{"id":34384,"date":"2025-01-17T08:09:33","date_gmt":"2025-01-17T15:09:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/futureearth.org\/?p=34384"},"modified":"2025-01-21T08:07:27","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T15:07:27","slug":"transformative-research-for-a-just-world-and-a-habitable-planet-a-gathering-of-minds-in-the-alps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/futureearth.org\/2025\/01\/17\/transformative-research-for-a-just-world-and-a-habitable-planet-a-gathering-of-minds-in-the-alps\/","title":{"rendered":"Transformative Research for a Just World and a Habitable Planet: A Gathering of Minds in the Alps"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”34387″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1737126351009{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]As plates were cleared and glasses refilled, the dinner conversation meandered between green energy, research ethics, family recipes, and environmental linguistics, setting the tone for the 2024 Pathways Autumn School. Over five days in Aussois of the French Alps, 50 scientists, including 29 early career researchers that represented 23 different nationalities, came together to explore how inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations can drive societal transformation for a just and sustainable world. Addressing the intertwined challenges of environmental and human crisis demands perspectives from every corner of academia and beyond. Through workshops, keynote sessions, and spirited discussions, researchers from fields as diverse as statistics, law, psychology, geochemistry, geography, ecology, and economics were guided by the question: how can we shape conditions for a “good life” for all within planetary boundaries?<\/span><\/p>\n

The Diversity of 2024 Alumni<\/h3>\n

One-third of the early career researchers represented each major academic realm: natural sciences, social sciences, and interdisciplinary studies setting the stage for a dynamic and collaborative environment. This balance enabled robust discussions around research practices, ethics, and communication. Despite the weight of the issues at hand, the atmosphere was positive and focused on renewed and sustainable practices to the problems we are facing.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”34390″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1737126497957{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]\u201cInterdisciplinary spaces like this one are rare,\u201d said Ahmed Alhusseen, a researcher in community-based urban sustainability. \u201c<\/span>At the beginning at my workplace, I was struggling to find a common ground with colleagues’ methodologies from different fields. But now communication is smooth and within this autumn school it is easier<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond Research: Building Bonds<\/h3>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s knowing people beyond a presentation,\u201d shared Molly Coyle, a researcher focused on working-class inclusion in environmentalism. \u201cThere\u2019s just as much value in the spaces between the sessions\u2014walking to the next activity together or chatting over a meal.\u201d<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”34389″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1737126403910{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The week\u2019s structure fostered connections that went deeper than professional networking. By sharing a living space, participants and speakers alike bonded as people first, researchers second. A field trip to a nearby fortress, self-organized hiking adventures, and impromptu coffee break discussions created opportunities for camaraderie that transcended academic boundaries.<\/span><\/p>\n

These connections promise to spark future collaborations across disciplines, geographies, and cultures. As Mars Edwenson Briones, a researcher in the environmental humanities and disaster studies, noted, \u201cWhat made the school unique was the minimal hierarchy between speakers and participants. We built relationships not just with fellow students but also with the experts leading the sessions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Rethinking Research: Transformative and Interdisciplinary<\/h3>\n

Transformative research pushes beyond describing problems\u2014it seeks to drive real-world change. This approach requires adapting methods to specific contexts and embracing the complexities of diverse perspectives. As a result, researchers define \u2018transformative research\u2019 differently according to their specialization. But having a mix of perspectives makes transformative research discussion all the more fruitful, as participants noted.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we may not share the same theoretical backgrounds, we often aim to practice the same principles,\u201d observed Berta Roset P\u00e9rez, who works on participatory processes for transformative research, \u201cInterdisciplinary spaces like this help us build consensus around actionable outcomes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Shonali Pachauri, a keynote speaker researching inequalities in energy transitions, added, \u201cExposure to a different discipline or viewpoint can be a lot to absorb in a short time, but it sparks ideas.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Bridging Perspectives: Listening to the Locals<\/h3>\n

Throughout the week, participants engaged in workshops, keynote sessions, and collaborative discussions. One standout moment was a workshop hosted by Vincent Virat, a facilitator from <\/span>Inclusive Innovation<\/span><\/a>, involving local stakeholders, who shared their lived experiences and challenges facing the region\u2019s ski economy in the face of waning snow and hotter winters. The workshop had a spread of speakers coming from opposing perspectives: A mountain sports organizer, Marie de Araujo; 3rd Deputy Mayor of Tignes and officer of urban development, Hubert Didier-Laurent; a Haute Maurienne Vanoise regional officer of culture and tourism, Sol\u00e8ne Raffort; and an environmental activist leader of <\/span>Resilience Montagne<\/span><\/a>, Val\u00e9rie Paumier, all shared struggles of their hometowns. Put together, their stories crafted a larger history of the economy, society and climate in the Alps. This session bridged theory and practice, allowing researchers to apply lessons to a tangible issue rooted in place.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”34397″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1737472044020{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]\u201cThis Autumn School was unique in many ways,\u201d continued Ahmed Alhusseen. \u201cThe transdisciplinarity stood out, especially from the participants\u2019 backgrounds and today\u2019s meeting with local actors. It showcased the real-life application of what we\u2019ve been learning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Another highlight was a visit from Aristide Athanassiadis, a researcher-turned-podcaster who runs the popular show <\/span>Circular Metabolism<\/span><\/i><\/a>. Athanassiadis conducted a live interview with some of the speakers, demonstrating creative ways to communicate research to broader audiences. His presence exemplified the growing need for innovative outreach methods to engage the public in sustainability science.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflections: The Rewards of Collaboration<\/h3>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve found productive tensions between the various fields represented here,\u201d remarked Mars Edwenson Briones. \u201cPeople are coming from different positions and that opens opportunities to try to recalibrate how I approach questions in my field.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Creating a truly interdisciplinary space is not without its challenges, but the result from that effort will hopefully continue to grow. The connections that scientists established here can persist past the Autumn School, into future projects and reflections. As we look ahead to 2025\u2019s program in Aussois, we are eager to build on this year\u2019s successes\u2014to create a space for the European sustainability science community to develop their research practices and make a greater contribution to societal transformation.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”34387″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1737126351009{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]As plates were cleared and glasses refilled, the dinner conversation meandered between green energy, […]<\/p>\n

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