At the Socio-Environmental Research Team, doctoral, master's, and bachelor's theses can be completed, as well as internships and volunteering in research projects. Our interdisciplinary environment provides valuable experience, and opportunities for contact with scientific supervisors, co-authorship of scientific publications, and a healthy dose of humour. The nature of our research requires openness to contact with people, willingness to learn new research methods and techniques in the field of social research, and participation in methodological courses in social sciences outside the Faculty of Biology.
We advise students interested in collaborating to check the Projects tab and contact potential supervisors, prof. Małgorzata Grodzińska-Jurczak and Dr. Joanna Tusznio.
Examples of our publications with Students:
Tusznio, J., Santillan Gutierrez, L., Strzelecka, M., Niedziałkowski, K., Grodzińska-Jurczak, M. 2024. Traditional and emerging visions of European bison (Bison bonasus) conservation and management: Implication for the IUCN conservation planning. Environment Science & Policy 158: 103783. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2024.103783
Grodzińska-Jurczak M., Krawczyk A., Akshik A., Dedyk Z., Strzelecka M., 2022, Contradictory or complementary? - Bridging stakeholders’ perceived challenges towards Single-Use Plastics Circular Economy, Waste Management, 142 (1), 1-8, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2022.01.036.
Dedyk Z., Luis Eyzaguirre R., Tolosa D., Mikos A., Grodzińska-Jurczak M.,. 2021, Has COVID-19 pandemic changed anything about plastic? Behavioral perspective towards single-use plastic among coffee shops baristas’ and customers’ in Poland, Peru and the U.K., Journal of Environmental Planning and Management (in press).
Grodzińska-Jurczak M., Krawczyk A., Jurczak A, Dybek W, 2020. Humanistic environmental governance: A novel paradigm for addressing plastic reduction, Scientific Quarterly “Organization and Management”, 2(50), DOI:10.29119/1899-6116.2020.50.2
Vintsek L., Grodzińska-Jurczak M., Stańczyk J., 2020, How local communities perceive Carpathian River Valleys protected by Natura 2000? – ecosystem services and “home advisors” approach, Prace i Studia Geograficzne, 65 (4), 181-196.
Examples of master thesis topics:
Climate change art as a tool for raising environmental awareness
Citizen Science activity towards a Circular Economy of Single-Use Plastics
French journalism on single-use plastics before and after the COVID-19 outbreak
Art as a tool for raising environmental awareness
Perception of wild boars in urban and sub-urban areas
Examples of PhD theses prepared in the Team:
Biodiversity conservation on private land: characterizing and analyzing stakeholders’ attitude
The Nature Conservation System in Poland - Ecological Needs and Policy Actions
Nature conservation in local communities’ development - case of Natura 2000 in Polish municipalities
Our courses in English:
Social and economic aspects of nature conservation
The aim of this course is to develop an understanding of various forms of nature conservation governance as well as equipping learners with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively manage conflicts between humans and nature, and develop related skills.
Course description in USOSWEB UJ
Governance of natural resources
The aim of the course is to prepare students for analyzing problems in use of natural resources as common-pool resources and developing sustainable management approaches for those goods based on scientific rationale. Students take part in a lecture, play an interactive game, discuss documentary movie and conduct small group projects.
Course description in USOSWEB UJ
Tools for environmental decision-making
The aim of this course is to understand the challenges of environmental decision-making processes arising from the tensions between social, economic and environmental interests. Students will learn several techniques and tools to support environmental decision-making and apply them to real life decision-making problems. We will work with systematic models for decision-making design, cognitive problem mapping, The Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation, SWOT analysis, stakeholder mapping, stakeholders network analysis, mental models, analysis of alternatives, multicriteria decision aiding, future scenarios and uncertainty analysis.
Methods of secondary data analysis on society and environment
The course introduces environmental science students to the application of secondary data relating to social, economic, and environmental aspects. It highlights the significance of data pertaining to society and the economy in addressing environmental conservation issues. The course focuses on utilizing both social and environmental data to tackle environmental problems in practical scenarios.