Nurturing your networks
An important part of nurturing your network takes places at conferences – not least during the breaks where it is possible to have informal dialogues where you can air new ideas and establish closer personal contacts.
We are all social individuals and our knowledge and perspectives are to a great degree influenced by whom we speak to and discuss with. As a research institution, we are dependent on our relations to colleagues and stakeholders. Our colleagues provide us with inspiration for the content and quality of our research, and the discussions with our stakeholders are crucial to ensuring relevance in our research.
Interaction with colleagues and stakeholders is also essential when developing new research projects. In both Denmark and the EU there is an increasing focus on research relevance and quality, and we can only achieve that if we prioritise our researcher and stakeholder networks.
Attending conferences is an important way to nurture your networks. We participate in Danish and international conferences and this provides us with the opportunity to meet colleagues and stakeholders. Conferences include talks and posters. These elements give you the opportunity to gain insight into your colleagues’ work.
However, the most important efforts with regard to networking take place during the breaks, at breakfast, lunch, dinner or over a beer in the evening. These breaks give you the chance to have informal dialogues where you can air new ideas and establish closer personal contacts.
The biennial Nitrogen Workshop was held in Rennes in France 25-27 June 2018. It will be remembered by the fact that the football match between Denmark and France during the afternoon of 26 June ended in a draw. I arrived too late for most of the networking activities (the conference dinner), because Air France decided to cancel my flight. However, as you can see in the photo, several of the PhD students from Foulum engaged in networking activities on the dance floor.
I managed to participate in the second day of the workshop where I met many ”old” colleagues and established new contacts. For my part it ended at a sidewalk café in the old part of Rennes. Establishing and maintaining a network is not only an important part of the research process; it is also enjoyable.
I wish everyone a good summer. The summer holiday is a good time to nurture your private networks!
