Abstract:

A key goal of ISERN meetings is to foster collaboration among ISERN members. The ISERN manifesto lists joint activities (i.e., collaborations) as a key approach to allow ISERN research groups to learn from each and to benefit from access to a network of laboratory environments. The benefits include exchanging tools and researchers, developing experimental infrastructure technologies, and joint empirical studies and publications. An active ISERN member should contribute to an ISERN collaboration at least once in two years. ISERN meetings are a good opportunity to identify potentially fruitful collaborations to be explored within the network.

Session Goals:

This session aims to foster collaboration between ISERN members by showing clusters of collaboration interests, as self-reported by the members in a survey, and brainstorming new collaborations.

Development of the Session: (How will the session be conducted? How much interaction?)

Introduction

5 min. Introduction to the session dynamics.

10 min. Presentation of the survey results and the identified clusters.

Brainstorming

15 min. Participants select their clusters of interest (or suggest new groupings) and write down up to three post-its with their names and topics to collaborate on.

15 min. Session chairs read through the identified topics (and reorganize them, if needed).

Collaboration Identification and Follow-up

15 min. Participants read through the clusters and post-its and self-organize to identify groups (ideally consisting of 2 to 8 participants) and discuss potential new (or evolutions of ongoing) collaborations. The groups should list the identified collaborations and candidate participants using Flipcharts (which should be considered dynamic documents that may be updated throughout the ISERN meeting). Discussions are supposed to continue in the open sessions after the coffee break.

What means for interaction will be used or required?

A board with pens and post-its for the participants. Flipcharts, or other means of taking notes, one per table.

Background and recommended reading:

Please read the ISERN manifesto and membership rules before the session.

Expected Outcomes and Plan for Continuing the Work beyond ISERN:

Identifying new (or evolutions of ongoing) ISERN collaborations with lists of contribution candidates.

Materials:

Colored post-its, flipcharts for each table, colored pilot pens, tables and chairs, space in the room for posting post-its/posters (from flipcharts); each table has 2-8 participants.