Course Syllabus

Summer Research Assistantship 

Research Assistantship (RA) is an experiential learning opportunity promoting the development of research skills in an international, professional, research setting.  As a RA, you perform research under the supervision of a Research Mentor. The mentor is able to offer both academic and professional advice. In addition to acquiring research experience, the goal is to develop a student/mentor relationship that benefits both the DIS student, the mentor and Copenhagen-based research institutions.

Research Project Description

Kalvebod Fælled, a state-managed reserve near Copenhagen created from reclaimed land, is an important habitat for many breeding bird species, both locally and at regional and international levels.

Among these is the Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), a species experiencing a steady decline across its breeding range. Habitat destruction and intensified agriculture are regarded as the main drivers of this decline (Plard et al., 2019), as these factors reduce arthropod abundance, which is vital for chick survival (Litovska et al., 2025).

Recently, a volunteer caretaker group at Kalvebod Fælled made their observations and records publicly available, revealing a marked increase in the breeding numbers of Northern Lapwing in the area (Tümmler-Hellesen, 2024). The management practices in place at this location appear to be beneficial for Lapwings.

This positive trend makes Kalvebod Fælled an interesting location to study the breeding success of lapwings. Can we document this success to support the managers and guide future efforts by identifying and sharing insights into factors driving this positive trend?

Project details
The research will focus on finding nests, monitoring their progress, and determining how many successfully hatch. Depending on permissions currently being applied for, we will investigate this topic in more depth. Even simple activities like observation of nest attendance and visiting nests after they have been abandoned (which don’t require special permissions) can provide valuable insights.

Through this study, Research Assistants will gain hands-on experience in fieldwork methodologies, citizen science, habitat management, project design and data analysis. The findings will contribute to progress reports, research presentations, and potentially a news publication in a local ornithological journal (subject to editorial approval).

If, after several work seasons, the study yields material suitable for a scientific publication, all research assistants will be invited to contribute and co-author it.

Learning Objectives

• Obtain hands-on research experience in a lab-based setting
• Plan, conduct, and critically evaluate experimental data
• Perform self-directed and self-motivated experimental research
• Actively participate in scientific discussions with a critical approach to the research
• Write a research paper and present experimental data in a professional way
• Learn ethical standards and academic integrity in a research process
• Experience the authenticity of research, including the unpredictabilities, the unexpected challenges, and unknowns that are a common part of conducting research

Research Assistantship Hours 

Students will spend 180 hours directly engaged in research, together with 20-25 hours in co-curricular activities during their summer study. You will arrange a schedule with your mentor which will allow you to complete, per week, an average of 30-32 hours of lab-work and theoretical hours of reading and writing. Besides research, it is also important you learn some cultural and historical aspect of Denmark while studying here. You will therefor spend 3-5 hours pr week on co-curricular activities introducing you to Denmark with the other DIS research assistants. This will complement your research and provide context to your time abroad. Thus, 35 hours in total each week.

Note: there may be peak times in the research process where you are expected to spend a few more hours, and then possibly a few less another week reflecting the individual research project and process. Also, the total hours may to some extend vary according to research opportunity and expectation of your mentor.

Faculty

Jannik Hansen

M.Sc. (Wader/shorebird breeding ecology and behavioural ecology), Dept. of Animal Behaviour, Copenhagen University, 2001. Scientific officer at Arctic Ecosystem Ecology, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University (2004-2021), incl. monitoring field work at Zackenberg Research Station, Northeast Greenland (2005-2021). Project officer (2014- ) for and board member (2007- ) of the International Wader Study Group. Has worked with terrestrial animals, primarily shorebirds, in the field in, Denmark, Sweden, Northeast Greenland, central Norway, and Svalbard.  With DIS since 2021.

Approach to Mentoring

The 6RA is designed for highly motivated students with a strong interest in developing their research skills. You will experience a hands-on class in a laboratory setting also including theoretical hours, where you will read, write, discuss, and prepare your research. You will be part of an active research team and experience the dynamics of a European research institution. You will be provided with the basic scientific knowledge of the field and be introduced to the methods and techniques needed to conduct the experiments. Regarding teaching style, especially in the laboratory setting, our approach is "learning by doing." For the theoretical focus, you are expected to immerse yourself in the topic and take responsibility so you achieve the highest learning outcomes by actively participating in discussions and presentations. 

Responsibilities and Expectations of the Research Mentor

Your research project will be part of a larger, ongoing research project at the research institution. Your mentor and/or co-mentors will guide you on methodology and techniques, advise as to ethical considerations, provide feedback throughout the research process, and help you find resources to conduct your research on-site.  The RAship encourages a gradual transition toward independence as you gain more confidence in the lab, transforming your work into a more self-directed and self-motivated project under the mentor’s guidance and supervision. It is important, that the project reflect your work, as a 6RA student, not only your mentor’s contribution.  

It is not expected that you pursue a project where you are able to obtain definitive publishable results. The project chosen and agreed upon between you and your mentor should be focused and designed to produce results within the DIS semester calendar. While it is not necessary for the results to be significant (in that the results find a solution to the problem or hypothesis proposed), arguably any results to the proposed question are significant to the next phase of a research project.  

Responsibilities and Expectations of the Research Assistant

Specific expectations of you as a student is agreed upon with your mentor at the beginning of the semester. However, in general it requires that you:

1. Spend an average of 35 hours per week carrying out the research project including on average 3 hours of Introduction to Denmark each Wednesday generally between 13:00 - 16:00 but sometimes for longer or later hours. You will need to arrange a schedule with your mentor which will allow you to complete the required hours performing a combination of theoretical and hands-on research at the external research institution.
2. Arrange project check-in meetings with your research mentor and/or co-mentor(s) at mutually agreed upon times during the summer. Clear and continuous communication with your research mentor throughout the term is a necessary part of the research project and it is expected that you initiate these meetings. 
3. Submit assignments on time including a literature review, a outline of the research project, a journal club presentation, a final research paper and a powerpoint or poster presentation (or another type of format) as agreed on with your mentor.

As part of your theoretical focus, you are expected to read and write relevant scientific literature in relation to your research project and use your newly-gained knowledge to critically evaluate the research component, ask relevant questions, and actively participate in research discussions within the field. During the practical work, you are expected to actively engage by planning and performing your own experiments or data collection and carefully monitoring the conducted experiments and analyzing the collected data. You are expected/encouraged to critically evaluate possible issues if results do not go as expected and come up with ideas to modify or reflect on potential mistakes.

Overall, it is important to be enthusiastic about the project. Carrying out a research project is neither a straightforward nor predictable process as you are creating new (and at times unexpected) knowledge. This is part of what makes research exciting but also challenging! 

Evaluation and Grading

During the summer research course, you are expected to fulfill various assignments. To be eligible for a passing grade in 6RA, all of the assignments must be completed. It will be your mentor that assess your work and assign your final grade.

Assignments and their weights are shown in the following table:

Participation - Lab-based work and theoretical hours		20%
Participation - "Introduction to Denmark" co-curriculum		10%
Literature Summary  Review		5%
Written and Oral outline of Research project		5%
Oral Presentation at Journal Club		5%
Research Paper:	Written Project	45%
	Presentation or Research Project	10%
Total		100%

The literature summary review is an opportunity to seek out existing peer-reviewed articles and, in that way, enhance your scientific knowledge within the research area and kickstart your research project. In addition, it is essential that you have knowledge of previously produced research by the research institution with which you are working.

An outline of the research project will provide you with an overall research plan and help structure your research during the term. By creating an outline, you will be able to better comprehend the objective of your efforts. Your mentor will also be able to use the outline to assess areas in which your current knowledge and understanding may be lacking.

The research paper is the final product of your research assistantship. In the paper, you will explain your work throughout the term, including the methodologies you have used, the overall process, the project’s significance, and the contribution to the field of research in which you have engaged. Please note: this research paper is not produced with the intent of publishing, but if you put in the hours and effort it may end up being a publication. 

For the oral presentation, you will present the research you have carried out throughout the summer in a  format agreed upon with your mentor and approved by DIS. The presentation should have a logical and clear structure and provide relevant information on the background, methods, conclusions, and future perspectives of the presented work. The original data reported in the paper should be presented and discussed in a clear way.

Participation is a central part of laboratory-based research and the international study experience. To receive full credit, you are required to be present at all the scheduled research sessions in and outside of the lab and actively participate and engage in the experimental work (both practical and theoretical). 

Besides research, it is also important you learn some cultural and historical aspect of Denmark while studying here. Therefore, you are required to attend the "Introduction to Denmark" course as part of your participation grade.

Of the final participation grade, 20% is based on:

• Attendance and the level of preparation, planning, and conduction of the experimental research work at the research place as well as your level of self-directed and self-motivated research work
• Your overall contribution to research discussions with the research group in general, at journal clubs, and at project presentations

An additional 10% of the participation grade is based on your attendance and active engagement in the Wednesday afternoon Introduction to Denmark series, led by DIS Danish Language and Culture faculty, Mette Jungersen. Please see the corresponding Canvas page for these required weekly activities, designed to introduce you to the cultural context of your temporary home, enhance your time in Copenhagen, and deepen your understanding of Denmark.

Journal Clubs

Journal clubs are research presentations followed by discussions organized by the research place. They are occasions for detailed discussions within a specific research area and for development of excellent presentation skills which is required of researchers today; They also serve as an exercise of reading and doing critical thinking of research papers as well as interbedding experimental data.

The research paper that you choose to present during a Journal Club, should be related to your research area. If you are more than one DIS students in the same lab, the other student(s) should also read the paper and prepare questions for the journal club discussion.

The presentation should have a logical and clear structure and provide relevant information on the background, methods, conclusions, and future perspectives of the presented work. The original data reported in the paper should be presented and discussed in a clear way.

Data

Note that many US colleges/universities require their students who are participating in research at home or abroad to acquire Institutional Review Board approval. Examples include:

• Research involving human subjects
• If the results of any research conducted during your semester with DIS involving human subjects are to be made public or published in the US

You are responsible for confirming whether home IRB-approval is required and, if so, for seeking the approval of your home schools IRB. In addition, all research conducted in Europe must adhere to GDPR regulations.

Before Arrival in Copenhagen

Please note: some mentors may give you 10 – 15 hours of research literature to read before your term start.