. Student in Oceanography, Université Laval

    Clément Couloigner, Ph.D. Student in Biology, Université Laval

    Gabriel Dansereau, Ph.D. Student in Biological Sciences, Université de Montréal

    Rachel Dubourg, Ph.D. Student in Biology, Université Laval

    Alex Engler, Ph.D. Student in Biology, Concordia University

    Norma Forero, Ph.D. Student in Biological Sciences, Université de Montréal

    Camille Gaudreau-Rousseau, Ph.D. Student in Biology, Université Laval

    Tamara Hiltunen, Ph.D. Student in Biology, University of Oulu, Finland

    Mathilde Lapointe St-Pierre, Ph.D. Student in Biology, McGill University

    Morgane Le Goff, Ph.D. Student in Biology, Université Laval

    Emily Madsen, Ph.D. Student in Biology, University of Oxford

    Clément Massé, Ph.D. Student in Biology, University of Oulu

    Louis Moisan, Ph.D. Student in Biology, Université du Québec à Rimouski

    Irene Roca, Postdoctoral fellow, Université du Québec en Outaouais

    Samantha Straus, Postdoctoral fellow, McGill University

    Mélisande Teng, Ph.D. Student in Software Engineering, Université de Montréal

    François Thibault, Ph.D. Student in Physics, Université Laval

    Fanny Thiéry, Ph.D. Student in Biology, Université Laval

    Matthieu Weiss-Blais, Master's Student in Biology, Université Laval

PARTNERS

 

logo BIOS2 Sentinelle Nord
logo université de sherbrooke sentinelle nord logo uqam sentinelle nord
Sentinel North - Centre d'études nordiques CEN Logo logo CEF sentinelle Nord

 

For further information, please contact:

formation@sn.ulaval.ca

 

advanced field school in computational ecology sentinel north