The Ischia Summer School on the History of the Life Sciences provides advanced training in a lively international field that offers a long-term perspective on some of the most significant ideas, practices and institutions in the world today. The school, which has a tradition of association with the Naples Zoological Station, was revived in 2005 after a break of two decades and has run every other year since then except during the coronavirus pandemic.
We can accommodate up to 26 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows or occasionally established researchers seeking to enter a new field. The event attracts expert international faculty, each of whom gives a lecture and organizes a seminar based on precirculated readings and including student presentations. There is abundant time for discussion. This provides a structured learning experience plus extensive opportunities for participation and interaction. English is the working language and we encourage exchange of ideas across disciplinary boundaries, national cultures and historical periods.
Spending the week on an island, staying in the same hotel and sharing breaks and meals maximizes opportunities for exchange. These are enhanced through social events, including a welcome reception and a day trip to Naples, the morning spent learning about the history and current research of the Station, the afternoon free for sightseeing. There will also be a free afternoon to explore beautiful Ischia itself.
Read more: 2024 Theme and school application
The theme for the 2024 school is Humans, Natures and the Nature of Humans, and the Call for Applications is open until 28 February 2024. The themes, faculty and timetables from previous schools can be found on the Past Schools page.
