Accelerating societal transitions with MAK’IT
Since 2019, the Institute for Advanced Studies at the University of Montpellier, known as MAK’IT, has been hosting researchers from diverse geographical backgrounds and disciplines. Their goal is to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by analyzing and accelerating the transition in the fields of the environment, health, and agriculture.
About thirty researchers affiliated with foreign institutions have already participated or are currently participating in one of the four visiting scholar programs offered byMAK’IT, the Institute for Advanced Studies (IEA) at the University of Montpellier, led by Patrick Caron, vice president for international relations. There are currently about 100 IEAs worldwide, but only eight in France—in Lyon, Paris, Marseille, Nantes, Cergy, Toulouse, Strasbourg, and Montpellier. “The first distinctive feature of MAK’IT is its thematic focus: the environment, health, and agriculture, ” explains Marianne Chaumel, project manager at Muse.“Our second distinctive feature is a strong orientation toward the ‘Global South,’ where half of the researchers we host come from. Finally, we place great emphasis on dialogue between the social sciences and the life sciences.”
The links between science and society at the heart of the approach
What do these researchers from different disciplines and continents have in common? They are helping to accelerate the transitions needed to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. With this goal in mind, MAK’IT offers resident researchers a unique approach:“We ask researchers to use their work to tackle the societal controversies that can create roadblocks hindering these transitions,” emphasizes Marianne Chaumel.
“ “The science-society link is truly at the heart of the initiative, since their results must be applicable or transferable to civil society,” continues the project manager. Thus, the organization by and for researchers of conferences, seminars, and public meetings bringing together stakeholders from the socio-economic, political, nonprofit, and artistic sectors is strongly encouraged, as is the development of educational content and innovative teaching curricula. Since 2020 and the first MAK’IT residencies, the Institute’s researchers have organized around ten events involving more than 70 speakers and 1,000 registrants. MAK’IT was also involved in the 2020 Africa Season. MAK’IT thus implements this approach through four formats corresponding to the four residency programs offered.
“Visiting Scientists”: a prestigious program
4D photoacoustic imaging of the heart and brain by American Craig Goergen; research on Chagas disease by Argentine Marcelo Lorenzo; technology and markets for camel milk by Kazakh Gaukhar Konuspayeva; and the use of peri-urban land by Australian Roel Plant… Geographical and thematic diversity is the hallmark of the“Visiting Scientists”group. This is a 3- to 10-month hosting program reserved for“senior”researchers with at least 10 years of experience following their doctorate.“In this program, researchers must propose a cross-disciplinary project. They are integrated into the local scientific community since each of them is invited by a unit that co-funds their visit,” explains the project manager.
Six researchers are participating in this program for the 2021–2022 academic year, including the first representative from the Middle East, who is from Lebanon.“In total, we received over 200 applications, which reflects the growing interest in this program,” says Marianne Chaumel. “The vast majority of the researchers currently participating work in the field of health sciences. Next September, we will also welcome our first researcher in physics.”
"Cohort": group research
Second option: the“Cohort”program. A MAK’IT exclusive , this program brings together a small group of researchers from diverse fields to work together for six months on a topic selected by MAK’IT.“Our first cohort worked on the theme ‘Fake News or Flawed Science?’ and also participated in a Science Bar on this topic. The group we will host between January and June 2023—the call for applications is currently open—will examine the question: ‘What roles for science in times of crisis?’ MAK’IT, in collaboration with the South Center, an intergovernmental organization based in Geneva, is also organizing an international conference on this same theme on April 7 in Montpellier, where several high-level international experts are expected to attend.
The cohort’s researchers, who are based in an open-plan office at Muse’s premises, will ultimately be required to produce at least one joint—and thus interdisciplinary—publication.“Through this program, they commit to working two days a week on this joint project; the rest of their time can be devoted to advancing their personal research,” explains Marianne Chaumel.
“FIAS” and “CAT”: Moving the Network Forward
The FIAS program ( French Institutes for Advanced Study), open to researchers in the humanities and social sciences, offers the same terms of support as the“Visiting Scientists”program, namely a ten-month residency co-funded by a research institution at the University of Montpellier or one of its partners. The difference is that this program, shared by five French IEAs, is coordinated by the French Network of IEAs (RFIEA). Of the 28 residencies offered in 2022–2023, three will take place in Montpellier. In 2021–2022, UM hosted Margreet Zwarteveen from the Netherlands, affiliated with the UNESCO Water Center in Delft, and Myrtille Lacoste, a Franco-Australian researcher affiliated with Curtin University in Australia.
Finally, the CAT (Constructive Advanced Thinking) program is run by the European Network of IEA, known as NetIAS. It offers pre-formed transdisciplinary teams composed of young researchers (doctoral or postdoctoral candidates) the opportunity to spend short stays of one to two weeks at various European IEA centers.“Montpellier has already hosted two CAT groups for a week. The support here is very different; we organize visits and meetings with researchers in the Montpellier area, all related to the proposed theme, of course,” explains Marianne Chaumel. Anti-vaccination attitudes and sustainable cities were thus on the agenda for 2021. The next groups to be hosted will focus on the role of light in human well-being and on depression in nursing homes.