Two Days, One Canvas: Inside the THREADS Lab 2026 Retreat

We came in as a team and following very meaningful conversations, left with a clearer vision, a fuller calendar, and a set of hand-painted ceramics to show for it!!

We kicked off our two-day lab retreat with a simple question which had nothing to do with research! "If money wasn't a thing, what would you spend all day doing?" Almost everyone said travel and seeing new places. It set the tone perfectly for the start of the retreat by emphasizing that who we are, comes before what we do.

Day One: Who We Are, Where We're Going

We revisited our identity as a lab, our values and the research that defines us. For newer members it was grounding and for longtime members, a reminder of how far we've come.

Fresh ideas on our vision and mission emanated from conversations as the ins and outs of the lab were laid out and projects discussed; what should we do more often going forward? what have we outgrown? Two doctoral students then presented their research for group feedback.

We closed off day one with a self- reflection exercise highlighting what we're proud of, what we learned, and a challenge we have faced in the year, captured on sticky notes and placed on a whiteboard.

Beyond the day’s discussions and introductions, we created space for creativity and connection through a collaborative art project that captured the values, experiences, and impact of our lab: The 'THREADs Lab Impact Mural'. A messy process yet deeply satisfying and meaningful.

Day Two: Projects & Plans

We opened day two with a recap that tied together the previous day's threads. Then came a full snapshot of where we've been and where we are now, with team members taking turns sharing highlights from past and current projects. Together, these highlighted the important work happening in the lab and around the world.

We proceeded to map out what's coming: Lunch and Learn sessions, writing workshops, travel, research projects, papers, conferences, and holidays, each on a sticky note placed on a whiteboard against its proposed month. By the end, a full year stared back at us, busy yet exciting!

Between all these sessions, we kept returning to the canvas from day 1, building on it throughout the day as we progress.

We wrapped up in our conference room briefly highlighting some of the ideas from the reflection exercise. The group then headed to Mud Oven, a local painting studio, to swap sticking notes on whiteboards and paint brushes on canvas for ceramics and closed the retreat the way we opened it, doing something together outside of research.

What We're Taking into the Rest of the Year

1. A refreshed vision and mission, shaped by the whole team.

2. A packed calendar of Lunch and Learns, writing workshops, conferences, and research milestones well mapped out

3. Stronger connections within the team, and potential collaborations to look forward to.

4. A painted canvas and a set of ceramics; lasting reminders of what we built together

Here's to a big second half of the year, THREADS Lab!

Author: Magdalene Amoe-ba Gumanga - Research Student at THREADS Lab

Photos courtesy of the Threads Lab members!