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Date:
From 06 Apr 2026 until 10 Apr 2026
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Deadline for Applications:
06 Mar 2026
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Location:
Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande 1749-016 Lisboa
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Duration:
36 hours (contact hours)
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Schedule:
9h00-17h30 (includes: Fieldwork, Lab work, Museum Collections work and Lectures)
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Lecturer or Responsible:
Coordinators: Ana Sofia Reboleira (CE3C-SE, CIÊNCIAS) & Roberto Keller (CE3C-SE, MUHNAC);
Lecturers: Patrícia Beldade (CE3C-Eco-Evo-Devo, CIÊNCIAS), Paulo A. V. Borges (CE3C-IBBC, UAçores), Paula Simões (CE3C-CoBiG2, CIÊNCIAS), Teresa Rebelo (CE3C-HuEL, CIÊNCIAS), Mário Boieiro (CE3C-IBBC, UAçores)
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Department Responsible:
Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa
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Nº (min - max) Students:
10-16
Objectives
This course provides a general understanding of insect diversity and the many factors responsible for their decline. It will capacitate students to recognize insect taxonomic groups, understand major transitions in insect evolution, and identify the principal threats to the entomofauna. The course includes hands-on experience on collecting methods in the field and of preparation methods to work with scientific collections as a basis for research. The course relies on several case studies of insect adaptation, and the most recent overview on insect evo-devo, plasticity, ecophysiological responses and conservation under global change.
Participants must be present at 85% of the contact hours (meaning they can miss one half-day) and actively participate in all activities.
This course may have a correspondence in terms of credits toward PhD programmes at CIÊNCIAS or programmes jointly offered by CIÊNCIAS and partner institutions, with 6–7 hours of contact time per ECT, depending on specific requirements. For these students, in addition to the exercises completed during the week, submission of a written report two weeks after the course is mandatory. For programmes with fewer contact hours per ECT (6h/ECT), students must complete an additional assignment (a summary report). If necessary, 1 or 2 extra contact hours may be added. These reports are also recommended for other PhD students seeking recognition of the course by their institutions.
Minimum requirements: Bachelor in Biological and Natural Sciences or related areas.
Directed to: MSc or PhD students in Biology, Environmental Sciences, Ecology or related areas, postdocs and professionals working in related topics.
General plan
Monday
09h00-09h30 Welcome session and program presentation
09h30-12h30 Introduction to Entomology
12h30-13h30 Lunch
13h30-17h30 Insect evolution, diversity, and ecology.
Tuesday
09h00-12h30 Insect collecting methods, preparation, and identification: terrestrial compartment
Fieldwork
12h30-13h30 Lunch
13h30-17h30 Insect collecting methods, preparation, and identification: subterranean compartment
Fieldwork
Wednesday
09h00-12h30 Insect collecting methods, preparation, and identification: aquatic compartment
Fieldwork
12h30-13h30 Lunch
13h30-17h30 Insect Diversity: major taxonomic groups, distinctive characters, and identification
Thursday
09h00-12.30 Lectures on insect diversity and decline
12h30-13h30 Lunch
13h30-17h30 Preparation of presentation of the personal project
Friday
09h00-12.30 Lectures on insect diversity and decline
12h30-13h30 Lunch
13h30-17h00 Personal project: results and discussion
17h00-17h30 Closure
Fees
Free for 1st year PhD students in Doctoral programmes at CIÊNCIAS (e.g. Biology), Biodiversity, Genetics and Evolution (BIODIV ULisboa; UPorto), Biology and Ecology of Global Changes (BEAG ULisboa, UAveiro) and Sustainability Science (ULisboa, several institutions), when the course counts credits for their formation, in which case the delivery of a final report done after the course is mandatory; the course is also free for more advanced PhD students of the BIODIV programme (ULisboa or UPorto); 50 € for more advanced PhD students of CE3C; 80 € for PhD students of the PEERS network (CFE); 125 € for CIÊNCIAS Master students and unemployed; 180 € for BTI, BI and other PhD students; 250 € for professionals and postdocs.
When the maximum number of students is reached, 10 vacancies will be available for non-paying 1st year PhD students mentioned above, being, by order of preference, students from: 1) CE3C; 2) BIODIV (not from CE3C); 3) CIÊNCIAS (not from CE3C); 4) Sustainability Science (not from CE3C or CIÊNCIAS); 5) BEAG (not from CE3C or CIÊNCIAS).
How to Apply
Candidates should complete the APPLICATION FORM, which will be available in this section when the call is open.
This form is strictly confidential, as explained in the introduction, and will be used solely for the application process.
When filling out the form, mind to:
- FILL ALL THE MANDATORY FIELDS;
- UPLOAD CV AND MOTIVATION LETTER, both mandatory; use the names as instructed;
- If you want to resume later, SAVE the form; otherwise, you will need to fill everything out again;
- At the end, SUBMIT the form before exiting.
If you have any questions, please contact the coordinator of the CE3C Advanced Courses, Margarida Matos (mmmatos@fc.ul.pt), and the teacher, Ana Sofia Reboleira (asreboleira@ciencias.ulisboa.pt).
