Picture this: 6 AM on a crisp October morning in Basel, four train connections ahead, and the excitement of meeting my fellow doctoral candidates for the first time. As part of the FLOAT team from the Department of Biomedical engineering, University of Basel, we embarked on our journey to Brugge for the official launch of the AERIALIST Doctoral Network, a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions project that will shape the next four years of our research lives.
Day 1: First Impressions and Historic Discoveries
After our marathon train journey, we arrived at the Crowne Plaza just in time for the opening session. The afternoon kicked off with practical discussions about how our consortium would function, the introduction of a project spanning multiple countries and institutions. But the real excitement came during the pitch presentations, where each of the doctoral candidates shared their research vision. It was fascinating to see how our individual projects would weave together into a comprehensive approach to assistive health technology.
During the presentations
After the introductions and presentations, our hosts from KU Leuven’s Brugge campus had arranged a journey through time, exploring the city’s remarkable heritage. Standing before a hospital building that has served the community since the 12th century really puts modern healthcare challenges into perspective!
Group pictures during the tour
Group pictures during the tour
The fantastic architecture and picturesque canals provided the perfect backdrop for informal discussions about our research.
Of course, we wouldn’t miss out on the famous Belgian beer. Over drinks and dinner, conversations flowed naturally from technical discussions about rehabilitation robots to sharing experiences about relocating for our PhDs. These informal moments are where real collaborations begin.
Day 2: Learning, Planning, and Chocolate Hunting
Day two started with parallel sessions that got straight to business. The Doctoral Candidates’ Researcher Council was particularly engaging, we established our roles for organizing future network events and training schools.
The Secondments Café session mapped out our future research visits to partner institutions. Learning where and when we’ll be conducting research stays added another layer of excitement to the project.
AERIALIST network
After group photos (essential for any EU project!), we dove into an intensive training session on research ethics and open science for three hours, which might sound daunting, but understanding how to make our research accessible and reproducible is crucial for the impact we hope to achieve.
As teams began departing, a small group of us couldn’t resist one final mission: finding the best Belgian chocolate in Brugge. Success was sweet (literally), and we celebrated with hearty burgers and one last Belgian beer, already planning our next meeting.
Reflections
This kick-off meeting was more than just administrative formalities, it was the beginning of a research family. The AERIALIST network brings together diverse expertise, from robotics and AI to healthcare and human factors. Over the next four years, we’ll be working to make assistive technologies more effective and accessible for home use, addressing real challenges in healthcare delivery.
The journey from Basel to Brugge might have started at 6 AM, but the journey we’ve embarked on together will shape the future of assistive health technology in Europe and beyond.
Team FLOAT!
Connect with us:
- AERIALIST Network: https://dn-aerialist.eu
- Our Lab at University of Basel: https://dbe.unibas.ch/en/research/
- FLOAT Project: https://tinyurl.com/team-FLOAT