PRC Forum

As a vital component of the PRC, the PRC Forum serves as a dynamic platform, fostering collaboration, expanding expertise, and enhancing research capabilities. 

Open to all UZH population researchers, our forum welcomes participants at every career stage. Join us at the UZH PRC Forum, where interdisciplinary collaboration, skills development, and meaningful networking converge to advance population-based research.  No prior PRC membership required.

Three Distinct Streams:

We encourage PRC members to propose and organize their initiatives. The PRC Forum provides support and resources to bring your ideas to life. Propose your event or initiative by contacting prc@uzh.ch.

Please note that events are held irregularly. Stay tuned for updates on upcoming sessions.

Machine learning models are powerful tools for prediction and analysis, but they are often criticized for being “black boxes.” Interpretable Machine Learning (IML) aims to provide methods to open these boxes and thereby make model results transparent, trustworthy, and useful for applied research. By understanding how predictions are generated, researchers can not only evaluate their models more effectively but also communicate results more convincingly to stakeholders. 

In this workshop, led by Dr. Susanne Dandl and PD Dr. Rudolf Debelak, participants will gain a hands-on introduction to the foundations of machine learning and practical tools for interpretability using R. Emphasis will be placed on intuitive understanding, interactive coding, and direct applications to psychology-related datasets.

This workshop includes practical exercises. So, please bring your own laptop with a working installation of R and R-Studio and have the R-package mlr3 installed prior to the workshop. 

For further information, please contact Andrea Farnham

Join us for our third PRC Annual Retreat on Monday, August 25, 2025, from 13:00 to 17:00 at Rämistrasse 69, 8001 Zürich (SOC-E-010).

This year’s focus is on sparking and developing new research ideas and collaborations among population-based researchers at UZH. We invite research groups to present new or early-stage projects where you are still seeking partners, see potential for collaboration, or would welcome feedback. 

The retreat will feature project presentations, an interactive group activity, and conclude with a relaxed Zvieri/Apéro.

Program

Population-based researchers are invited to join EBPI Scientific Manager Kelly Turner, Andrea Farnham (Public & Global Health, EBPI), and Rachel Heyard (Center for Reproducible Science, EBPI) for a 45-minute discussion of Dr. Morgan Giddings’ 2011 book 4 Steps to Funding: Avoid Rejection and Get Your Grant Funded on the Next Try With this Simple Four-step Formula. Rachel first encountered the book in 2024. Together, she and Andrea developed a two-day, grant-writing retreat around its principles. They shared the book with Kelly, who, after over 10-years reviewing grants at the EBPI, is convinced Giddings provides the most succinct remedy for researchers who are frustrated that their excellent ideas aren’t making it to the top of reviewer’s stacks.

At this workshop we will discuss:

• Why a great project idea is only the starting point for a successful proposal
• The four, sequential steps to a funded project
• How grant writing is different from other essential scientific communication
• Finally, Andrea and Rachel will share practical tips on setting up your own DIY grant writing retreat

Participants are expected to have read the book prior to the workshop. The first 10 participants to register are eligible to receive a free copy of the book, courtesy of the PRC.

For further information, please contact Kelly Turner or Rachel Heyard or Andrea Farnham

PRC_GrantWorkshop2025 (PDF, 196 KB)

In the dynamic field of social and behavioral research, comparative cross-sectional studies have become an essential tool for exploring differences and similarities across populations, and contexts at a single point in time. In case these cross-sectional studies are repeated across time, they also allow for an examination of change across historical time. Such studies, like the HBSC and PISA studies, exemplify how such research provides valuable insights to inform evidence-based policy and practice.

Led by Prof. Nikki Shure and Prof. David Bann, this half-day workshop explores the methodological and analytical frameworks underpinning comparative cross-sectional research. Through interactive discussions and hands-on exercises, attendees will gain experience in analyzing and interpreting comparative cross-sectional data in their own research. Participants are welcome to attend both parts of the workshop or attend either the presentation or practical part of the workshop. This workshop is financially supported by a PRC Seed Grant.

This workshop includes practical exercises. Please bring your own laptop with a working installation of R and R-Studio. 

For further information, please contact Laura Bechtiger  orClarissa Janousch

Supervised machine learning for science: How to stop worrying and love your black box

Interested in machine learning but concerned about how interpretability fits in? PopStats is excited to kick off the new year with a talk by Christoph Molnar, author of the book Supervised Machine Learning for Science (https://ml-science-book.com/). He will give an overview of the key concepts and challenges that scientists should keep in mind when using machine learning. This includes an overview of the hot field of interpretable machine learning, the topic of another of his books: https://christophm.github.io/interpretable-ml-book/. Whether you are an experienced analyst or new to machine learning, this event will offer valuable insights into how machine learning can transform research practices across disciplines.

For further information, please contact Andrea Farnham

Preregistration of Observational Data: Benefits, Pitfalls, and Practice

This event will explore the advantages, challenges, and key considerations for preregistration in observational research. We will address how preregistration can enhance transparency and rigor, while also discussing the potential limitations and practical aspects of implementing it in diverse research fields such as psychology, epidemiology, and social sciences.

For further information, please contact Andrea Farnham

Save the date.

Establishing causality: an impossible goal in observational research? Perspectives from different research fields.

For further information, please contact Andrea Farnham.

The PRC is launching PopStats, an event series aimed at fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in the analysis of population-level data. A key focus will be on longitudinal studies and the use of R Software for data analysis.

The inaugural event is co-organized with the R User's Group and features presentations by two speakers with expertise on large population datasets: Irene Böckmann (Statistisches Amt des Kantons Zürich) and Erin West (Kantonsspital St. Gallen). The event format includes two short presentations followed by Q&A and a networking apero. The event is open to researchers, analysts, and professionals outside academia interested in the application of statistical methods to population studies.

For further information, please contact Andrea Farnham.

Save the date for a leisurely afternoon of fun and networking! More information coming soon.

For further inquiries, please contact: prc@uzh.ch.

The UZH PRC supports a Mid-level Researchers Club, targeting postdocs, senior researchers, Oberassistierende, and early-stage group leaders that engage in population studies. This club is open to all PRC members at this career stage. Initially funded by mid-level researchers at EBPI, the group aims to promote exchange and networking among mid-level researchers to enhance their careers and job satisfaction. We acknowledge existing networks with various career development events and strive not to duplicate their offerings. Instead, our focus is on in-person networking and mentoring events—a niche currently missing for this group. To achieve this, we will organize several types of events, including an annual retreat. 
For further information and membership inquiries, please contact Andrea Farnham.

As part of our goal to promote career satisfaction and networking, we organized a retreat targeted specifically to the needs of mid-level researchers on February 15-16, 2024. The retreat is co-organized by the founders of the Mid-Level Researcher's Club, Rachel Heyard, Dominik Menges, Hester van de Wiel, and Andrea Farnham. The retreat is not meant to be a conference, but instead a workshop where we reflect on our skillsets, career objectives, and where we would like to go next with our careers, as well as network with other mid-career researchers. Another major aim is to begin building interdisciplinary collaborations with other researchers at our level at UZH, to build towards joint grant applications (e.g. the PRC seed grants). However, the retreat is not only for those who want an academic career. There were interactive workshops and also plenty of time to reflect in nature. There also was an optional grant writing session. 
 
If you would like to learn more, please contact Andrea Farnham.

Not sure what’s new in SNSF Project funding regulations? We can help! EBPI Scientific Managers Doreen Gille and Kelly Turner supported a total of 11 SNSF Project and SINERGIA applications in 2023. We don’t know everything about the SNSF, but we know a lot! Join us to learn about the new SNSF Project funding rules. We’ll cover who can apply, SNSF Project roles (i.e., Applicant, Co-Applicant, Project Partner), why they matter and where to go for help. The session will consist of a presentation, audience Q&A, and time in which Doreen and Kelly will be available for one-on-one or small group conversations.