FLF Crucible in London
On 25 to 26 February Felicia took part in the “Crucible” organised by the Future Leaders’ Fellowship Development Network. These are residential workshops designed to foster collaborations between researchers and introduce new ways of thinking and working. The aim is to form interdisciplinary, cross-sector networks between researchers who normally don’t get the chance to meet. The first of these two two-day meetings was a brilliant opportunity to discuss fundamental questions about interdisciplinary research and cross-sector collaborations: how do we do research? What for? What are the fundamental questions, challenges, and aspirations that we share? It was fantastic to meet Future Leader Fellows from across medicine, engineering, physics, sociology, computing, public health, and the humanities.
Nick Tyler, introducing PEARL
In a series of inspiring talks and meetings, we also heard about existing small and large interdisciplinary collaborations, like those lead by one of the facilitators, Barry Smith, Director of the Institute of Philosophy and its Centre for the Study of the Senses at the School of Advanced Study, University of London and founding director of the Being Human Festival. We also visited PEARL (Person-Activity-Environment Research Laboratory), whose creator and director, Nick Tyler, delivered a brilliant introduction to this experimental space that brings together researchers, practitioners, communities, and artists to explore the ways in which people interact with their environments. We got a demonstration how PEARL can manipulate its ground, lighting, soundscape and smell in order to simulate life-sized environments under controlled conditions.
copyright Nick Tyler, PEARL
Very many thanks to the organisers, the FLF DevNet and their fantastic team, to the facilitators, Samantha Aspinall and Barry Smith, and to the fellows who took part. It was a truly inspiring and thought-provoking first two days – and I’m looking forward to the next two in June.
