EMPOWER 2026 – Doing Science Differently: Balancing Scientific Innovation, Community, and Self-care

Workshop Description

Pushing boundaries in academia is exciting, but it can also be isolating, exhausting, and uncertain. How do researchers challenge established habits and the status quo while still building a sustainable career and taking care of themselves?

This interactive workshop is designed for early- and mid-career researchers who feel the tension between professional development and questioning how academia operates. Whether you are questioning traditional methodologies, addressing hierarchy, or exploring the relationship between activism and science, this is a space to acknowledge that wanting to do things differently is valid. Together, we will create a reflective and supportive environment to connect with peers, share experiences, and engage in open discourse on the shared pressures of modern academia. Rather than navigating this alone, this session is an opportunity to cultivate a community of practice to leverage each other’s strengths and get input on the specific hurdles within your own sub-domain. We want to create a space where you can share concerns, exchange ideas and collaborate on practical ways to drive change while supporting yourself and one another.

What’s the Plan?!

• Identify the specific norms and structures hindering progress in your field and tap into the collective experience of the group to generate potential solutions.
• Use tools like the Privilege Wheel to recognise how our institutional positions and backgrounds influence our capacity to act as change agents.
• Explore strategies to optimise your work’s reach and identify stakeholders, acknowledging that output can look different when you are disrupting the status quo.
• Develop practical frameworks for managing well-being while driving systemic change, shifting the focus from burnout toward sustainable impact.

The goal of the workshop focuses on moving away from isolated effort toward collective action. You will (hopefully :)) leave with a clearer strategy for your specific change goals, a map of your stakeholders and a peer network committed to prioritising both scientific disruption and personal sustainability.

Practical Information

Facilitators

Leona Ryan is a health psychology researcher with expertise in behavioural science, health behaviour change, and applied research methods. She contributes to collaborative training and capacity-building initiatives within health psychology, with a strong focus on translating theory into practical tools for research and intervention development.

Gjalt-Jorn Peters is a health psychologist and methodological expert. His work focuses on improving scientific practices in psychology, including open science, research methods, and theory formalization. He has played a prominent role within the European Health Psychology Society and is known for developing tools and resources that support more rigorous and transparent research.

Format

The workshop will be held in a hybrid format. The participation is possible both in person and online.

Timing

The workshop will take place on Sunday, 30th, and Monday, 31st of August. On the 30th of August, there will be a city tour and dinner after the workshop. On the 31st of August, there will be the Annual General Meeting in a bar with free drinks after the workshop.

Costs

The cost to participate is €250 for in-person participation and €200 for online participation. These costs include the two-day workshop, including lunch and coffee breaks. Additionally, the city tour, workshop dinner, and drinks at the Annual General Meeting are included. Deadlines and information related to payment will be available after acceptance.

Sign-up

If you’re interested in attending, please complete the application here.

The number of participants within the workshop is limited.