What will be in your stocking this Christmas? For researchers at Sussex, it could be the perfect research partner – or perhaps the prospect of funding for a new project.
That’s because academics have the chance to meet each other and chat over a glass of wine and festive buffet, at an innovative event next month that aims to promote cross-disciplinary research.
Sociologist Dr Adam Hedgecoe is helping to organise the Research Christmas Stocking event, in conjunction with the Research and Regional Development team.
He says: “It’ll be interesting to see how researchers from such different backgrounds manage to communicate with each other about their work; we hope they’ll be able to find areas of common interest.”
The event aims to raise researchers’ awareness of their colleagues’ interests and expertise, and to encourage cross-campus collaboration, building on Sussex's long tradition of interdisciplinary research.
“This is the way research is going,” points out Dr Fergus Massey, a postdoctoral researcher in Life Sciences, who is also involved with planning the evening. “None of us can afford not to collaborate.”
Prizes of £4,000 will be awarded to the best four collaborative research proposals submitted after the event. Ultimately, it could increase the number of joint research proposals put forward by Sussex researchers.
The event, which is open to all researchers from all disciplines, takes place on Tuesday 11 December, from 5.30–8pm at the Conference Centre in Bramber House.
Personal invitations are being sent out now from the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Farthing, and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Bob Allison. For more information and to RSVP, see www.sussex.ac.uk/christmasstocking. Registrations close on Monday 26 November; sign up early, as numbers are limited.