Training Schools

SAPIENS Kick-off meeting

Rome, January 2019

The Kick-off meeting offered the opportunity for all network partners to meet and map out the strategy and work plan for the project period.

Best practices for Open Science meeting

Utrecht, November 2019

Together with academic and SME experts, ESRs had sandpit discussions to generate new ideas for open science. Topics included reliability and replication of results, ethical data collection, privacy and data sharing. Through workshops, ESRs also learned current strategies to take these issues into account during data collection, analyses, and dissemination. For instance, in a workshop they preregistered their first study.

In collaboration with MentisCura.

360° meeting 1

Uppsala, June 2020

ESRs and experts exchanged and generated knowledge and skills. During this first meeting, ESRs met their complete advisory team, the other ESRs and the senior scientists from different sites. During speed-date sessions, ESRs pitched and brainstormed about their projects with experts and peers.

Measurement of social interaction research

Uppsala, June 2020

This school trained ESRs on the measurement of social interaction, with a focus on parent-child interaction (PCI). Through lectures by experts and hands-on workshops, ESRs learned about the importance of early PCI characteristics (such as parental sensitive responsiveness or scaffolding) for child development. They also learned about different coding schemes, their advantages and disadvantages, and they received a basic training in the PInTCI, a coding system specifically developed to code PCI in infants at risk. In addition, they were introduced to novel methods to analyse social interaction.

In collaboration with PatternVision.

Real-time and ecological analyses and modelling

Warsaw, November 2020

This school introduced ESRs to real-time analyses and to modelling of social interaction. Analyses will be applied to data acquired using novel methods (PCI, EEG, and eye-tracking). Experts provided lectures and hands-on workshops in which ESRs learned about cutting-edge methods and programs for performing the analyses.

Dissemination to academic audiences

Warsaw, November 2020

ESRs organized an ESR-only one-day conference. They sent in abstracts and provided short presentations. ESRs received 360 degree expert and peer feedback to improve their skills, which they could apply during the following 360° meeting.

360° meeting 2

Rome, June 2021

ESRs presented their first research results to an academic audience. This provided the opportunity to practice their oral presentation skills and to receive feedback from peers and experts.

Individual differences in social interaction

Rome, June 2021

This school discussed to what extend and why individuals differ in social interaction. During lectures and discussions, ESRs learned about developmental processes related to individual differences, with a focus on social, vocal, and motor development. ESRs learnt the behavioural strengths and weaknesses of neurodivergent children and about diagnosis criteria.

Globalization and diversity

Rome, June 2021

This workshop aimed to raise awareness among ESRs on the effects of globalization and diversity on research methods, results, and dissemination as a two-way communication. Focus was on cultural and gender differences that affect the development of social interaction, and globalization of research results.

Longitudinal analyses and modelling

London, November 2021

This school provided in-depth knowledge on longitudinal analyses and modelling of social interaction. During lectures and workshops ESRs gained conceptual knowledge and skills on state-of-the-art techniques used to understand and predict individual developmental differences in social interaction.

Research for the clinical and educational field

London, November 2021

ESRs learned how research results can be effectively translated into clinical and educational practice and policy. Furthermore, they learned which skills acquired during their research projects can be used while working outside academia. They also received information on the weeklong placement at an SME or NGO to gain field experience.

In collaboration with BabyBrains.

360° meeting 3

Nijmegen, June 2022

ESRs and experts joined in sandpit discussions on the application of project results. Special emphasis was on how the project results can be used for communication to the public audience, and to generate new grant ideas.

Public communication and engagement

Nijmegen, June 2022

ESRs learned to communicate their research results to a public audience. ESRs received training in writing and speaking to a lay audience. In addition, they discussed ethics regarding research communication. The workshop was based on input from and led by our community partners (e.g. day-care providers, clinicians, and parent NGOs). The workshop resulted in a set-up for a public event as part of the International open workshop (K6). ESRs focused on their careers after the network project. In workshops, they explored different career options and received training in interview techniques as well as in grant writing. They received information on the weeklong placement at an SME or NGO.

In collaboration with VicarVision.

International Open Conference

Ghent, September 2022

As a final network-wide event, ESRs organized an international open Conference at which knowledge and skills were exchanged. The event was an optimal platform to disseminate the generated knowledge and skills among scientific peers. Moreover, it broadened and strengthened the network of ESRs to other research leaders in the field of social interaction development. In addition, the Conference has provided the ESRs with an opportunity to put acquired transferable skills such as project planning, presentation and leading discussions into practice.

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