Bridging Research and Practice in PhD Studies

Details

Full Title
WS 3.506: Bridging Research and Practice in PhD Studies
Scheduled
TBA
Convener
Alaq Al-Rubaye
Co-Conveners
Maria Honisch, Mona Siahkouhi,
Assigned to Synthesis Workshop
---
Thematic Focus
No focus defined
Keywords
PhD Research Integration, Natural Hazards, Soil Mechanics, Landslide Risk Assessment, Geotechnical Analysis

Description

Building on the foundation of newly acquired knowledge, this workshop emphasizes the practical integration of insights into ongoing PhD research. It provides a collaborative platform for participants to critically evaluate how the findings from various sessions can influence and enhance their individual studies. By engaging in open discussions and peer-to-peer exchanges, attendees will explore innovative methods to tackle challenges in their research fields.

The workshop promotes an interactive format, where participants not only share their experiences but also brainstorm creative solutions and strategies to address emerging research gaps. A dedicated focus will be placed on synthesizing theoretical concepts with real-world applications, ensuring that participants leave with actionable takeaways.

Additionally, the workshop will provide valuable resources, including curated literature, tools, and case studies, empowering attendees to deepen their understanding and refine their approaches. Ultimately, this session aims to inspire PhD students to reimagine their research paths and foster a community of shared learning and support.

Registered Abstracts

ID: 3.10390

Forest stand characteristics and salvage logging strategies affect the dynamics of post-windthrow vegetation trajectories

Carlotta Grande

Candotti, Anna; Stein, Miriam; Alberti, Giorgio; Lingua, Emanuele; Tomelleri, Enrico

Abstract/Description

The increasing frequency and intensity of windthrow events pose significant ecological, economic, and social challenges. A notable example
is storm Vaia (2018), which devastated over 42,500 ha of forest across Trentino Alto Adige, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardy,
and, to a lesser extent, Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta, with an estimated 16.5 million m³ of fallen trees. Understanding post-disturbance
forest recovery is crucial for guiding management strategies that promote resilient restoration. This study examines post-Vaia
vegetation dynamics by integrating earth observation data and field monitoring to assess regeneration trajectories. During summer
2021, field data were collected from 32 transects in affected areas of South Tyrol using a standardized protocol. The survey covered
edge forest structure, dead wood presence, and ground cover. To assess vegetation dynamics remotely, we used the Normalized Difference
Vegetation Index (NDVI) from Sentinel-2 (2016-2024) and land surface temperature (LST) from ECOSTRESS (2018-2024). Time series
analysis grouped sites based on similar recovery trajectories. Additional data from field surveys, topography, climate, and salvage
logging were integrated into a Multifactorial Analysis (MFA) to explain observed temporal patterns. The analysis identified three distinct
recovery trajectories, primarily influenced by topography, temperature, and precipitation. The pronounced seasonality in two recovery
groups suggested successional stages dominated by grasses and herbs, with limited tree regeneration, indicating slow forest recovery.
Although harvesting strategies are often guided by topography, different methods affect soil conditions and subsequent vegetation
growth. While NDVI and LST effectively captured broad recovery trends, they had limitations in detecting species-specific regeneration
and site diversity, underscoring the need for supplementary data. Our findings highlight the importance of integrating earth observations
with ground-based surveys to assess post-windthrow recovery and inform forest management. Understanding how stand characteristics
and salvage logging influence regeneration is key to optimizing intervention strategies in mountain forests. These insights support
decision-making for resilient forest restoration. Future research should expand monitoring efforts to neighbouring regions and incorporate
species-specific analyses to refine post-disturbance management.

ID: 3.11837

Fieldwork in South Asia: The Outsider in the Social Setting

Medhavi Gulati

Abstract/Description

Fieldwork is as much a social phenomenon as it is an individual phenomenon, invariably affecting all studies, especially those conducted in unfamiliar and unacquainted social settings not by an isolated researcher but rather created by all people in the social situation being studied, wherein the ethnographer undergoes a process of continual discovery enabling them to interpret and reinterpret their own cultural and personal domestic context. I situate myself as an unmarried and unescorted Indian female ethnographer in Nepal, who occasionally found herself in remote locations where water and sanitation systems were poorly developed thus increasing the risk of parasitic infections, and in places where her interaction was limited to men who belonged to distinct cultural and linguistic backgrounds. In the session, I will draw on my fieldwork experiences, and will underscore the challenges confronted in the field in the capacity of a culturally outsider woman whose presence was sometimes largely (mis)construed by men as an invitation for casual dalliance. However, by working alone, I afforded the leisure to be socially and psychologically mobile thus facilitating greater empathic involvement in enticing social circumstances. Sustained involvement with people in the field helped me earn the status of a marginal native in whom people could confide with gossips and potentially sensitive information. In the session, I will reflect on the liminal position where ethnographers find themselves between and betwixt the worlds.

ID: 3.13461

Transforming Conservation in Ecuador: Integrating Rural Women and Local Communities through the GESI Approach

Belen Moya

Abstract/Description

In Ecuador, most conservation projects focus on wildlife or exclude local communities from active participation. However, community engagement is essential for fostering collaboration among key stakeholders, including local communities, academia, and NGOs. The CEPF project “Amphibian Conservation Strategies in the Sangay-Podocarpus Corridor” serves as a model for promoting gender equality and social inclusion by shifting the perception of women from victims to agents of change. The GESI approach enables meaningful integration and involvement of rural communities in conservation efforts. In this framework, rural women are learning sampling techniques and actively contributing to research and conservation initiatives.

ID: 3.11837

Fieldwork in South Asia: The Outsider in the Social Setting

Medhavi Gulati

Abstract/Description

Fieldwork is as much a social phenomenon as it is an individual phenomenon, invariably affecting all studies, especially those conducted in unfamiliar and unacquainted social settings not by an isolated researcher but rather created by all people in the social situation being studied, wherein the ethnographer undergoes a process of continual discovery enabling them to interpret and reinterpret their own cultural and personal domestic context. I situate myself as an unmarried and unescorted Indian female ethnographer in Nepal, who occasionally found herself in remote locations where water and sanitation systems were poorly developed thus increasing the risk of parasitic infections, and in places where her interaction was limited to men who belonged to distinct cultural and linguistic backgrounds. In the session, I will draw on my fieldwork experiences, and will underscore the challenges confronted in the field in the capacity of a culturally outsider woman whose presence was sometimes largely (mis)construed by men as an invitation for casual dalliance. However, by working alone, I afforded the leisure to be socially and psychologically mobile thus facilitating greater empathic involvement in enticing social circumstances. Sustained involvement with people in the field helped me earn the status of a marginal native in whom people could confide with gossips and potentially sensitive information. In the session, I will reflect on the liminal position where ethnographers find themselves between and betwixt the worlds.