Sandpit

Sandpits are a method to formulate innovative research projects across disciplinary boundaries, first developed by the British Engineering and Physical Science Council. In the context of this two-day conference, we will experiment with an adapted version, that is much shorter, with more modest aims. The sandpit consist of a group of 12-15 people from different disciplinary backgrounds and varied historical interests, led by a technical chair and two mentors, who in four sessions of one hour try to create one or several research groups which formulate a research project. The first sessions is aimed to find partners within the sand pit; the second to formulate a research problem; in the third session a rudimentary research plan is formulated; in the final session, the research plans – or the difficulty to come up with a plan – is presented to the audience.

 

Researchers interested in the sandpit are requested to apply before the conference, with a one-page CV, a list of five main publication and 100 words description of field of interest. The chairs and mentors of the sandpits decide who is participating in his/her sandpit.

 

Contact for more details: Ido de Haan (i.de.haan@uu.nl)