Grant for Project - Room for Failure in Science. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Incentive Fund 2022-23

The main question of the project leading to the proposed activities was how creating engaging, open, interactive, and safe spaces and activities enable to share and reflect on experiences and aspects of “failure in science” that may can contribute to improving the wellbeing of the early academic researchers at the UT? We explored the need for an interactive communication space more creatively from the core of storytelling, collaborative theatre, and conversations within a central theme of ‘Room for Failure.’ Our target audience were researchers as we believe they can objectively relate to, and acknowledge failure as a ‘personal science’ which may sometimes affect the integrity principles. We learnt that undertaking a closer look at ‘failure as science’ while promoting open, safe, and inclusive communication practices and spaces for these can become a cornerstone in the backdrop of diversity, equity and inclusion, particularly with early-career academics.

The project concluded with a Key note lecture: 'A Mindlab Journey, Master class and a Theatre workshop - "Scientist on Stage" to highlight challenges of communication through expression of day-to-day practice of PhD supervision and academia in collaboration with Instituut voor Faalkunde, and Saakkje Bakker.