ANR-Lab and first-year MASNA students spent a weekend at the Voronovo Learning Center

Students of the Master's Programme in Applied Statistics with Network Analysis and staff from the International Laboratory for Applied Network Research devoted the May weekend to academic writing, a discussion of cheese, and the impact of personalities on life.

Day 1. "I'm Not Mafia!"

MASNA students and ANR-Lab interns arrived at the Learning Center as late as evening, where they only had time to take the Myers-Briggs Typology test. Based on the test, everyone was divided into teams, within which they worked throughout the weekend. During the teamwork, a long-awaited face-to-face encounter occurred, which we decided to cement with a game of "Mafia." 

"We had all been looking forward to the trip to Voronovo for a long time, but we couldn't have thought it would be so great! The lectures, which Valentina Viktorovna and laboratory staff read, were aimed at a general immersion in data analysis and soft skills development. I especially remember the advice to women to shake hands with men during business communication. Some of the assignments were done in groups, and I got to know my classmates better when working on them and socializing than I did during the zoom meetings. We had a good time and seemed to bond!" (Dinara Khairullina, freshman MASNA)

Day 2. "Who Moved My Cheese?"

It was the most eventful day: academic programme director Kuskova V.V. held seminars on academic writing, students together with interns presented the results of their teamwork and learned more about the Lab and its projects. Spencer Johnson did the entertaining part of the day. Don't you know who that is? – Then you don't know who stole the cheese after all! Read Spencer Johnson’s book “Who Moved My Cheese?” – it has something to think about.

Day 3. "No, It’s Not Your Opinion. You're Just Wrong."

The last day was all about the impact of personalities on life. There wasn't much time left before we left, but enough time to discuss Jef Rouner's article, "No, It's Not Your Opinion. You're just wrong." The author laid out seemingly obvious things in two pages, but after reading it, you begin to perceive "That's my opinion" level arguments in a very different way. This article is recommended reading (that's our opinion).

Also, everyone ate cakes to celebrate the Lab's birthday!

"I never thought it was possible to gather a massive number of wonderful and intelligent people in one place. I was wrong! Three days in Voronovo proved the opposite; every second, I admired what people surround me. But in addition to acquaintances, the main thing, perhaps, that this trip gave me is an unreal charge of productivity and motivation, which is enough, perhaps, until the next trip, which I am already looking forward to! (Margarita Zhdankina, ANR-Lab research assistant)

Students just got back and are already looking forward to the next trip. This trip brought us all together academically and allowed us to get to know each other in an informal setting.