Every two years, the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology Retreat provides a fantastic opportunity for everyone – academic staff, professional services staff, and students, to learn about the innovative science happening around them, give their perspectives and new ideas for research culture and leadership, and to network and have fun.
Every research group presented 'what's new' from their lab, together showcasing the Institute's cutting-edge research. New research staff delivered these talks where possible, which gave them the opportunity to introduce their work and gave attendees the context with which to initiate cross-group collaborations with them.
A 'successes beyond the lab' session saw staff and students describe diverse and impactful projects outside of their experiments. One project blended science and art to choreograph a performance at the Natural History Museum that represented the movement and functions of neutrophils. Another described a network which had been set up to connect European researchers in the UK. The Institute hopes that learning about this kind of project may inspire staff and students to invest in similar projects which are meaningful to them.
Other sessions addressed a breadth of topics relevant to the staff and student experience. A discussion about research culture asked the question of how the Institute can support the careers of staff and students. A panel discussion about public and patient involvement and engagement (PPIE) showcased the benefits of onboarding patient perspectives into research. A session on environmental sustainability celebrated the Institute's success with LEAF awards, and distributed award certificates to Sustainability Champions. A presentation about innovation and development taught attendees how they can build links with industry, and explored how we can best utilise our tools and technologies.
The retreat concluded with a wide-ranging discussion on the Institute's scientific goals, operations and research culture. Over the course of two days, attendees had written suggestions on post-it notes, which were answered in this final session. Staff and students had brilliant ideas for ways to further enhance institute cohesion, to recognise success, and to produce our best science. Any questions that there wasn't time to address at the retreat will be answered soon.
Any retreat wouldn't be complete without lots of time for catching up with longstanding colleagues and meeting new ones! A 'Kennedy Treasure Hunt' had everyone taking wonderfully creative photos around Oxford. The photos that came back were a delightful mix of innovation and quirkiness that demonstrated the unique mindset that fuels the research at the Kennedy. A 'find someone who' activity encouraged attendees to learn new things about their colleagues, and awarded a prize for whoever found the most attributes. Break times and lunches were spent in the beautiful courtyard of the Business School.
Of the retreat, academic lead Professor Irina Udalova said: 'It was extremely rewarding to see that the carefully designed diverse programme of the retreat worked so well to provoke new thinking, ideas and interactions. Lots of thanks go to the wonderful team of PIs, postdocs, DPhil students and administrative personnel, who invested their heart, energy and time in making it happen.'