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Full program – Mind the Gap Winter School 2026

A six-day intensive program in Armeno (Lake Orta, Italy), combining core sessions, hands-on workshops, a field trip and project-focused mentoring – all built around your own research.

Dates: Monday 26 – Saturday 31 January 2026 · Location: Armeno, Lake Orta, Italy · Language: English

Monday 26 January 2026 – Designing Research That Works

Foundations of experimental research and hands-on design work on your own project.

Time Format Session Key focus
9:00–13:00 Core session Experimental Research Foundations
  • How to design a rigorous experimental study.
  • Building strong, testable hypotheses.
  • Overview of experimental data-collection methods.
  • Hands-on demo: VR-based affect induction, physiological sensors, and Experience Sampling Method (ESM).
14:00–18:00 Workshop Research Design Workshop
  • Practical session guided by the faculty team.
  • Each participant outlines the design of their own research project.
  • Group discussion and feedback on feasibility and methodological rigour.

Tuesday 27 January 2026 – Turning Ideas Into Testable Models

From theory to hypotheses, operationalisation and method selection.

Time Format Session Key focus
9:00–13:00 Core session Hypothesis Building & Method Selection
  • How to derive hypotheses from theory.
  • Translating hypotheses into measurable variables.
  • Selecting appropriate experimental methods for your research question.
14:00–18:00 Workshop Hypothesis Workshop
  • Each participant formulates clear hypotheses for their project.
  • Peer-review format to refine logic, operationalisation and expected outcomes.

Wednesday 28 January 2026 – Field Trip & Real-World Scientific Thinking

From tools and logistics of data collection to a field trip on Lake Orta.

Time Format Session Key focus
9:00–13:00 Core session Data-Collection Methods in Practice
  • Applied overview of tools for experimental research.
  • Planning recruitment, sample size and logistics.
  • Troubleshooting data collection in real settings.
14:00–18:00 Field trip Field Trip: Lake Orta
  • Scientific walk: observing the environment and discussing applied research.
  • Creative thinking opportunities, informal mentoring and networking.

Thursday 29 January 2026 – Building & Deconstructing Your Research

Constructing your experimental workflow and understanding academic publishing.

Time Format Session Key focus
9:00–13:00 Core session Constructing Your Research From A to Z
  • Analytical–statistical approach to experiment building.
  • Step-by-step structuring of your experimental workflow.
  • Identifying threats to validity and how to fix them.
14:00–18:00 Workshop Writing & Publishing Workshop
  • How to write theory-driven papers: conceptual, systematic, scientometric.
  • Understanding journals, peer review and academic strategy.
  • Why publishing is not only about acceptance: navigating a research career.

Friday 30 January 2026 – Statistics, Preregistration & Good Practice

From preregistration to applied General Linear Models, plus a social dinner.

Time Format Session Key focus
9:00–13:00 Core session Preregistration + General Linear Model (GLM)
  • How and why to preregister an experiment.
  • Hands-on session with preregistration templates.
  • Introduction to GLM using Jamovi and R.
  • Practical exercises on your own dataset or example datasets.
14:00–18:00 Workshop Applied Statistical Workshop
  • Running GLM models step-by-step.
  • Interpreting outputs and avoiding common mistakes.
  • Linking statistical decisions back to the research design.
20:00 Social event Social Dinner Informal dinner to continue methodological conversations, meet peers and faculty in a relaxed setting, and consolidate the community built during the week.

Saturday 31 January 2026 – Communicating Science Like a Professional

Bringing everything together and learning to pitch your research effectively.

Time Format Session Key focus
9:00–13:00 Workshop Pitching Your Research
  • The art of scientific storytelling.
  • How to present your research in 3 minutes.
  • Voice, structure and clarity techniques.
  • Live practice: participants present their pitch and receive feedback.
Afternoon Wrap-up Departures & informal wrap-up No formal sessions are scheduled in the afternoon. Time is reserved for departures, final informal conversations and planning next steps for your research after the Winter School.
Apply now for the Lake Orta edition

Application deadline EXTENSION: 16 January 2026 · 23:59 CET · Max 20 participants