Academic life can be rewarding, yet isolating and lacking sufficient structured mentorship. Nordic Nerds was created in response to this gap and is now welcoming applications for its 2026 cohort.
Founded in 2023, the group brings together participants from different disciplines and career stages, including PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, early-career scholars, and professionals. It is designed as a complement to formal supervision and institutional structures, offering a smaller, more continuous setting for discussion, feedback, and collaboration.
“Academic and professional life can be rewarding, but it can also be isolating”, says Cory Robinson, founder of the group and former associate professor at Linköping University. “Nordic Nerds was created to offer a thoughtful and supportive space for intellectual exchange, mentorship, and community – especially for those who value serious discussion, interdisciplinary curiosity, and meaningful professional connection”.
The group engages with topics such as AI and ethics, digital rights and privacy, Internet governance, platform regulation and policy, social media and online communities, games and virtual worlds, and broader questions about the relationship between culture and technology. Members meet online every second week and are expected to contribute actively through discussion, feedback, and shared work.
Supporting this work, Caighlan Smith and Eduardo Ruedell are part of the organising team and play an important role in the day-to-day life of Nordic Nerds. They contribute to event planning, administration, subgroup mentoring, and research activities, helping make Nordic Nerds a supportive and intellectually engaged academic community.
Reflecting on this shared commitment and community spirit, they highlight what Nordic Nerds means to them:
“For me, Nordic Nerds is synonymous with camaraderie. Of course, there’s an academic aspect to our discussions and our goals, but at the end of the day, it’s so much more than that. It’s a safe space for mutual support and encouragement, in a context that’s often defined solely by ego and competition. It’s the academia-related initiative I cherish most and the one that makes me happiest to be a part of”, says Ruedell.
Smith adds: “Nordic Nerds has been a bright spot in my calendar ever since I joined. The community is so welcoming, always ready to celebrate a win, workshop papers, and jump into in-depth interdisciplinary discussions. I’ve learned so much from these people, and I love getting nerdy with them”.
The group now welcomes applications for the 2026 cohort, with a submission deadline of 10 April.
“Places in the cohort are limited, so the application process is selective”, Robinson notes. “We ask about background, research or professional interests, motivation, and what each person would bring to the group. What matters most is a willingness to engage seriously and contribute to the group over time”.
More information about the group and past activities can be found at nordicnerds.org. To apply, please fill in this application form.
Image: Adobe Stock.