Training Camp 4: Sheffield

Professor James O’Sullivan from University College Cork delivers the opening remarks at the 4th CASCADE training camp

1 September 2026

Structure and Activities
Camp 4 took place at the University of Sheffield on September 1st 2026 – immediately prior to the 2026 Digital Humanities Congress at which all 10 CASCADE ESRs presented their latest research findings. Kicking off the event, Professor James O’Sullivan of University College Cork presented a detailed report on collective CASCADE research outputs along with a fascinating network analysis of the project which revealed that our CASCADE colleagues at the University of Saarland are the most collaborative within the group! As the day progressed we had sessions on post doctoral routes to academia; future employability and career pathways; understanding how to pitch academic research to non-expert audiences, and hands-on writing and problem-solving sessions. A highly productive day was wrapped up with a communal meal which doubled as an informal team-building and information sharing opportunity for the ESRs and project research leads.

Training Camp 4 Programme Format
This training camp consisted of three different types of activities:

  1. Introductions and training sessions where selected members and partners will provide
    input to topics related to Working with Industry and the Public, followed by discussion.
  2. A panel discussion chaired by a project partner on the topic of post-doc routes to academia.
  3. Hands-on practicals, whereby ESRs worked on computational and communications challenges designed by project partners.

CAMP 3 Working with Industry and the Public – Schedule of Events – 1 September 2026

9:30 – 9.45 Welcome and Orientation – Prof. James O’Sullivan, UCC

● Introduction to aims and outcomes
● Overview of the day

09.45 –11:15 ‘So you’ve got your PhD – now what?’
Information session with Mervyn Levin, Digital Technologies Consultant.

11:15 – 11:30 Coffee Break

11:30 – 13.00 Panel Discussion: Post-doc routes to Academia
Chair: Mike Pidd, Director of the DHI

Panellists:
Prof. Susan Fitzmaurice, Prof. James O’Sullivan, Prof. Dirk Speelman and Prof. Stefania Degaetano-Ortlieb

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break

14:00 – 15:00 Parallel Sessions:

Parallel session I:
Supervisory Board meeting

Parallel session II:
ESR Activity: Writing for a non-specialist audience.

15:00 – 16:45 Hands-on: Solving Commercial Insurance Data Problems
Session Lead: Mike Pidd, Director of the DHI

16:45- 17:00 Common Debriefing

17:00- 19:00 Free Time

19:00 Dinner