Trainees' seminar series at the Center for Advanced Studies

Research at the Center for Advanced Studies is a team effort, with the trainees being key members of the project teams. Not only do they gain valuable insights into scientific work, but the researchers at the Center can also learn from the expertise of the young scientists, as demonstrated in the new seminar series where trainees could present and discuss their research topics.

The Center for Advanced Studies operates in an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary manner. While research topics are predominantly examined from sociological, political science, socio-economic, media studies, or philosophical perspectives, the diversity of subjects also leaves room for other disciplines, such as physics, archaeology, or computer science. A new seminar series invites young researchers with a traineeship at the Center for Advanced Studies to present their bachelor's, master's, or PhD theses. Simultaneously, they receive feedback, tips, and new food for thought from experienced scientists at the Center. On the other hand, the scientists at the Center benefit from this exchange because different research methods are employed depending on the field of study and the research subject. Recently, Ismaila Ouedraogo and Francesca Cornella took the opportunity to present their research topics.

Ismaila Ouedraogo is a EU4EU Scholar at Eurac Research and is pursuing his PhD in health informatics at the University of Bordeaux and the Nazi Boni University in Burkina Faso. His research aims to make essential health information and knowledge about medical services available in disadvantaged regions of Burkina Faso through mobile technology and artificial intelligence. A particular challenge is making health information accessible in local languages considering also cultural practices.

Francesca Cornella, on the other hand, brought her geoarchaeology expertise to the Center for Advanced Studies work. In her master's thesis, she explores human impact on mountains during the Holocene period, investigating environmental dynamics and their effects on human settlements in high-altitude areas. At the interface of geoscience, techniques such as micromorphology and spatial analysis with GIS are employed.

The discussion following the presentations highlighted the importance of broadening one's perspective beyond their own research and engaging in exchanges with researchers from completely different disciplines.

Anyone interested in an internship at the Center for Advanced Studies is welcome to send an application to: advanced.studies@eurac.edu