UCM Anniversary Workshops

Melody Waterworth & Charlotte Salmon | Room: D0.037

Workshop that will teach and inspire students and alumni to become business owners and to use sustainable business as a way to reach their goals of making the world a better place while working with IOs and INGOs but on their own terms. Giving them the true freedom of 21st century work while still managing to make a difference in the world.

Lauren Schuivens | Room: C1.022

Meditation has rapidly gained popularity as one of the main wellness practices of the 21st century. However, what many people don’t realize is that they may be doing it all “wrong”! Just like with other practices in life, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to meditation. Lauren will share how to create a personalized meditation style that really works for you, so that you can deepen your practice and really reap all the benefits of meditation more powerfully.

Julieta Barragán Sosa | Room: A2.040

Power BI is a Microsoft tool that is allowing businesses everywhere to reach its fullest potential through the exploitation of their data. In this workshop we will see a few examples of PowerBI reports, and create a model in situ with data extracted from Eurostat.

You can bring your own laptop to follow along the practical side of the workshop.

Josephine Hubert | Room: D0.030

#IAmRemarkable is a global movement that empowers everyone, including underrepresented groups, to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond, while challenging the social perception around self-promotion. At the heart of the movement is a 90 minute workshop open to everyone, hosted by global facilitators.

Why is it important?

Imposter syndrome, Stereotypes, Culture. For many reasons, lots of us feel uncomfortable sharing our achievements. By amplifying research on the transformative power of self-promotion, we want to inspire every single person to share their accomplishments.

Cesare Vagge | Room: D0.033

Following a brief presentation of my thesis, which focuses on the emergence of “organized capitalism” in Europe between the mid 1930s and the late 1950s, the workshop will discuss the following learning goals:

1) What can history tell us about the current crisis of democratic capitalism?

2) Can a capitalist economy be planned?

3) Who should be in charge of the planning process? The “developmental state”? Experts? Trade Organizations?

4) Can economic planning be reconciled with political democracy?

5) Does organized capitalism represent a first step towards Democratic Socialism?

Roosmarijn Malmberg | Room: D2.041

After UCM I ended up living in Costa Rica and working as a shaman helping people to connect deeper to themselves. In this workshop I would like to share with you a guided shamanic journey to travel to parts of our soul that are ready to be seen and remembered. We are so much more than human beings alone. When we can embrace all that we are, the light and love that is surrounding us can flow through our cells at every given moment.

In the journey I will guide you through a guided meditation accompanied by music. All you need to do is be open and allow yourself to experience the journey.

Mario Sgarrella

Unfortunately, this workshop has been cancelled!

Eszter Boros | Room: C0.026

Where could you be in five years? No, it is not the same as in a job interview “where do you see yourself in five years?” No, because here, you can be honest – with yourself.

In this session, we will reflect on your future plans, dreams and opportunities – or on the lack thereof. The future might look scary, especially when we’re facing crossroads: such as finishing university, applying for jobs or internships, moving countries, and so on. The next five years, or five months, sometimes even five days, are hard to plan. Let’s tame the future together.

In a few reflective and interactive exercises, we will take a sneak peek at the future. This is an exercise you can perform at any stage of your life. In addition, on this special day, you will benefit from the community spirit.

Johannes Federkeil | Room: D1.037

The workshop aims to provide undergraduate liberal arts students with an in-depth understanding of the role of the UN and the international community in humanitarian interventions. The workshop explores the historical context of post-colonial structures, the concept of statebuilding, and the potential pitfalls of political palliative care. It also examines successful statebuilding efforts and provides space for discussion and critical thinking.

The workshop is aimed to be an interactive format to encourage liberal arts students with a comprehensive understanding of the topic and stimulate their critical thinking , empowering them to contribute meaningfully to discussions and future endeavors related to humanitarian interventions and development projects.

Jonas Neubert | Room: C1.018

Go is more than just a game. It is a journey of discovery, a way of living, and a source of wisdom. Go is one of the oldest and most sophisticated board games in the world, with a rich history of over 4,000 years. It has been played by thinkers, leaders, artists, and innovators across time and space. Go challenges you to create territory, capture stones, and balance attack and defense on a 19x19 grid. But it also teaches you essential skills such as patience, discipline, open-mindedness, creativity, and intuition. In this workshop, you will learn the basics of Go while exploring the philosophy behind Go. You will see how Go can be a metaphor for life, where each move is a decision that affects your future. You will also experience how Go can be a dialogue of hands, where you communicate with your opponent through your stones. Whether you are new to Go or already familiar with it, this workshop will inspire you to Go with the flow and find joy in playing this ancient board game.

Lena Maas | Room: D1.041B

In the past year I asked my cousin 'do you believe I deserve to go to heaven?' 'does your God believe I should be converted?'. Questions I could confidently answer were difficult for her, because we related to religion differently. 

I would like to talk about multi religious family, discuss what religion is and should be with the audience, introduce the clash.

I would like to discuss: How to 'be good'. i.e. the 'goodness' must lie in common elements of religions; te role of religion in practice; how to 'become good'.

What is the role of worship? Is worship for the sake of worship relevant? What about 'post earthly life' elements of religion such as 'judgement day' and 'paradise'? Is religion able to provide any truth? Should we want it to? Closing: religion as an opportunity to shape ones morality regardless of 'post earthly life', rather than a search for meaning of mortality

Anna Caroline Mattias | Room: D0.041

In a world with information overload, we must surprise. And we must simplify. Surprise gets attention. Simplicity makes it stick. So we need to subtract, not add. We need to move away from known formulas to the unexpected. But how exactly?

In this lecture/workshop, I will use my experience as Senior Creative to explore how we can communicate with impact and how our message can cut through the ever-increasing noise - because that’s what a good campaign does.

Award-winning case studies will illustrate how communicating “surprisingly simple” can help us land our message and how a well-developed purpose campaign can drive important issues forward.

At the end of the session, participants will have the opportunity to brainstorm their own (campaign) ideas around a pre-set communication challenge.

Dajana Vukajlovic | Room: D0.041

This workshops is about qualitative research methods, how to come up with a research question, and how to write a research proposal for qualitative research in psychology. This would help students get ready for their bachelor's thesis (Capstone) and/or master's thesis. 

It will focus on qualitative research on marginalized groups such as LGBTQ+ minorities, refugees, and victims of sexual violence. I worked with participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina and South Africa on a one-year research project for my master's thesis.

In this workshop, I hope to share knowledge, research, methods, and techniques for conducting qualitative research in psychology, particularly clinical psychology and psychotherapy, when working with individuals from underserved and marginalized groups, such as LGBTQ+, refugees, and victims of sexual violence.

Sander den Boer | Room: C0.024

This workshop is designed for students who are looking for guidance on their next steps in life, whether that be in their career, education, or personal pursuits. If you are struggling with questions like "What should I do next?" or "How do I know I'm making the right decision?" this workshop is for you. Instead of approaching life as a series of problems to be solved, we will explore how to design a life that aligns with our true desires and goals. Through hands-on exercises, we will focus on one area of our lives and take actionable steps towards our desired future. In just one hour, we will work to gain clarity on our current situation, envision our short- to mid-term future, and overcome any obstacles in our path.

By the end of the workshop, you will have a concrete plan of action for achieving your goals and living the life you truly want. This workshop is a valuable opportunity for any student seeking direction and purpose in their life.

Laura Enriquez | Room: C1.020

As a current PhD candidate in Humanities living in Canada, in this talk, I will attempt to sketch some answers to some of the most pressing questions for any college student: What does one do with a degree in liberal arts and sciences? How do I know if I wanna go into a graduate programme? How do I find a research topic? And then what?

By sharing my academic and personal story, I will also explore what it is like to step into the world after leaving a place like UCM: how to stay intellectually challenged; what it’s like to leave friends and the city behind, while staying connected; and how to build a professional career while becoming an adult. I’ll talk about living and studying in Canada, academic and financial struggles, paying taxes in a foreign country, renouncing to friends and hobbies--and going back to them, facing mental health challenges, and becoming oneself through a continuous process of introspection and self-reinvention.

Bente Vissel | Room: C1.024

Psychedelics. Although popular in the 60s, the 'War on Drugs' dampened enthusiasm. Now, they're receiving renewed interest for mental wellbeing. Psychedelics induce changes in consciousness, promoting love, connectedness, and brain plasticity. Research suggests they help with mental health disorders. This workshop explores psychedelic research, debunking myths and providing up-to-date information.

Therefore, this workshop will lead you into the world of psychedelic research. I will bust myths and provide you with up-to-date information on the subject. Pursuing my passion for the subject as an MSc student, and research intern at the psychedelic unit of UCL, I will present how exactly psychedelic-assisted therapy can contribute to mental health, talk about the influence psychedelics have on the brain, and what research is being carried out. Of course, I will link this to the research my lab group is conducting on what role language plays in these psychedelic (and for many) life-changing experiences.

Stan Kerstjens | Room: C0.028

In the workshop we will discuss with the audience "How to think about Intelligence?",  addressing and discussing the difference between biological and artificial intelligence.

Especially now that many believe the Turing Test has been beaten by modern chat-bots, this is a hot topic. As both a computer scientist and a neuroscientist, I aim to give an interesting insight in the differences between biological and artificial intelligence. Additionally, having studied the embryonic development of the brain, we will discuss learned versus innate intelligence.

What we thought required much intelligence (chess, language) turns out to be relatively easy, whereas what we took for granted (jumping, running, and picking up grapes without breaking them) turns out to be very hard. Interestingly, most animals can do all the hard things within hours of their birth (spiders, horses), and so do not need to "learn" these things. Artificial Intelligence relies almost entirely on learning their tasks, and is apparently able to learn language, but has a much harder time learning to walk.

Todd Karhu | Room: D1.041A

Can a person be harmed by being brought into existence? When, if ever, should a child be able to successfully sue her parents for creating her, or doctors for their involvement in her conception? This workshop considers the philosophical cases for and against so-called 'wrongful life suits'—legal claims brought by children, typically with severe congenital health conditions, against those responsible for their existence, alleging that they have been wronged by being born into a life of suffering or hardship.

Throughout the workshop, participants will critically examine the legal and moral underpinnings of these suits. In doing so, we will explore central ideas like procreative negligence, the difference between benefitting someone and saving them from harm, how we should understand the concepts of harm and compensation in the first place, and whether a person can sensibly claim that she would have been better off never having existed.

Tom Shortland | Room: C0.020

This workshop will explore the intersection between liberal arts education and a career in medicine. The purpose is to help liberal arts students understand how their skills can be applied to healthcare and to provide insight into the unique perspectives they can bring to the field.

We will define liberal arts education and its focus on critical thinking, communication, and interdisciplinary learning. We will explore how these skills can be applied to a career in medicine.

We will discuss how the ability to communicate well can enhance patient care and contribute to positive outcomes.

We will discuss how encouraging empathy and an understanding of the human experience can be applied in medicine to enhance patient care and promote a patient-centered approach.

We will explore how skills in problem-solving and encouraging innovation can be applied in medicine to address healthcare challenges and develop new approaches to patient care.

Nicolas Henriksson | Room: C2.033

I want participants to understand the complexities of sustainable reforestation as a nature-based carbon removal solution. 

The workshop will:

Introduce the voluntary carbon market and the potential of nature-based solutions. Discuss the market size, major players, and the co-benefits of NBS.

Demonstrate our TREEO Technology. Participants can measure the carbon stored in trees using our smartphone app.

Prepare cards with reforestation work steps. Participants will arrange them to show the extensive effort required for sustainable reforestation.

Contrast this effort with the low average price of the carbon market that project developers must compete with.

Introduce the durability strategy of storing carbon long-term within timber construction. Emphasize the need for a higher price to incentivize the timber value chain sustainably.

Conclude by recommending political regulation of the carbon market to address these concerns. Optionally, host a fishbowl discussion on payments for environmental services (PES) and the debate around "putting a price tag on nature."

Pascal Possler | Room: D0.039

Stage one was learning and applying our knowledge. Stage 2 is about bringing us together and unite our thirst for a world everyone wants to live in today and in the future. When you have studied at UCM you have probably had the feeling of having been part of very close-knit community that aims to to leave a fingerprint on this world for a better one. We all have our stories of having stayed with someone we have not seen each for years, or bumping into someone from UCM at work or on the street and gone for a coffee spontaneously. OR a party where there were somehow more UCMers than other people.

With all the impact that we create in our own little worlds and jobs, sometimes against windmills. How can we use our community to channel our powers and make great things happen, with uncommon alliances across silos and with people who are sharing a vision for a world for everyone, today and tomorrow?

In this workshop we want to explore how our network works and how we are still connected or lost connections, learn from stories and find patterns to find ways to create structures that lets us help to bring us together, and find connections that might make great things happen, we could have thought to be to difficult or too heavy for just one person fighting against seeming windmills.

Evelyn Svingen | Room: D1.033

In September 2013, I embodied the stereotype of a UCM student: I wanted to save the world, was unsure of what I'm supposed to get out of the core modules, and terrified of the prospect of trying to explain Liberal Arts and Sciences to potential employers.

It's now 2023, I am a lecturer in Criminology, a fierce proponent of multidisciplinarity, and I force all my students to sit through a lecture on Philosophy of Science. My mom still thinks I studied Fine Art, my students don't appreciate this lecture until third year (if then), and some of my mono-disciplined colleagues don't understand what I'm trying to do with my science. Yet, eventually they cave in.

Multidisciplinarity has unique powers: it makes us ask the right questions, get the right answers, and, after all, it helps us discover who we are. In this workshop, I illustrate the superpowers Liberal Arts gave us that we didn't know we had, and invite you to start a conversation on how we can use these superpowers to change the world around us.

Ben Ahnert | Room: C1.026

For this workshop, it is necessary to bring your own laptop!

You’ve been wanting to learn how to code. You have an inkling there’s more to C than a grade, more to Python than snakes, more to Spark than fire, but you don’t know where to start? Let’s build on what we already know from other fields. Let’s harness insights from Democritus, Plato, Feuerbach, and Nietzsche to help us write our first computer application.

By the end of the workshop, you will understand basic concepts in computer programming. You will be able to read and comprehend code. You will have written and executed your first application.

NB: This workshop is targeted at students and alumni who are not yet familiar with coding. Others are welcome to join but will likely not benefit to the same extent.

Gautam Kamath | Room: C0.022

As an experienced practitioner of public policy and EU affairs I would like to give a practical sense of what lobbying in Brussels entails. I plan to make it interactive by giving real world examples that I have had the fortune of working on (for eg Mark Zuckerberg’s appearance at the European Parliament).