Future Perspectives
Topic 1 - Interaction between involved groups
Interactions between the groups involved in the network is the essence for future success. Currently, we interact by presenting research at online seminars. However, initially we also used Trends in Magnetism to show ongoing research projects or brainstormed project ideas that could be addressed by collaborations between different groups.
How can we interact beyond common formats like research presentations and related discussions?
To what extent can we or should we share on-going projects and research outcomes?
What are the best ways to find collaborators? University homepages, linkedin, other websites? Events? From Pitches? From Database?
Can working groups or better organization (topic 5) contribute to improved interactions?
How can we overcome limitations that interactions often only happen on some financial support? What can we offer to improve interactions?
What is an adequate level of interactions and collaboration in this consortium? Shall we prioritize interactions with members of this consortium?
Can student and postdoc exchanges help to increase the interaction in the network?
Google Jamboards - Chaired by Ivan Miranda
Topic 2 - Interaction to external stakeholders
As a consortium, we have no connection to external stakeholders. Individual groups, on the other hand, have interactions with various stakeholders. To gain visibility and support as a network we need to reach out to external stakeholders, the experience of some groups and members can help to build connections. However, every network or project is different, thus the questions below can help to identify the needs of the Trends in Magnetism consortium.
Who are the relevant stakeholders in our field and in Sweden or the EU?
How can we reach out to them and make them aware of our activities? Which ways are suitable and most effective (social media, events,...)?
What do we expect from external stakeholders?
Shall the stakeholders be involved in all activities or partially?
How can the consortium make the best use of external stakeholders?
From external stakeholder to potential project partner or financier?
Google Jamboard - Chaired by Heike Herper
Topic 3 - Education
We do not yet have any educational aspect within our activities, but funding possibilities like the VR center of excellence support stronger future ambitions in this direction. Furthermore, educational aspects can be used to fund in some ways activities of the trends in magnetism.
Can we bring the Swedish consortium on magnetism research (SCMR) together under an Educational umbrella?
Shall we coordinate possible courses relevant for magnetism research with the help of the SCMR?
The focus of today's classroom is on interdisciplinary research. Can the SCMR benefit and establish in higher education when offering courses relevant for interdisciplinary research?
Should the SCMR contribute also to international school activities, e.g. the summer school of the European Magnetism Association?
How can we have a better structure for magnetism schools like UppASD school? Should such a school be national or international?
When establishing a teaching network in the SCMR, what should be in the focus? The computational or experimental methods or the underlying theories? At which level should they be? Phd, MSc?
In relation to topic 2:
How can we encourage high-school students to choose physics as their future career? School events? Youtube channels? One-day with an expert at campus?
Google Jamboard - Chaired by Nezhat Pournaghavi
Topic 4 - Future financial support
At the current level, there is no permanent financial support of building a Swedish consortium in magnetism research. In the past, the interaction efforts were paid by some selected groups only. For the conference, we could for the first time convince a funder (Carl Tryggers stiftelse) to support the idea of a national connected research consortium. Other efforts, like the VR center of excellence, suffered from proper support, in particular when smaller universities were involved.
What are proper national funding sources to support our consortium in respective activities?
What are proper international national funding sources to support our consortium in respective activities?
Can we make use of external stakeholders (start-ups or related companies) to co-fund the network?
Who will be responsible to search for financial support and how can we make this process fair, in particular, when no financial support for the writing process is provided?
How can we fairly share limited application PI roles?
Google Jamboard - Chaired by Attila Szilva
Topic 5 - Organisation and Expansion of existing Trends in Magnetism Activities
Trends in Magnetism started as a local effort, hosted by Uppsala University and in particular by only selected departments working actively on physics. During the pandemic and increasing activities online, the trends in magnetism activities became (ir)regular Zoom meetings which allowed to include more groups from different universities into the activities. However, we always failed in motivation to volunteer for presentations at the digital meetings or, more recently, slow response and late mind changes often ended in meeting canclings.
How can we establish a more reliable organizational structure without proper financial support? Could representatives from each university help to make the consortium more efficient? Could a hierarchical structure or a network board like structure help?
What mechanism as organizers shall we realize to improve the consortium structure and dynamics?
How can we make that organization duties in the network become prestigious and a duty that everyone wants to take?
How can we fund an administrative/organizational structure?
On expansion of the network, we started as a loose connection between departments and today we connect in some (but not ideal) way all major universities and research facilities. We still have ambition to grow and to connect between even more groups.
How can we make other groups aware and join our activities?
Seeing the growing importance of interdisciplinary research, how can we connect to interdisciplinary groups and what groups/fields?
Google Jamboard - Chaired by Danny Thonig