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CIRCL - Contemplative Innovation + Research Co-Lab
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Research
Title
CIRCL - Contemplative Innovation + Research Co-Lab
WHAT IS CIRCL?
CIRCL is a dynamically experimental collaboratory in UVA’s Contemplative Commons, plus an interdisciplinary network of research faculty on Grounds and beyond dedicated to investigating practices and experiences of human transformation.
WHAT IS CONTEMPLATION?
We understand contemplation to be (i) a diverse suite of artful practices that can be learned, and (ii) curated experiences that intentionally transform and enhance persons, communities, and lived worlds.
MISSION
To catalyze and advance transdisciplinary research on contemplation to generate new knowledge and know-how to enhance human well-being.
VISION
The vision of CIRCL is bringing excellence, rigor, and teamwork to study how diverse contemplative practices and experiences work in bodies and minds, cultures and ecologies, and intersubjectively. Our work leverages cutting-edge research in the humanities, sciences, social sciences, arts, and technology at the intersections of lived experience, innovation, and application. To execute this vision, the CIRCL convenes interdisciplinary teams of scholars, scientists, artists, makers, and practitioners in collaboration with specialists in contemplative research to generate novel solutions to personal, social, and global challenges.
ETHOS
The 4 principles that guide research culture and studies in the CIRCL are:
1. Contemplation: Studies have a contemplative dimension.
2. Collaboration: Studies involve 2 or more collaborators with distinct expertise to ensure multifaceted inquiry.
3. Experimentation: Studies abide by the spirit of inquiry and discovery; creative novel experiments and multi-method approaches are encouraged.
4. Meaning-Making: Studies have discrete tangible outputs that make meaningful contributions; including publications, follow-up funding, real-world applications, etc.
ACTIVITIES
• Generating: We initiate in-house expertise to catalyze and generate critical research (from pilots to multi-year studies) with collaborators.
• Facilitating: We support researchers as partner-consultants in solutions for their target studies or applications; including contemplative design, methodologies, grant writing, facilities, and so forth.
• Hosting: We provide space and services for innovative interdisciplinary research on Grounds.
MODEL
CIRCL performs 2 vital activities in a looping fashion:
Research – Seeking to understand the underlying dynamics, processes, and mechanisms of contemplation and its emergent experiences. Learn more about CSC's Research area.
Innovation – Designing, augmenting, and enhancing contemplative practices and experiences, sensitive to individual differences and contexts, based on transdisciplinary research.
STUDIES
Studies in the CIRCL are one or a combination of the following:
- Student-Centered, investigating how to enhance the wellbeing of young adults, involving students as participants and research assistants.
- Faculty-Driven, collaborating with UVA faculty, based on their research interests.
- Needle-Moving, generating high impact research that is field-building.
THEMES
Primary themes that drive research are:
- Nature, studies on how contemplation can enhance human connection with nature.
- Technology, studies on how transformative technologies can augment contemplative experiences and how contemplation can enhance being human at interfaces with technology.
- Arts, studies on how the arts (visual, musical, performative, digital, etc.), specifically aesthetic experiences, and contemplation can be complimentarily leveraged for human transformation.
*Also, the lab undertakes faculty-driven and needle-moving studies that are not limited to these themes.
CONTEMPLATIVE COMMONS
The CIRCL is housed in the Contemplative Commons, a new multipurpose 57,000 square-foot building located in the heart of UVA’s Grounds, dedicated to contemplation and flourishing. Spaces includes two 21’ x 23’ research pods, a media room, incubatory tanks, and the Conservatory – a state-of-the-art 25’ x 27’ immersive sonic-luminous room that supports the transformative power of 3D multichannel sound diffusion along with full color-spectrum architectural and theatrical lighting for contemplative experimentation.
TEAM
- Principal – Michael Sheehy, PhD, Director of Research and Research Associate Professor
- Lab Coordinator – Adam Liddle, PhD
- Contemplative Research Fellow – Devin Zuckerman, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Graduate and undergraduate research assistants, a growing pool of interdisciplinary postdoctoral researchers, and administrative support staff.
COUNCIL
The CIRCL Council is a group of core faculty advisors with diverse expertise from across Grounds who guide and support the generative and innovative research on contemplation at UVA, and beyond.
