NIAS Opening of the Academic Year 2022/23

On Wednesday 7 September 2022 NIAS celebrates the start of a new academic year. This year’s opening ceremony will be themed ‘Practices of Interdisciplinarity’. During the Opening of the Academic Year 2022/23 we explore different ways of doing interdisciplinary research, together with the Institute’s newest year group.

It is often argued that our world is becoming more complex and problems have become more and more wicked. Increasingly ‘Interdisciplinarity’ is being hailed as the way to face societal challenges. The Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study has been a hub for interdisciplinary encounters for over 50 years. During this time there have been moments of magic when synchronicity, serendipity, and symmetry seem to have joined forces leading to project success. But we have also seen failure, even when logic or best practice might have suggested an optimal mix had been achieved.

During the ceremony, we aim to take “Interdisciplinarity” beyond the buzzword and ask ourselves: How does interdisciplinary research work out in practice? What are the challenges and opportunities for interdisciplinary research in the near (and far) future? How can we improve it, and what is really at stake in doing so?

Each year, NIAS welcomes a group of about 50 fellows made up of artists, writers, journalists and scholars. This year we will ask them how they apply Interdisciplinarity in their work, and in their practice. What is the role and significance of interdisciplinary research in their respective disciplines? How/In what ways are interdisciplinary practices helping to solve the complex questions of today like addressing climate change, preventing (future) pandemics, and tackling the disinfodemic? What are the fellows’ thoughts on how they can build better links between and across domains? And what role do they see for interdisciplinary practices within their own work?

Programme

15.30 – 16.00 Walk in, coffee / tea

16.00 – 16.05 Welcome and Opening

16.05 – 16.12 Thoughts on Interdisciplinarity with Marileen Dogterom, President KNAW

16.12 – 16.20 Interdisciplinarity as a buzzword? The NIAS perspective by Jan Willem Duyvendak, NIAS Director

16.20 – 16.25 Issues & Developments of Interdisciplinarity in Science today by Antal van den Bosch (Outgoing) Director Meertens Institute

16.25 – 16.40 Interdisciplinarity & Societal Challenges. Why is it needed? Tamar de Waal & Lukas Verburgt, former NIAS Fellows

16.40 – 16.55 Practices of Interdisciplinarity by Arjen Doelman, Lorentz Center Director

16.55– 17.05  “Make policies for the arts and not for political arts agendas” Essay Reading by Michael Tedja, NIAS 2022/23 Writer-in-Residence

17.05 – 17.25  Pitches by the in-coming Fellows. Pitches by Sonny Mumbunan, Abosede George, Susanne Sreedhar, Anniek de Ruijter, and Davide Grossi

17.25 – 17.30  Closing

17.30 – 18.15  Drinks (Borrel)

About NIAS

The Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study fosters and generates academic freedom, thanks to its interdisciplinary, international and curiosity-driven approach. NIAS’ vision is to be an intellectual haven for a diverse group of scholars, journalists, writers and artists. It is a place where individuals can work without interruption and are free to challenge boundaries, explore detours, deviate from the status quo and approach intellectual confrontation head on.