Collaborating with Strangers Workshop

Wednesday, April 4, 2012
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Marston Science Library, main floor
Open to all undergraduate and graduate students and faculty (last workshop this year!)

Sign up now!
To register go to http://apps.uflib.ufl.edu/Registration/ and click on Schedule then Collaborating with Strangers and Register.

Workshop website: http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/pio/CoLAB/home.html

Want to unmask your creative potential? Turn small talk into big ideas? Find quick ways to make long-term connections?  ‘Collaborating with Strangers’ workshops are designed to connect students, faculty and researchers on campus during 3-minute speed-meetings.

You will:

- engage in short, one-on-one conversations with up to 14 students and/or faculty

- quickly learn about each other’s passions, interests and areas of research

- find potential mentors and/or research/project collaborators

You’ll walk away with more resources, solutions and creative ideas than you could have ever imagined.

Cookies and beverages will be served.

CoLAB Planning Series ® was invented by Bess de Farber, certified professional facilitator and the UF Libraries’ grants manager, in 2002. CoLAB processes have served over 1,200 participants representing 700 organizations have participated in sessions sponsored by libraries, universities, United Ways and Community Foundations throughout Florida, Arizona and Maryland.

For more information, contact lib-CoLAB@uflib.ufl.edu

Sponsored by the George A. Smathers Libraries

Co-sponsored by I-Cubed, College of Engineering, College of Fine Arts, Honors Program, the UF Graduate School, Florida Opportunities Scholars Program and Women in Science and Engineering.

Funded by the Creative Campus Committee Catalyst Fund.

If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far go together.

Comments from past Collaborating with Strangers Workshops:

“I thought that this icebreaker exercise was really helpful. Sometimes, I find it hard to simply strike up a conversation with a stranger, but it was a lot easier to do so when everyone had signs with their interests and fun facts… I genuinely enjoyed myself and getting to know my classmates. Talking to people for three minutes was easy and helped me find classmates with the same interest as me. I would definitely recommend this to another group.”

“I really liked this activity. The fun facts were always entertaining, even if I couldn’t personally relate to them. It was nice to get to know (some of) the people in this class. It’s the only class which I know more than one person’s name…”

“… it was a nice way to meet everyone in the class and learn about what interests us collectively, both on a personal and academic level. …it can be tough to feel comfortable participating when we view one another as strangers rather than classmates. I think the exercise was a great way to get beyond that. On a larger scale, it’s easy to see how an exercise such as this can help facilitate communication and generate interest across disciplinary lines.”