Organization
Starting from the XLII cycle, every PhD student is required to follow courses for a total of 26 CFUs, with a minimum of 19 CFU for specialized skills and 6 CFU for soft and complementary skills. As a general rule, students are recommended to accumulate their 26 CFUs during the first two years. It is mandatory for all students to attend: Science Communication (first year) and Scientific Writing (second year), which are organised by the LENS PhD school. All other CFU can be collected from seminars—1 CFU every 3 seminars, max 5 CFU total—or from courses organised by the LENS PhD school or by other PhD schools at UniFI (see, for instance, the courses offered by the Physics Department). Attendance to 1 GEP-seminar is mandatory.
According to the definition adopted by the University of Florence, one CFU corresponds to 25 hours of total work, including both frontal lectures and individual study. At the PhD level, 1 CFU corresponds generally to 6 hours of frontal lecture.
By December of the first year, every student shall submit their study plan with the courses chosen for the three years. Each study plan shall undergo the approval of the Teaching Committee, after hearing the student’s Tutor.
At the end of each course, the students shall pass an examination; modalities of the examination will be agreed by the Teaching Committee and by the course teacher(s).
Students from other institutions are welcome to follow LENS classes, but should check with their institutions whether the earned CFU will be recognised.
Courses at LENS in 2026-2027
Scientific writing* (3 CFU), R. Bini, M. Calamai, C. Sias, C. Toninelli
Beginning: 20 March 2027.
Science communication* (4 CFU), G. Santambrogio and C. Sias
Beginning: end of January 2027
Each student will give 3 presentation. The presentations will be of different lengths; one on a topic selected by the student and two on the student's PhD work.
Microscopy and Imaging (advanced) (3 CFU), L. Allegra, N. Bruno, A. Burchianti, M. Capitanio, R. Cicchi, N. Granchi, L. Silvestri, F. Vanzi
Beginning: Spring 2027
Advanced microscopies 1 (TIRFM, FLIM, CARS, SHG) (CICCHI)
Advanced microscopies 2 (light sheet) (SILVESTRI)
Cold atoms imaging techniques (BURCHIANTI)
Scanning near-field optical microscopy (GRANCHI)
Single molecule techniques (imaging, localization, manipulation, super-resolution) (CAPITANIO)
Functional imaging (ALLEGRA)
Optogenetics (TURRINI or ALLEGRA)
Light-field & Volumetric imaging (VANZI)
Quantum optical methods for imaging (BRUNO)
Thinking Across Disciplines (4 CFU), G. Santambrogio
Each student is then paired with another student working in a different field. The second student may talk with the first, read relevant material, study the topic, and explore the field. After approximately two weeks, they must write a short proposal explaining how they would use their own knowledge, methods, or expertise to improve or contribute to the first student’s research.The proposal should be relatively short, clear, and convincing. It is then presented to the whole class and discussed collectively.
All students are expected to critically examine the proposal and ask for clarification on anything they have not understood. Each student must prepare at least one question.
The student who wrote the proposal must respond to the questions and defend the proposal against criticism.
Python for data analysis (3 CFU), G. Mazzamuto and A. Scaglione
Beginning: May 2027
The course, designed for PhD students at LENS and the Department of Physics of the University of Florence, provides a theoretical and practical introduction to Python for scientific data analysis. Classes take place in a computer lab, combining short theoretical sessions with hands-on exercises. Starting from the basics of Python programming, the course introduces the main libraries for numerical computing numpy, data visualization matplotlib, data manipulation pandas, and scientific analysis scipy. The goal is to provide participants with the basic tools needed to use Python for data analysis in their research activities.
General Photochemistry (base) (3 CFU), A. Feis
Beginning:15th February 2027
Light/matter interactions. Stationary and time-resolved perturbation theory. Fermi golden rule and transition rates. Molecular electronic and vibrational excited states. Adiabatic approximation. Radiative electronic transitions: absorption, fluorescence and phosphorescence. Nonradiative electronic transitions: internal conversion, intersystem crossing. Avoided crossings and conical intersections.
Experimental methods for the study of excited states: Stationary and time -resolved spectroscopy.
Optical methods: absorption and emission; laser flash photolysis/transient absorption.
Photothermal methods: transient thermal grating, photoacoustics, thermal lensing/photothermal beam deflection.
Photochemistry Advanced (only possible after following the general part) (3 CFU), A. Feis
Beginning: after the general part. End: May 2027
Excited state reactivity:
Photoisomerization. Photodissociation. Energy transfer processes. Electron transfer. Proton transfer. Radical formation.
Optogenetics.
Practical laboratory: photoisomerization quantum yield determination (8 hours in the lab, 4 hours for data analysis)
Polymer Science for Photonics and Biomedical Applications (2 CFU), R. Rossi, D. Martella, C. Parmeggiani
Beginning: February - April
Polymeric materials are everywhere. From day life objects to advanced applications, including different uses across topics and research areas at LENS!
The course approaches fundamental concepts of polymer science (monomer structures, naming conventions, and main thermal and mechanical properties of common polymers) later moving to material processing, showing how raw polymers are turned into functional 3D structures. Classic processing methods alongside high-precision additive manufacturing are described, mainly focusingon the 3D printing technologies available at LENS.
A major focus of the course is on responsive and smart materials - especially Liquid Crystal Elastomers and stimuli-responsive hydrogels. We will examine how these materials can change shape, color, or optical properties in response to external stimuli and their possible use for advanced (tunable) photonic devices and biomedical application.
*Course valid for “soft and complementary skills”