Our summer school – The Next Step: bridging the gap between theory and practice – is three weeks away. We’re looking forward to welcoming all the PhD candidates, supervisors and sponsors to Groningen and putting our heads together to tackle real-world problems with environmental psychology theory.

 

We reached out to several of the supervisors to find out why they’re excited about the summer school and why it’s so important to apply theory to societal issues.


Environmental psychologist Isabella Uhl-Hädicke, Paris Lodron University Salzburg

Associate professor Ellen van der Werff, University of Groningen

Assistant professor Elliot Sharpe, University of Groningen

Post doc Lisa Novoradovskaya, University of Groningen

Associate professor Amanda Carrico, University of Colorado Boulder

1. What are you most looking forward to about the summer school?

 

Isabella Uhl-Hädicke: I’m looking forward to being back in Groningen and working together again with the amazing Environmental Psychology team. I was in Groningen during my PhD almost 10 years ago, so coming back now as a supervisor feels a little bit like a homecoming.

Ellen van der Werff: I am looking forward to work intensely with the PhD students on the case of the province.

Elliot Sharpe: I’m looking forward to meeting all the PhD students that are joining for the summer school and spending time working together with new people. I’m also looking forward to working more closely with colleagues from other institutions, who I would otherwise only meet at conferences.

Lisa Novoradovskaya: I am looking forward to meeting all the students with such a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. I am sure we will have very productive sessions as well as a lot of fun together!

Amanda Carrrico: So many things! But first among them is getting to know the students who will be joining from around the world. I love the process of using theory and research to address real world problems. I’m looking forward to working through this creative process with so many smart, motivated people. I’m also excited to spend time in Groningen for the first time and to hang out with such an elite crew of environmental psychology scholars.

2. Why do you think that bridging the gap between theory and practice matters?

 

Uhl-Hädicke: Environmental Psychology offers a lot of crucial insights on how (not) to foster behavior change and promote a sustainable future. This knowledge has much importance for people working at NGOs, companies, industry, media, and politics. In my opinion, making the theoretical scientific knowledge applicable in the practice is a key responsibility of an environmental psychologist.

Van der Werff: Too often, interventions are based on intuition, yet our intuitions may not be correct. As such, interventions are not effective and may even backfire. Instead, we should select the most important factors explaining the problem and our interventions should target those factors. To select these factors, we need theory. That way, we can design effective interventions to reduce environmental problems.

Sharpe: In my experience, theorising can move more slowly than practice, and has more time for the contemplation, discussion, and interrogation of ideas. Practice, on the other hand, is much more experienced in the practical limitations of the real world and what is possible. In combining theory and practice, we learn from each other, reaching solutions that are both informed by contemplation and reflection, and the lessons learned from being out in the field.

Novoradovskaya: What is that quote? “Theory is when you know everything but nothing works. Practice is when everything works but no one knows why. In our lab (field), theory and practice are combined: Nothing works and no one knows why”. Why not improve on that so we know how things work and they actually work?

Carrrico: A main reason why we engage in the scientific process is to solve problems. Good theories are powerful tools that can be used across settings to identify causes or solutions to problems that we care about. However, we won’t know how good our theories really are until we test them in real world settings and apply them to solve practical problems. I love working at the intersection of theory and practice because it is a rare opportunity to rigorously assess theories, but also to develop programs and policies with practical benefits.

3. How useful is a summer school with this approach (working together with societal partners)?

 

Uhl-Hädicke: I attended the summer school 10 years ago on Sardinia as a PhD student myself. It taught me practical skills I’m still benefitting from, like how to present science to a societal partner. Furthermore, I made so many amazing memories in the social program and got to know amazing people that I’m still in touch with.

Van der Werff: Throughout the summer school, the PhDs not only apply their scientific knowledge to a practical problem. There’s also a lot of time devoted to meeting others and getting to know each other. We are much more effective in addressing key research questions and applying theoretical insights to practical problems if we work together. A week of summer school really helps to get to know each other and to be the start of fruitful collaborations.

Sharpe: One of the many ways it is useful is because it provides the researchers of the future with a crash course on bringing theory to practice, working based on a brief, and developing ideas as part of a small research team.

Novoradovskaya: We know that there are a lot of talented PhD students, dedicated to get to the bottom of things and make the life on this planet better. But we also know that, sadly, there are very few academic jobs available. This means that many of the PhD graduates will venture out to industry, and having that taste, and understanding, of the world outside of the university walls is opening the doors to that possible transition.

Carrrico: It’s incredibly useful. In my experiences, both as a former student and current educator, this is a pivotal learning opportunity. Students gain a much deeper understanding of the concepts they have been learning in classrooms. Students also gain essential skills in collaboration, pragmatism, and leadership.

Photo by Ib Rama (Pexels)