Call: AquAcross Summer School 2026

Univerza v Perpignanu via Domitia (Francija) is organizing the AquAcross Aquatic International School, to which master's and doctoral students of universities within the Across Alliance, including the University of Nova Gorica, are particularly welcome.

Dates: 8th June – 26th June 2026 (three weeks, each with a specific thematic, capacity: 11 participants per week)

Location: University of Perpignan via Domitia

Who can apply:

• PhD students specializing in marine/aquatic biology, ecology, oceanography, marine environmental sciences, freshwater ecology, parasitology, and vector-borne diseases.
• Master’s students with a strong interest in these fields.

Program:

The summer school will tackle very different aspects of aquatic biology and ecology, and will be divided in three modules:

Module 1: Coral Symbiosis in a Changing Ocean

Instructor: Asst. Prof. Dr. Claudia Pogoreutz

Topics & activities include:

• Cnidarian ecophysiology & symbiosis (corals and their relatives)
• Anthropocene impacts on reef resilience
• Mediterranean field explorations
• Coral microbiology workshops
• Heat-stress experiments on symbiotic sea anemone models
• Biomolecular approaches: DNA extraction, PCR, stress biomarkers
• Data analysis & poster sessions

Module 2: Marine Soundscapes & Coastal Ecosystems

Instructor: Asst. Prof. Dr. Lucia Di Iorio

Topics & activities include:

• Introduction to ecoacoustics
• Biotic–abiotic interactions in coastal habitats
• Underwater acoustics & signal processing
• Acoustic data collection during field trips
• Analysis of fish choruses, noise impacts & acoustic biodiversity
• Group projects based on real acoustic datasets

Module 3: Ecology & Emergence of Disease in Freshwater Systems

Instructor: Asst. Prof. Dr. Ronaldo De Carvalho Augusto

Topics & activities include:

• The land–ocean continuum as an ecological gradient
• Climate change impacts on freshwater habitats
• Parasites as indicators of environmental change
• Life-cycle ecology & virulence
• Field sampling in southeastern France
• Host identification, parasite detection & molecular tools
• Integrated conceptual models & student presentations

Application form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf9-SqA2bW8jfFrqYojqFNGX_NM2Z4YqYlpzpX8abYopEqsyQ/viewform

More about the conference: AquACROSS Aquatic International School 2026 | Across