Researcher Well-Being: Practices for Physical & Mental Safety in the Field

Young Researchers’ Careers (YouReCa) at KU Leuven, in collaboration with the Leuven Institute of Criminology (LINC), the University of Antwerp, and Ghent University, invite you to a two-day seminar on ‘Researcher Well-Being: Practices for physical & mental safety in the field’. This seminar is free for all PhD students affiliated to a university in Flanders and duly registered for the seminar (limited number of places available).

Universities are increasingly confronted with PhD students and postdoctoral researchers who experience mental health problems (e.g. burnout and traumatization) as a result of their research and fieldwork. Researchers in Criminology, Anthropology, Sociology and other Humanities often conduct research on emotionally sensitive topics and in physically challenging contexts. Although students receive the necessary tips in methodology and
ethics in the basic training, they are often insufficiently prepared for the practical and mental-emotional aspects of fieldwork. This two-day seminar consists of interactive presentations and a participatory workshop.

Programme

Day 1 (Thursday December 4, 9h30-16h30): Critical reflections on research & well-being in the field

• ‘A critical approach to Law & Development research in the North and the South’ (Kirandeep Kaur & Wouter Vandenhole, UAntwerpen)
• ‘Interdisciplinary experiences from the Migration Law Research Group’ (Sara Lembrechts & Ellen Desmet, UGent)
• Erasmus+ Projects on ‘Trauma-Informed Practices’ (Stephan Parmentier, Laura Hein, Mina Rauschenbach, and Victoria Wozniak-Cole, KU
  Leuven)
• ‘The Mind-Body-Field Connectivity’ (Ellen Van Damme, KU Leuven & Field Research Coaching)

Day 2 (Friday December 5, 9h-17h): Workshop ‘Mindful Research: A Practical and Mental Preparation for Challenging Fieldwork’ (Ellen Van Damme, Field Research Coaching & KU Leuven)

• Well-being & safety in the
  field
• Gatekeepers & network
• Self-care practices
• Mindful listening & communication in the field
• Creating a personalized plan of action

Register here before November 7th.