Interdisciplinary Research

Interdisciplinary Work

How to Catalyse Collaboration

Rebekah R. Brown, Ana Deletic, and Tony H. F. Wong believe that connecting the divide between biophysical and the social sciences are crucial. They believe that to achieve this, there are five principles that are to be used. The five principles are forging a shared mission, developing ‘T-shaped’ researchers, nurturing constructive dialogue, giving institutional support, and bridging the research, policy, and practice together. With these five principles Rebekah, Ana, and Tony were able to build a team of disciplinary experts that delivers sustainable water management to multiple cities. This article provides proof that interdisciplinary science is crucial and is beginning to grow in our world.

Interdisciplinary Research by the Numbers

Richard Van Noorden states that interdisciplinary research has been on the rise since the mid-1980s. The analysis in the article shows that research papers have increasingly cited works in other disciplines different from their own. Richard also claims that interdisciplinary research takes time to have an impact. This is supported by the fact that interdisciplinary work is slowly growing around the world.



Integration of Social Science into Research is Crucial

Ana Viseu writes that one proposed solution to a disconnect between research and the needs and concerns of the public is to integrate social scientists such as herself. Ana also argues that too many in the physical and life sciences only allow those in the social sciences to observe what they do but not to disturb it. The social scientists are only brought along as silent partners where their only is job is to care for science. This article shows that even though interdisciplinary science is growing, many still see social science as the outsider and remain outside ‘proper’ science.



Grant Giving: Global Funders to Focus on Interdisciplinarity

Rick Rylance states that there are often three arguments that are made in favor of interdisciplinary research; some modern problems are not open to just one single discipline, discoveries are more likely to be on the boundaries of different fields, and encounters with other fields benefits single disciplines. But there are also arguments against interdisciplinary work. Some fear that it will drain funds, time, and energy. Interdisciplinary research struggles for importance as a result of things such as being harder for peer review. This article explains how interdisciplinary research that revolves around closer disciplines is much more common and easier to develop.



Interdisciplinarity: Inside Manchester's 'Arts Lab'

Peter Pormann argues that interdisciplinary work is very helpful and is growing at the University of Manchester, UK. Peter gives examples that supports interdisciplinary work such as Steve Jobs and how he combined liberal arts and technology. Peter then begins to talk about the funding that is going on at the university and how it is expanding and helping work and research that is occruring. He then supports this by giving more examples. This article further supports interdisciplinary work and its advantages.