Wired to Write was a creative writing initiative developed at the Centre for Developmental Neurobiology (CDN) and supported by the IoPPN Inclusive Research Culture Fund. Inspired by the internationally recognised Neuwrite movement, the project invited researchers, students and professional services colleagues to step away from scientific writing and explore creativity as a means of reflection, communication and connection.
Through a series of facilitated workshops, participants responded to imaginative writing prompts, shared their work in a supportive environment and discovered new perspectives on both their research and one another. The programme demonstrated how creative practice can foster confidence, strengthen interdisciplinary relationships and contribute to a more inclusive and connected research culture.
One of the project's lasting outcomes is Bench, an anthology celebrating the spaces where research happens. Participants were invited to reflect on their own "lab bench", whether a laboratory, office, desk or field site, and to consider not only the physical environment in which they work, but also the memories, routines, emotions and relationships associated with that space. Accompanied by original illustrations, the collection reveals the often-unseen human stories behind scientific discovery and offers a rare glimpse into the personal experiences that shape life in research.
Bench is a celebration of the diverse voices that make up the CDN community and a reminder that excellent research is driven not only by scientific rigour, but also by imagination, curiosity and human connection. We hope it encourages readers to pause, reflect and perhaps see their own research spaces, and the people who inhabit them, in a new light.
