This short non-credit course is part of the University of Minho's educational offer, being proposed by the Institute for Research on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics (I3Bs) for its prospective students (interns) and research fellows, holders of a bachelor’s or master’s degree, integrated in the 3B's Research Group.

It aims to promote the acquisition of technical skills, scientific knowledge and other competencies, during the training period in the areas of biomaterials, tissue engineering and related, under the supervision of a doctoral researcher from I3Bs.

It will correspond to a hands-on intermediate training stage, not awarding an academic degree, for trainees who foresee a career as researcher, lab technician or science manager, including those who intend to start doctoral studies in the near future. It also allows meeting the requirement of enrolment in a training course by short-term research fellows (up to 1 year), within the scope of the Scientific Research Fellowships Regulations of the University of Minho.

The course aims to provide the students with scientific, technical and communication skills to carry out scientific research activities. The objectives depend on the length of stay at I3Bs and the modules attended. In general, it is intended that the students will be able to:

1. a) Train skills in writing and oral presentation of scientific results to the scientific community in the form of posters, oral communications, lectures or scientific reports, among others;
2. b) Diversify and mature knowledge in the specific area in which they are carrying out their research work;
3. c) Develop soft skills, with integration into multidisciplinary research and innovation teams, and often in collaboration with other national and international research or business entities;
4. d) Acquire knowledge in the area of safety and good practices in the workplace (laboratory), and become familiar with the main risks;
5. e) Obtain training on scientific equipment/instruments and tools, data analysis and bibliography;
6. f) Reflect on experimental planning, collection of scientific data (including ethical issues), as well as its analysis and critical discussion.

The course has a modular structure of short to medium duration, allowing the learning objectives and results to be adapted to the duration of the stay at the I3Bs Research Institute.
There are six modules:

1. - Module 1 - Writing and oral presentation skills
2. - Module 2 - Technical training
3. - Module 3 - Experimental planning and scientific data collection
4. - Module 4 - Scientific data analysis
5. - Module 5 - Soft skills and teamwork training
6. - Module 6 - Laboratory Procedures and Conduct

In each module, different strategies will be used, which may include lectures or practical demonstration sessions and workshops, but it is intended that the teaching/learning process will essentially take place through the current practice of the trainees (in daily tasks). Among others, the trainee will be challenged to develop activities such as:

1. - research and study of scientific bibliography
2. - formulation of hypotheses and design of experimental plans
3. - implementation of laboratory techniques, protocols, experiments, routines or computer applications
4. - maintenance/curation of organisms (animal facilities, laboratory cultures) and biological collections, databases, bibliographic collections
5. - analysis and interpretation of scientific data provided by the supervisor or generated by the trainee
6. - research project management tasks (acquisitions, etc.)
7. - attendance at workshops, scientific seminars
8. - participation in training actions on ethics, safety, or good practices (equipment, software)
9. - participation in lab meetings
10. - participation in writing and co-authoring scientific manuscripts
11. - public presentation of research work, namely through communications at congresses.

The course is aimed at researchers at the beginning of their careers and others interested in complementing their training (e.g. student interns), as long as they hold at least a degree within Exact Sciences, Natural Sciences, Health Sciences, Engineering and related areas.

Any professor or doctoral researcher who is an integrated member of the 3B’s Research Group, supervisor of the scholarship holder/intern.

The course will take place in the I3Bs research laboratories, located in the Avepark – Science and Technology Park (Barco – Guimarães). The course will operate on a modular, semi-intensive basis, during the standard daytime work schedule.

Learning outcomes depend on the length of stay at I3Bs, the modules attended, and the specific area in which the students develop their work. In general, at the end of the course, the students should be able to:

1. - Communicate science in writing (technical documents) and orally in a fluent, objective and clear way (MODULE 1)
2. - Properly use specific scientific equipment, instruments and tools (software or others) directly related to the developed research work (MODULE 2)
3. - Autonomously implement scientific data collection plans, including field sampling, laboratory experiments, surveys, etc. (MODULE 3)
4. - Critically analyse scientific data, using data analysis practices and methodologies recognized in the respective area of work (MODULE 4)
5. - Demonstrate the ability for cooperation, time management and problem-solving, guided by a critical spirit, pro-active profile, creative thinking and work ethics (MODULE 5)
6. - Master the basic concepts and principles that guide general safety rules and good practices in the workplace (MODULES 1 to 6)
7. - Demonstrate advanced knowledge in the respective area of work and critically reflect on current procedures and practices in the workplace (MODULES 1 TO 6)

Course of Competencies in Scientific Research – level 1 to 6, if the trainee completes, respectively, between 1 and 6 of the modules offered, which corresponds to a duration of 3 to 18 months (3 months per module).

The course is coordinated by Tiago Henriques da Silva, Principal Investigator at I3Bs.

For more information contact by email:info@i3bs.uminho.pt

Researchers at the beginning of their careers and intern students can access the course, as long as they hold at least a degree within Exact Sciences, Natural Sciences, Health Sciences, Engineering and related areas. The existence of at least one supervisor from the 3B’s Research Group, who will welcome and guide the student, is a condition for application.

To apply, the candidate must fill out the application form, available here: https://forms.office.com/e/tuqfk3pPSJ

Course open permanently.