Early Career Event

Eu-SPRI Early Career Event 4 June 2024

Performing Knowing, Identity and Impact for Early Career Researchers

Starting in academia comes with the challenge of positioning yourself as a researcher within a specific scientific community. This positioning has many dimensions and provides ground for questioning, such as: what is knowledge for me and what knowledge can I acquire through my research? What defines good research practice for me? How do I relate my position as a researcher to my position as a civilian or human being? How can I make a meaningful societal impact as a researcher?

Considering the strongly normative aspects of the conference theme, during the early career event we will dive into reflecting on our role as researchers and how you can make a meaningful impact, not only by publishing papers, but much more on a societal level. We will explore our different perspectives of such roles and purposes as researchers in the fields of economics, political science, sociology, Science and Technology Studies (STS), business administration, geography, and history, that are central to the Eu-SPRI Forum and represented in its wide community.  

The event will be set up in an interactive and engaging way that provides room for participants from various disciplines and from all over the world to share experiences, debate various perspectives, and meeting other early-career researchers who share this position. A mixture of group discussion rounds, panel discussions with international speakers in both junior and senior career positions and networking opportunities among participants will be provided in a half-day format, including social activities in the evening.

Four selected panel speakers from various disciplines within the Eu-SPRI network, will address personal lessons of hardship, success and instances of creating impact (for instance in relation to engagement with society, positioning yourself as a researcher while engaging with policymakers, citizens and more). Sharing shifts of perspectives within research trajectories, working modes, and forms of engagement that might often be overlooked or underestimated by early career researchers, will provide the basis for the group discussions throughout the day. In doing so, the aim of the event is to interactively guide early-career researchers in better positioning themselves as researchers in relation to society and the pursuit for a better world.

The early career day is primarily aimed at fostering interactions between participants, and creating a space for open discussion and reflection upon one’s personal research trajectory, impact and future perspective. Moreover, interaction between the participants is stimulated throughout the event to support network building of early-career researchers.

Target audience and criteria of participation

The event is organised for early-career researchers (roughly first 5 years in academics) and is limited to a number of 35 participants. With regards to inclusivity and openness, we invite all students from the Eu-SPRI Forum or connected to its wider community, as well as any other students that fit into the topics of, including, but not limited to, the fields of economics, political science, sociology, science and technology studies (STS), business administration, geography, and history.  

To apply, students submit a 200-word motivation statement to participate in the event. This motivation statement should indicate their name, current position and institution, and a short reflection on the student’s research topic and activities. Furthermore, the statement should include a brief reflection on the experiences as early career researchers related to their role as researcher and to making meaningful impact through their research and practices in their position. In case there are more suitable applicants than spots, participants will be selected by the committee based on the best fitting motivations.

Practicalities

The early career event will be hosted in-person in the city centre of Enschede. The meeting location is in close vicinity to the main train station of Enschede. Participation is only possible in person and if the main conference will also be attended by the participant. The participant fee for the event is 50€ (including lunch, coffee/tea, dinner and drinks).

The motivation statement should be submitted via email to euspri2024-earlycareer@utwente.nl

Participants will receive a notification of acceptance before the registration for the main conference opens.

The option for signing up after the confirmation of acceptance and the payment of the participant fee for the event, will be included in the sign-up process of the main conference.