Pheno Hub

The CIRCL Pheno Hub at UVA’s Contemplative Sciences Center is committed to foregrounding lived experience through rigorous inquiry as a research methodology in the investigation of contemplative experiences. Pheno Hub members are trained phenomenologists who develop capacity, efficiency, and expertise in phenomenological methods to provide services to support research in the CIRCL lab, with researchers at the University and with external collaborators. The hub started in the Fall 2024 with the Phenomenological Methods Group, a regular convening of faculty and trainees at the University interested in applying first-person methodologies to research.

The Hub’s in-house expertise is Microphenomenology, an in-depth interview technique that elicits fine-grained descriptions of experience. Team members are trained in Microphenomenological methods of interviewing and analysis. Secondarily, the Hub supports  Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) as a self-report measure. Expertise in neuro-, macro-, and mezo- phenomenological methods are being developed concurrently. 

PRIORITY ACTIVITIES

1. Conducts Microphenomenology interviews for CIRCL studies.
2. Provides phenomenological research services (including design consultation, interviews, analysis, and writing for publication) for studies at the University and with external research collaborators. 
3. Establishes conventions, norms, and infrastructure to support interviews and analysis for research.
4. Integrates phenomenology lessons into CIRCL Practicums for UVA courses. 
5. Convenes workshops, courses, and incubators to advance the phenomenological research, and specifically, the phenomenology of meditation.