What does it really mean to do research?
When most people think about researchers, they imagine someone in a white lab coat conducting experiments, or perhaps a person surrounded by books and computer screens, analyzing data late into the night. While research certainly includes those moments, my experience at the EARLI SIG 13 & 19 Conference 2026 taught me that there is another side to research—one that might be less visible, but just as important.
From June 3–5, the University of Agder (UiA) hosted the EARLI SIG 13 & 19 Conference, Navigating Polarisation and Fostering Civic Engagement through Education. Researchers from across Europe gathered to share their work on topics related to education, democracy, religion, and civic engagement. As a research assistant working with quantitative data analysis in the Department of Education, I had the opportunity to support the conference by helping with logistics and technical assistance throughout the event.
At first glance, my role seemed far removed from actual research. I was helping speakers set up presentations, assisting participants, and ensuring that sessions ran smoothly. However, these tasks unexpectedly gave me a front-row seat to the hidden side of academic life.
One of my responsibilities was attending seminars and providing technical support when needed. As a result, I listened to more than twenty research presentations over three days. The experience was both eye-opening and inspiring.
Some presentations were deeply moving. I was shocked to learn about hate speech against Jews in Norwegian high schools and the challenges teachers face when addressing these issues. Other projects showcased the creativity of educational research. One study, for example, used an online crop-planting game to investigate collaboration and teamwork among university students in Germany. It was a reminder that research methods can be far more innovative and engaging than many people imagine.
Yet the most important lesson I learned was about communication.
Listening to so many presentations reminded me that good research is not enough on its own. Researchers must also be able to communicate their ideas clearly and effectively. The presentations that captured the audience’s attention were not necessarily the ones with the most complex analyses; they were the ones that told a compelling story. They explained why the research mattered, connected it to real-world challenges, and made the audience care about the findings. These presentations sparked the most questions, discussions, and potential collaborations.
In other words, researchers are not only analysts—they are storytellers.
Another lesson came from a very different set of tasks. I spent time helping with participant registration, organizing meals, and supporting coffee breaks. While these activities might seem unrelated to research, they revealed another hidden aspect of academic work: relationships.
Some of the most valuable conversations happened outside the presentation rooms. During lunch, over coffee, or while waiting between sessions, researchers exchanged ideas, discussed future projects, and built professional connections. It made me realize that successful researchers are not only skilled at collecting and analyzing data but also at engaging with people. Research is a social activity, and sometimes a coffee break can be just as important as a conference session.
This experience also made me think about students’ roles in research events. Particularly, how much students can gain from being involved. We get exposure to new ideas, discover different research methods, meet people working in our fields of interest, and gain a better understanding of how research functions beyond textbooks and datasets.
Most importantly, we get to see the human side of research.
Looking back, I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the conference, even in a supporting role. What I expected to be a logistical job became a learning experience about how, behind every publication, dataset, and presentation, are conversations, collaborations, and stories that make research meaningful.
Perhaps that is the hidden side of research: it is not only about generating knowledge. It is also about sharing it, discussing it, and building communities around it.
For that reason, I believe UiA should continue creating opportunities for students to participate in conferences and research events. These experiences offer valuable insights into academic life and can inspire the next generation of researchers. They certainly inspired me.