EVA Alumni Talk with Annika Lübbert

Social engagement – an interactive balancing act between synchrony and exploration?

Annika Lübbert is currently an independent researcher and trainer based in Hamburg, Germany. After a Dual MSc focused on basic physiology, neuro-imaging techniques, and networks in the brain, with two research projects on computational modeling and sensory substitution, Annika went on to investigate social interaction as a multi-level phenomenon in her Ph.D. Over the past 6 years, she designed simple interactive games to observe spontaneously emerging interpersonal states in the laboratory. Supported by a Varela Award, she pushed her research to become more embodied and participatory and shared ways of accomplishing this in the form of a set of protocols (the ‘Playful Academic’). Annika’s work takes an enactive and phenomenological approach: she seeks to balance rigorous preparation (clear framework/protocol, systematic observation) with space for spontaneous participation (active involvement of participants, autonomy, listening to the other).

In her talk, Annika will introduce results from the Sonified MirrorGame, one of her two studies on interpersonal learning and engagement. She will also share about the fruits of her applied work – the Playful Academic as well as the Mindful Researchers initiative – and sketch future avenues into ‘Enactive Research’. Her talk will include a short interactive exploration (for you to experience a mirror game) and invite reflection in pairs before moving into a whole group Q&A / dialogue.

Register here for the live zoom link!