SPSAS 2024 (Photo credit: Colleen Cranmer)
In April 2024, Colleen Cranmer, one of our dedicated researchers and a PhD candidate at the School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa, attended the São Paulo School of Advanced Science on Transdisciplinarity for Transformative Change (SPSAS). This intensive training workshop brought together 80 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from 31 countries to the charming town of São Luiz de Paraitinga in southeastern Brazil.
Here is what Colleen had to say about her experience:
“In April of this year, I had the privilege of attending the São Paulo School of Advanced Science on Transdisciplinarity for Transformative Change (SPSAS).
We spent two weeks engaging in classes led by scholars, policymakers, practitioners, and indigenous leaders, alongside field trips to research institutions and traditional communities. We also participated in hands-on mentored activities in which we worked in groups to co-design research proposals using the principles of transformative and transdisciplinary change. What made this workshop truly unique was the cultural engagement with the small town we were based in. São Luiz de Paraitinga is a small town located in the State of São Paulo. The rich history of the town can be felt as you walk through the cobblestone streets and take in the beautiful architecture. In the evenings, SPSAS organized a variety of cultural activities put on by the local community such as capoeira, maracatu, Brazilian classical singing, Orquestra de Violas, and a movie screening of ‘The Territory’.
Field visit to learn about agroforestry (Photo credit: Colleen Cranmer)
For our group work, we were divided into small groups with those conducting similar research. I was initially surprised I was placed in the ‘economic’ group. Given my focus on dried fish research, I had expected to join the fisheries group. I quickly realized that this was an excellent opportunity to experience transdisciplinarity in practice. Since my work extends to value chain and economic livelihood production, this was a chance to shift my fisheries focus, to learn how other natural resource value chains are experiencing and adapting to issues. Although our group shared many similarities in the value chains we study (overexploitation, environmental change, marginalized actors), we sometimes struggled to reach a consensus on framing our proposal. Nevertheless, we saw in all our cases the potential for transformative change by co-creating with communities ideas of futures where alternatives to market-based livelihoods are explored and questioning the need for commodification and upscaling products.
I have taken away a lot from my time at the workshop. The transdisciplinary nature of the work group has been challenging and motivating, it makes me excited for future collaborations in my field once I complete my PhD. The transformative change aspect has given me so much to think about within my own research and how I want to move forward as a researcher. Lastly, the connections I made with the organizing team and participants were really special, with so many diverse backgrounds and experiences, it was incredible to be brought together to form an insightful and caring community of people all working towards similar goals.”
Colleen’s experiences at SPSAS highlight the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration and cultural engagement in driving transformative change. Her reflections provide a valuable perspective on how such experiences can shape and enhance one’s research approach and professional journey. We are proud of Colleen’s participation and look forward to seeing how these insights will influence her work within the Dried Fish Matters project and beyond.