Interdisciplinary focus at the Arctic Graduate School’s kick-off

The kick-off was held in A Workling Lab's (AWL's) premises at Universum. It was a welcoming event consisting of presentations, group exercises, coffee, and film screening. The day began with a welcome speech by the Head of the Graduate School, Linda Lundmark, who talked about the school and what can be expected from the semester. Lundmark also invited the Director of the Arctic Centre, Keith Larson, who talked about how important it is that researchers learn from each other, and that both the Graduate School and the Arctic Centre can support the Doctoral students in interdisciplinary activities.

After the introduction and a coffee break, the Doctoral students had a group exercise where they had to discuss together, first in pairs and then in groups of five. The task was to find a joint research project where everyone can contribute, despite their different research areas. The goal was to practice interdisciplinary thinking, and to broaden the horizons for where one's research and knowledge can fit in. After a joint lunch, they had a film screening where the Doctoral students discussed the film from a social, sustainable, and Arctic perspective.

Our vision is to be an interdisciplinary platform that provides new perspectives and asks questions that you might not be asked within your own discipline, and in that way challenge you in your research.

The Arctic Graduate School wants to ask new questions and challenge perspectives

Doctoral students Madelen Johansson and Mikaela Wikström discuss possible joint research projects.

Image Monica Börlin

The Head of the Arctic Graduate School, Associate professor Linda Lundmark, comments on the kick-off and hopes that the semester will be fun and educational. She says that the school's strength is the strong interdisciplinary aspect, where the Doctoral students gain insight into Arctic-related issues from many different perspectives, since everyone conduct research within different issues relevant to the Arctic.

– Our vision is to be an interdisciplinary platform that provides new perspectives and asks questions that you might not be asked within your own discipline, and in that way challenge you in your research. Even if you focus on your own discipline, it is important to be able to take advantage of such an environment.

Education, field trips and a movie club will strengthen interdisciplinary approach

In order to create a strong interdisciplinary environment for the Doctoral students, the Arctic Graduate School invests in three main activities: educational seminars, field trips and a newly initiated movie club.

– For our seminar series, we have the ambition to ensure that we have elements from all different disciplines from all faculties, so you get to meet researchers and questions that you would not normally meet within your own discipline. I think that is a good and important ambition to have, says Linda Lundmark.

The Arctic Graduate School

Image Mattias Pettersson

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Lundmark further describes that they make one field trip per year with different destinations and themes to further challenge the Doctoral student’s knowledge and perspectives. Last year, the Doctoral students went on a field trip to Rovaniemi with the theme "Qualitative methodology", and this year a trip to Norway is planned with the theme "Big Data and AI".

During the kick-off, the Graduate School also launched their first movie club session, which will take place a few times per semester. It was a very successful feature, according to Linda Lundmark.

– The idea is that you should be able to see and discuss different perspectives and connect them to your own research. What stereotypes and norms exist in society and how are they reflected in the Arctic? I think it will be a fun and educational activity at the school.

Umeå University is Sweden's Arctic university and world leading in Arctic research. The Arctic Graduate School at Umeå University is thus a world leader in Arctic education and research in matters relating to the entire Arctic, from our deepest lakes and seas, through our communities, and all the way up to space.