Research in the programme
As a Global Change Biology student, you will be trained in a variety of research methods, both via the practical and theoretical courses and via specific courses on skills relevant for global change biology. Laboratory skills are sharpened during a 12 credits worth integrated practical class, where you'll be able to learn different lab techniques. Field work skills are also acquired during a two-week field course on ecohydrology in the Scheldt estuary or during the Island Biology course (elective) in Croatia.
Master thesis
The Master project is the final part of the Master programme, where you conduct a scientific study under supervision. Through the Master project you demonstrate your:
- scientific background
- capacity to understand/apply primary literature
- capacity to correctly and adequately communicate the results in a succinct manner via a written document
You will choose from a wide variety of subjects, with the possibility of conducting research within a research group from the Department of Biology or in an external research group.
Some examples of possible thesis topics:
- Wetland restoration and carbon sequestration
- CO₂ reduction and emerging climate technologies
- Invasive species management and biological control
- Biodiversity monitoring using remote sensing and AI
- Disease ecology and vector dynamics under climate change
Research groups at the Department of Biology
As a student of the Global Change Biology programme, you are likely to conduct your Master project in one of the following research groups:
- ECOSPHERE: This research group aims to study both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems that are continuously challenged by natural and anthropogenic stressors. Its research focuses on acquiring fundamental and applied knowledge at different levels of structural and functional organization in order to underpin environmental management and restoration decisions.
- PLECO (Plants and Vegetation Ecology): The overarching theme of this research group is the study of the effects of global changes – in the broadest meaning of the term – on plants and vegetations. The researchers realize this overall aim a.o. by studying responses of plants and vegetations to the (sometimes manipulated) abiotic environment over a continuum of different spatial scales (ranging from the individual leaf to the continent).
- IMPRES (Integrated Molecular Plant Physiology Research): This group specializes in research aimed to understand the mechanisms that control general plant development, under optimal conditions but also under different kinds of (anthropogenic) stress (e.g. drought, high levels of radiation).
- EVECO (Evolutionary Ecology): This group focuses on evolutionary and ecological processes in natural populations, particularly in animals. The main research questions are related to dispersal and population structure, host-parasite interactions and infectious diseases, and the evolutionary basis of diversity in life-history strategies and phenotypic variation.
- GEOBIOLOGY: The GEOBIOLOGY research group performs fundamental and applied research at the intersection between Geology and Biology. Their prime objective is to generate profound insights about the interactions between the biosphere on the one hand, and the geosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere on the other hand.
Other institutions
For these and other subjects, students can also choose a research group in an institution outside the University of Antwerp, including the Antwerp ZOO (Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, RZSA) or the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek, INBO).