what makes interdisciplinarity work?
DESCRIPTION
Presentation by Prof Mark Reed about how to design and carry out interdisciplinary research successfullyTRANSCRIPT
relu Rural Economy and
Land Use Programme
relu Rural Economy and
Land Use Programme
What makes interdisciplinarity work?
Experience from the Sustainable Uplands project
relu Rural Economy and
Land Use Programme
Plan%
1. Sustainable%Uplands:%an%interdisciplinary%research%project%2. Some%quick%defini>ons%3. A%children’s%story%4. Our%story%5. Conclusions%
All#photos#and#video#have#copyright#permission#for#use#in#this#presenta6on#
24/10/14% 2%relu Rural Economy and
Land Use Programme
relu Rural Economy and
Land Use Programme
1. Introduction to the project
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• £1.1M%RELU/LWEC%&%ESRC%funded%project%helping%people%an>cipate%and%adapt%to%future%change%across%UK%peatlands%since%2005%
• Almost%£1M%coRfunding%from%research%users%• Interdisciplinary%team%% % % % %%%%%%%%of%25%people%from%5% % % %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%Universi>es%&%2%NGOs%
• Combined%models%& % % % %%% %with%local%knowledge%%
relu Rural Economy and
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relu Rural Economy and
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2. Some quick definitions
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Disciplinary%Research%
• Research%within%one%academic%discipline%• Goals%set%by%single%discipline%• LiYle%coopera>on%with%other%disciplines%and%barriers%oZen%erected%
• Develop%new%theory%and%knowledge%in%a%single%discipline%(may%overlap%with%knowledge%generated%elsewhere)%
%#
# # # # # # #######(Tress#et#al.,#2005)#
Goals Disciplines
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Mul>disciplinarity%
• Mul>ple%disciplines%• Goals%set%by%mul>ple%disciplines%in%one%key%area%(e.g.%each%discipline%has%their%own%goal%that�s%compa>ble%with%the%goals%of%other%disciplines%on%the%same%issue)%
• Loose%coopera>on%between%disciplines%for%exchange%of%knowledge%(oZen%towards%end%of%project)%
• Develops%new%knowledge%and%theory% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%in%individual%disciplines%
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Interdisciplinarity%
• Crosses%and%works%between%disciplinary%boundaries%• People%from%different%disciplines%work%towards%a%common%shared%goal%
• Integra>on%of%disciplinary%approaches%and%knowledge%
• Development%of%new%integrated%knowledge%and%theory%
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Do%we%need%interdisciplinarity?%
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Transdisciplinarity%
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Disciplinary%%%
Mul>Rdisciplinary%%%
Interdisciplinary%%%Transdisciplinary%%
Less%integra>on%of%knowledge%
More%integra>on%
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Land Use Programme
• Working%with%people%from%alien%disciplines%isn’t%always%easy...%
• So%how%can%we%make% % % %%%%%interdisciplinary%&% % % %%%%%%%%transdisciplinary% % % % %%%%%%%%%%%%research%really%work?%
Making%interdisciplinarity%work%
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3. A children�s story
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Land Use Programme
Copyright#permission#for#public#reading#from#Harper#Collins#
Think%of%this%story%as%a%metaphor%for%the%challenges%and%rewards%of%working%with%people%from%alien%disciplines%–%what%lessons%can%you%take%from%this%story?%
The boy climbed to higher ground, called again, and waited
Working%successfully%between%disciplines%and%with%stakeholders%is%all%about%inves>ng%in%rela>onships%–%it%is%about%communica>ng%effec>vely%with%each%other%and%fostering%trust%
relu Rural Economy and
Land Use Programme
3. Our story
relu Rural Economy and
Land Use Programme
Communica>ng%with%each%other%
relu Rural Economy and
Land Use Programme
Communica>ng%with%each%other%
relu Rural Economy and
Land Use Programme
Communica>ng%with%each%other%
relu Rural Economy and
Land Use Programme
Building%interdisciplinary%capacity%
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This%takes%>me%and%hard%work.%
Just%when%you%thought%you’d%finished...%
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2.%Trus>ng%each%other%
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The%result...%
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Impact%
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5. Conclusion and next steps
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3. Lessons
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My#eureka#moment#would#have#stayed#by#
the#toilets#in#the#Chemistry#building#at#
Leeds#University,#without#the#collabora6on#
&#trust#of#researchers#from#many#
disciplines#and#the#interHprofessional#
network#of#Moors#for#the#Future…#
Lessons%
“
”
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• Take%your%>me%–%draw%on%your%networks%• Work%with%people%you%get%on%with%
– Personality%– How%you%view%knowledge%– Values%and%beliefs%
• More%important%than% % % %%%%%%%%exper>se%and%seniority% % % %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%(to%a%point)%
1.%Build%trust%
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• Invest%in%internal%communica>on%– Not%just%about%pufng%the%right%people%in%the%room%– Need%to%build%capacity:% % % %%%%%%%understand%each%other’s% % % %%%%%%%%%%%%language%&%approach%
• The%result:%you’re% % % %%%%%%%communica>ng%with% % % %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%each%other,%not%just% % % % %%talking%at%each%other%
2.%Communicate%
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• Who%is%conduc>ng?%• Establish%clear%roles%&%manage%power%• The%power%of%good%facilita>on%• Expect%conflict%&%failure% % % %%%%%%%%%%%%%%(its%how%you%deal%with%it% % % %%%%%%%%%%%%that%maYers)%
• The%result:%you%achieve% % % %%%%%%%%%%what%you%set%out%to%do%
3.%Facilitate%
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• Different%team%members%will%want%different%outcomes:%make%room%for%as%many%as%you%can%
• Quick%wins%(papers%re:%preliminary%findings)%• Delivering%outcomes:%followRon%funding%&%legacy%• The%result:%a%team%&%impacts%that%last%
4.%Deliver%tangible%outcomes%
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Land Use Programme
5. Conclusion
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Conclusion%
Working%successfully%between%disciplines%and%with%stakeholders%is%all%about%inves>ng%in%rela>onships%–%it%is%about%communica>ng%effec>vely%with%each%other%and%fostering%trust%
relu Rural Economy and
Land Use Programme
www.sustainableuplandresearch.org%www.markreed.webeden.co.uk%
Follow%on:%%%
www.twiYer.com/reluuplands%
www.twiYer.com/lecmsr%(Mark)%%%