Travelling Beyond: Academia's Place in the Wider World
How does our research bear on the world? How does it affect, for example, society, industry, the environment?
In turn, how do these affect our PhDs?
In turn, how do these affect our PhDs?
In a fast-changing world in which systems of thought are increasingly challenged, the dynamics of our academic trajectories are in flux. While embroiled in daily life as doctoral students, it can be easy to lose sight of the broader context; yet in order to both contribute and gain as much as possible, we must keep looking ahead. This postgraduate conference is intended as a space to stop, reflect and exchange perspectives on the significance of our work to the wider world.
Here at Manchester, the positive impact of our research beyond academia is evident. In 2010, Manchester researchers Sir Andre Geim and Sir Konstantin Novoselov won the Nobel Prize for their groundbreaking achievements in graphene. More recent Manchester-based research in social and economic sustainability of cocoa production has inspired major organisational changes for chocolate giant Cadbury, with their best-selling products now certified Fairtrade. Yet the influence of our research is not just one-way, and neither is it always clear-cut. Questions of technology, economy, intellectual property, global inequalities, culture, all emerge to inform and shape our science, our art, our literature.
Travelling Beyond aims to explore the implications and connectivity that our research entails, moving away from false divides between disciplines and societal sectors, instead taking up integrative themes and topics that involve and impact us all in different ways. In so doing, we hope to build a fuller picture of our multiple positionings and identities as academics; to promote critical self-awareness and a socially-conscious attitude; and to illuminate new ways forward.
We welcome proposals of up to 300 words that demonstrate how your research speaks to these themes. You might, for instance, consider the nature of your research itself, the context in which you conduct it, or how your research links to your plans beyond graduation. Poster presentations are also encouraged (guidelines on how to make a poster are available on the conference website: http://travellingbeyond.weebly.com/poster-guidelines.html). Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
· Interaction – How can we make ‘walls’ more permeable and work more collaboratively both within and beyond academia? To what extent does our research encourage this?
· Impact – How does academic research actively benefit the wider society? Equally, what undesirable impacts might there be (e.g. environmental, economic, political)?
· Information – How is our research aided or constrained by the dynamics of information flow in the Internet age? What are the possibilities? What are the limits?
· Networks – How does our research impact social media, social groups and societal structures (industry, media, political movements, counter-culture etc.)? How does the new media shape the way we relate to others and conduct our research?
· Identity – Who are we as academics? How, where and with what purpose are we moving forward?
Please submit your proposal* before Monday 3rd November, together with a 50-word biographical note to: [email protected].
*Presentation submissions subject line should read 'Presentation abstract'; poster submissions subject line should read 'Poster abstract'.
Here at Manchester, the positive impact of our research beyond academia is evident. In 2010, Manchester researchers Sir Andre Geim and Sir Konstantin Novoselov won the Nobel Prize for their groundbreaking achievements in graphene. More recent Manchester-based research in social and economic sustainability of cocoa production has inspired major organisational changes for chocolate giant Cadbury, with their best-selling products now certified Fairtrade. Yet the influence of our research is not just one-way, and neither is it always clear-cut. Questions of technology, economy, intellectual property, global inequalities, culture, all emerge to inform and shape our science, our art, our literature.
Travelling Beyond aims to explore the implications and connectivity that our research entails, moving away from false divides between disciplines and societal sectors, instead taking up integrative themes and topics that involve and impact us all in different ways. In so doing, we hope to build a fuller picture of our multiple positionings and identities as academics; to promote critical self-awareness and a socially-conscious attitude; and to illuminate new ways forward.
We welcome proposals of up to 300 words that demonstrate how your research speaks to these themes. You might, for instance, consider the nature of your research itself, the context in which you conduct it, or how your research links to your plans beyond graduation. Poster presentations are also encouraged (guidelines on how to make a poster are available on the conference website: http://travellingbeyond.weebly.com/poster-guidelines.html). Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
· Interaction – How can we make ‘walls’ more permeable and work more collaboratively both within and beyond academia? To what extent does our research encourage this?
· Impact – How does academic research actively benefit the wider society? Equally, what undesirable impacts might there be (e.g. environmental, economic, political)?
· Information – How is our research aided or constrained by the dynamics of information flow in the Internet age? What are the possibilities? What are the limits?
· Networks – How does our research impact social media, social groups and societal structures (industry, media, political movements, counter-culture etc.)? How does the new media shape the way we relate to others and conduct our research?
· Identity – Who are we as academics? How, where and with what purpose are we moving forward?
Please submit your proposal* before Monday 3rd November, together with a 50-word biographical note to: [email protected].
*Presentation submissions subject line should read 'Presentation abstract'; poster submissions subject line should read 'Poster abstract'.