International workshop empowers BRaVE doctoral students to think interdisciplinarily
The aim of the “Green Research Network BRaVE” is the development of interdisciplinary solutions for the adaptation to the consequences of climate change. The main focus is on the identification of climate-related vulnerabilities, the derivation of indicators for early risk detection, and the development of sustainable strategies for damage prevention and mitigation. In addition to the research and establishment of interdisciplinary methods, the Mesnerhof was able to create initial synergies for interdisciplinary and international networking. An important prerequisite for this is an innovative environment that promotes creative thinking – and this is exactly what the Mesnerhof offered as a conference venue. It provided an opportunity for intensive professional exchange across disciplinary boundaries for the 12 BRaVE doctoral students, BRaVE coordinator and ZfK board member Andrea Thorenz, ZfK director Harald Kunstmann, and ZfK professors Manuel Ostermeier and Sebastian Utz. As part of a so-called “research market,” the various subprojects were presented and analyzed, and potential interfaces within the group were discussed. The expertise represented included geoscientific, (resource)economical, logistical, medical, social, political, and legal risks. A particular challenge for the doctoral students is not only to successfully address their respective research questions, but also to build bridges to the other projects – and thus actively contribute to the overarching, interdisciplinary objectives of BRaVE. Shared activities such as cooking, board games, and hikes in the alpine environment strengthened team spirit and promoted networking within the group. The retreat was rated positively by all participants, as the following quotes from two doctoral students show: "I particularly appreciated the opportunity to engage in more intense discussions with other doctoral students. The retreat gave me the chance to better understand their research topics and the challenges they face. This not only strengthened the sense of community, but also helped me to recognize potential for knowledge exchange and future collaboration.“ Another feedback stated: “I really enjoyed getting to know the other doctoral students and their research perspectives and ideas. The methods used in the workshop helped us to openly share our interests. This enabled us to identify synergies and commonalities between some of the subprojects.” The CCR sincerely thanks Andrea Thorenz for her dedicated preparation and execution of the retreat.
Teambuilding and interdisciplinary exchange: BRaVE retreat for doctoral students of the Green Research Network BRaVE in Tyrol
?
?