AndINa’s workshops have one primary objective: to initiate greater debate amongst scientists. They thus fill a void left by traditional conferences and workshops. There are no presented papers describing the participants’ latest results, just full-on debate about where real progress will come from, the hallmarks of successful research, the limitations of current approaches, and what we must to do to achieve our future goals. By bringing people together in this unique way, we hope to lead the way by publishing our deliberations and initiating new collaborations.
We have held six workshops so far, with two more being planned. The first, in Montana in 2012, had the aspirational title of "Raising the Bar", to identify approaches and directions that would achieve more effective research; the second, in the Spanish Pyrenees in 2014, was designed as a "Science Incubator" to develop ideas on spatial ecology and management, population genetics and seed banks. The third, in Alberta in 2016, addressed "transdisciplinary" research, challenging social scientists, ecologists and production systems scientists to explore, through a case study involving local land managers, how - or indeed if - this concept can achieve improved management of invasive plants. In Argentina in January 2018, we discussed approaches to the study of species range shifts and local adaptation. In February 2020 we met in the Australian Alps to debate policy and procedural impediments to the achievement of broad-scale management of invasive species, while in June 2022 in Spain we debated "how to do ecology differently". In Chile in 2024 we will explore the responsibilities of research ecologists in modern society.
For each workshop, 25-35 participants are accepted from around the world on a competitive basis, balancing discipline expertise, general knowledge about the topic under debate and international representation. No financial inducements are offered, but there has been no problem filling vacancies (many have had to be turned away). One-third of places is reserved for early-career researchers. This balance between youth and experience has proven to be crucial to the workshops' success.
We keep costs to an absolute minimum, making the workshops extraordinarily cheap. There are no exorbitant conference fees or additional accommodation costs, only an all-in-one charge that covers venue costs, accommodation, all meals and local travel (but not alcoholic beverages). Limited funding is obtained from various national organisations and industry groups to subsidise the cost for young scientists. All attendees, even the organisers, must find their own travel costs to the closest airport.
For each workshop, 25-35 participants are accepted from around the world on a competitive basis, balancing discipline expertise, general knowledge about the topic under debate and international representation. No financial inducements are offered, but there has been no problem filling vacancies (many have had to be turned away). One-third of places is reserved for early-career researchers. This balance between youth and experience has proven to be crucial to the workshops' success.
We keep costs to an absolute minimum, making the workshops extraordinarily cheap. There are no exorbitant conference fees or additional accommodation costs, only an all-in-one charge that covers venue costs, accommodation, all meals and local travel (but not alcoholic beverages). Limited funding is obtained from various national organisations and industry groups to subsidise the cost for young scientists. All attendees, even the organisers, must find their own travel costs to the closest airport.
We use the services of an innovative facilitator, Michael Williams from Australia. Mike specialises in building and running really novel workshops. Every person is given a specific task to perform or some organisational responsibility: this way, it becomes everyone's meeting. Everyone is required to attend for the entire 4 days. The result is an environment in which everyone can speak their minds, without feeling intimidated or upset and without particular individuals dominating (see menu item "Testamonials").
Rather than following the same format all week, the days vary in the techniques we use to engender debate. No one gets to sit in stuffy rooms for hours on end, brain-dead, desperately trying not to fall asleep. We debate in small or large groups, inside or outside. Every afternoon, we have "free range" walkshopping, where people can hike together or do whatever the venue has on offer, to discuss issues informally and to help develop closer interactions. We have also had "soapbox" sessions for people to speak their minds, graffiti boards, "world cafes", quiz nights and haiku competitions (all making collaboration more likely to occur); our organising committees have the mandate to innovate, so who knows what will happen next.....
Rather than following the same format all week, the days vary in the techniques we use to engender debate. No one gets to sit in stuffy rooms for hours on end, brain-dead, desperately trying not to fall asleep. We debate in small or large groups, inside or outside. Every afternoon, we have "free range" walkshopping, where people can hike together or do whatever the venue has on offer, to discuss issues informally and to help develop closer interactions. We have also had "soapbox" sessions for people to speak their minds, graffiti boards, "world cafes", quiz nights and haiku competitions (all making collaboration more likely to occur); our organising committees have the mandate to innovate, so who knows what will happen next.....
Our locations are truly spectacular, unlike any conference venue that you have been to before. We scour the world to find the right location, so that we can be "away from it all", the right scenery to inspire the mind, and the right facilities to be comfortable and at ease.
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