Impact Conference: Making a Difference. Societal Impact through Collaborative Research
Two-day workshopping conference for collaborative research experts and those who want to get into the game!
Dates: April 7–8, 2025
Location: De Zalen van Zeven, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Instructors: Dr. Karin van Es, Dr. Dennis Nguyen, Dr. Bart Kamphorst and Dr. Mirko Tobias Schäfer
ECTS: 2 EC
For: PhD candidates and enthusiastic research master students seeking to collaborate/collaborating with external stakeholders in their research projects
Registration: There is limited place for RMeS PhD Candidates and RMa Students, please register VIA THIS LINK
More information: http://impact.dataschool.nl
Bringing together experts from academia and societal sectors, this conference will explore the methods, challenges, and opportunities of collaborative research.
Key Themes
- Collaboration Across Sectors: Focus on academia, media industries, and public management.
- Responsible AI and Data Practices: Emphasizing ethical and impactful approaches.
- Pathways Forward: Identifying opportunities for innovation and meaningful engagement.
Engage in critical discussions, share expertise, and shape the future of cross-sector collaboration.
This conference brings together researchers and professionals to foster collaboration, address challenges, and explore the opportunities presented by the digital transition in public administration and media industries. With keynote speakers such as Rob Kitchin, Payal Arora and Minna Ruckenstein it provides a unique platform for scholars to critically reflect on collaborative research and engage with pressing issues surrounding responsible AI and data practices. Through interactive workshops, participants will explore key challenges, share expertise, and build new connections between academia and the professional field. A key focus of the conference is the importance of researchers immersing themselves in professional contexts and communities affected by digitalization and algorithmization. This means working with diverse stakeholders—each with their own perspectives, values, and needs—to better understand the complexities of real-world challenges. The conference aims to bridge the gap between research and practice, helping scholars and practitioners understand the benefits of collaborative research to address societal challenges in an increasingly data-driven world and how to make it happen!
Programme
Day 1: April 7 th
9.00 – Walk-in with Coffee
9.15 – Welcome: Collaborative Research in a Datafied Society – Data Schol
9.45 – Keynote: “Performing Critical Data Studies from the Inside” – Rob Kitchen
10.45 – Break
11.15 – Panel on Stage: Impact & Education
12.30 – Lunch
13.30 – Choice of Workshops
- Advancing Recommender Systems through Academia-Industry Collaborations
- Beyond Superficial Impact Narratives
- Team Science: How to Build and Run Transdisciplinary Research Teams
- ESDiT: Co-Creating Approaches to the Use of Emerging Disruptive Technologies
15.00 Break
15.15 Workshops continued …
16.45 Drinks
Day 2: April 8th
9.00 Walk-in with coffee
9.15 Keynote: Building Inclusive Tech with the Global South – Payal Arora
10.15 Keynote: Collaborative Explorations as “Breathing Spaces for Digital Futures” – Minna Ruckenstein
11.45 – Break
12.00 – Panel: Measuring Impact
12.45 – Lunch
13.30 – Choice of Workshops
- Gen(der) AI Safety
- Enhancing Collaborative Research through Design Thinking Methodologies
- Multiple Stakeholder Workshop as a Research Method for Policy
- Navigating AI Ethics in Media: A Hands-on Workshop with DEDA
15.00 – Break
15.15 – Workshops continued …
16.45 – Drinks and matchmaking impact projects
Assignment
- Depth of analysis – Thoughtful engagement with conference themes and book concepts.
- Relevance and application – Connection of insights to your own research and career goals.
- Clarity and structure – Logical organization and clear expression of ideas.
- Use of evidence – Effective integration of conference experiences and book content.
