A Week of Creative Immersion for PhD Students from Across Europe
From August 25 to 31, the University of Namur welcomed 16 PhD students from partner institutions within the European alliance UNIVERSEH for an immersive week at the Euro Space Center, focused on the theme of sustainable space exploration. This exciting inaugural edition of the SciArts Lab Week was developed and organized in partnership with KIKK ASBL and the University of Luxembourg.
On the esplanade of the Euro Space Center in Libin (Belgium), around fifteen PhD students are actively engaged with photovoltaic panels. Seizing a brief moment of sunlight, a solar-powered label maker prints out a tag that reads “This message is solar powered.” Not far away, another group successfully powers a small radio, which plays a familiar tune that sparks smile among the participants.
Marie Verdeil, a French designer and artist based in Brussels (Belgium), co-leads the workshop alongside Guillaume Slizewicz, a designer and digital artist. She explains:“The aim of this workshop is to provide a hands-on understanding of how energy functions. By using solar panels to power devices themselves, participants become more conscious of their everyday energy use and the limitations of renewable sources. It’s about giving physical form to something we often take for granted; just plugging a device into an outlet. In a way, it’s a return to reality and through solar power, a reconnection with the natural rhythm of the environment.”
Breaking Down Barriers Between Science and Art
Alongside Marie Verdeil, several other artists have joined the project, which seeks to bridge the gap between science and art: two fields that are often siloed. “The goal of this immersive week is to reverse the traditional model of artist residencies: in this case, it’s the artists who lead the process, while the scientists take on the role of creators,” explains Julie Henry, project coordinator and STEAM program manager at UNamur.
“We’re aiming to break down the cultural barriers that often divide science and art, and to bring together people who rarely have the chance to collaborate, to see what new ideas might surface,” says Orion Van Helden, a PhD researcher in the Department of Science, Philosophy, and Society at UNamur, and a creative facilitator. “A week-long immersive experience like this can quickly generate creative energy that benefits research. It’s also a chance to explore new ways of working collectively and fostering inclusivity,” he adds.
Creativity isn’t always instinctive. As Julie Henry explains, “A lot of people think they aren’t creative, but creativity is a skill that can be nurtured and developed. In this setting, we’re seeing a kind of momentum take hold: participants are becoming more willing to share ideas and experiment with innovative approaches. That’s often difficult to do during a PhD, where tight deadlines leave little room for this kind of exploration.”
Throughout the week, PhD students from across Europe gathered to exchange ideas, collaborate, and challenge the limits of their disciplines and conventional ways of thinking. Together, they developed narratives, designed installations, and built prototypes that moved beyond traditional academic boundaries.
The week’s theme encouraged participants to delve into the intersection of astronomy and sustainable development, with the freedom to explore the topic from any perspective. One suggested approach was the solarpunk aesthetic, a movement that contrasts with prevailing dystopian stories and techno-utopian ideals by envisioning a hopeful, resilient future. Solarpunk promotes a fusion of science and art, centered on low-tech solutions and a meaningful reconnection with the natural world.
This theme provided a springboard for reflecting on contemporary technological, societal, and philosophical challenges. “We need spaces that allow us to rethink creativity and the role of technology,” says Charlotte Benedetti, director of Le Pavillon (KIKK asbl), an exhibition centre dedicated to experimentation and innovation at the intersection of art, science, and technology. “Initiatives like this offer new ways to merge science and art, while also prompting us to question maker culture, low-tech and DIY practices, and space exploration, always with a strong connection to the societal issues that lie at the heart of research.”
Beyond interdisciplinarity and creativity, this week fostered exchange and collaboration. Anouk Wies, strategic advisor for cultural affairs at the University of Luxembourg and co-organizer of the SciArts Lab Week, emphasizes this aspect: “The UNIVERSEH alliance is very extensive, spanning from Scandinavia to Italy. With this creative week, we see participants coming from diverse regions, and that’s exactly what we aim to do: bring people together around the table and connect individuals from different countries and backgrounds, highlighting human interactions. In a confined environment, like a space station, intercultural communication can be especially valuable, for example. Julie and I agreed on the importance of finding a good balance and encouraging women to participate, as they remain underrepresented in the STE(A)M fields.”
“Space and art have captivated me since I was a child, so participating here felt completely natural. As a researcher, I often overlook the artistic aspect since it isn’t part of my everyday work. I needed to reconnect with that creativity because I believe it’s important to stay connected to it,” says Angel, a PhD student in space engineering at the University of Luxembourg.
“This experience has brought me both a sense of well-being and a broader openness of mind. It helps me to tackle problems from new perspectives and with increased sensitivity. On a personal level, it’s also very rewarding to connect with people from diverse backgrounds, beyond just my own field,” adds Pierre, a PhD student in computer science at UNamur.
This initiative continues the longstanding partnership between UNamur and KIKK ASBL, who have collaborated on numerous projects, including the astronomical residencies at the Antoine Thomas Observatory. These residencies bring together Belgian and international artists, presenting their creations to the public, as demonstrated by the Stellar Scape exhibition launched in 2024. Furthermore, through the STEAMULI platform, Le Pavillon and UNamur have developed educational programs centered on STEAM and fostered interactions between artists and researchers, particularly during the Biotopia exhibition in 2022. Learn more about KIKK asbl.
This initiative reflects the objectives of the Cultural Affairs Unit at the University of Luxembourg to promote and support Arts-Science collaborations. It encompasses an artist residency program hosted by the university in partnership with Casino-Forum d’art contemporain, a series of dialogues between cultural actors and researchers focused on transdisciplinarity and its societal contributions, and aims to encourage exchanges with other international projects and networks engaged in this domain.
