What makes interdisciplinarity work?

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

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

•  £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

Land Use Programme

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

2. Some quick definitions

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

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

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

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%

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

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%

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

Do%we%need%interdisciplinarity?%

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

Transdisciplinarity%

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

Disciplinary%%%

Mul>Rdisciplinary%%%

Interdisciplinary%%%Transdisciplinary%%

Less%integra>on%of%knowledge%

More%integra>on%

relu Rural Economy and

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%

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

3. A children�s story

relu Rural Economy and

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%

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

This%takes%>me%and%hard%work.%

Just%when%you%thought%you’d%finished...%

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

2.%Trus>ng%each%other%

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

The%result...%

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

Impact%

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

5. Conclusion and next steps

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

3. Lessons

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

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%

“

”

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

•  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%

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

•  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%

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

•  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%

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

•  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%

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

5. Conclusion

relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

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%

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