The LERU Doctoral Summer School Trinity College Dublin kicked off this week, 9th August and runs until 13th August 2021. The school is focusing on the role of Doctoral Research and Researchers in Promoting the Importance of the ‘Expert’ in Europe.
LERU explores both the current and emerging threats to the role and value of the expert in Europe, and the ways in which researchers, and especially early-stage researchers can respond to this. How, in other words, can the next generation of researchers reclaim the role of the expert and convince people (including the suspicious and the cynical) as to the value of expertise and thus of research and researchers?
The event provides doctoral researchers with unique professional and personal development opportunities, beyond those to which they are generally exposed in the course of their doctoral studies. Over the course of the Summer School, participants develop and submit a position paper on the Expert and Research.
The League of European Research Universities (LERU) is a network of 23 leading research universities that are located in 12 European countries. LERU is a respected voice in the European Higher Education Area and is committed to upholding sound conditions for research, especially doctoral research and teaching.
Trinity College Dublin has been a member of this prestigious network since February 2017 and contributes to its numerous working groups in a variety of ways.
Go to https://www.leru.org/doctoral-summer-school to find out more about the previous LERU Doctoral Summer Schools.
LERU Doctoral Summer School Programme
Each morning starts with a 2-hour keynote session on a range of themes related to the role of the expert, led by internationally distinguished speakers, and incorporating an interactive discussion facilitated by a session host.
Thursday, August 5th, 2021
| Time | Event |
| 17:00 – 18:00 | Informal Introductory Session |
Monday, 9th August 2021: Topic “Are Experts Important?”
| Time | Event |
| 09:00 – 09:15 | Welcome Session Facilitated by Professor Martine Smith, Dean of Graduate Studies, Trinity College DublinThis presentation will welcome participants and review collated information as submitted by participants prior to the Summer School. The content and themes of the proposed output from the Summer School will be confirmed by the end of this session. |
| 09:15 – 09:30 | Minister Simon Harris
(Minister for Further and Higher Education and Research) to launch the 2021 LERU Doctoral Summer School and address participants and guests. |
| 09:30 – 11:30 | Theme: Are Experts Important?
Provost of Trinity College Dublin, Professor Linda Doyle Chaired Discussion |
| 11.30 – 12.00 | Coffee break |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Student session: Thoughts in 3
At these online meetings, participants will speak to one allocated theme in a slot designated as Talk in 3. Participants must present 3 PowerPoint slides and will have a max of 5 minutes to speak to the topic. Only ‘core’ participants present in these slots in their allocated groups. |
| 14:00 – 16:00 | Small Group Sessions
Participants will work on the development of allotted themes and the group’s approach to construction of the proposed paper (or other resource). Groups will be facilitated by Prof Martine Smith, Prof Neville Cox and Dr Cormac Doran |
| 16:00 – 16.30 | Large Group Discussion |
| 16:30 – 17:30 | Online Social Event |
Tuesday, 10th August 2021: Topic “Are Populism and Anti-intellectualism Connected?”
| Time | Event |
| 09:30 – 11:30 | Theme: ‘Are populism and anti-intellectualism connected?’
Professor Darrin Durant, University of Melbourne Prof Susan Murphy Chaired Discussion |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Coffee & Comfort Break |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Talk in 3 Session |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch Break |
| 14:00 – 15:30 | Small Group Work
Participants will continue to work on the development of allotted themes and the group’s approach to construction of the proposed paper. Facilitated by Professors Neville Cox, Martine Smith & Dr Cormac Doran |
| 15:30 – 16:00 | Group Presentation |
| 16.15 – 17:15 | Online Quiz: University Challenge |
Wednesday, 11th August 2021: Topic “Anti-Intellectualism and Science: From Vaccinations to Climate Change”
| Time | Event |
| 09:30 – 11:30 | Theme:’Anti-Intellectualism and Science: From Vaccinations to Climate Change.’
Professor Luke O’Neill, Trinity College Dublin Respondents: Chaired Discussion |
| 11:30 – 12.00 | Coffee & Comfort Break |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Talk in 3 session
Facilitated by Professor Martine Smith |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch Break |
| 14:00 – 15:30 | Small Group Discussions and Presentation
Each group will present their draft contribution to a combined paper for discussion by the entire group. |
| 16:30 | Social Event |
Thursday, 12th August 2021: Topic “Doctoral Students, Early Career Researchers and the Experts of the Future”
| Time | Event |
| 9:30 – 11:30 | Theme: ‘Early Career Researchers and the Experts of the future: Potentials and Pitfalls’
Professor Lorraine Leeson Associate Dean of Research, Trinity College Dublin Respondents: Followed by Questions and Answers |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Coffee & Comfort Break |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Talk in 3 |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch Break |
| 14:00 – 15:30 | Small Group Sessions Groups will incorporate amendments to their section of the policy paper and will present on this to the entire group for approval.Materials to be presented by 15.30pm to workshop facilitators to be collated in advance of Friday’s session. |
| 15.30 –16:30 | Workshop with Intel: ‘Experts: Employer and Employee perspectives.’ |
| 16:30 | Social Event |
Friday, 13th August 2021: Conclusions
| Time | Event |
| 09:00 – 11:00 | Presentation of the collated Policy paper plan, including discussions on future actions Facilitated by Professor Martine Smith |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | Coffee Break |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Final Remarks and Presentation of Certificates
Prof Kurt Deketelaere, Deputy Secretary-General of LERU |
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