The SYS-LIFE researchers attended a day of media interview and equity training on Monday, 23 February.
The postdoctoral SYS-LIFE programme arranges one-day trainings for their researchers on a monthly basis. The trainings consist of two halves: one that is only for SYS-LIFE fellows, and one that all interested staff members and postdoctoral researchers at the University are welcome to join. Monday’s training consisted of simulated media interviews, presentations by researchers, and a workshop focusing on themes of equality, inclusion, and multiculturalism.
The day started with a greeting from SYS-LIFE director Markus Juonala, after which the media interview training commenced. Monday’s training was the second part of a two-part training led by journalist Sari Sarelius. It centred around simulated media interviews with researchers who had volunteered to be interviewed.
The purpose of these simulations was to acquaint researchers with different types of media interviews, and to consider how researchers can talk about their research in layman’s terms to assure that the general public understands them.
After each interview, Sarelius and the participants gave feedback and asked further questions about the different types of interviews as well as the topics discussed. The interviews sparked discussion about the challenges of knowing when to use layman’s terms while talking about research, and about the importance of talking not only about research methods and results, but also about why the research matters and what impact it has on the world.
The training also included a workshop on diversity and inclusion hosted by Malin Gustavsson, the founder and CEO of Ekvalita. The workshop centred around the concepts of equality, inclusion, equal treatment, and intersectionality.
As part of the workshop, participants anonymously answered a poll that encouraged them to think, for example, about whether they feel like they are a part of the majority or the minority in their workplace. The participants considered if they themselves belong to any marginalised groups, whether they face uncomfortable situations in their lives due to a minority status, and how they can be a part of creating a multicultural workplace in which everyone is included.
Multicultural communication was considered privately and discussed in groups. As an aid to the discussions, participants did a cultural map exercise, mapping out their own habits of communication, leading, disagreeing, and scheduling. Participants discussed what workplace challenges can stem from cultural differences in these areas, how the challenges can be turned to strengths, and how they themselves can adapt to bridge gaps and understand cultural differences better.
SYS-LIFE’s next training day will be held on 19 March with the theme “Foundation Funding Opportunities”.
SYS-LIFE, Systemic Approaches to Improve Cardiometabolic and Brain Health during Lifespan is Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral programme cofunded by University of Turku and European union (project 101126611) in 2023–2028. SYS-LIFE supports excellent international early and mid-career stage researchers by providing 22 three-year bottom-up project grants in cardiometabolic and brain research, complemented with training and possibility for secondments outside academia. SYS-LIFE partners include Turku University Hospital, Business Turku, Siemens Healthineers and Ghent University.
Text and photos: Iida Taskila
