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Changing Boundaries: The Challenges of Interdisciplinary Research

Changing Boundaries: The Challenges of Interdisciplinary Research. Catherine Lyall ISSTI/Innogen University of Edinburgh. Definitions of interdisciplinary research. Discipline A. Discipline A. Discipline B. Discipline B. Discipline C. Discipline C. Interdisciplinary research.

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Changing Boundaries: The Challenges of Interdisciplinary Research

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  1. Changing Boundaries: The Challenges of Interdisciplinary Research Catherine Lyall ISSTI/Innogen University of Edinburgh

  2. Definitions of interdisciplinary research Discipline A Discipline A Discipline B Discipline B Discipline C Discipline C Interdisciplinary research Multidisciplinary research Issue A Issue B Transdisciplinary research Issue C

  3. Types of interdisciplinary research • Academically-oriented ID Research • often longer-term collaborations • discipline focused • helps disciplines to evolve • Problem-focused ID Research • shorter term collaborations • directed to specific real world problems • could be interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary

  4. Contribution to practical problem solving Multi-disciplinaryResearch Problem focused Inter-disciplinaryResearch Academic orientation Contribution to development of disciplines Low High Level of integration

  5. Motivations for ID research • Policy issue interdisciplinary (e.g. transport, environment) • Knowledge transfer (lab to real world) • Research user driven (not necessarily commercial) and heavily applied • Single discipline research had encountered a bottle-neck, more than one discipline needed to make a breakthrough

  6. Factors that discourage ID research • Poor career structures for academic interdisciplinary researchers • Low esteem of interdisciplinary research by mono-disciplinary colleagues • Lack of opportunities to publish research results in high ranking refereed journals • Discrimination by referees against interdisciplinary research proposals and publications

  7. Skills needs for individual researchers • Understanding the languages, research methods and cultures of different disciplines • High tolerance of ambiguity – personality more important than discipline base • Willingness to learn from other disciplines

  8. Skills needs for research managers • interdisciplinary background • respect for other disciplines • good interpersonal and team building skills • proactive in engaging with other partners • not too ambitious in their own field • interested in a wide range of subjects

  9. References Bruce, A., Lyall, C., Tait, J. and Williams, R. (2004), “Interdisciplinary Integration in the Fifth Framework Programme”, Futures, 36/4, pp. 457-470. Tait J. and Lyall C. (2001) “Short Term Investigation into ESRC Funded Interdisciplinary Research”. Report to ESRC published as SUPRA Working Paper 26. Forthcoming article

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