Kitchen Seminar

The “K-seminar” (“kitchen seminar”) is a “think tank” that has been continuously running through weekly face-to-face and videoconference meetings since 1997 (first at Clark University; since 2013 at Aalborg; and in Salerno from 2019). Its focus is on discussion of new or unfinished projects (research designs, drafts of publications, new ideas for research). It has created (through weekly deliveries of discussion materials directly into e-mail boxes) a dynamic international research community that counts more than 600 members worldwide. It operates on the basic principles of full equality of expression of constructive ideas independent of seniority or discipline. Its key restriction is the explicit avoidance of political discussions (of science, as well as of society). While these are important issues for sure, they also can divert scientists from concentration on research problems that need to be solved. The general rule is: everybody can come and go whenever one desires, so the focus that keeps people together is joint interest in the topic discussed.