No-one Knows What Anybody Else is Doing!

This panel is for all attendees as part of Day 2 of the January Congress. As this is a core activity of the overall event, there is no need to book a space on Inkpath.

Session Details:

Cultural historian Theodore Zeldin once wrote:

When minds meet, they don't just exchange facts: they transform them, reshape them, draw different implications from them, engage in new trains of thought. Conversation doesn't just reshuffle the cards: it creates new cards.

So, we end as we began. Another observation made by many people in the feedback offered on previous Techne events is that while the cohort feels united in many ways, and supported by the scheme itself, students tend to have very little idea – beyond the short bios of their colleagues – what it is that others are actually working on.

No-one knows what anybody else is doing.

At Brighton 2026 we have decided to put this right. Through a series of activities – pre-planned ‘three-minute-thesis presentations’, spontaneous ‘flash pitches’, where you are encouraged to ask questions about your work that you need answering, and other activities – we want to give you the opportunity to make new connections, to consolidate those unexpected overlaps in your research interests you may have found on Day One, and encourage new conversations. 

As before, the emphasis is on getting to know one another, recognising the breadth of expertise we have in Techne and sharing what excites you about your work, and what excited you about other people’s work. As with our Opening Session, there is no pressure to stand up in front of the crowd, but you don’t need to do that to be involved. 

Meet new colleagues, exchange ideas, start new conversations and make new friends. 

Chaired by Dr Tim Wharton, University of Brighton, Congress co-organiser.

Hybrid