ID Lab: Research in times of lockdown

The first half of 2020 was unusual for everyone in the world. The COVID-19 pandemic led to lockdown, causing an avalanche of changes in our lives. These changes also affected the work of the International laboratory of intangible-driven economy (IDLab).

While a typical working routine of the laboratory involves a series of foreign and domestic trips to participate in conferences, summer schools and laboratory meetings, during lockdown all work takes place online.

Elena Shakina, Laboratory Head: “Lockdown and induced social distancing allowed us to overcome geographical boundaries within our team Perm- St. Petersburg-Vigo- Valladolid-Baltimore. We finally launched a weekly online research workshop, regular informal weekend meetings, and an online training course”.

Petr Parshakov, Deputy Head: “During the lockdown, we began to communicate more often with foreign colleagues and colleagues from St. Petersburg. Now we are equally far from (or close to) everyone :) We have prepared several grant applications together. For myself, I realized that a break for wood chopping is necessary for productive academic work”.

Anna Bykova, Research Fellow: “I remembered what night work was. It turns out that writing text at 3 a.m. when it is light outside and the birds are singing is very productive. In any case, it is definitely more productive than during the day. And we also have now Friday 22:00 o'clock tea, where we just share with each other how the week went. Never missed since 3.04)"

Students, who have been recruited to the laboratory as research assistants just at the beginning of April, actively join the work on the Lab’s projects. The presence of group chats and regular online meetings allow quick resolving of issues, and weekly plans and reports make it easy to monitor the work of all members of the laboratory.

Nadezhda Votintseva, 3rd year bachelor student, research assistant: “The online format made it possible to get to know all colleagues and join a friendly team as soon as possible! At the beginning of the work, the realities of the pandemic were alarming, but quick interaction with senior colleagues was established - now we try not to let them down and fulfill tasks on time; fortunately, online tools allow this! ”

Let's hope that after lockdown ends we will be able not only to return to our previous life, but to reach a new level thanks to opportunities open to ourselves.