During the spring of 2019, SLU Urban Futures and SLU Future Food are launching the joint project Futures Lab. For 12 months, six researchers will first take part of a ‘crash course’ in future studies, and then create and realise their own project with a clear future perspective. Applications are no longer possible.
Background
The general purpose of the Futures Lab is to strengthen the participants’ ability to work with a future perspective in their research, and to create new interdisciplinary meetings and research questions. More concrete goals are:
- the participants will get a more profound understanding of working with a future perspective and how to implement it in practice;
- the participants themselves will use a future perspective to be able to identify and develop new research questions and projects;
- the participants will communicate future-related issues in a nuanced and clear way to different recipients, e.g. policy-makers and financiers.
The structure of the Futures Lab
The structure of the Futures Lab is, to a great extent, designed by the participants themselves. An initial series of seminars (weeks 36–43) with invited lecturers will create the basis for the participants to make (good) decisions regarding their project designs. The lectures primarily take place during lunchtime and are open to other interested persons at SLU. After that, the participants will work with formulating and implementing a project of their own. When the project plan is set (w. 45), the group will continue to meet once every month to share experiences and give feedback on each other’s work. All meetings are held in Ultuna. Participants from other campuses will get travel and lodging expenditures from the project.
The assignment is 20 per cent of a full-time appointment during 12 months and will be financed by SLU Urban Futures and SLU Future Food. It is important that the participants can take part in all of the joint activities, find time for preparation and work actively with the project.
Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to apply for the position.
Who are we looking for?
We are looking for curious and brave researchers at SLU who find it rewarding to try new methods and ways of working together with colleagues from other disciplines. It is an advantage if your research is connected to one or more of the thematic areas of SLU Urban Futures and SLU Future Food: urban sustainability and a sustainable food system. We will strive for a diversity of perspectives, experiences, ages, genders and ethnicities in the group.
The application must include the following:
- your name
- title
- employment
- reason for application
- any earlier experience of working with future studies and/or future perspectives.
Contact
If you have any questions, please contact:
Josefin Wangel, Vice Programme Director, SLU Urban Futures: josefin.wangel@slu.se
Annsofie Wahlström, Programme Director, SLU Future Food: annsofie.wahlstrom@slu.se