Practical Strategies for Collaboration across Discipline-Based Education Research and the Learning Sciences.

PubMed

Peffer, Melanie; Renken, Maggie

Rather than pursue questions related to learning in biology from separate camps, recent calls highlight the necessity of interdisciplinary research agendas. Interdisciplinary collaborations allow for a complicated and expanded approach to questions about learning within specific science domains, such as biology. Despite its benefits, interdisciplinary work inevitably involves challenges. Some such challenges originate from differences in theoretical and methodological approaches across lines of work. Thus, aims at developing successful interdisciplinary research programs raise important considerations regarding methodologies for studying biology learning, strategies for approaching collaborations, and training of early-career scientists. Our goal here is to describe two fields important to understanding learning in biology, discipline-based education research and the learning sciences. We discuss differences between each discipline's approach to biology education research and the benefits and challenges associated with incorporating these perspectives in a single research program. We then propose strategies for building productive interdisciplinary collaboration. © 2016 M. Peffer and M. Renken. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Making Interdisciplinary Collaboration Work: Key Ideas, a Case Study and Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMurtry, Angus; Clarkin, Chantalle; Bangou, Francis; Duplaa, Emmanuel; MacDonald, Colla; Ng-A-Fook, Nicholas; Trumpower, David

2012-01-01

This article discusses the "lessons learned" from an attempt to establish an interdisciplinary education research group. The growth, development and dissolution of the group are treated as an instrumental case study. Current literature on interdisciplinary collaboration is synthesized in order to provide a frame for analysis. Data was collected…

Developing Reflexive Identities through Collaborative, Interdisciplinary and Precarious Work: The Experience of Early Career Researchers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enright, Bryony; Facer, Keri

2017-01-01

This paper explores the experiences of 24 Early Career Researchers working in interdisciplinary and precarious employment conditions in which they are managing collaborations with multiple partners beyond the university as part of the AHRC's "Connected Communities" Programme. These conditions emerge from conflicting sources--from…

Evolution of a Collaborative Model between Nursing and Computer Science Faculty and a Community Service Organization to Develop an Information System

PubMed Central

Carson, Anne; Troy, Douglas

2007-01-01

Nursing and computer science students and faculty worked with the American Red Cross to investigate the potential for information technology to provide Red Cross disaster services nurses with improved access to accurate community resources in times of disaster. Funded by a national three-year grant, this interdisciplinary partnership led to field testing of an information system to support local community disaster preparedness at seven Red Cross chapters across the United States. The field test results demonstrate the benefits of the technology and the value of interdisciplinary research. The work also created a sustainable learning and research model for the future. This paper describes the collaborative model employed in this interdisciplinary research and exemplifies the benefits to faculty and students of well-timed interdisciplinary and community collaboration. PMID:18600129

Forging Alliances in Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Research (FAIRR): A Logic Model.

PubMed

Gill, Simone V; Khetani, Mary A; Yinusa-Nyahkoon, Leanne; McManus, Beth; Gardiner, Paula M; Tickle-Degnen, Linda

2017-07-01

In a patient-centered care era, rehabilitation can benefit from researcher-clinician collaboration to effectively and efficiently produce the interdisciplinary science that is needed to improve patient-centered outcomes. The authors propose the use of the Forging Alliances in Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Research (FAIRR) logic model to provide guidance to rehabilitation scientists and clinicians who are committed to growing their involvement in interdisciplinary rehabilitation research. We describe the importance and key characteristics of the FAIRR model for conducting interdisciplinary rehabilitation research.

Towards International and Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration for the Measurements of Quality of Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mizohata, Sachie; Jadoul, Raynald

2013-01-01

This paper focuses on three main subjects: (1) monitoring quality of life (QoL) in old age; (2) international and interdisciplinary collaboration for QoL research; and (3) computer-based technology and infrastructure assisting (1) and (2). This type of computer-supported cooperative work in the social sciences has been termed eHumanities or…

Librarian and Faculty Collaborative Instruction: A Phenomenological Self-Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Jennifer Diane; Duke, Thomas Scott

2005-01-01

Several models of librarian and faculty collaboration are found in the professional librarian literature. The literature on collaborative self-study research in university settings suggests collaborative self-study research can improve interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches to teaching and research and facilitate the transfer of knowledge.…

Killer Apps: Developing Novel Applications That Enhance Team Coordination, Communication, and Effectiveness

PubMed Central

Buengeler, Claudia; Klonek, Florian; Lehmann-Willenbrock, Nale; Morency, Louis-Philippe; Poppe, Ronald

2017-01-01

As part of the Lorentz workshop, “Interdisciplinary Insights into Group and Team Dynamics,” held in Leiden, Netherlands, this article describes how Geeks and Groupies (computer and social scientists) may benefit from interdisciplinary collaboration toward the development of killer apps in team contexts that are meaningful and challenging for both. First, we discuss interaction processes during team meetings as a research topic for both Groupies and Geeks. Second, we highlight teamwork in health care settings as an interdisciplinary research challenge. Third, we discuss how an automated solution for optimal team design could benefit team effectiveness and feed into team-based interventions. Fourth, we discuss team collaboration in massive open online courses as a challenge for both Geeks and Groupies. We argue for the necessary integration of social and computational research insights and approaches. In the hope of inspiring future interdisciplinary collaborations, we develop criteria for evaluating killer apps—including the four proposed here—and discuss future research challenges and opportunities that potentially derive from these developments. PMID:28989264

Killer Apps: Developing Novel Applications That Enhance Team Coordination, Communication, and Effectiveness.

PubMed

Buengeler, Claudia; Klonek, Florian; Lehmann-Willenbrock, Nale; Morency, Louis-Philippe; Poppe, Ronald

2017-10-01

As part of the Lorentz workshop, "Interdisciplinary Insights into Group and Team Dynamics," held in Leiden, Netherlands, this article describes how Geeks and Groupies (computer and social scientists) may benefit from interdisciplinary collaboration toward the development of killer apps in team contexts that are meaningful and challenging for both. First, we discuss interaction processes during team meetings as a research topic for both Groupies and Geeks. Second, we highlight teamwork in health care settings as an interdisciplinary research challenge. Third, we discuss how an automated solution for optimal team design could benefit team effectiveness and feed into team-based interventions. Fourth, we discuss team collaboration in massive open online courses as a challenge for both Geeks and Groupies. We argue for the necessary integration of social and computational research insights and approaches. In the hope of inspiring future interdisciplinary collaborations, we develop criteria for evaluating killer apps-including the four proposed here-and discuss future research challenges and opportunities that potentially derive from these developments.

Transcending differences to study the transcendent: an exploratory study of researchers' and chaplains' reflections on interdisciplinary spiritual care research collaboration.

PubMed

Powell, Richard A; Emanuel, Linda; Handzo, George; Lantos, John; Dunn, Laura B; Idler, Ellen L; Wilkie, Diane J; Massey, Kevin; Summerfelt, William T; Barnes, Marilyn J D; Quest, Tammie E; Kestenbaum, Allison; Steinhauser, Karen; Fitchett, George; Zollfrank, Angelika; Olsen, Annette K; Balboni, Tracy A; Sommer, Dane

2015-04-18

Despite recognition of the centrality of professional board-certified chaplains (BCC) in palliative care, the discipline has little research to guide its practices. To help address this limitation, HealthCare Chaplaincy Network funded six proposals in which BCCs worked collaboratively with established researchers. Recognizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in the development of a new field, this paper reports on an exploratory study of project members' reflections over time on the benefits and challenges of conducting inter-disciplinary spiritual care research. Data collection occurred in two stages. Stage 1 entailed two independent, self-reflective focus groups, organized by professional discipline, mid-way through the site projects. Stage 2 entailed end-of-project site reports and a conference questionnaire. Eighteen professionals participated in the group discussions. Stage 1: researchers perceived chaplains as eager workers passionately committed to their patients and to research, and identified challenges faced by chaplains in learning to conduct research. Chaplains perceived researchers as passionate about their work, were concerned research might uncover negative findings for their profession, and sensed they used a dissimilar paradigm from their research colleagues regarding the 'ways of relating' to knowledge and understanding. Stage 2: researchers and chaplains noted important changes they ascribed to the interdisciplinary collaboration that were classified into six domains of cultural and philosophical understanding: respect; learning; discovery; creativity; fruitful partnerships; and learning needs. Chaplains and researchers initially expressed divergent perspectives on the research collaborations. During the projects' lifespans, these differences were acknowledged and addressed. Mutual appreciation for each discipline's strengths and contributions to inter-professional dialogue emerged.

An introduction to "keeping the 'health' in health communication": a column devoted to interdisciplinary vocabulary.

PubMed

Parrott, Roxanne

2015-01-01

Health communication research and practice often involve interdisciplinary collaborations. These endeavors include vocabularies associated with the different disciplines and backgrounds of the collaborators. This feature will be devoted to providing glossaries to introduce these vocabularies.

The role of collaborative ontology development in the knowledge negotiation process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera, Norma

Interdisciplinary research (IDR) collaboration can be defined as the process of integrating experts' knowledge, perspectives, and resources to advance scientific discovery. The flourishing of more complex research problems, together with the growth of scientific and technical knowledge has resulted in the need for researchers from diverse fields to provide different expertise and points of view to tackle these problems. These collaborations, however, introduce a new set of "culture" barriers as participating experts are trained to communicate in discipline-specific languages, theories, and research practices. We propose that building a common knowledge base for research using ontology development techniques can provide a starting point for interdisciplinary knowledge exchange, negotiation, and integration. The goal of this work is to extend ontology development techniques to support the knowledge negotiation process in IDR groups. Towards this goal, this work presents a methodology that extends previous work in collaborative ontology development and integrates learning strategies and tools to enhance interdisciplinary research practices. We evaluate the effectiveness of applying such methodology in three different scenarios that cover educational and research settings. The results of this evaluation confirm that integrating learning strategies can, in fact, be advantageous to overall collaborative practices in IDR groups.

Toward a roadmap for interdisciplinary academic career success.

PubMed

McBride, Angela Barron

2010-01-01

The 21st century is a period of increased focus on interdisciplinary collaboration. To facilitate movement in the direction of interdisciplinary research, this article discusses some generic stumbling blocks, unique problems, and advantages that nurses experience, plus the rewards and hallmarks of well-functioning interdisciplinary research teams. The article ends with an overview of how interdisciplinary development can and should be part of each stage of academic career success.

Office of Interdisciplinary Health Studies Education, East Carolina university.

PubMed

Greer, Annette G; Clay, Maria C

2010-01-01

The Office of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Education resides organizationally within East Carolina University (ECU), Division of Health Sciences; ECU established this office in 1999. The mission of the office is fivefold: 1. promote the expansion of interdisciplinary training within and between Health Sciences and other health-related programs on campus; 2. promote innovative research opportunities across disciplines, in particular, projects regarding interdisciplinary health sciences education; 3. serve as a clearinghouse for information relative to existing and planned interdisciplinary activities and projects within the Division; 4. collaborate with units, and communities in establishing community partnerships for interdisciplinary rural health training; and 5. identify core curricular content across health-related disciplines, minimizing curricular redundancy while promoting interdisciplinary collaboration.

Identifying Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration in Instructional Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Yonjoo

2017-01-01

Interdisciplinarity is defined as communication and collaboration across academic disciplines. The instructional technology (IT) field has claimed to have an interdisciplinary nature influenced by neighboring fields such as psychology, communication, and management. However, it has been difficult to find outstanding evidence of the field's…

Perceptions of Interdisciplinary Communication Among Correctional Health Care Providers.

PubMed

Costa, Christine; Lusk, Pamela

2017-01-01

Collaborative practice is a health care standard that improves patient outcomes through maximizing the use of resources and mutual work of all health care providers. Since collaborative practice depends on interdisciplinary communication, effective communication training for health care participants is imperative for success. This article presents the results of research that studied perceptions of interdisciplinary communication and collaborative practice among 24 health care personnel in three correctional facilities in Orange County, California. The research explored different approaches in terms of team structure, mutual support, situation monitoring, leadership, and communication practices. The study used questionnaires to examine the perceptions of teamwork and interdisciplinary communication and how they can be impacted by one educational session. The study results are discussed in terms of modern approaches to health care, including evidence-based practice, along with nationwide initiatives for improving the health of inmates with psychiatric issues.

Creating Socially Networked Knowledge through Interdisciplinary Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chuk, Eric; Hoetzlein, Rama; Kim, David; Panko, Julia

2012-01-01

We report on the experience of creating a socially networked system, the Research-oriented Social Environment (RoSE), for representing knowledge in the form of relationships between people, documents, and groups. Developed as an intercampus, interdisciplinary project of the University of California, this work reflects on a collaboration between…

Collaboration-Focused Workshop for Interdisciplinary, Inter-Institutional Teams of College Science Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, Pamela K.; Stultz, Laura

2015-01-01

Many science educators know of the pedagogical benefits of inquiry- and research-based labs, yet numerous barriers to implementation exist. In this article we describe a faculty development workshop that explored interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaborations as potential mechanisms for overcoming barriers to curricular innovation.

Challenges of cross-cultural research: lessons from a U.S.-Asia HIV collaboration.

PubMed

Chen, Wei-Ti; Shiu, Cheng-Shi; Simoni, Jane M; Chuang, Peing; Zhao, Hongxin; Bao, Meijuan; Lu, Hongzhou

2013-01-01

Many Asian countries have scaled up their research to combat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV experts from the West have teamed up with these countries to assist in designing research protocols and providing necessary training. In this paper, we document the formation and maintenance of international and interdisciplinary HIV research collaboration among cross-disciplinary researchers working in the United States, Taiwan, and China. We conducted international social-behavioral HIV studies in several major metropolitan areas in Asia. Culturally sensitive issues that could be attributed to social and disciplinary differences have emerged throughout the collaboration process, including questions of who should be the research leader, where should resources be allocated, how should tasks be shared, which topics are valuable for investigation, and what survey questions are allowable. There is now a window of opportunity for greater international and interdisciplinary collaboration; however, for such collaboration to flourish, team dynamics in international research collaboration should be carefully identified and managed before studies are begun. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Challenges of cross-cultural research: Lessons from a U.S.-Asia HIV collaboration

PubMed Central

Chen, Wei-Ti; Shiu, Cheng-Shi; Simoni, Jane M.; Chuang, Peing; Zhao, Hongxin; Bao, Meijuan; Lu, Hongzhou

2013-01-01

Many Asian countries have scaled up their research to combat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV experts from the West have teamed up with these countries to assist in designing research protocols and providing necessary training. In this paper, we document the formation and maintenance of international and interdisciplinary HIV research collaboration among cross-disciplinary researchers working in the United States, Taiwan, and China. We conducted international social-behavioral HIV studies in several major metropolitan areas in Asia. Culturally sensitive issues that could be attributed to social and disciplinary differences have emerged throughout the collaboration process, including questions of who should be the research leader, where should resources be allocated, how should tasks be shared, which topics are valuable for investigation, and what survey questions are allowable. There is now a window of opportunity for greater international and interdisciplinary collaboration; however, for such collaboration to flourish, team dynamics in international research collaboration should be carefully identified and managed before studies are begun. PMID:23419838

Scientific retreats with 'speed dating': networking to stimulate new interdisciplinary translational research collaborations and team science.

PubMed

Ranwala, Damayanthi; Alberg, Anthony J; Brady, Kathleen T; Obeid, Jihad S; Davis, Randal; Halushka, Perry V

2017-02-01

To stimulate the formation of new interdisciplinary translational research teams and innovative pilot projects, the South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research (SCTR) Institute (South Carolina Clinical and Translational Science Award, CTSA) initiated biannual scientific retreats with 'speed dating' networking sessions. Retreat themes were prioritized based on the following criteria; cross-cutting topic, unmet medical need, generation of novel technologies and methodologies. Each retreat begins with an external keynote speaker followed by a series of brief research presentations by local researchers focused on the retreat theme, articulating potential areas for new collaborations. After each session of presentations, there is a 30 min scientific 'speed dating' period during which the presenters meet with interested attendees to exchange ideas and discuss collaborations. Retreat attendees are eligible to compete for pilot project funds on the topic of the retreat theme. The 10 retreats held have had a total of 1004 participants, resulted in 61 pilot projects with new interdisciplinary teams, and 14 funded projects. The retreat format has been a successful mechanism to stimulate novel interdisciplinary research teams and innovative translational research projects. Future retreats will continue to target topics of cross-cutting importance to biomedical and public health research. Copyright © 2016 American Federation for Medical Research.

Evaluating an interdisciplinary undergraduate training program in health promotion research.

PubMed

Misra, Shalini; Harvey, Richard H; Stokols, Daniel; Pine, Kathleen H; Fuqua, Juliana; Shokair, Said M; Whiteley, John M

2009-04-01

The University of California at Irvine Interdisciplinary Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (ID-SURE) program had three objectives: (1) designing an interdisciplinary health promotion training curriculum for undergraduate research fellows; (2) developing measures for evaluating and assessing program-related educational processes and products; and (3) comparing these educational process and product measures between groups of students who did or did not receive the training. A total of 101 students participated in the ID-SURE program during 2005, 2006, and 2007. A longitudinal research design was employed whereby students' interdisciplinary attitudes and behaviors were assessed at the beginning and end of the training program. The interdisciplinary and intellectual qualities of students' academic and research products were assessed at the conclusion of the training activities. In addition, ID-SURE participants' interdisciplinary attitudes, behaviors, and research products were compared to those of 70 participants in another fellowship program that did not have an interdisciplinary training component. Exposing undergraduate research fellows to the interdisciplinary curriculum led to increased participation in, and positive attitudes about, interdisciplinary classroom and laboratory activities. Products, such as the integrative and interdisciplinary quality of student research projects, showed no differences when compared to those of undergraduates who were not exposed to the interdisciplinary curriculum. However, undergraduates exposed to the training engaged in more interdisciplinary behaviors at the end of the program than students who were not trained in interdisciplinary research techniques. The findings from this study offer evidence for the efficacy of the ID-SURE program for training undergraduate students in transdisciplinary concepts, methods, and skills that are needed for effective scientific collaboration. Additionally, this study makes two important contributions to the development and evaluation of interdisciplinary health research training programs: (1) It presents and evaluates a novel curriculum for training undergraduate students in interdisciplinary theories, concepts, and methods of health promotion that can be replicated in other settings and contexts; (2) It provides and tests the reliability of new measures for evaluating interdisciplinary collaborative processes and develops objective criteria for rating the integrative and intellectual quality of students' research products.

Worthwhile Work? Childcare, Feminist Ethics and Cooperative Research Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrew, Yarrow; Corr, Lara; Lent, Connie; O'Brien, Maeve; Osgood, Jayne; Boyd, Margaret

2018-01-01

Interdisciplinary research collaborations are often encouraged within higher education while the practicalities of such collaborations are glossed over. This project specifically addresses the praxis of research collaborations, exploring how feminist academics within different countries and disciplines came together to explore their mutual concern…

Graduate students navigating social-ecological research: insights from the Long-Term Ecological Research Network

Treesearch

Sydne Record; Paige F. B. Ferguson; Elise Benveniste; Rose A. Graves; Vera W. Pfeiffer; Michele Romolini; Christie E. Yorke; Ben Beardmore

2016-01-01

Interdisciplinary, collaborative research capable of capturing the feedbacks between biophysical and social systems can improve the capacity for sustainable environmental decision making. Networks of researchers provide unique opportunities to foster social-ecological inquiry. Although insights into interdisciplinary research have been discussed elsewhere,...

Scientific Retreats with ‘Speed Dating’: Networking to Stimulate New Interdisciplinary Translational Research Collaborations and Team Science

PubMed Central

Alberg, Anthony J.; Brady, Kathleen T.; Obeid, Jihad S.; Davis, Randal; Halushka, Perry V.

2016-01-01

To stimulate the formation of new interdisciplinary translational research teams and innovative pilot projects, the South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research (SCTR) Institute (South Carolina Clinical and Translational Science Award, CTSA) initiated biannual scientific retreats with “speed dating” networking sessions. Retreat themes were prioritized based on the following criteria; cross-cutting topic, unmet medical need, generation of novel technologies and methodologies. Each retreat commences with an external keynote speaker followed by a series of brief research presentations by local researchers focused on the retreat theme, articulating potential areas for new collaborations. After each session of presentations, there is a 30 minute scientific “speed dating” period during which the presenters meet with interested attendees to exchange ideas and discuss collaborations. Retreat attendees are eligible to compete for pilot project funds on the topic of the retreat theme. The 10 retreats held have had a total of 1004 participants, resulted in 61 pilot projects with new interdisciplinary teams, and 14 funded projects. The retreat format has been a successful mechanism to stimulate novel interdisciplinary research teams and innovative translational research projects. Future retreats will continue to target topics of cross-cutting importance to biomedical and public health research. PMID:27807146

Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Launching a Large-Scale Research Study in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeLoach, Kendra P.; Dvorsky, Melissa; George, Mellissa R. W.; Miller, Elaine; Weist, Mark D.; Kern, Lee

2012-01-01

Interdisciplinary collaboration (IC) is a critically important theme generally, and of particular significance in school mental health (SMH), given the range of people from different disciplines who work in schools and the various systems in place. Reflecting the move to a true shared school-family-community system agenda, the collaborative…

Toward the design and implementation of stem professional development for middle school teachers: An interdisciplinary approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neil-Burke, Merah Bell

The aim of this qualitative study was to determine how professional development might be designed to meet the needs of teachers delivering interdisciplinary STEM instruction in an urban middle school. This study was framed and guided by three bodies of literature: literature in support of the theory of change, adult learning theory, and effective STEM professional development. The study, designed to be collaborative in nature, employed an action research variation of participatory classroom action research, (CAR) to find out how STEM professional development could be designed to meet the needs of teachers delivering interdisciplinary STEM instruction. A sample of five middle school teachers from grades six through eight was interviewed using semi-structured, in-depth interview technique to identify their perceived needs. Observational techniques were utilized to determine how STEM teachers' instructional practices change as a result of exposure to STEM professional development for interdisciplinary instruction. Data from these interviews were used to design the professional development. Planning and implementation of the professional development were accomplished using the CAR model with data being collected in all phases of the CAR cycle for teaching interdisciplinary STEM. The findings suggest that interdisciplinary STEM professional development that is collaborative, along with a curriculum that supports the process of discipline integration, is an effective approach to meeting teachers' needs for the teaching of interdisciplinary STEM instruction. Lastly, the findings imply that certain barriers such as limited time to collaborate, plan, reflect, and practice could impede teachers' ability to use an interdisciplinary approach to classroom instructional practices. However, these barriers may become diminished when teachers, support each other through communication and collaboration. Thus, the essential elements included in the design and implementations of this interdisciplinary STEM professional development are the following: time to plan, to practice, to reflect, and to collaborate with other teachers. These findings reveal the need for support from school administration and curriculum writers.

Key Components of Collaborative Research in the Context of Environmental Health: A Scoping Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wine, Osnat; Ambrose, Sarah; Campbell, Sandy; Villeneuve, Paul J.; Burns, Katharina Kovacs; Vargas, Alvaro Osornio

2017-01-01

In a collaborative research process, the participation of interdisciplinary researchers and multi-sectoral stakeholders supports the co-creation, translation, and exchange of new knowledge. Following a scoping review methodology, we explored the collaborative research processes in the specific context of environment and human health research.…

Understanding the assembly of interdisciplinary teams and its impact on performance.

PubMed

Lungeanu, Alina; Huang, Yun; Contractor, Noshir S

2014-01-01

Interdisciplinary teams are assembled in scientific research and are aimed at solving complex problems. Given their increasing importance, it is not surprising that considerable attention has been focused on processes of collaboration in interdisciplinary teams. Despite such efforts, we know less about the factors affecting the assembly of such teams in the first place. In this paper, we investigate the structure and the success of interdisciplinary scientific research teams. We examine the assembly factors using a sample of 1,103 grant proposals submitted to two National Science Foundation interdisciplinary initiatives during a 3-year period, including both awarded and non-awarded proposals. The results indicate that individuals' likelihood of collaboration on a proposal is higher among those with longer tenure, lower institutional tier, lower H-index, and with higher levels of prior co-authorship and citation relationships. However, successful proposals have a little bit different relational patterns: individuals' likelihood of collaboration is higher among those with lower institutional tier, lower H-index, (female) gender, higher levels of prior co-authorship, but with lower levels of prior citation relationships.

Understanding the assembly of interdisciplinary teams and its impact on performance

PubMed Central

Lungeanu, Alina; Huang, Yun; Contractor, Noshir S.

2013-01-01

Interdisciplinary teams are assembled in scientific research and are aimed at solving complex problems. Given their increasing importance, it is not surprising that considerable attention has been focused on processes of collaboration in interdisciplinary teams. Despite such efforts, we know less about the factors affecting the assembly of such teams in the first place. In this paper, we investigate the structure and the success of interdisciplinary scientific research teams. We examine the assembly factors using a sample of 1,103 grant proposals submitted to two National Science Foundation interdisciplinary initiatives during a 3-year period, including both awarded and non-awarded proposals. The results indicate that individuals’ likelihood of collaboration on a proposal is higher among those with longer tenure, lower institutional tier, lower H-index, and with higher levels of prior co-authorship and citation relationships. However, successful proposals have a little bit different relational patterns: individuals’ likelihood of collaboration is higher among those with lower institutional tier, lower H-index, (female) gender, higher levels of prior co-authorship, but with lower levels of prior citation relationships. PMID:24470806

Assessment of Translational and Interdisciplinary Clinical Research at an Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

PubMed Central

Dao, Hanh Dung; Kota, Pravina; James, Judith A.; Stoner, Julie A.; Akins, Darrin R.

2015-01-01

Purpose In response to National Institutes of Health initiatives to improve translation of basic science discoveries we surveyed faculty to assess patterns of and barriers to translational research in Oklahoma. Methods An online survey was administered to University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, College of Medicine faculty, which included demographic and research questions. Results Responses were received from 126 faculty members (24%). Two-thirds spent ≥20% time on research; among these, 90% conduct clinical and translational research. Identifying funding; recruiting research staff and participants; preparing reports and agreements; and protecting research time were commonly perceived as at least moderate barriers to conducting research. While respondents largely collaborated within their discipline, clinical investigators were more likely than basic science investigators to engage in interdisciplinary research. Conclusion While engagement in translational research is common, specific barriers impact the research process. This could be improved through an expanded interdisciplinary collaboration and research support structure. PMID:26242016

Interdisciplinary research and education in the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems: a framework for evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloeschl, G.; Carr, G.; Loucks, D. P.

2017-12-01

Greater understanding of how interdisciplinary research and education evolves is critical for identifying and implementing appropriate programme management strategies. We propose a program evaluation framework that is based on social learning processes (individual learning, interdisciplinary research practices, and interaction between researchers with different backgrounds); social capital outcomes (ability to interact, interpersonal connectivity, and shared understanding); and knowledge and human capital outcomes (new knowledge that integrates multiple research fields). The framework is tested on established case study doctoral program: the Vienna Doctoral Program on Water Resource Systems. Data are collected via mixed qualitative/quantitative methods that include semi-structured interviews, publication co-author analysis, analysis of research proposals, categorisation of the interdisciplinarity of publications and graduate analysis. Through the evaluation and analysis, several interesting findings about how interdisciplinary research evolves and can be supported are identified. Firstly, different aspects of individual learning seem to contribute to a researcher's ability to interact with researchers from other research fields and work collaboratively. These include learning new material from different research fields, learning how to learn new material and learning how to integrate different material. Secondly, shared interdisciplinary research practices can be identified that may be common to other programs and support interaction and shared understanding between different researchers. They include clarification and questioning, harnessing differences and setting defensible research boundaries. Thirdly, intensive interaction between researchers from different backgrounds support connectivity between the researchers, further enabling cross-disciplinary collaborative work. The case study data suggest that social learning processes and social capital outcomes precede new interdisciplinary research findings and are therefore a critical aspect to consider in interdisciplinary program management.

Lessons learnt on implementing an interdisciplinary doctoral programme in water sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, Gemma; Loucks, Daniel Pete; Blaschke, Alfred Paul; Bucher, Christian; Farnleitner, Andreas; Fürnkranz-Prskawetz, Alexia; Parajka, Juraj; Pfeifer, Norbert; Rechberger, Helmut; Wagner, Wolfgang; Zessner, Matthias; Blöschl, Günter

2015-04-01

Using the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems as a case study, this work describes how the characteristics of the programme can be evaluated to identify which process features are important for developing interdisciplinary research at the doctoral level. The Programme has been running since 2009, and to date has engaged 35 research students, three post-docs and ten faculty members from ten research fields (aquatic microbiology, hydrology, hydro-climatology, hydro-geology, mathematical economics, photogrammetry, remote sensing, resource management, structural mechanics, and water quality). Collaborative, multi-disciplinary research is encouraged and supported through various mechanisms - shared offices, study programme, research cluster groups that hold regular meetings, joint study sites, annual and six-month symposia that bring all members of the programme together, seminar series, joint supervision, and social events. Interviews were conducted with 12 students and recent graduates to explore individual experiences of doing interdisciplinary research within the Programme, and to identify which mechanisms are perceived to be of the greatest benefit for collaborative work. Analysis revealed four important process features. Firstly, students noted that joint supervision and supervisors who are motivated to collaborate are essential for multi-disciplinary collaborative work. Secondly, interviewees described that they work with the people they sit close to or see most regularly. Physical places for collaboration between different discipline researchers such as shared offices and shared study sites are therefore important. Thirdly, the costs and benefits to doing interdisciplinary work were highlighted. Students make a trade-off when deciding if their time investment to develop their understanding of a new research field will support them in addressing their research question. The personal characteristics of the researcher seem to be particularly relevant to this decision making process and need to be considered during student selection. Finally, communication skills are critical. Students noted that they need to be able to understand what each other are doing in order to work together and the symposia and research cluster meetings are good places for developing these skills.

Field/Work, Site, and Other Matters: Exploring Design Practice across Disciplines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pirrie, Anne; Brown, James Benedict

2011-01-01

This article explores educational research and theory in the area of the built environment by reflecting on the challenges of interdisciplinary enquiry and the prerequisites for successful interdisciplinary practice. The genesis of a particular example of interdisciplinary collaboration is explored, and the authors come to the deceptively simple…

Interdisciplinary innovations in biomedical and health informatics graduate education.

PubMed

Demiris, G

2007-01-01

Biomedical and health informatics (BHI) is a rapidly growing domain that relies on the active collaboration with diverse disciplines and professions. Educational initiatives in BHI need to prepare students with skills and competencies that will allow them to function within and even facilitate interdisciplinary teams (IDT). This paper describes an interdisciplinary educational approach introduced into a BHI graduate curriculum that aims to prepare informatics researchers to lead IDT research. A case study of the "gerontechnology" research track is presented which highlights how the curriculum fosters collaboration with and understanding of the disciplines of Nursing, Engineering, Computer Science, and Health Administration. Gerontechnology is a new interdisciplinary field that focuses on the use of technology to support aging. Its aim is to explore innovative ways to use information technology and develop systems that support independency and increase quality of life for senior citizens. As a result of a large research group that explores "smart home" technologies and the use of information technology, we integrated this new domain into the curriculum providing a platform for computer scientists, engineers, nurses and physicians to explore challenges and opportunities with our informatics students and faculty. The interdisciplinary educational model provides an opportunity for health informatics students to acquire the skills for communication and collaboration with other disciplines. Numerous graduate and postgraduate students have already participated in this initiative. The evaluation model of this approach is presented. Interdisciplinary educational models are required for health informatics graduate education. Such models need to be innovative and reflect the needs and trends in the domains of health care and information technology.

Materials library collections as tools for interdisciplinary research

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT This paper examines how materials libraries are used as tools for interdisciplinary collaboration in 3 research projects that inhabit a disciplinary triangle between materials research, design and user needs: PhysFeel, which explores how materials collections can be used in psychological therapies; Light.Touch.Matters, a design-led project to develop new smart materials; and Hands of X, which uses materials collections to develop a bespoke prosthetics service. The paper analyses and contrasts these case studies to better understand the affordances and limitations of materials collections when used as research, translational and design tools. We conclude that in collaborations between materials researchers, designers and end users, tensions arise as a result of the primacy that each partner gives to creativity, the development of new knowledge and to solving societal problems. The use of a materials library addresses many of these issues but is not a panacea for all the problems associated with interdisciplinary working. PMID:29576803

Materials library collections as tools for interdisciplinary research.

PubMed

Wilkes, S E; Miodownik, M A

2018-01-01

This paper examines how materials libraries are used as tools for interdisciplinary collaboration in 3 research projects that inhabit a disciplinary triangle between materials research, design and user needs: PhysFeel , which explores how materials collections can be used in psychological therapies; Light.Touch.Matters , a design-led project to develop new smart materials; and Hands of X , which uses materials collections to develop a bespoke prosthetics service. The paper analyses and contrasts these case studies to better understand the affordances and limitations of materials collections when used as research, translational and design tools. We conclude that in collaborations between materials researchers, designers and end users, tensions arise as a result of the primacy that each partner gives to creativity, the development of new knowledge and to solving societal problems. The use of a materials library addresses many of these issues but is not a panacea for all the problems associated with interdisciplinary working.

Essential Tensions in Interdisciplinary Scholarship: Navigating Challenges in Affect, Epistemologies, and Structure in Environment-Society Research Centers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, V. Kelly; Benessaiah, Karina; Warren, Scott; Iwaniec, David

2015-01-01

Scholars have enumerated unique challenges to collaborative interdisciplinary research, many of which evade prescriptive solutions. Some of these challenges can be understood as "essential tensions," necessary and persistent contradictory imperatives in the scientific process. Drawing from interviews with internationally renowned…

Doctors' and nurses' perceptions of interdisciplinary collaboration in the NICU, and the impact of a neonatal nurse practitioner model of practice.

PubMed

Copnell, Beverley; Johnston, Linda; Harrison, Denise; Wilson, Anita; Robson, Anne; Mulcahy, Caroline; Ramudu, Louisa; McDonnell, Geraldine; Best, Christine

2004-01-01

The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration has been attested to by a number of authors. Some have suggested that Nurse Practitioners (NPs) may be able to improve collaboration between doctors and nurses, but this assertion does not appear to have been researched. To investigate doctors' and nurses' perceptions of interdisciplinary collaboration in two neonatal intensive care units, and to assess the impact of a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) practice model on these perceptions. The study was conducted as part of a larger project to develop a NNP model of practice. Survey, pre- and post-intervention. Medical and nursing staff in both units were surveyed before and after introduction of the NP model of practice. The instrument consisted of 25 statements relating to nurse-doctor interactions, with which respondents indicated their level of agreement on a five-point Likert scale. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare scores for individual items and for overall collaboration between various groups of staff, and between the first and second surveys. Significant differences between the responses of nurses and doctors were found on both surveys. Areas of disagreement chiefly concerned doctors' behaviour and their attitudes towards nurses, rather than nurses' behaviour or environmental factors. Doctors consistently reported a higher degree of collaboration than did nurses. Few differences were found between first and second surveys. Results suggest that problems in nurse-physician interactions exist in both units. No impact of the NNP role, as established in this project, on interdisciplinary collaboration could be demonstrated. Further research in this area is warranted.

Collaborative research: Accomplishments & potential

PubMed Central

Katsouyanni, Klea

2008-01-01

Although a substantial part of scientific research is collaborative and increasing globalization will probably lead to its increase, very few studies actually investigate the advantages, disadvantages, experiences and lessons learned from collaboration. In environmental epidemiology interdisciplinary collaboration is essential and the contrasting geographical patterns in exposure and disease make multi-location projects essential. This paper is based on a presentation given at the Annual Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology, Paris 2006, and is attempting to initiate a discussion on a framework for studying collaborative research. A review of the relevant literature showed that indeed collaborative research is rising, in some countries with impressive rates. However, there are substantial differences between countries in their outlook, need and respect for collaboration. In many situations collaborative publications receive more citations than those based on national authorship. The European Union is the most important host of collaborative research, mainly driven by the European Commission through the Framework Programmes. A critical assessment of the tools and trends of collaborative networks under FP6, showed that there was a need for a critical revision, which led to changes in FP7. In conclusion, it is useful to study the characteristics of collaborative research and set targets for the future. The added value for science and for the researchers involved may be assessed. The motivation for collaboration could be increased in the more developed countries. Particular ways to increase the efficiency and interaction in interdisciplinary and intercultural collaboration may be developed. We can work towards "the principles of collaborative research" in Environmental Epidemiology. PMID:18208596

Evaluating a European knowledge hub on climate change in agriculture: Are we building a better connected community?

PubMed

Saetnan, Eli Rudinow; Kipling, Richard Philip

In order to maintain food security and sustainability of production under climate change, interdisciplinary and international collaboration in research is essential. In the EU, knowledge hubs are important funding instruments for the development of an interconnected European Research Area. Here, network analysis was used to assess whether the pilot knowledge hub MACSUR has affected interdisciplinary collaboration, using co-authorship of peer reviewed articles as a measure of collaboration. The broad community of all authors identified as active in the field of agriculture and climate change was increasingly well connected over the period studied. Between knowledge hub members, changes in network parameters suggest an increase in collaborative interaction beyond that expected due to network growth, and greater than that found in the broader community. Given that interdisciplinary networks often take several years to have an impact on research outputs, these changes within the relatively new MACSUR community provide evidence that the knowledge hub structure has been effective in stimulating collaboration. However, analysis showed that knowledge hub partners were initially well-connected, suggesting that the initiative may have gathered together researchers with particular resources or inclinations towards collaborative working. Long term, consistent funding and ongoing reflection to improve networking structures may be necessary to sustain the early positive signs from MACSUR, to extend its success to a wider community of researchers, or to repeat it in less connected fields of science. Tackling complex challenges such as climate change will require research structures that can effectively support and utilise the diversity of talents beyond the already well-connected core of scientists at major research institutes. But network research shows that this core, well-connected group are vital brokers in achieving wider integration.

Long-Distance Interdisciplinarity Leads to Higher Scientific Impact

PubMed Central

Larivière, Vincent; Haustein, Stefanie; Börner, Katy

2015-01-01

Scholarly collaborations across disparate scientific disciplines are challenging. Collaborators are likely to have their offices in another building, attend different conferences, and publish in other venues; they might speak a different scientific language and value an alien scientific culture. This paper presents a detailed analysis of success and failure of interdisciplinary papers—as manifested in the citations they receive. For 9.2 million interdisciplinary research papers published between 2000 and 2012 we show that the majority (69.9%) of co-cited interdisciplinary pairs are “win-win” relationships, i.e., papers that cite them have higher citation impact and there are as few as 3.3% “lose-lose” relationships. Papers citing references from subdisciplines positioned far apart (in the conceptual space of the UCSD map of science) attract the highest relative citation counts. The findings support the assumption that interdisciplinary research is more successful and leads to results greater than the sum of its disciplinary parts. PMID:25822658

Long-distance interdisciplinarity leads to higher scientific impact.

PubMed

Larivière, Vincent; Haustein, Stefanie; Börner, Katy

2015-01-01

Scholarly collaborations across disparate scientific disciplines are challenging. Collaborators are likely to have their offices in another building, attend different conferences, and publish in other venues; they might speak a different scientific language and value an alien scientific culture. This paper presents a detailed analysis of success and failure of interdisciplinary papers--as manifested in the citations they receive. For 9.2 million interdisciplinary research papers published between 2000 and 2012 we show that the majority (69.9%) of co-cited interdisciplinary pairs are "win-win" relationships, i.e., papers that cite them have higher citation impact and there are as few as 3.3% "lose-lose" relationships. Papers citing references from subdisciplines positioned far apart (in the conceptual space of the UCSD map of science) attract the highest relative citation counts. The findings support the assumption that interdisciplinary research is more successful and leads to results greater than the sum of its disciplinary parts.

Education for Sustainable Development to Nurture Sensibility and Creativity: An Interdisciplinary Approach Based on Collaboration between "Kateika" (Japanese Home Economics), Art, and Music Departments in a Japanese Primary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ito, Yoko; Nakayama, Setsuko

2014-01-01

The objectives of the research reported in this article were to develop and evaluate an interdisciplinary primary school Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) curriculum as a collaboration among the subject areas of "kateika" (Japanese home economics), art, and music. In our curriculum, which focused on the improvement of…

BURECS: An Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Climate Science Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dennis, D. P.; Marchant, D. R.; Christ, A. J.; Ehrenfeucht, S.

2017-12-01

The current structure of many undergraduate programs, particularly those at large research universities, requires students to engage with a major or academic emphasis early in their university careers. This oftentimes curbs exploration outside the major and can inhibit interdisciplinary collaboration. The Boston University Research Education and Communication of Science (BURECS) program seeks to bridge this institutional divide by fostering interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration on climate change-related issues by students from across Boston University (B.U.). Every year, approximately fifteen first-year students from B.U.'s College of Arts and Sciences, College of Communication, and School of Education are selected to join BURECS, which includes a climate science seminar, a hands-on lab course, a supported summer internship with Boston-area researchers, and the opportunity to participate in Antarctic field work during subsequent B.U. Antarctic Research Group expeditions. Currently in its third year, BURECS is funded through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Professors Program.

"The era of single disease cowboys is out": evaluating the experiences of students, faculty, and collaborators in an interdisciplinary global health training program.

PubMed

Kalbarczyk, Anna; Martin, Nina A; Combs, Emily; Ward, Marie; Winch, Peter J

2018-03-01

Global Health is an inherently interdisciplinary field but overseas training in global health, particularly among health science institutions, has been an 'individual' or 'individual discipline' experience. Team-based training is an approach to global health education which is increasing in popularity; research on team-training demonstrates that teams are more productive than individuals. In 2015, the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health (CGH) developed the Global Established Multidisciplinary Sites (GEMS) program, an interdisciplinary training program which was designed to establish a new norm in global health training by bringing interdisciplinary teams of faculty and students together to identify and solve complex global health challenges. This research aims to evaluate the program's first year and contribute to the literature on interdisciplinary team training. We conducted 22 in-depth interviews with students, faculty, and local collaborators from 3 GEMS project sites. Findings were analyzed for themes through a framework approach. The program exposed students, faculty, and collaborators to a wide range of disciplines in global health. Students' desire to learn how other disciplines contribute to global health solutions was an important motivator for joining GEMS; many participants including faculty and collaborators valued exposure to multiple disciplines. Mentorship and communication were a challenge across all teams in part due to members having distinct "disciplinary languages". Balancing disciplinary representation on teams and establishing work plans were also key challenges. Based on the data the CGH provides four recommendations for institutions developing global health interdisciplinary teams to optimize team functioning and address challenges in mentorship, language, and roles: 1) address interdisciplinary communication early, 2) develop work plans during group formation, 3) meet as a team prior to travel, and 4) establish regular check ins. This article provides first-hand reflections on interdisciplinary team experiences in a global context and provides a pathway for the development of innovative strategies in global health training.

The Importance of Interdisciplinary Research Training and Community Dissemination

PubMed Central

Vessali, Misha; Pratt, Jacob A.; Watts, Samantha; Pratt, Janey S.; Raghavan, Preeti; DeSilva, Jeremy M.

2015-01-01

Abstract Funding agencies and institutions are creating initiatives to encourage interdisciplinary research that can be more easily translated into community initiatives to enhance health. Therefore, the current research environment calls for interdisciplinary education and skills to create sustained partnerships with community institutions. However, formalized opportunities in both of these areas are limited for students embarking on research careers. The purpose of this paper is to underscore the historical and current importance of providing interdisciplinary training and community dissemination for research students. We also suggest an approach to begin to address the existing gap. Specifically, we suggest embedding a 10‐week summer rotation into existing research curricula with the goals of: (1) providing students with a hands‐on interdisciplinary research experience, (2) facilitating dialogue between research students and community settings to disseminate science to the public, and (3) sparking collaborations among researchers who seek to create a way to sustain summer program rotations with grant funding. PMID:26508528

Riding Alone on the Elevator: A Class Experiment in Interdisciplinary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frank, Anna M.; Froese, Rebecca; Hof, Barbara C.; Scheffold, Maike I. E.; Schreyer, Felix; Zeller, Mathias; Rödder, Simone

2017-01-01

The ability to conduct interdisciplinary research is crucial to address complex real-world problems that require the collaboration of different scientific fields, with global warming being a case in point. To produce integrated climate-related knowledge, climate researchers should be trained early on to work across boundaries and gain an…

Online Interaction and "Real Information Flow": Contrasts between Talking about Interdisciplinarity and Achieving Interdisciplinary Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smithson, Janet; Hennessy, Catherine; Means, Robin

2012-01-01

In this article we study how members of an interdisciplinary research team use an online forum for communicating about their research project. We use the concepts of "community of practice" and "connectivity" to consider the online interaction within a wider question of how people from different academic traditions…

Toxicity of Nanoparticles to Brine Shrimp: An Introduction to Nanotoxicity and Interdisciplinary Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maurer-Jones, Melissa A.; Love, Sara A.; Meierhofer, Sharon; Marquis, Bryce J.; Liu, Zhen; Haynes, Christy L.

2013-01-01

Nanotoxicity is an area of intense research, stimulated by increased use of nanoparticles in commercially available products. Herein, using nanotoxicity as a platform, we describe an experiment that emphasizes interdisciplinary science in a collaborative work setting while expanding the traditional realm of chemistry and chemistry research.…

Interdisciplinary methods and practices for integrating social sciences into studies on catchment evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, G.

2017-12-01

Real world problems rarely regard disciplinary boundaries. This is particularly apparent in catchments, where knowledge and understanding from many different research disciplines is essential to address the water resource challenges facing society. People are an integral part of any catchment. Therefore a comprehensive understanding of catchment evolution needs to include the social system. Socio-hydrological models that can simulate the co-evolution of human-water systems, for example, with regards to floods and droughts, show great promise in their capacity to capture and understand such systems. Yet, to develop socio-hydrological models into more comprehensive analysis tools that adequately capture the social components of the system, researchers need to embrace interdisciplinary working and multi-disciplinary research teams. By exploring the development of interdisciplinary research in a water programme, several key practices have been identified that support interdisciplinary collaboration. These include clarification where researchers discuss and re-explain their research or position to expose all the assumptions being made until all involved understand it; harnessing differences where different opinions and types of knowledge are treated respectfully to minimise tensions and disputes; and boundary setting where defensible limits to the research enquiry are set with consideration for the restrictions (funds, skills, resources) through negotiation and discussion between the research team members. Focussing on these research practices while conducting interdisciplinary collaborative research into the human-water system, is anticipated to support the development of more integrated approaches and models.

Perspectives on the formation of an interdisciplinary research team.

PubMed

Dodson, M V; Guan, L L; Fernyhough, M E; Mir, P S; Bucci, L; McFarland, D C; Novakofski, J; Reecy, J M; Ajuwon, K M; Thompson, D P; Hausman, G J; Benson, M; Bergen, W G; Jiang, Z

2010-01-08

As research funding becomes more competitive, it will be imperative for researchers to break the mentality of a single laboratory/single research focus and develop an interdisciplinary research team aimed at addressing real world challenges. Members of this team may be at the same institution, may be found regionally, or may be international. However, all must share the same passion for a topic that is bigger than any individual's research focus. Moreover, special consideration should be given to the professional development issues of junior faculty participating in interdisciplinary research teams. While participation may be "humbling" at times, the sheer volume of research progress that may be achieved through interdisciplinary collaboration, even in light of a short supply of grant dollars, is remarkable. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Collaborative research in medical education: a discussion of theory and practice.

PubMed

O'Sullivan, Patricia S; Stoddard, Hugh A; Kalishman, Summers

2010-12-01

Medical education researchers are inherently collaborators. This paper presents a discussion of theoretical frameworks, issues and challenges around collaborative research to prepare medical education researchers to enter into successful collaborations. It gives emphasis to the conceptual issues associated with collaborative research and applies these to medical education research. Although not a systematic literature review, the paper provides a rich discussion of issues which medical education researchers might consider when undertaking collaborative studies. Building on the work of others, we have classified collaborative research in three dimensions according to: the number of administrative units represented; the number of academic fields present, and the manner in which knowledge is created. Although some literature on collaboration focuses on the more traditional positivist perspective and emphasises outcomes, other literature comes from the constructivist framework, in which research is not driven by hypotheses and the approaches emphasised, but by the interaction between investigator and subject. Collaborations are more effective when participants overtly clarify their motivations, values, definitions of appropriate data and accepted methodologies. These should be agreed upon prior to commencing a study. The way we currently educate researchers should be restructured if we want them to be able to undertake interdisciplinary research. Despite calls for researchers to be educated differently, most training programmes for developing researchers have demonstrated a limited, if not contrary, response to these calls. Collaborative research in medical education should be driven by the problem being investigated, by the new knowledge gained and by the interpersonal interactions that may be achieved. Success rests on recognising that many of the research problems we, as medical educators, address are fundamentally interdisciplinary in nature. This represents a transition to bridge the dichotomy often presented in medical education between theory building and addressing practical needs. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2010.

Perspectives of clinician and biomedical scientists on interdisciplinary health research.

PubMed

Laberge, Suzanne; Albert, Mathieu; Hodges, Brian D

2009-11-24

Interdisciplinary health research is a priority of many funding agencies. We surveyed clinician and biomedical scientists about their views on the value and funding of interdisciplinary health research. We conducted semistructured interviews with 31 biomedical and 30 clinician scientists. The scientists were selected from the 2000-2006 membership lists of peer-review committees of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. We investigated respondents' perspectives on the assumption that collaboration across disciplines adds value to health research. We also investigated their perspectives on funding agencies' growing support of interdisciplinary research. The 61 respondents expressed a wide variety of perspectives on the value of interdisciplinary health research, ranging from full agreement (22) to complete disagreement (11) that it adds value; many presented qualified viewpoints (28). More than one-quarter viewed funding agencies' growing support of interdisciplinary research as appropriate. Most (44) felt that the level of support was unwarranted. Arguments included the belief that current support leads to the creation of artificial teams and that a top-down process of imposing interdisciplinary structures on teams constrains scientists' freedom. On both issues we found contrasting trends between the clinician and the biomedical scientists. Despite having some positive views about the value of interdisciplinary research, scientists, especially biomedical scientists, expressed reservations about the growing support of interdisciplinary research.

Evidence and Interpretation in Language Learning Research: Opportunities for Collaboration with Computational Linguistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meurers, Detmar; Dickinson, Markus

2017-01-01

This article discusses two types of opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration between computational linguistics (CL) and language learning research. We target the connection between data and theory in second language (L2) research and highlight opportunities to (a) enrich the options for obtaining data and (b) support the identification…

What happens in the lab does not stay in the lab [corrected]: Applying midstream modulation to enhance critical reflection in the laboratory.

PubMed

Schuurbiers, Daan

2011-12-01

In response to widespread policy prescriptions for responsible innovation, social scientists and engineering ethicists, among others, have sought to engage natural scientists and engineers at the 'midstream': building interdisciplinary collaborations to integrate social and ethical considerations with research and development processes. Two 'laboratory engagement studies' have explored how applying the framework of midstream modulation could enhance the reflections of natural scientists on the socio-ethical context of their work. The results of these interdisciplinary collaborations confirm the utility of midstream modulation in encouraging both first- and second-order reflective learning. The potential for second-order reflective learning, in which underlying value systems become the object of reflection, is particularly significant with respect to addressing social responsibility in research practices. Midstream modulation served to render the socio-ethical context of research visible in the laboratory and helped enable research participants to more critically reflect on this broader context. While lab-based collaborations would benefit from being carried out in concert with activities at institutional and policy levels, midstream modulation could prove a valuable asset in the toolbox of interdisciplinary methods aimed at responsible innovation.

Knowledge sharing and collaboration in translational research, and the DC-THERA Directory

PubMed Central

Gündel, Michaela; Austyn, Jonathan M.; Cavalieri, Duccio; Scognamiglio, Ciro; Brandizi, Marco

2011-01-01

Biomedical research relies increasingly on large collections of data sets and knowledge whose generation, representation and analysis often require large collaborative and interdisciplinary efforts. This dimension of ‘big data’ research calls for the development of computational tools to manage such a vast amount of data, as well as tools that can improve communication and access to information from collaborating researchers and from the wider community. Whenever research projects have a defined temporal scope, an additional issue of data management arises, namely how the knowledge generated within the project can be made available beyond its boundaries and life-time. DC-THERA is a European ‘Network of Excellence’ (NoE) that spawned a very large collaborative and interdisciplinary research community, focusing on the development of novel immunotherapies derived from fundamental research in dendritic cell immunobiology. In this article we introduce the DC-THERA Directory, which is an information system designed to support knowledge management for this research community and beyond. We present how the use of metadata and Semantic Web technologies can effectively help to organize the knowledge generated by modern collaborative research, how these technologies can enable effective data management solutions during and beyond the project lifecycle, and how resources such as the DC-THERA Directory fit into the larger context of e-science. PMID:21969471

Interdisciplinary training in mathematical biology through team-based undergraduate research and courses.

PubMed

Miller, Jason E; Walston, Timothy

2010-01-01

Inspired by BIO2010 and leveraging institutional and external funding, Truman State University built an undergraduate program in mathematical biology with high-quality, faculty-mentored interdisciplinary research experiences at its core. These experiences taught faculty and students to bridge the epistemological gap between the mathematical and life sciences. Together they created the infrastructure that currently supports several interdisciplinary courses, an innovative minor degree, and long-term interdepartmental research collaborations. This article describes how the program was built with support from the National Science Foundation's Interdisciplinary Training for Undergraduates in Biology and Mathematics program, and it shares lessons learned that will help other undergraduate institutions build their own program.

Supporting Interdisciplinary Collaboration Through Reusable Free Software. A Research Student Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimech, C.

2013-12-01

In this contribution, I present a critical evaluation of my experience as a research student conducting an interdisciplinary project that bridges the world of geoscience with that of astronomy. The major challenge consists in studying and modifying existing geophysical software to work with synthetic solar data not obtained by direct measurement but useful for testing and evaluation, and data released from the satellite HINODE and the Solar Dynamics Observatory. I have been fortunate to collaborate closely with multiple geoscientists keen to share their software codes and help me understand their implementations so I can extend the methodology to solve problems in solar physics. Moreover, two additional experiences have helped me develop my research and collaborative skills. First was an opportunity to involve an undergraduate student, and secondly, my participation at the GNU Hackers Meeting in Paris. Three aspects that need particular attention to enhance the collective productivity of any group of individuals keen to extend existing codes to achieve further interdisciplinary goals have been identified. (1) The production of easily reusable code that users can study and modify even when large sets of computations are involved. (2) The transformation of solutions into tools that are 100% free software. (3) The harmonisation of collaborative interactions that effectively tackle the two aforementioned tasks. Each one will be discussed in detail during this session based on my experience as a research student.

Evaluating a Model of School-Based Health and Social Services: An Interdisciplinary Community-University Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bronstein, Laura R.; Anderson, Elizabeth; Terwilliger, Susan H.; Sager, Kristen

2012-01-01

The purpose of this article is to share results of an exploratory qualitative research study designed to shed light on experiences of an interdisciplinary group of elementary school staff and graduate students in a school-based services project. A researcher conducted 20 interviews with staff and graduate students who represented the fields of…

Social Network Analysis as an Analytic Tool for Task Group Research: A Case Study of an Interdisciplinary Community of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockhart, Naorah C.

2017-01-01

Group counselors commonly collaborate in interdisciplinary settings in health care, substance abuse, and juvenile justice. Social network analysis is a methodology rarely used in counseling research yet has potential to examine task group dynamics in new ways. This case study explores the scholarly relationships among 36 members of an…

Bodily Writing and Performative Inquiry: Inviting an Arts-Based Research Methodology into Collaborative Doctoral Research Vocabularies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buono, Alexia; Gonzalez, Charles H.

2017-01-01

In this article, the authors (then two doctoral students) describe their methodology of engaging in an interdisciplinary, collaborative doctoral arts-based research (ABR) project. Education and the arts were integrated utilizing dance methods of bodily writing and performative inquiry to strengthen the analysis of dissertation findings in the…

Collaboration, interdisciplinarity, and the epistemology of contemporary science.

PubMed

Andersen, Hanne

2016-04-01

Over the last decades, science has grown increasingly collaborative and interdisciplinary and has come to depart in important ways from the classical analyses of the development of science that were developed by historically inclined philosophers of science half a century ago. In this paper, I shall provide a new account of the structure and development of contemporary science based on analyses of, first, cognitive resources and their relations to domains, and second of the distribution of cognitive resources among collaborators and the epistemic dependence that this distribution implies. On this background I shall describe different ideal types of research activities and analyze how they differ. Finally, analyzing values that drive science towards different kinds of research activities, I shall sketch the main mechanisms underlying the perceived tension between disciplines and interdisciplinarity and argue for a redefinition of accountability and quality control for interdisciplinary and collaborative science. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Information professionals' participation in interdisciplinary research: a preliminary study of factors affecting successful collaborations.

PubMed

Lorenzetti, Diane L; Rutherford, Gayle

2012-12-01

This pilot study explores the conditions that support or hinder information professionals' participation in interdisciplinary research teams. We undertook a preliminary grounded theory study investigating factors that impact on information professionals' participation in interdisciplinary research. Four biomedical information professionals working in academic universities and teaching hospitals in Canada participated in semi-structured interviews. Grounded theory methods guided the data collection and analysis. Participants identified the conditions that support or hinder research participation as belonging to four distinct overlapping domains: client-level factors including preconceptions and researcher resistance; individual-level factors such as research readiness; opportunities that are most often made not found; and organisational supports. Creating willingness, building preparedness and capitalising on opportunity appear crucial to successful participation in interdisciplinary research. Further exploration of the importance of educational, collegial and organisational supports may reveal additional data to support the development of a grounded theory regarding the facilitation of information professionals' engagement in interdisciplinary research. © 2012 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2012 Health Libraries Group.

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry - University of Maryland,

Science.gov Websites

Access Analytical Facilities? New Labs Catalyze Chemistry Learning Inclusive & Interdisciplinary New Collaborative Research New Labs Catalyze Chemistry Learning Inclusive & Interdisciplinary New Molecule Shows Author's profile esj-lab New Labs Catalyze Chemistry Learning The Edward St. John Learning and Teaching

Anthropology and Geosciences: Training and Collaboration Advancing Interdisciplinary Research of Human-environment Interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brondizio, E.; Moran, E.

2005-05-01

Over the past thirteen years the Anthropological Center for Training and Research on Global Environmental Change (ACT) at Indiana University has pioneered the use of anthropological and environmental research approaches to address issues of land use change, and population-environment interaction, particularly in the Amazon. Our research and training objectives focus on how particular local populations manage resources and how those activities may be studied by integrating time-tested ethnographic methods, survey instruments, ecological field studies, and the spatial and temporal perspectives of remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems. The globalization of the environment crisis bears the risk of the research and training at universities being purely global or large scale in nature. This would fail to take into account the highly variable local causes of human activities or to discover sustainable solutions to the use, conservation, and restoration of human ecosystems. Our approach combines institutional and international collaboration, formal and hands-on laboratory and field activities developed within an interdisciplinary environment, but based on the strength of disciplinary programs. Over the past years, we have particularly emphasized collaboration between American and Brazilian scholars and students and intense work with local farmers and communities both during data collection and field research, as well as in returning data and results using different formats. In this paper, we address our experience, the challenges and advantages of theoretical and methodological development for students approaching interdisciplinary problems, innovations in linking levels of analysis, and new opportunities for international and collaborative training and research on human-environment interaction.

Bringing New Ph.D.s Together for Interdisciplinary Climate Change Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phelan, Liam; Jones, Holly; Marlon, Jennifer R.

2013-01-01

Climate change is complex and thus requires interdisciplinary research, and new scholars are rising to that challenge. The Dissertations Initiative for the Advancement of Climate Change Research (DISCCRS (pronounced "discourse"); see http://www.disccrs.org) brings together select groups of recent PhD graduates to encourage interdisciplinary work on climate change. The DISCCRS Symposium VII held just outside of Colorado Springs, Colo., brought together 33 graduates from fields as diverse as climatology, ecology, anthropology, and political science for an intensive week of cross-disciplinary engagement in activities like facilitation and leadership training, collaborative research development, peer networking, communication training, and analysis of working group processes.

Challenges and Opportunities in Interdisciplinary Materials Research Experiences for Undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vohra, Yogesh; Nordlund, Thomas

2009-03-01

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) offer a broad range of interdisciplinary materials research experiences to undergraduate students with diverse backgrounds in physics, chemistry, applied mathematics, and engineering. The research projects offered cover a broad range of topics including high pressure physics, microelectronic materials, nano-materials, laser materials, bioceramics and biopolymers, cell-biomaterials interactions, planetary materials, and computer simulation of materials. The students welcome the opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary team of basic science, engineering, and biomedical faculty but the challenge is in learning the key vocabulary for interdisciplinary collaborations, experimental tools, and working in an independent capacity. The career development workshops dealing with the graduate school application process and the entrepreneurial business activities were found to be most effective. The interdisciplinary university wide poster session helped student broaden their horizons in research careers. The synergy of the REU program with other concurrently running high school summer programs on UAB campus will also be discussed.

[Benchmarks for interdisciplinary health and social sciences research: contributions of a research seminar].

PubMed

Kivits, Joëlle; Fournier, Cécile; Mino, Jean-Christophe; Frattini, Marie-Odile; Winance, Myriam; Lefève, Céline; Robelet, Magali

2013-01-01

This article proposes a reflection on an interdisciplinary seminar, initiated by philosophy and sociology researchers and public health professionals. The objective of this seminar was to explore the mechanisms involved in setting up and conducting interdisciplinary research, by investigating the practical modalities of articulating health and human and social sciences research in order to more clearly understand the conditions, tensions and contributions of collaborative research. These questions were discussed on the basis of detailed analysis of four recent or current research projects. Case studies identified four typical epistemological or methodological issues faced by researchers in the fields of health and human and social sciences: institutional conditions and their effects on research; deconstruction of the object; the researcher's commitment in his/her field; the articulation of research methods. Three prerequisites for interdisciplinary research in social and human sciences and in health were identified: mutual questioning of research positions and fields of study; awareness of the tensions related to institutional positions and disciplinary affiliation; joint elaboration and exchanges between various types of knowledge to ensure an interdisciplinary approach throughout all of the research process.

Enhancing Interdisciplinary Human System Risk Research Through Modeling and Network Approaches

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mindock, Jennifer; Lumpkins, Sarah; Shelhamer, Mark

2015-01-01

NASA's Human Research Program (HRP) supports research to reduce human health and performance risks inherent in future human space exploration missions. Understanding risk outcomes and contributing factors in an integrated manner allows HRP research to support development of efficient and effective mitigations from cross-disciplinary perspectives, and to enable resilient human and engineered systems for spaceflight. The purpose of this work is to support scientific collaborations and research portfolio management by utilizing modeling for analysis and visualization of current and potential future interdisciplinary efforts.

Providing Opportunities for Interdisciplinary Research through Partnering two Undergraduate Research Programs: RESESS and SOARS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandya, R. E.; Eriksson, S. C.

2005-12-01

Undergraduate research provides a unique opportunity to explore scientifically novel questions, particularly those at the intersection of disciplines. This opportunity should be balanced with the need to provide the strong discipline-based training that undergraduate students require to continue their academic careers. This need for balance is especially acute for students from groups who are historically under-represented in geosciences; their status as minorities and women makes them especially vulnerable to the devaluing of their research if it isn't along traditional lines. Combining undergraduate research with a strong, diverse learning community is one way to balance the opportunity of interdisciplinary research with the need for depth of understanding in a field. In this model, students individually pursue focused research in partnership with a particular scientist as they work collaboratively across disciplines to prepare scientific papers, presentations, and posters to share the results of their research. Over time, programmatic success can even help insulate students from the risks of interdisciplinary work. Research Experience for Students in Solid Earth Science (RESESS) and Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Science (SOARS) implement this approach. SOARS is a program with a 10-year history in the atmospheric science; RESESS is a new program focused on Solid Earth Sciences. The two currently collaborate by merging their learning communities while maintaining distinct research focuses. While still in the pilot phase of partnering, initial discussions by the student participants indicate a growing awareness of potential for cross-disciplinary collaboration. In fact, two projects, both by graduate students who have participated for multiple summers, straddle the disciplines of geology and meteorology. One project characterized dust storms in the Southwest US using remote sensing, and a second project studied wind-driven migration of sand dunes on the Navajo Nation. Based on the RESESS/SOARS partnership in 2005 and plans for a three-year collaboration, we describe the ongoing process of navigating the partnership and developing a cohesive learning community. We also provide evidence of the growing acceptance of interdisciplinary research within the SOARS and RESESS students and the scientists who work with them.

Model collaboration: university library system and rehabilitation research team to advance telepractice knowledge.

PubMed

Deliyannides, Timothy S; Gabler, Vanessa

2012-01-01

This Publisher's Report describes the collaboration between a university library system's scholarly communication and publishing office and a federally funded research team, the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Telerehabilitation. This novel interdisciplinary collaboration engages librarians, information technologists, publishing professionals, clinicians, policy experts, and engineers and has produced a new Open Access journal, International Journal of Telerehabilitation, and a developing, interactive web-based product dedicated to disseminating information about telerehabilitation. Readership statistics are presented for March 1, 2011 - February 29, 2012.

Best practices and pearls in interdisciplinary mentoring from Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health Directors.

PubMed

Guise, Jeanne-Marie; Nagel, Joan D; Regensteiner, Judith G

2012-11-01

Increasingly, national programs and leaders are looking at interdisciplinary collaborations as essential to future research. Twelve years ago, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) developed and implemented the Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) K12 program to focus on interdisciplinary mentored career development for junior faculty in women's health research. We applied a mixed-methods approach using an electronic survey and in-person presentations and discussions to understand best practices and lessons learned for interdisciplinary mentoring across BIRCWH K12 program leaders. We received responses from all 29 active BIRCWH programs. Factors associated with success included ensuring sufficient protected time for regular (weekly or biweekly) mentoring; mentors promoting the research independence of the Scholar; a team mentoring approach, including career as well as content mentors; and explicit and clear expectations outlined between the Scholar and mentor. The majority of programs conduct formal evaluations of mentorship, and 79% of programs offer training in mentorship for either Scholars, mentors, or both. This article presents program leaders' best practices, challenges, and lessons learned from mentoring junior faculty who are conducting women's health research, whether basic, clinical, behavioral, translational, or health services research, using an interdisciplinary mentoring approach.

Best Practices and Pearls in Interdisciplinary Mentoring from Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health Directors

PubMed Central

Nagel, Joan D.; Regensteiner, Judith G.

2012-01-01

Abstract Background Increasingly, national programs and leaders are looking at interdisciplinary collaborations as essential to future research. Twelve years ago, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) developed and implemented the Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) K12 program to focus on interdisciplinary mentored career development for junior faculty in women's health research. Methods We applied a mixed-methods approach using an electronic survey and in-person presentations and discussions to understand best practices and lessons learned for interdisciplinary mentoring across BIRCWH K12 program leaders. Results and Conclusions We received responses from all 29 active BIRCWH programs. Factors associated with success included ensuring sufficient protected time for regular (weekly or biweekly) mentoring; mentors promoting the research independence of the Scholar; a team mentoring approach, including career as well as content mentors; and explicit and clear expectations outlined between the Scholar and mentor. The majority of programs conduct formal evaluations of mentorship, and 79% of programs offer training in mentorship for either Scholars, mentors, or both. This article presents program leaders' best practices, challenges, and lessons learned from mentoring junior faculty who are conducting women's health research, whether basic, clinical, behavioral, translational, or health services research, using an interdisciplinary mentoring approach. PMID:22994986

Seven Faculties in Search of a Mission: A Proposed Interdisciplinary Course on Water Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherchan, Samendra; Pasha, Fayzul; Weinman, Beth; Nelson, Fred L.; Sharma, Florence C.; Therkelsen, Jes; Drexler, David

2016-01-01

In this article we will describe the development of an interdisciplinary general education course focusing on water. As part of a faculty cohort charged with teaching and studying this topic, we considered a number of projects, including community outreach, teacher professional development, and collaborative research. We decided on an…

Games-Based Learning as an Interdisciplinary Approach to Literacy across Curriculum for Excellence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donnell, Hugh

2015-01-01

Literacy remains an area of concern in early secondary education in Scotland (ages 12-14), with recent research suggesting a continued decline in attainment levels. As literacy underpins learning, interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches to teaching literacy are now being emphasized through the new Curriculum for Excellence that aims to…

Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning: An Online Wiki Experience in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biasutti, Michele; EL-Deghaidy, Heba

2015-01-01

In the current research study the use of Wikis as an online didactic tool to apply project-based learning in higher education was reported. The study was conducted in university teacher education programmes. During the online activities, participants developed interdisciplinary projects for the primary school working collaboratively in small…

Playing the Interdisciplinary Game across Education-Medical Education Boundaries: Sites of Knowledge, Collaborative Identities and Methodological Innovations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timmis, Sue; Williams, Jane

2017-01-01

This paper aims to interrogate the potential and challenges in interdisciplinary working across disciplinary boundaries by examining a longitudinal partnership designed to research student experiences of digital technologies in undergraduate medicine established by the authors of this paper (one from Education and the other from Medical…

Building dialogues between clinical and biomedical research through cross-species collaborations.

PubMed

Chao, Hsiao-Tuan; Liu, Lucy; Bellen, Hugo J

2017-10-01

Today, biomedical science is equipped with an impressive array of technologies and genetic resources that bolster our basic understanding of fundamental biology and enhance the practice of modern medicine by providing clinicians with a diverse toolkit to diagnose, prognosticate, and treat a plethora of conditions. Many significant advances in our understanding of disease mechanisms and therapeutic interventions have arisen from fruitful dialogues between clinicians and biomedical research scientists. However, the increasingly specialized scientific and medical disciplines, globalization of science and technology, and complex datasets often hinder the development of effective interdisciplinary collaborations between clinical medicine and biomedical research. The goal of this review is to provide examples of diverse strategies to enhance communication and collaboration across diverse disciplines. First, we discuss examples of efforts to foster interdisciplinary collaborations at institutional and multi-institutional levels. Second, we explore resources and tools for clinicians and research scientists to facilitate effective bi-directional dialogues. Third, we use our experiences in neurobiology and human genetics to highlight how communication between clinical medicine and biomedical research lead to effective implementation of cross-species model organism approaches to uncover the biological underpinnings of health and disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advancing the Interdisciplinary Collaborative Health Team Model: Applying Democratic Professionalism, Implementation Science, and Therapeutic Alliance to Enact Social Justice Practice.

PubMed

Murphy, Nancy

2015-01-01

This essay reframes the interdisciplinary collaborative health team model by proposing the application of 3 foundational pillars-democratic professionalism, implementation science, and therapeutic alliance to advance this practice. The aim was to address challenges to the model, enhance their functional capacity, and explicate and enact social justice practices to affect individual health outcomes while simultaneously addressing health inequities. The pillars are described and examples from the author's dissertation research illustrate how the pillars were used to bring about action. Related theories, models, and frameworks that have negotiation, capacity building, collaboration, and knowledge/task/power sharing as central concepts are presented under each of the pillars.

Alliance for NanoHealth (ANH) Training Program for the development of future generations of interdisciplinary scientists and collaborative research focused upon the advancement of nanomedicine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gorenstein, David

The objectives of this program are to promote the mission of the Department of Energy (DOE) Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) Program by recruiting students to science and engineering disciplines with the intent of mentoring and supporting the next generation of scientists; to foster interdisciplinary and collaborative research under the sponsorship of ANH for the discovery and design of nano-based materials and devices with novel structures, functions, and properties; and to prepare a diverse work force of scientists, engineers, and clinicians by utilizing the unique intellectual and physical resources to develop novel nanotechnology paradigms for clinical application.

Sciologer: Visualizing and Exploring Scientific Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bales, Michael Eliot

2009-01-01

Despite the recognized need to increase interdisciplinary collaboration, there are few information resources available to provide researchers with an overview of scientific communities--topics under investigation by various groups, and patterns of collaboration among groups. The tools that are available are designed for expert social network…

Strategies for effective collaborative manuscript development in interdisciplinary science teams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oliver, Samantha K.; Fergus, C. Emi; Skaff, Nicholas K.; Wagner, Tyler; Tan, Pang-Ning; Cheruvelil, Kendra Spence; Soranno, Patricia A.

2018-01-01

Science is increasingly being conducted in large, interdisciplinary teams. As team size increases, challenges can arise during manuscript development, where achieving one team goal (e.g., inclusivity) may be in direct conflict with other goals (e.g., efficiency). Here, we present strategies for effective collaborative manuscript development that draw from our experiences in an interdisciplinary science team writing collaborative manuscripts for six years. These strategies are rooted in six guiding principles that were important to our team: to create a transparent, inclusive, and accountable research team that promotes and protects team members who have less power to influence decision‐making while fostering creativity and productivity. To help alleviate the conflicts that can arise in collaborative manuscript development, we present the following strategies: understand your team composition, create an authorship policy and discuss authorship early and often, openly announce manuscript ideas, identify and communicate the type of manuscript and lead author management style, and document and describe authorship contributions. These strategies can help reduce the probability of group conflict, uphold individual and team values, achieve fair authorship practices, and increase science productivity.

Interdisciplinary research has consistently lower funding success.

PubMed

Bromham, Lindell; Dinnage, Russell; Hua, Xia

2016-06-30

Interdisciplinary research is widely considered a hothouse for innovation, and the only plausible approach to complex problems such as climate change. One barrier to interdisciplinary research is the widespread perception that interdisciplinary projects are less likely to be funded than those with a narrower focus. However, this commonly held belief has been difficult to evaluate objectively, partly because of lack of a comparable, quantitative measure of degree of interdisciplinarity that can be applied to funding application data. Here we compare the degree to which research proposals span disparate fields by using a biodiversity metric that captures the relative representation of different fields (balance) and their degree of difference (disparity). The Australian Research Council's Discovery Programme provides an ideal test case, because a single annual nationwide competitive grants scheme covers fundamental research in all disciplines, including arts, humanities and sciences. Using data on all 18,476 proposals submitted to the scheme over 5 consecutive years, including successful and unsuccessful applications, we show that the greater the degree of interdisciplinarity, the lower the probability of being funded. The negative impact of interdisciplinarity is significant even when number of collaborators, primary research field and type of institution are taken into account. This is the first broad-scale quantitative assessment of success rates of interdisciplinary research proposals. The interdisciplinary distance metric allows efficient evaluation of trends in research funding, and could be used to identify proposals that require assessment strategies appropriate to interdisciplinary research.

Interdisciplinary research produces results in understanding planetary dunes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Titus, Timothy N.; Hayward, Rosalyn K.; Dinwiddie, Cynthia L.

2012-01-01

Third International Planetary Dunes Workshop: Remote Sensing and Image Analysis of Planetary Dunes; Flagstaff, Arizona, 12–16 June 2012. This workshop, the third in a biennial series, was convened as a means of bringing together terrestrial and planetary researchers from diverse backgrounds with the goal of fostering collaborative interdisciplinary research. The small-group setting facilitated intensive discussions of many problems associated with aeolian processes on Earth, Mars, Venus, Titan, Triton, and Pluto. The workshop produced a list of key scientifc questions about planetary dune felds.

Teaching an Interdisciplinary Graduate-Level Methods Course in an Openly-Networked Connected Learning Environment: A Glass Half-Full

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Secret, Mary; Bryant, Nita L.; Cummings, Cory R.

2017-01-01

Our paper describes the design and delivery of an online interdisciplinary social science research methods course (ISRM) for graduate students in sociology, education, social work, and public administration. Collaborative activities and learning took place in two types of computer-mediated learning environments: a closed Blackboard course…

Introduction: the Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative.

PubMed

Naylor, Mary D; Lustig, Adam; Kelley, Heather J; Volpe, Ellen M; Melichar, Lori; Pauly, Mark V

2013-04-01

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation launched the Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative (INQRI) program in 2005 to generate, disseminate, and translate research to understand how nurses contribute to and can improve patient care quality. This special edition of Medical Care provides an overview of the program's strategy, goals, and impact, highlighting cross-cutting issues addressed by the initiative. INQRI's leadership and select grantees discuss the implications of a collection of studies on the following: advances in the science of nursing's contribution to quality, measurement of quality, interdisciplinary collaboration, implementation methodology, dissemination and translation of findings, and the business case for nursing. A comprehensive review of the scholarly literature published in 2004 and 2009 found that the evidence linking nursing to quality of care has grown. The second paper discusses INQRI's work on measurement of quality of care, revealing the need for additional comprehensive measures. The third paper examines INQRI's focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, finding that it can enhance methodological approaches and result in substantive changes in health delivery systems. The fourth paper presents methodological challenges faced in health care implementation, emphasizing the need for standardized terms and research designs. The fifth paper addresses INQRI's commitment to translating research into practice, illustrating dissemination strategies and lessons learned. The final paper discusses how the INQRI program has contributed to the current evidence regarding the business case for nursing. This supplement describes the accomplishments of the INQRI program, discusses current issues in research design and implementation, and places INQRI research within the larger context regarding advances in nursing science.

UZIG USGS research: Advances through interdisciplinary interaction

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nimmo, J.R.; Andraski, Brian J.; Rafael, M.-C.

2009-01-01

BBecause vadose zone research relates to diverse disciplines, applications, and modes of research, collaboration across traditional operational and topical divisions is especially likely to yield major advances in understanding. The Unsaturated Zone Interest Group (UZIG) is an informal organization sponsored by the USGS to encourage and support interdisciplinary collaboration in vadose or unsaturated zone hydrologic research across organizational boundaries. It includes both USGS and non-USGS scientists. Formed in 1987, the UZIG operates to promote communication, especially through periodic meetings with presentations, discussions, and field trips. The 10th meeting of the UZIG at Los Alamos, NM, in August 2007 was jointly sponsored by the USGS and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Presentations at this meeting served as the initial basis for selecting papers for this special section of Vadose Zone Journal, the purpose of which is to present noteworthy cutting-edge unsaturated zone research promoted by, facilitated by, or presented in connection with the UZIG.

The IS-GEO RCN: Fostering Collaborations for Intelligent Systems Research to Support Geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gil, Y.; Pierce, S. A.

2016-12-01

Geoscience problems are complex and often involve data that changes across space and time. Frequently geoscience knowledge and understanding provides valuable information and insight for problems related to energy, water, climate, mineral resources, and our understanding of how the Earth evolves through time. Simultaneously, many grand challenges in the geosciences cannot be addressed without the aid of computational support and innovations. Intelligent and Information Systems (IS) research includes a broad range of computational methods and topics such as knowledge representation, information integration, machine learning, robotics, adaptive sensors, and intelligent interfaces. IS research has a very important role to play in accelerating the speed of scientific discovery in geosciences and thus in solving challenges in geosciences. Many aspects of geosciences (GEO) research pose novel open problems for intelligent systems researchers. To develop intelligent systems with sound knowledge of theory and practice, it is important that GEO and IS experts collaborate. The EarthCube Research Coordination Network for Intelligent Systems for Geosciences (IS-GEO RCN) represents an emerging community of interdisciplinary researchers producing fundamental new capabilities for understanding Earth systems. Furthermore, the educational component aims to identify new approaches to teaching students in this new interdisciplinary area, seeking to raise a new generation of scientists that are better able to apply IS methods and tools to geoscience challenges of the future. By providing avenues for IS and GEO researchers to work together, the IS-GEO RCN will serve as both a point of contact, as well as an avenue for educational outreach across the disciplines for the nascent community of research and practice. The initial efforts are focused on connecting the communities in ways that help researchers understand opportunities and challenges that can benefit from IS-GEO collaborations. The IS-GEO RCN will jumpstart interdisciplinary research collaborations in this emerging new area so that progress across both disciplines can be accelerated.

A scoping review of interdisciplinary collaboration in addictions education and training.

PubMed

Broyles, Lauren M; Conley, James W; Harding, John D; Gordon, Adam J

2013-01-01

Developing a workforce of multidisciplinary healthcare professionals equipped with the knowledge and skills to collaboratively address the public health crisis of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use is critical for effectively identifying, preventing, and managing AOD conditions and their sequelae. Despite general enthusiasm for interdisciplinary education and training, little is known overall about the nature and outcomes of interdisciplinary collaboration in addictions education and training. We conducted a five-stage scoping review of the literature to provide an eight domain overview of the state of interdisciplinary collaboration in addictions education (ICAE). In our final review of 30 articles, we identified a lack of conceptual and terminological clarity around ICAE but a wide range of learners and professional collaborators in ICAE initiatives, which focused on a variety of AOD topics and used a constellation of didactic, interactive, and service-learning teaching strategies and formats. Although we found limited substantive educational or practice-oriented outcomes available for ICAE initiatives, learner and faculty feedback reflected high enthusiasm for ICAE and widespread perceptions of benefit for improved clinical care. Facilitators and barriers to the implementation of ICAE initiatives occurred at the level of the individual and the institution and ranged from pragmatic to conceptual. Emerging trends in ICAE initiatives included increased application of learning and implementation theory and extension of ICAE into research training. We conclude with recommendations to support ICAE as a new paradigm for addictions education for all health professionals.

Mentoring interdisciplinary research teams for the study of sex and gender differences in health and disease.

PubMed

Miller, Virginia M; Bahn, Rebecca S

2013-09-01

Initiatives to hasten the translation of basic science discoveries to clinical care have necessitated the development of new approaches to interdisciplinary collaboration and training of future investigators. This has been nowhere more important than in the study of sex differences with implications for extension into areas of gender medicine. Clearly, gaining better understanding of the role that sex and gender play in health and disease is essential to the implementation of truly individualized medicine. This case report will describe our experiences in developing the Mayo Clinic Building Interdisciplinary Research Programs in Women's Health (BIRCWH) program, an interdisciplinary research and training program in women's health and sex and gender differences. We identify both our successes and the barriers we have encountered in order that others who are developing similar programs might benefit from our experiences.

The decline in vitamin research funding: a missed opportunity?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: The National Nutrition Research Roadmap has called for support of greater collaborative, interdisciplinary research for multiple areas of nutrition research. However, a substantial reduction in federal funding makes responding to these calls challenging. The objective of this study was t...

Mapping the audit traces of interdisciplinary collaboration: bridging and blending between choreography and cognitive science.

PubMed

Barnard, Philip; deLahunta, Scott

2017-01-01

Two long-term sci-art research projects are described and positioned in the broader conceptual landscape of interdisciplinary collaboration. Both projects were aimed at understanding and augmenting choreographic decision-making and both were grounded in research conducted within a leading contemporary dance company. In each case, the work drew upon methods and theory from the cognitive sciences, and both had a direct impact on the way in which the company made new work. In the synthesis presented here the concept of an audit trace is introduced. Audit traces identify how specific classes of knowledge are used and transformed not only within the arts or sciences but also when arts practice is informed by science or when arts practice informs science.

Organizing complexity: the hopeful dreams and harsh realities of interdisciplinary collaboration at the rand corporation in the early cold war.

PubMed

Bessner, Daniel

2015-01-01

Historians argue that in the early Cold War an interdisciplinary research culture defined the RAND Corporation. However, a significant epistemological gap divided the members of RAND's Social Science Division (SSD) from the rest of the organization. While the social scientists used qualitative methods, most RAND researchers embraced quantified approaches and derided the social sciences as unscientific. This encouraged RAND's social scientists to develop a political-military simulation that embraced everything-politics, culture, and psychology-that RAND's other analysts largely ignored. Yet the fact that the SSD embraced gaming, a heuristic practiced throughout RAND, suggests that the political simulation was nonetheless inspired by social scientists' engagement with their colleagues. This indicates that the concept of interdisciplinarity should move beyond its implication of collaboration to incorporate instances in which research agendas are defined against but also shaped by colleagues in other disciplines. Such a rethinking of the term may make it possible to trace how varieties of interdisciplinary interaction historically informed knowledge production. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Interdisciplinary Laboratory Course Facilitating Knowledge Integration, Mutualistic Teaming, and Original Discovery.

PubMed

Full, Robert J; Dudley, Robert; Koehl, M A R; Libby, Thomas; Schwab, Cheryl

2015-11-01

Experiencing the thrill of an original scientific discovery can be transformative to students unsure about becoming a scientist, yet few courses offer authentic research experiences. Increasingly, cutting-edge discoveries require an interdisciplinary approach not offered in current departmental-based courses. Here, we describe a one-semester, learning laboratory course on organismal biomechanics offered at our large research university that enables interdisciplinary teams of students from biology and engineering to grow intellectually, collaborate effectively, and make original discoveries. To attain this goal, we avoid traditional "cookbook" laboratories by training 20 students to use a dozen research stations. Teams of five students rotate to a new station each week where a professor, graduate student, and/or team member assists in the use of equipment, guides students through stages of critical thinking, encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, and moves them toward authentic discovery. Weekly discussion sections that involve the entire class offer exchange of discipline-specific knowledge, advice on experimental design, methods of collecting and analyzing data, a statistics primer, and best practices for writing and presenting scientific papers. The building of skills in concert with weekly guided inquiry facilitates original discovery via a final research project that can be presented at a national meeting or published in a scientific journal. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

CBE Faculty and Staff

Science.gov Websites

About Us Research Staff Edward Arens Fred Bauman Gail Brager Darryl Dickerhoff Ali Ghahramani Uhl Zhe Wang Tom Webster Hui Zhang Research Affiliates Student Researchers Visiting Scholars Industry interdisciplinary group based in several academic departments, who collaborate regularly on research to improve the

Notes from the beginning of time

PubMed Central

Sidman, Murray

2002-01-01

Some remembrances of things past, and their possible relevance to things now. These remembrances include notes about informality, research as a social process, student training and evaluation, research grants, thesis and dissertation proposals, and interdisciplinary collaboration. PMID:22478373

Multidisciplinary, Interdisciplinary, and Transdisciplinary Collaboration: Implications for Vocational Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collin, Audrey

2009-01-01

The literature on interdisciplinarity identifies several forms of collaboration: multidisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and interdisciplinary (as bridge building or integration). To assist vocational psychology translate its interdisciplinary discourse into action, this paper uses that literature to identify the benefits, challenges and conditions…

A Classification Scheme for Therapeutic Recreation Research Grounded in the Rehabilitative Sciences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shank, J. W.; And Others

1996-01-01

Presents therapeutic recreation (TR) research according to a model from the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research to guide research on disability, rehabilitation, and quality of life for persons with disabilities. Suggests that disseminating TR research can stimulate interdisciplinary collaboration and support inclusion of TR…

Developing human functioning and rehabilitation research. Part II: Interdisciplinary university centers and national and regional collaboration networks.

PubMed

Stucki, Gerold; Celio, Marco

2007-05-01

There is a strong movement towards interdisciplinary research around common and scientifically competitive themes, both at universities and at the national and regional level. Human functioning and rehabilitation is a new, highly innovative and relevant theme. It has the potential to attract researchers from a wide range of disciplines, institutions and organizations. It is thus of interest for universities seeking to embark upon a new and unique research area. Similarly, it is a promising theme for individual researchers, institutions and organizations aiming to develop a national or regional collaboration network for interdisciplinary research. Human functioning and rehabilitation complements established themes from the biomedical perspective. In the context of the life sciences, it can be seen as an extension of the biosciences towards a comprehensive understanding of human life, including human interaction and communication, against the background of the natural and social environment. Based on a better understanding of human functioning and disability, there is a wide range of largely unexplored possibilities to optimize populations' functioning and minimize persons' experience of disability in the presence of a health condition. Rehabilitation research is uniquely positioned to integrate and translate scientific advances into benefits for people and the society. Rehabilitation research from the comprehensive perspective can thus become a catalyst of interdisciplinary research that crosses the boundaries of the natural sciences and engineering research, the human and behavioral sciences, the social sciences and a wide range of related scientific areas. Rehabilitation research is also uniquely positioned to cross the boundaries of medicine and the health sector at large, and to translate knowledge across sectors including education, labor and social affairs.

Bridging different perspectives of the physiological and mathematical disciplines.

PubMed

Batzel, Jerry Joseph; Hinghofer-Szalkay, Helmut; Kappel, Franz; Schneditz, Daniel; Kenner, Thomas; Goswami, Nandu

2012-12-01

The goal of this report is to discuss educational approaches for bridging the different perspectives of the physiological and mathematical disciplines. These approaches can enhance the learning experience for physiology, medical, and mathematics students and simultaneously act to stimulate mathematical/physiological/clinical interdisciplinary research. While physiology education incorporates mathematics, via equations and formulas, it does not typically provide a foundation for interdisciplinary research linking mathematics and physiology. Here, we provide insights and ideas derived from interdisciplinary seminars involving mathematicians and physiologists that have been conducted over the last decade. The approaches described here can be used as templates for giving physiology and medical students insights into how sophisticated tools from mathematics can be applied and how the disciplines of mathematics and physiology can be integrated in research, thereby fostering a foundation for interdisciplinary collaboration. These templates are equally applicable to linking mathematical methods with other life and health sciences in the educational process.

Online Course Model that Fosters Interdisciplinary Collaboration Among Graduate Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

deCharon, A.; Repa, J. T.; Companion, C. J.; Taylor, L.

2016-02-01

First piloted in Fall 2014, "Broaden the Impacts of Your Research" is a fully asynchronous (i.e., no live or scheduled sessions) online graduate course. This two-credit offering was designed in response to evaluation data from 73 graduate students who participated in four National Science Foundation-funded workshops (deCharon et al., 2013). As a community of practice, students from various scientific disciplines learn about communication and collaboration skills, practice these skills by developing a portfolio of products, and provide feedback on their classmates' products. The course is organized into four sections during the 14-week semester, each with its own set of objectives including: assessing and reducing jargon; engaging in interdisciplinary collaboration; understanding non-scientist audiences' needs; and deconstructing science and connecting to society. The course's quality was assessed through a review of its design by an external evaluator who also gauged its overall efficacy by comparing students' weekly blog posts with the course's goals and objectives. Effectiveness was also evaluated based on students' data from post-semester surveys. Based on these analyses, it has been determined that the course is most appropriate for students who have conducted their initial research and are preparing to communicate it to others and seek additional funding. It exposes students to communications experts through video guest lectures, and it fosters interdisciplinary online collaboration. Participants benefit from employing a variety of online tools to examine and clarify thinking about their own research. Given that the course is online and 100% asynchronous, it is highly flexible and could potentially serve students worldwide. This presentation will focus on the design of "Broaden the Impacts of Your Research," provide evaluation results from both cohorts (i.e., Fall 2014, Fall 2015), and discuss its transferability to other universities or professional societies.

Impact of Collaborative Project-Based Learning on Self-Efficacy of Urban Minority Students in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Pearl; Hernandez, Anthony; Dong, Jane

2015-01-01

This paper presents an interdisciplinary research project that studies the impact of collaborative project-based learning (CPBL) on the development of self-efficacy of students from various ethnic groups in an undergraduate senior-level computer networking class. Grounded in social constructivist and situated theories of learning, the study…

Yoga and Physical Rehabilitation Medicine: A Research Partnership in Integrative Care

PubMed Central

Middleton, KR; Acevedo, AT; Dietz, L; Brandon, Z; Andrade, R; Wallen, GR

2014-01-01

Mind-body interventions, such as yoga, that teach stress management with physical activity may be well suited for investigation in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. In order to be considered as viable care options integrative studies need to offer a comprehensive design and include clinicians familiar with the disease process of the study populations. A review of the literature reveals a dearth of information related to the collaboration between yoga and physical rehabilitation medicine. This article discusses the collaboration with physical rehabilitation medicine to collect relevant pre- and post-intervention measures for an on-going pilot acceptability/feasibility yoga study for minority patients with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. An interdisciplinary clinical research team selected psychosocial and physical measures for a community sample of bilingual minority patients, not typically identified as practicing yoga. Sixteen female adults aged 40–63 years (mean =51) completed baseline physical assessments using single leg stance, functional reach test, time up and go test, timed up from the floor test and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand measures. Baseline values show an average level of functional ability prior to beginning the intervention. Preliminary results indicate some improvement; however, selected measures may not have the sensitivity and specificity needed to identify significant change. In this study, combining interdisciplinary perspectives enhanced the quality of the research study design. The experience of this interdisciplinary clinical research team opens the discussion for future collaborations. PMID:24765541

ARCUS Project Managers and the Intangible Infrastructure of Large Interdisciplinary Arctic Research Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myers, B.; Wiggins, H. V.; Turner-Bogren, E. J.; Warburton, J.

2017-12-01

Project Managers at the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) lead initiatives to convene, communicate with, and connect the Arctic research community across challenging disciplinary, geographic, temporal, and cultural boundaries. They regularly serve as the organizing hubs, archivists and memory-keepers for collaborative projects comprised of many loosely affiliated partners. As leading organizers of large open science meetings and other outreach events, they also monitor the interdisciplinary landscape of community needs, concerns, opportunities, and emerging research directions. However, leveraging the ARCUS Project Manager role to strategically build out the intangible infrastructure necessary to advance Arctic research requires a unique set of knowledge, skills, and experience. Drawing on a range of lessons learned from past and ongoing experiences with collaborative science, education and outreach programming, this presentation will highlight a model of ARCUS project management that we believe works best to support and sustain our community in its long-term effort to conquer the complexities of Arctic research.

Building Interdisciplinary Research Models Through Interactive Education.

PubMed

Hessels, Amanda J; Robinson, Brian; O'Rourke, Michael; Begg, Melissa D; Larson, Elaine L

2015-12-01

Critical interdisciplinary research skills include effective communication with diverse disciplines and cultivating collaborative relationships. Acquiring these skills during graduate education may foster future interdisciplinary research quality and productivity. The project aim was to develop and evaluate an interactive Toolbox workshop approach within an interprofessional graduate level course to enhance student learning and skill in interdisciplinary research. We sought to examine the student experience of integrating the Toolbox workshop in modular format over the duration of a 14-week course. The Toolbox Health Sciences Instrument includes six modules that were introduced in a 110-minute dialogue session during the first class and then integrated into the course in a series of six individual workshops in three phases over the course of the semester. Seventeen students participated; the majority were nursing students. Three measures were used to assess project outcomes: pre-post intervention Toolbox survey, competency self-assessment, and a postcourse survey. All measures indicated the objectives were met by a change in survey responses, improved competencies, and favorable experience of the Toolbox modular intervention. Our experience indicates that incorporating this Toolbox modular approach into research curricula can enhance individual level scientific capacity, future interdisciplinary research project success, and ultimately impact on practice and policy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mapping the audit traces of interdisciplinary collaboration: bridging and blending between choreography and cognitive science

PubMed Central

Barnard, Philip; deLahunta, Scott

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Two long-term sci–art research projects are described and positioned in the broader conceptual landscape of interdisciplinary collaboration. Both projects were aimed at understanding and augmenting choreographic decision-making and both were grounded in research conducted within a leading contemporary dance company. In each case, the work drew upon methods and theory from the cognitive sciences, and both had a direct impact on the way in which the company made new work. In the synthesis presented here the concept of an audit trace is introduced. Audit traces identify how specific classes of knowledge are used and transformed not only within the arts or sciences but also when arts practice is informed by science or when arts practice informs science. PMID:29308084

Interdiscplinary team processes within an in-home service delivery organization.

PubMed

Gantert, Thomas W; McWilliam, Carol L

2004-01-01

Interdisciplinary teamwork is particularly difficult to achieve in the community context where geographical separateness and solo practices impede face to face contact and collaborative practice. Understanding the processes that occur within interdisciplinary teams is imperative, since client outcomes are influenced by interdisciplinary teamwork. The purpose of this exploratory study was to describe the processes that occur within interdisciplinary teams that deliver in-home care. Applying grounded theory methodology, the researcher conducted unstructured in-depth interviews with a purposeful sample of healthcare providers and used constant comparative analysis to elicit the findings. Findings revealed three key team processes: networking, navigating, and aligning. The descriptions afford several insights that are applicable to in-home healthcare agencies attempting to achieve effective interdisciplinary team functioning.

The Golden Age of Radio: Solid State's Debt to the Rad Lab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Joseph D.

2011-03-01

While MIT's Radiation Laboratory is rightly celebrated for its contributions to World War II radar research, its legacy extended beyond the war. The Rad Lab provided a model for interdisciplinary collaboration that continued to influence research at MIT in the post-war decades. The Rad Lab's institutional legacy--MIT's interdepartmental laboratories--drove the Institute's postwar research agenda. This talk examines how solid state physics research at MIT was shaped by a laboratory structure that encouraged cross-disciplinary collaboration. As the sub-discipline of solid state physics emerged through the late-1940s and 1950s, MIT was unique among universities in its laboratory structure, made possible by a large degree of government and military funding. Nonetheless, the manner in which MIT research groups from physics, chemistry, engineering, and metallurgy interfaced through the medium of solid state physics exemplified how the discipline of solid state physics came to be structured in the rest of the country. Through examining the Rad Lab's institutional legacy, I argue that World War II radar research, by establishing precedent for a particular mode of interdisciplinary collaboration, shaped the future structure of solid state research in the United States. Research supported by a grant-in-aid from the Friends of the Center for the History of Physics, American Institute of Physics.

Establishment of a Graduate Certificate Program in Biobased Industrial Products – Final Technical Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

John R. Schlup

2005-11-04

A certificate of graduate studies in Biobased Industrial Products is to be established at Kansas State University (KSU) along with the development of a similar program at Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS. At KSU, the program of study will be coordinated through the steering committee of the Agricultural Products Utilization Forum (APUF); the certificate of graduate studies will be awarded through the Graduate School of Kansas State University. This certificate will establish an interdisciplinary program of study that will: (1) ensure participating students receive a broad education in several disciplines related to Biobased Industrial Products, (2) provide a documented coursemore » of study for students preferring a freestanding certificate program, and (3) provide a paradigm shift in student awareness away from petroleum-based feedstocks to the utilization of renewable resources for fuels and chemical feedstocks. The academic program described herein will accomplish this goal by: (1) providing exposure to several academic disciplines key to Biobased Industrial Products; (2) improving university/industry collaboration through an external advisory board, distance learning opportunities, and student internships; (3) expanding the disciplines represented on the students' supervisory committee; (4) establishing a seminar series on Biobased Industrial Products that draws upon expert speakers representing several disciplines; and (5) increasing collaboration between disciplines. Numerous research programs emphasizing Biobased Industrial Products currently exist at KSU and PSU. The certificate of graduate studies, the emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration within the students? thesis research, the proposed seminar series, and formation of an industrial advisory board will: (1) provide an interdisciplinary academic experience that spans several departments, four colleges, four research centers, and two universities; (2) tangibly promote collaboration between KSU and PSU; (3) catalyze involvement of plant geneticists with researchers active in the development and utilization of biobased industrial products; and, (4) promote university/industry collaboration.« less

Perspectives on Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ülkü, M. Ali; Karkowski, Andrea M.; Lahm, Terry D.

2018-01-01

Undergraduate Research (UR) provides deeper experiential learning opportunities for students while increasing their self-efficacy, academic success and motivation to pursue graduate studies. Many real-world problems require an integrated solution and collaboration across different disciplines; therefore, it is important that students develop…

Interdisciplinary development of manual and automated product usability assessments for older adults with dementia: lessons learned.

PubMed

Boger, Jennifer; Taati, Babak; Mihailidis, Alex

2016-10-01

The changes in cognitive abilities that accompany dementia can make it difficult to use everyday products that are required to complete activities of daily living. Products that are inherently more usable for people with dementia could facilitate independent activity completion, thus reducing the need for caregiver assistance. The objectives of this research were to: (1) gain an understanding of how water tap design impacted tap usability and (2) create an automated computerized tool that could assess tap usability. 27 older adults, who ranged from cognitively intact to advanced dementia, completed 1309 trials on five tap designs. Data were manually analyzed to investigate tap usability as well as used to develop an automated usability analysis tool. Researchers collaborated to modify existing techniques and to create novel ones to accomplish both goals. This paper presents lessons learned through the course of this research, which could be applicable in the development of other usability studies, automated vision-based assessments and the development of assistive technologies for cognitively impaired older adults. Collaborative interdisciplinary teamwork, which included older adult with dementia participants, was key to enabling innovative advances that achieved the projects' research goals. Implications for Rehabilitation Products that are implicitly familiar and usable by older adults could foster independent activity completion, potentially reducing reliance on a caregiver. The computer-based automated tool can significantly reduce the time and effort required to perform product usability analysis, making this type of analysis more feasible. Interdisciplinary collaboration can result in a more holistic understanding of assistive technology research challenges and enable innovative solutions.

Understanding life together: A brief history of collaboration in biology

PubMed Central

Vermeulen, Niki; Parker, John N.; Penders, Bart

2013-01-01

The history of science shows a shift from single-investigator ‘little science’ to increasingly large, expensive, multinational, interdisciplinary and interdependent ‘big science’. In physics and allied fields this shift has been well documented, but the rise of collaboration in the life sciences and its effect on scientific work and knowledge has received little attention. Research in biology exhibits different historical trajectories and organisation of collaboration in field and laboratory – differences still visible in contemporary collaborations such as the Census of Marine Life and the Human Genome Project. We employ these case studies as strategic exemplars, supplemented with existing research on collaboration in biology, to expose the different motives, organisational forms and social dynamics underpinning contemporary large-scale collaborations in biology and their relations to historical patterns of collaboration in the life sciences. We find the interaction between research subject, research approach as well as research organisation influencing collaboration patterns and the work of scientists. PMID:23578694

Expanding the Reach of Physics-Engaging Students in Interdisciplinary Research Involving complex, real-world situation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bililign, Solomon

2014-03-01

Physics plays a very important role in most interdisciplinary efforts and can provide a solid foundation for students. Retention of students in STEM areas can be facilitated by enhanced interdisciplinary education and research since students are strongly attracted to research with societal relevance and show increasing enthusiasm about problems that have practical consequences. One such area of research is a collaborative Earth System Science. The Earth System is dynamic and complex. It is comprised of diverse components that interact. By providing students the opportunities to work in interdisciplinary groups on a problem that reflects a complex, real-world situation they can see the linkages between components of the Earth system that encompass climate and all its components (weather precipitation, temperature, etc.) and technology development and deployment of sensors and sensor networks and social impacts. By involving students in the creation of their own personalized professional development plan, students are more focused and engaged and are more likely to remain in the program.

Interdisciplinary Research Training in Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-07-01

McCorkle and Knobf, the study was published in Journal of Medical Internet Research . • Dr. LaCoursiere had begun an ongoing collaboration with Dr...patients’ self-reported attitudes about the Internet. Journal of Medical Internet Research , 7(3), e22. • LaCoursiere, S. P., & Sarkar, M. (2004

Teacher Perspectives of Interdisciplinary Coteaching Relationships in a Clinical Skills Course: A Relational Coordination Theory Analysis.

PubMed

Daniel, Michelle M; Ross, Paula; Stalmeijer, Renée E; de Grave, Willem

2018-01-01

Phenomenon: Interdisciplinary coteaching has become a popular pedagogic model in medical education, yet there is insufficient research to guide effective practices in this context. Coteaching relationships are not always effective, which has the potential to affect the student experience. The purpose of this study was to explore interdisciplinary coteaching relationships between a physician (MD) and social behavioral scientist (SBS) in an undergraduate clinical skills course. We aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of what teachers perceive as influencing the quality of relationships to begin to construct a framework for collaborative teaching in medical education. A qualitative study was conducted consisting of 12 semistructured interviews (6 MD and 6 SBS) and 2 monodisciplinary focus groups. Sampling was purposive and aimed at maximal variation from among 64 possible faculty. The data were analyzed using the constant comparative method to develop a grounded theory. Five major themes resulted from the analysis that outline a framework for interdisciplinary coteaching: respect, shared goals, shared knowledge and understanding, communication, and complementary pairings. Insights: The first 4 themes align with elements of relational coordination theory, an organizational theory of collaborative practice that describes how work roles interact. The complementary pairings extend this theory from work roles to individuals, with unique identities and personal beliefs and values about teaching. Prior studies on coteaching have not provided a clear linkage to theory. The conceptual framework helps suggest future directions for coteaching research and has practical implications for administrative practices and faculty development. These findings contribute to the sparse research in medical education on interdisciplinary coteaching relationships.

Research and Teaching: Fostering Collaborative Problem Solving and 21st Century Skills Using the DEEPER Scaffolding Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antonenko, Pavlo D.; Jahanzad, Farzaneh; Greenwood, Carmen

2014-01-01

Collaborative problem solving is an essential component of any 21st century science career. Scientists are hired, retained, and promoted for solving problems in dynamic and interdisciplinary teams. They discuss issues, explain and justify their opinions, debate, elaborate, and reflect on their collective knowledge. At the same time, both…

The UNC-CH MCH Leadership Training Consortium: building the capacity to develop interdisciplinary MCH leaders.

PubMed

Dodds, Janice; Vann, William; Lee, Jessica; Rosenberg, Angela; Rounds, Kathleen; Roth, Marcia; Wells, Marlyn; Evens, Emily; Margolis, Lewis H

2010-07-01

This article describes the UNC-CH MCH Leadership Consortium, a collaboration among five MCHB-funded training programs, and delineates the evolution of the leadership curriculum developed by the Consortium to cultivate interdisciplinary MCH leaders. In response to a suggestion by the MCHB, five MCHB-funded training programs--nutrition, pediatric dentistry, social work, LEND, and public health--created a consortium with four goals shared by these diverse MCH disciplines: (1) train MCH professionals for field leadership; (2) address the special health and social needs of women, infants, children and adolescents, with emphasis on a public health population-based approach; (3) foster interdisciplinary practice; and (4) assure competencies, such as family-centered and culturally competent practice, needed to serve effectively the MCH population. The consortium meets monthly. Its primary task to date has been to create a leadership curriculum for 20-30 master's, doctoral, and post-doctoral trainees to understand how to leverage personal leadership styles to make groups more effective, develop conflict/facilitation skills, and identify and enhance family-centered and culturally competent organizations. What began as an effort merely to understand shared interests around leadership development has evolved into an elaborate curriculum to address many MCH leadership competencies. The collaboration has also stimulated creative interdisciplinary research and practice opportunities for MCH trainees and faculty. MCHB-funded training programs should make a commitment to collaborate around developing leadership competencies that are shared across disciplines in order to enhance interdisciplinary leadership.

Undergraduate Research in Quantum Information Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyons, David W.

2017-01-01

Quantum Information Science (QIS) is an interdisciplinary field involving mathematics, computer science, and physics. Appealing aspects include an abundance of accessible open problems, active interest and support from government and industry, and an energetic, open, and collaborative international research culture. We describe our student-faculty…

Toward Impactful Collaborations on Computing and Mental Health

PubMed Central

Dinakar, Karthik; Picard, Rosalind; Christensen, Helen; Torous, John

2018-01-01

We describe an initiative to bring mental health researchers, computer scientists, human-computer interaction researchers, and other communities together to address the challenges of the global mental ill health epidemic. Two face-to-face events and one special issue of the Journal of Medical Internet Research were organized. The works presented in these events and publication reflect key state-of-the-art research in this interdisciplinary collaboration. We summarize the special issue articles and contextualize them to present a picture of the most recent research. In addition, we describe a series of collaborative activities held during the second symposium and where the community identified 5 challenges and their possible solutions. PMID:29426812

University of Idaho Water of the West Initiative: Development of a sustainable, interdisciplinary water resources program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boll, J.; Cosens, B.; Fiedler, F.; Link, T.; Wilson, P.; Harris, C.; Tuller, M.; Johnson, G.; Kennedy, B.

2006-12-01

Recently, an interdisciplinary group of faculty from the University of Idaho was awarded a major internal grant for their project "Water of the West (WoW)" to launch an interdisciplinary Water Resources Graduate Education Program. This Water Resources program will facilitate research and education to influence both the scientific understanding of the resource and how it is managed, and advance the decision-making processes that are the means to address competing societal values. By educating students to integrate environmental sciences, socio-economic, and political issues, the WoW project advances the University's land grant mission to promote economic and social development in the state of Idaho. This will be accomplished through novel experiential interdisciplinary education activities; creation of interdisciplinary research efforts among water resources faculty; and focusing on urgent regional problems with an approach that will involve and provide information to local communities. The Water Resources Program will integrate physical and biological sciences, social science, law, policy and engineering to address problems associated with stewardship of our scarce water resources. As part of the WoW project, faculty will: (1) develop an integrative problem-solving framework; (2) develop activities to broaden WR education; (3) collaborate with the College of Law to offer a concurrent J.D. degree, (4) develop a virtual system of watersheds for teaching and research, and (5) attract graduate students for team-based education. The new program involves 50 faculty from six colleges and thirteen departments across the university. This university-wide initiative is strengthened by collaboration with the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute, and participation from off-campus Centers in Idaho Falls, Boise, Twin Falls, and Coeur d'Alene. We hope this presentation will attract university faculty, water resources professionals, and others for stimulating discussions on interdisciplinary approaches in water resources education.

Finding ways to grow skills, knowledge, and voice in the next generation of interdisciplinary sustainability scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, S. G.; de Souza, S. P.; McGreavy, B.; Gardner, K.; Hart, D.; Druschke, C. G.

2017-12-01

The need to train early-career interdisciplinary, solutions-driven sustainability researchers has never been more apparent than today. To meet this challenge, educators at the Universities of Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island have collaborated with their students to design and assess an interdisciplinary, multi-university course meant to develop the skills, content knowledge, and voice that are seen as critical for training the next generation of interdisciplinary sustainability researchers. We developed a rubric and conducted a mixed methods analysis of sustainability science learning outcomes identified as central to successful sustainability research. We used these targeted outcomes as a guide to design and implement several activities that build these skills and competencies and advance the identified outcomes. These course learning outcomes focus on three major sustainability science competencies: (1) systems thinking, which focuses on improving students' abilities to build a deep understanding of dynamic social-ecological systems; (2) problem definition, which focuses on the skills necessary to identify and communicate sustainability problems by combining systems knowledge with multiple stakeholder perspectives; and (3) decision making, which focuses on the abilities required to create and communicate adaptable decisions to mitigate sustainability problems. Students were frequently asked to help co-create class meetings based on their own educational experiences and objectives.Based on a quantitative assessment of survey results taken before and after the course, several students tended to initially overestimate their capacity for undertaking interdisciplinary sustainability research, possibly because of a previously narrow exposure to these concepts from the perspective of a single discipline. Qualitative results indicate that students gained substantial experience and confidence in communication, and especially in collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and conflict. Based on our empirical approach we recommend focusing on three key factors when training future interdisciplinary sustainability scientists: diverse and nested communication, building voice by co-creating the course, and early engagement with stakeholders.

Devising and Interdisciplinary Teaching: A Case Study in Collaboration between Theatre and Humanities Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahoney, Kristin; Brown, Rich

2013-01-01

We use an experimental course collaboration that occurred in the winter of 2012 as a case study for an approach to interdisciplinary collaboration between Theatre and Humanities courses, and we argue that the theatre methodology of "devising" can serve as a particularly rich locus for collaboration between Theatre students and other…

An interdisciplinary lighting design studio: Opportunities and challenges of collaborative learning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guzowski, M.; Ginthner, D.

1997-12-31

Interdisciplinary study is based on the proposition that collaboration will enrich and expand understanding within a discipline and will also reveal connections to other fields of study, the community, the natural environment, etc. This study, the community, the natural environment, etc. This paper will present the results of a collaborative lighting design studio which was conducted by the Department of Architecture and the Interior Design Program at the University of Minnesota. The objectives of the studio were threefold: (1) To provide an opportunity for collaboration between students in design disciplines, (2) to introduce students to collaboration with design practitioners andmore » clients, and (3) to expose students to interdisciplinary work prior to graduation. Three projects by local firms were used for the design investigation. The following discussion will explore the opportunities and challenges of collaborative education and the interdisciplinary design studio. The objectives, roles of the teachers and the students, coursework, and future directions will be considered.« less

Building Bridges: Leveraging Interdisciplinary Collaborations in the Development of Biomaterials to Meet Clinical Needs

PubMed Central

Fong, Eliza L.S.; Watson, Brendan M.; Kasper, F. Kurtis

2013-01-01

Our laboratory at Rice University has forged numerous collaborations with clinicians and basic scientists over the years to advance the development of novel biomaterials and modification of existing materials to meet clinical needs. This review highlights collaborative advances in biomaterials research from our laboratory in the areas of scaffold development, drug delivery and gene therapy, especially as related to applications in bone and cartilage tissue engineering. PMID:22821772

Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Gerontology and Geriatrics in Latin America: Conceptual Approaches and Health Care Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gomez, Fernando; Curcio, Carmen Lucia

2013-01-01

The underlying rationale to support interdisciplinary collaboration in geriatrics and gerontology is based on the complexity of elderly care. The most important characteristic about interdisciplinary health care teams for older people in Latin America is their subjective-basis framework. In other regions, teams are organized according to a…

Ties That Bind International Research Teams: A Network Multilevel Model of Interdisciplinary Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kollasch, Aurelia Wiktoria

2012-01-01

Today large research projects require substantial involvement of researchers from different organizations, disciplines, or cultures working in groups or teams to accomplish a common goal of producing, sharing, and disseminating scientific knowledge. This study focuses on the international research team that was launched in response to pressing…

Learning How to Ask Research Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Musante, Susan

2010-01-01

Collaborative research is a demanding endeavor, and for a group of undergraduate students tasked with identifying their own interdisciplinary research problem, the challenges are even greater. "It was scary--we didn't know what to ask the professors, and we couldn't decide on a research question," says Miran Park, a student at the University of…

Building partnerships for healthy environments: research, leadership and education.

PubMed

Thompson, Susan; Kent, Jennifer; Lyons, Claudine

2014-12-01

As populations across the globe face an increasing health burden from rising rates of obesity, diabetes and other lifestyle-related diseases, health professionals are collaborating with urban planners to influence city design that supports healthy ways of living. This paper details the establishment and operation of an innovative, interdisciplinary collaboration that brings together urban planning and health. Situated in a built environment faculty at one of Australia's most prestigious universities, the Healthy Built Environments Program (HBEP) partners planning academics, a health non-government organisation, local councils and private planning consultants in a state government health department funded consortium. The HBEP focuses on three strategic areas: research, workforce development and education, and leadership and advocacy. Interdisciplinary research includes a comprehensive literature review that establishes Australian-based evidence to support the development, prioritisation and implementation of healthy built environment policies and practices. Another ongoing study examines the design features, social interventions and locational qualities that positively benefit human health. Formal courses, workshops, public lectures and e-learning develop professional capacity, as well as skills in interdisciplinary practice to support productive collaborations between health professionals and planners. The third area involves working with government and non-government agencies, and the private sector and the community, to advocate closer links between health and the built environment. Our paper presents an overview of the HBEP's major achievements. We conclude with a critical review of the challenges, revealing lessons in bringing health and planning closer together to create health-supportive cities for the 21st century.

A Metadata based Knowledge Discovery Methodology for Seeding Translational Research.

PubMed

Kothari, Cartik R; Payne, Philip R O

2015-01-01

In this paper, we present a semantic, metadata based knowledge discovery methodology for identifying teams of researchers from diverse backgrounds who can collaborate on interdisciplinary research projects: projects in areas that have been identified as high-impact areas at The Ohio State University. This methodology involves the semantic annotation of keywords and the postulation of semantic metrics to improve the efficiency of the path exploration algorithm as well as to rank the results. Results indicate that our methodology can discover groups of experts from diverse areas who can collaborate on translational research projects.

Engaging Sharp-Leadenhall: An Interdisciplinary Faculty Collaboration in Service-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falk, Audrey; Durington, Matthew; Lankford, Elsa

2012-01-01

This article reports on an interdisciplinary collaboration in the context of service-learning. Faculty members from the disciplines of family studies, anthropology, and media production worked collaboratively to develop and implement service-learning projects involving their classes and Sharp-Leadenhall, one of the oldest historically…

Strategies for collaboration in the interdisciplinary field of emerging zoonotic diseases.

PubMed

Anholt, R M; Stephen, C; Copes, R

2012-06-01

The integration of the veterinary, medical and environmental sciences necessary to predict, prevent or respond to emerging zoonotic diseases requires effective collaboration and exchange of knowledge across these disciplines. There has been no research into how to connect and integrate these professions in the pursuit of a common task. We conducted a literature search looking at the experiences and wisdom resulting from collaborations built in health partnerships, health research knowledge transfer and exchange, business knowledge management and systems design engineering to identify key attributes of successful interdisciplinary (ID) collaboration. This was followed by a workshop with 16 experts experienced in ID collaboration including physicians, veterinarians and biologists from private practice, academia and government agencies. The workshop participants shared their perspectives on the facilitators and barriers to ID collaboration. Our results found that the elements that can support or impede ID collaboration can be categorized as follows: the characteristics of the people, the degree to which the task is a shared goal, the policies, practices and resources of the workplace, how information technology is used and the evaluation of the results. Above all, personal relationships built on trust and respect are needed to best assemble the disciplinary strength of the professions. The challenge of meeting collaborators outside the boundaries of one's discipline or jurisdiction may be met by an independent third party, an ID knowledge broker. The broker would know where the knowledge could be found, would facilitate introductions and would help to build effective ID teams. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Cognitive Neuroscience Meets Mathematics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Smedt, Bert; Ansari, Daniel; Grabner, Roland H.; Hannula, Minna M.; Schneider, Michael; Verschaffel, Lieven

2010-01-01

While there has been much theoretical debate concerning the relationship between neuroscience and education, researchers have started to collaborate across both disciplines, giving rise to the interdisciplinary research field of neuroscience and education. The present contribution tries to reflect on the challenges of this new field of empirical…

Toward an Analytic Framework of Interdisciplinary Reasoning and Communication (IRC) Processes in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Ji; Sung, Shannon; Zhang, Dongmei

2015-11-01

Students need to think and work across disciplinary boundaries in the twenty-first century. However, it is unclear what interdisciplinary thinking means and how to analyze interdisciplinary interactions in teamwork. In this paper, drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives and empirical analysis of discourse contents, we formulate a theoretical framework that helps analyze interdisciplinary reasoning and communication (IRC) processes in interdisciplinary collaboration. Specifically, we propose four interrelated IRC processes-integration, translation, transfer, and transformation, and develop a corresponding analytic framework. We apply the framework to analyze two meetings of a project that aims to develop interdisciplinary science assessment items. The results illustrate that the framework can help interpret the interdisciplinary meeting dynamics and patterns. Our coding process and results also suggest that these IRC processes can be further examined in terms of interconnected sub-processes. We also discuss the implications of using the framework in conceptualizing, practicing, and researching interdisciplinary learning and teaching in science education.

Everyone Learns from Everyone: Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Professional Development in Digital Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hobbs, Renee; Coiro, Julie

2016-01-01

Hobbs and Coiro describe a new approach to the professional development of educators, librarians, and media professionals that emphasizes the value of collaborative, interdisciplinary relationships. The authors explore why creative collaboration using digital media texts, tools, and technologies is vital to support the professional development of…

Collaborative Approach in Software Engineering Education: An Interdisciplinary Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vicente, Aileen Joan; Tan, Tiffany Adelaine; Yu, Alvin Ray

2018-01-01

Aim/Purpose: This study was aimed at enhancing students' learning of software engineering methods. A collaboration between the Computer Science, Business Management, and Product Design programs was formed to work on actual projects with real clients. This interdisciplinary form of collaboration simulates the realities of a diverse Software…

Bioconductor: open software development for computational biology and bioinformatics

PubMed Central

Gentleman, Robert C; Carey, Vincent J; Bates, Douglas M; Bolstad, Ben; Dettling, Marcel; Dudoit, Sandrine; Ellis, Byron; Gautier, Laurent; Ge, Yongchao; Gentry, Jeff; Hornik, Kurt; Hothorn, Torsten; Huber, Wolfgang; Iacus, Stefano; Irizarry, Rafael; Leisch, Friedrich; Li, Cheng; Maechler, Martin; Rossini, Anthony J; Sawitzki, Gunther; Smith, Colin; Smyth, Gordon; Tierney, Luke; Yang, Jean YH; Zhang, Jianhua

2004-01-01

The Bioconductor project is an initiative for the collaborative creation of extensible software for computational biology and bioinformatics. The goals of the project include: fostering collaborative development and widespread use of innovative software, reducing barriers to entry into interdisciplinary scientific research, and promoting the achievement of remote reproducibility of research results. We describe details of our aims and methods, identify current challenges, compare Bioconductor to other open bioinformatics projects, and provide working examples. PMID:15461798

Reframing Interdisciplinary and Interprofessional Collaboration through the Lens of Collective and Sociomaterial Theories of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMurtry, Angus

2013-01-01

The purpose of this article is to begin to explore how collective and sociomaterial theories of learning might be applied within interdisciplinary and interprofessional contexts--in particular the team-based collaboration that is playing an ever larger role in both fields. It ?? articulates several key features of interdisciplinary and…

Interdisciplinary collaboration within project-level NEPA teams in the US Forest Service

Treesearch

James W. Freeman; Marc J. Stern; Michael Mortimer; Dale J. Blahna; Lee K. Cerveny

2011-01-01

Interdisciplinary teamwork has become a foundation of natural resources planning and management in the US. Yet, we know little about the degree of interdisciplinary collaboration of natural resource planning teams. We conducted 10 case studies of Forest Service NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) teams working on projects related to the 2005 Travel Management Rule...

Building an Institute for Triple Helix Research Innovation in the Pacific Region. Revision

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-01

multidisciplinary collaboration towards developing cost- effective and sustainable eHealth technologies and applications. The results of the...transparency, efficiency in sharing resources through eHealth , and leveraging skills needed to facilitate and expedite interdisciplinary collaboration and...innovation, especially in the eHealth and healthcare fields. To achieve the stated objectives, the Institute’s five initiatives were specifically

"Mayan Eyes Have Seen the Glory..." or "Please Don't Squeeze the Shaman!" An Interdisciplinary, Integrated, Thematic Study "Chaac" Full of Culture and "Jaded" History of the Mayan Civilization. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad Program, 2000 (Mexico/Guatemala).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radkey, Tom

This curriculum unit, intended for students in grade 6, covers the Mayas, Mayan history, and ancient civilizations. The unit was developed using Roger Taylor's collaborative team model "Connecting the Curriculum: Using an Integrated, Interdisciplinary, Thematic Approach." The unit addresses multiple intelligences, brain research,…

Conducting environmental health research in the Arabian Middle East: lessons learned and opportunities.

PubMed

Yeatts, Karin B; El-Sadig, Mohamed; Ali, Habiba I; Al-Maskari, Fatma; Campbell, Alan; Ng, Shu Wen; Reeves, Lisa; Chan, Ronna L; Davidson, Christopher A; Funk, William E; Boundy, Maryanne G; Leith, David; Popkin, Barry; Gibson, Jacqueline Macdonald; Rusyn, Ivan; Olshan, Andrew F

2012-05-01

The Arabian Gulf nations are undergoing rapid economic development, leading to major shifts in both the traditional lifestyle and the environment. Although the pace of change is brisk, there is a dearth of environmental health research in this region. We describe challenges and successes of conducting an environmental epidemiologic study in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a Gulf nation in the Middle East, with an inter-disciplinary team that includes in-country academic and government collaborators as well as U.S. academic collaborators. We present several issues, including study and data collection design, exposure assessment, scheduling and time coordination, quality assurance and quality control, and institutional review board protocols. These topics are considered in a cultural context. Benefits of this research included building linkages among multinational, interdisciplinary team members, generating data for local environmental decision making, and developing local epidemiologic research capacity. The Middle Eastern culture of hospitality greatly benefited the project team. Cultural differences impact multiple aspects of epidemiologic research and should be respectfully addressed. Conducting international population-based environmental research poses many challenges; these challenges can be met successfully with careful planning, cultural knowledge, and flexibility. Lessons learned are applicable to interdisciplinary research all over the world. The research conducted will benefit the environmental and public health agencies of the UAE and provide the nation's leadership with country-specific environmental health data that can be used to protect the public's health in a rapidly changing environment.

Conducting Environmental Health Research in the Arabian Middle East: Lessons Learned and Opportunities

PubMed Central

El-Sadig, Mohamed; Ali, Habiba I.; Al-Maskari, Fatma; Campbell, Alan; Ng, Shu Wen; Reeves, Lisa; Chan, Ronna L.; Davidson, Christopher A.; Funk, William E.; Boundy, Maryanne G.; Leith, David; Popkin, Barry; Gibson, Jacqueline MacDonald; Rusyn, Ivan; Olshan, Andrew F.

2012-01-01

Background: The Arabian Gulf nations are undergoing rapid economic development, leading to major shifts in both the traditional lifestyle and the environment. Although the pace of change is brisk, there is a dearth of environmental health research in this region. Objective: We describe challenges and successes of conducting an environmental epidemiologic study in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a Gulf nation in the Middle East, with an inter-disciplinary team that includes in-country academic and government collaborators as well as U.S. academic collaborators. Discussion: We present several issues, including study and data collection design, exposure assessment, scheduling and time coordination, quality assurance and quality control, and institutional review board protocols. These topics are considered in a cultural context. Benefits of this research included building linkages among multinational, interdisciplinary team members, generating data for local environmental decision making, and developing local epidemiologic research capacity. The Middle Eastern culture of hospitality greatly benefited the project team. Conclusion: Cultural differences impact multiple aspects of epidemiologic research and should be respectfully addressed. Conducting international population-based environmental research poses many challenges; these challenges can be met successfully with careful planning, cultural knowledge, and flexibility. Lessons learned are applicable to interdisciplinary research all over the world. The research conducted will benefit the environmental and public health agencies of the UAE and provide the nation’s leadership with country-specific environmental health data that can be used to protect the public’s health in a rapidly changing environment. PMID:22356946

Exploring the Veterinary Literature: A Bibliometric Methodology for Identifying Interdisciplinary and Collaborative Publications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, Jessica R.; Moberly, Heather K.; Youngen, Gregory K.; Hamel, Barbara J.

2014-01-01

Veterinary medical research traditionally focuses on animal health and wellness; however, research activities at veterinary colleges extend beyond these traditional areas. In this study, we analyzed eleven years of Web of Knowledge-indexed peer-reviewed articles from researchers at the twenty-eight United States American Veterinary Medical…

Setting and measuring team goals and objectives for improved management of forestry research

Treesearch

Scott J. Josiah

1999-01-01

As our world becomes more complex and diverse, many forestry research organizations are responding by adopting more interdisciplinary and collaborative research programs. Our rapidly increasing knowledge of the ecological, social, and economic factors affecting forestry and natural resource management makes it simply untenable to expect that complex problems can be...

Partnering in oncogenetic research--the INHERIT BRCAs experience: opportunities and challenges.

PubMed

Avard, Denise; Bridge, Peter; Bucci, Lucie M; Chiquette, Jocelyne; Dorval, Michel; Durocher, Francine; Easton, Doug; Godard, Béatrice; Goldgar, David; Knoppers, Bartha Maria; Laframboise, Rachel; Lespérance, Bernard; Plante, Marie; Tavtigian, Sean V; Vézina, Hélène; Wilson, Brenda; Simard, Jacques

2006-01-01

Today it is common to conduct research in collaboration with colleagues from different disciplines and institutions. The INterdisciplinary HEalth Research International Team on BReast CAncer susceptibility (INHERIT BRCAs), involves Canadian and international experts from diverse fields working with health service providers, patients and collaborators from the World Health Organization and other European networks. Evidence-based information and knowledge transfer drive our efforts to advance genomic research to understand the genetic basis of cancer susceptibility and treatment response. Several goals reveal the interdisciplinary team approach: (a) to estimate the prevalence and penetrance of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations and their deleterious impact upon different populations; (b) to pinpoint novel breast cancer susceptibility loci; (c) to assess the efficacy of clinical interventions; (d) to address changes in quality of life and health-related behaviour from the decision to undergo genetics testing and during follow-up; (e) to evaluate legal, social and ethical implications; and, finally; (f) to promote professional and public education by facilitating the transfer of research findings to clinical practice and informing policy makers. The lessons learned by the INHERIT research team and future challenges are presented.

NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute: Building Collaboration Through International Partnerships

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gibbs, K. E.; Schmidt, G. K.

2017-01-01

The NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) is a virtual institute focused on re-search at the intersection of science and exploration, training the next generation of lunar scientists, and community development. As part of the SSERVI mission, we act as a hub for opportunities that engage the larger scientific and exploration communities in order to form new interdisciplinary, research-focused collaborations. This talk will describe the international partner re-search efforts and how we are engaging the international science and exploration communities through workshops, conferences, online seminars and classes, student exchange programs and internships.

Long-term avian research at the San Joaquin Experimental Range: recommendations for monitoring and managing oak woodlands

Treesearch

Kathryn L. Purcell

2011-01-01

Experimental forests and ranges are living laboratories that provide opportunities for conducting scientific research and transferring research results to partners and stakeholders. They are invaluable for their long-term data and capacity to foster collaborative, interdisciplinary research. The San Joaquin Experimental Range (SJER) was established to develop...

Interdisciplinarity, Qualitative Research, and the Complex Phenomenon: Toward an Integrative Approach to Intercultural Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Phillip; Kurtz, Jill Sornsen; Carter, Deanne; Pester, Danielle

2014-01-01

This article is a collaboration by the lead faculty member in a Masters program in Intercultural Studies and students who completed the program under his aegis. This article presents the program's approach to its research course sequence, an approach involving the integration of interdisciplinary and qualitative research. The authors first provide…

Social Workers' Perceptions of Job Satisfaction, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, and Organizational Leadership.

PubMed

Marmo, Suzanne; Berkman, Cathy

2018-01-01

To address job satisfaction, and therefore employment retention, of hospice social workers, this study examined how relationships with other members of the interdisciplinary hospice team and perceptions of hospice leadership may be associated with job satisfaction of hospice social workers. The sample of 203 hospice social workers was recruited by e-mailing invitations to hospice social workers identified by hospice directors in three states, use of online social media sites accessed by hospice social workers, and snowball sampling. Study measures included professional experience, hospice characteristics, interdisciplinary collaboration, perception of servant leadership, and intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction. Variables significant in the model for intrinsic satisfaction were perception of servant leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and feeling valued by the hospice physician. Variables significant in the model for extrinsic satisfaction were perception of servant leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, feeling valued by the hospice physician, and number of social workers at the hospice. Interdisciplinary collaboration was more important for intrinsic job satisfaction and leadership style was more important for extrinsic job satisfaction. Profit status of the hospice, experience of the social worker, caseload size, and other variables were not significant in either model. These results support previous findings that leadership style of the hospice director and relationships with hospice colleagues are important for hospice social workers' job satisfaction. Such low-cost modifications to the hospice work environment, albeit not simple, may improve job satisfaction of hospice social workers.

Long-term Ecological Research: Coweeta History and Perspectives

Treesearch

Wayne T. Swank; Judith L. Meyer; Deyree A. Crossley

2001-01-01

The Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory-Institute of Ecology cooperative research program is one of the longest continuous collaborations on forest-ecosystem structure and function between a federal agency and academia in the country. Formally established in 1968, the program continues to mature in scientific scope, interdisciplinary expertise, administrative challenges,...

Interdisciplinary collaboration in the use of a music-with-movement intervention to promote the wellbeing of people with dementia and their families: Development of an evidence-based intervention protocol.

PubMed

Lai, Claudia K Y; Lai, Daniel L L; Ho, Jacqueline S C; Wong, Kitty K Y; Cheung, Daphne S K

2016-03-01

The music-with-movement intervention is particularly suitable for people with dementia because their gross motor ability is preserved until the later stage of dementia. This study examines the effect of music-with-movement on reducing anxiety, sleep disturbances, and improving the wellbeing of people with dementia. This paper reports the first stage of the study - developing the intervention protocol that staff can use to teach family caregivers. A registered music therapist developed a music-with-movement protocol and taught staff of two social service centers over five weekly 1.5 h sessions, with center-in-charges (social workers and occupational therapists) and our research team joining these sessions to provide comments from their professional perspective. Each discipline had different expectations about the content; therefore, numerous meetings and discussions were held to bridge these differences and fine-tune the protocol. Few healthcare professionals doubt the merits of interdisciplinary collaboration at all levels of health promotion. In practice, interdisciplinary collaboration is complex and requires commitment. Openness and persistence is required from all stakeholders to achieve a successful intervention for consumers. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Fostering Creativity through Collaboration: Polar Learning and Responding Climate Change Education Partnership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfirman, S. L.; Brunacini, J.; Hernandez, T.; Bachrach, E.

2014-12-01

Blueprint Earth was created as a nonprofit scientific research organization dedicated to conducting micro-scale interdisciplinary environmental investigations to generate macroscopic, system-level environmental understanding. The field data collection and analysis process was conceived to be dependent on student participation and collaboration with more senior scientists, effecting knowledge transfer and emphasizing the critical nature of interdisciplinary research in investigating complex, macroscopic questions. Recruiting for student volunteer researchers is conducted in academic institutions, and to date has focused primarily on the Los Angeles area. Self-selecting student participation has run contrary to traditional STEM demographics. The vast majority of research participants in Blueprint Earth's work are female and/or from a minority (non-white) background, and most are first-generation college students or from low-income, Pell grant-eligible households. Traditional field research programs for students often come at a high cost, creating barriers to access for field-based STEM opportunities. The nonprofit model employed by Blueprint Earth provides zero-cost access to opportunity for students that the STEM world is currently targeting for future professional development.

Research opportunities in interdisciplinary ground-water science in the U.S. Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sanford, W.E.; Caine, Jonathan S.; Wilcox, D.A.; McWreath, H.C.; Nicholas, J.R.

2006-01-01

This report is written for the scientifically literate reader but is not limited to those who are involved in ground-water science. The report is intended to encourage U.S. Geological Survey scientists to develop a sense of excitement about ground-water science in the agency, to inform scientists about existing and potential ground-water science opportunities, and to engage scientists and managers in interdisciplinary discussions and collaboration. The report is intended for use by U.S. Geological Survey and Department of the Interior management to formulate long-term ground-water science programs and to continue sustained support of ground-water monitoring and research, some of which may not have an immediate impact. Finally, the report can be used to communicate the U.S. Geological Survey's vision of ground-water science to Congress, partners, other agencies, and the research community at large with the goals of enhancing collaborative opportunities, sharing information, and maintaining dialogue regarding the directions of U.S. Geological Survey ground-water science.

Collective intelligence for translational medicine: Crowdsourcing insights and innovation from an interdisciplinary biomedical research community.

PubMed

Budge, Eleanor Jane; Tsoti, Sandra Maria; Howgate, Daniel James; Sivakumar, Shivan; Jalali, Morteza

2015-01-01

Translational medicine bridges the gap between discoveries in biomedical science and their safe and effective clinical application. Despite the gross opportunity afforded by modern research for unparalleled advances in this field, the process of translation remains protracted. Efforts to expedite science translation have included the facilitation of interdisciplinary collaboration within both academic and clinical environments in order to generate integrated working platforms fuelling the sharing of knowledge, expertise, and tools to align biomedical research with clinical need. However, barriers to scientific translation remain, and further progress is urgently required. Collective intelligence and crowdsourcing applications offer the potential for global online networks, allowing connection and collaboration between a wide variety of fields. This would drive the alignment of biomedical science with biotechnology, clinical need, and patient experience, in order to deliver evidence-based innovation which can revolutionize medical care worldwide. Here we discuss the critical steps towards implementing collective intelligence in translational medicine using the experience of those in other fields of science and public health.

Good Intentions Are Not Enough: A Story of Collaboration in Science, Education, and Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Angelo; Bercaw, Lynne; Palmeri, Amy; Altman, Jan; Singer-Gabella, Marcy; Gary, Todd

1999-01-01

Explains what collaboration in education means and presents a study conducted in an interdisciplinary course in which preservice teachers were responsible for developing a CD-ROM on Cystic Fibrosis that was to be used by upper middle grade students. Discusses the impact of the interdisciplinary collaboration on student learning. (YDS)

ERDDAP: Reducing Data Friction with an Open Source Data Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, K.

2017-12-01

Data friction is not just an issue facing interdisciplinary research. Often times, even within disciplines, significant data friction can exist. Issues of differing formats, limited metadata and non-existent machine-to-machine data access are all issues that exist within disciplines and make it that much harder for successful interdisciplinary cooperation. Therefore, reducing data friction within disciplines is crucial first step in providing better overall collaboration. ERDDAP, an open source data platform developed at NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Center, is well poised to improve data useability and understanding and reduce data friction, both in single and multi-disciplinary research. By virtue of its ability to integrate data of varying formats and provide RESTful-based user access to data and metadata, use of ERDDAP has grown substantially throughout the ocean data community. ERDDAP also supports standards such as the DAP data protocol, the Climate and Forecast (CF) metadata conventions and the Bagit document standard for data archival. In this presentation, we will discuss the advantages of using ERDDAP as a data platform. We will also show specific use cases where utilizing ERDDAP has reduced friction within a single discipline (physical oceanography) and improved interdisciplinary collaboration as well.

42 CFR 418.56 - Condition of participation: Interdisciplinary group, care planning, and coordination of services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... collaboration with the attending physician (if any), the patient or representative, and the primary caregiver in... interdisciplinary group (in collaboration with the individual's attending physician, if any) must review, revise and...

Position Paper: Designing Complex Systems to Support Interdisciplinary Cognitive Work

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greene, Melissa T.; Papalambros, Panos Y.; Mcgowan, Anna-Maria R.

2016-01-01

The paper argues that the field we can call cognitive science of interdisciplinary collaboration is an important area of study for improving design of Large-Scale Complex Systems (LaCES) and supporting cognitive work. The paper mostly raised questions that have been documented in earlier qualitative analysis studies, and provided possible avenues of exploration for addressing them. There are likely further contributions from additional disciplines beyond those mentioned in this paper that should be considered and integrated into such a cognitive science framework. Knowledge and awareness of various perspectives will help to inform the types of interventions available for improving LaCES design and functionality. For example, a cognitive interpretation of interdisciplinary collaborations in LaCES elucidated the need for a "translator" or "mediator" in helping subject matter experts to transcend language boundaries, mitigate single discipline bias, support integrative activities, and correct misaligned objectives. Additional research in this direction is likely to uncover similar gaps and opportunities for improvements in practice.

Mode 2 and the Tension between Excellence and Utility: The Case of a Policy-Relevant Research Field in Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Håkansta, Carin; Jacob, Merle

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the impact of changing science policy doctrines on the development of an academic field, working life research. Working life research is an interdisciplinary field of study in which researchers and stakeholders collaborated to produce relevant knowledge. The development of the field, we argue, was both facilitated and…

REMOTE AND PROXIMATE SENSING IN SUPPORT OF SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Inter-generationally prudent management of watershed resources will require attention to a complex array of interdependent variables. An interdisciplinary team of investigators from four national research laboratories in EPA's ORD are collaborating to develop stratagems for water...

Interdisciplinary mixed methods research with structurally vulnerable populations: case studies of injection drug users in San Francisco.

PubMed

Lopez, Andrea M; Bourgois, Philippe; Wenger, Lynn D; Lorvick, Jennifer; Martinez, Alexis N; Kral, Alex H

2013-03-01

Research with injection drug users (IDUs) benefits from interdisciplinary theoretical and methodological innovation because drug use is illegal, socially sanctioned and often hidden. Despite the increasing visibility of interdisciplinary, mixed methods research projects with IDUs, qualitative components are often subordinated to quantitative approaches and page restrictions in top addiction journals limit detailed reports of complex data collection and analysis logistics, thus minimizing the fuller scientific potential of genuine mixed methods. We present the methodological logistics and conceptual approaches of four mixed-methods research projects that our interdisciplinary team conducted in San Francisco with IDUs over the past two decades. These projects include combinations of participant-observation ethnography, in-depth qualitative interviewing, epidemiological surveys, photo-documentation, and geographic mapping. We adapted Greene et al.'s framework for combining methods in a single research project through: data triangulation, methodological complementarity, methodological initiation, and methodological expansion. We argue that: (1) flexible and self-reflexive methodological procedures allowed us to seize strategic opportunities to document unexpected and sometimes contradictory findings as they emerged to generate new research questions, (2) iteratively mixing methods increased the scope, reliability, and generalizability of our data, and (3) interdisciplinary collaboration contributed to a scientific "value added" that allowed for more robust theoretical and practical findings about drug use and risk-taking. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interdisciplinary Mixed Methods Research with Structurally Vulnerable Populations: Case Studies of Injection Drug Users in San Francisco

PubMed Central

Lopez, Andrea; Bourgois, Philippe; Wenger, Lynn; Lorvick, Jennifer; Martinez, Alexis; Kral, Alex H.

2013-01-01

Research with injection drug users (IDUs) benefits from interdisciplinary theoretical and methodological innovation because drug use is illegal, socially sanctioned and often hidden. Despite the increasing visibility of interdisciplinary, mixed methods research projects with IDUs, qualitative components are often subordinated to quantitative approaches and page restrictions in top addiction journals limit detailed reports of complex data collection and analysis logistics, thus minimizing the fuller scientific potential of genuine mixed methods. We present the methodological logistics and conceptual approaches of four mixed-methods research projects that our interdisciplinary team conducted in San Francisco with IDUs over the past two decades. These projects include combinations of participant-observation ethnography, in-depth qualitative interviewing, epidemiological surveys, photo-documentation, and geographic mapping. We adapted Greene et al.’s framework for combining methods in a single research project through: data triangulation, methodological complementarity, methodological initiation, and methodological expansion. We argue that: (1) flexible and self-reflexive methodological procedures allowed us to seize strategic opportunities to document unexpected and sometimes contradictory findings as they emerged to generate new research questions, (2) iteratively mixing methods increased the scope, reliability, and generalizability of our data, and (3) interdisciplinary collaboration contributed to a scientific “value added” that allowed for more robust theoretical and practical findings about drug use and risk-taking. PMID:23312109

Computer-mediated interdisciplinary teams: theory and reality.

PubMed

Vroman, Kerryellen; Kovacich, Joann

2002-05-01

The benefit of experience, tempered with the wisdom of hindsight and 5 years of text-based, asynchronous, computer-mediated, interdisciplinary team communications, provides the energy, insights and data shared in this article. Through the theoretical lens of group dynamics and the epistemology of interdisciplinary teaming, we analyze the interactions of a virtual interdisciplinary team to provide an understanding and appreciation of collaborative interdisciplinary communication in the context of interactive technologies. Whilst interactive technologies may require new patterns of language similar to that of learning a foreign language, what is communicated in the interdisciplinary team process does not change. Most important is the recognition that virtual teams, similar to their face-to-face counterparts, undergo the same challenges of interdisciplinary teaming and group developmental processes of formation: forming, storming, norming, performing, and transforming. After examining these dynamics of communication and collaboration in the context of the virtual team, the article concludes with guidelines facilitating interdisciplinary team computer-mediated communication.

The use of collaboration in personal outcomes.

PubMed

Callaghan, Leonard

2006-01-01

As part of its restructuring and commitment to collaboration and advances in healthcare, the author's organisation has recently adopted personal outcomes to ensure that services are aligned to meet patient needs more effectively. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate this advancement in healthcare in the light of recent research findings, changing policies and the author's own understanding. DESIGN/METHDODOLOGY/APPROACH: The paper introduces the concept of collaboration as a means of achieving personal outcomes. In addition, the paper puts forward suggestions as to how the nurse can foster interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary teamwork, utilising the core concepts of the advanced nurse practitioner, namely transformational leadership, in support of this. While success stories of personal outcomes abound much of it anecdotal based. Therefore, the need to initiate research in this area is of paramount importance as the latter would be helpful in examining meaningful quality outcomes. Reform in structure, finance and policy will also be necessary, as these are vital ingredients to the success of personal outcomes. Despite the overlapping conflict of Irish government policy, the extra finance announced in the 2005 Budget can only serve to assist organisations in achieving accreditation through initiatives like personal outcomes. Central to the success of personal outcomes, is to engage in collaborative practice by way of fostering interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary team working. Further study of the impact on patient outcomes of collaboration is warranted. The paper examines organisational, professional and interpersonal challenges.

HydroShare for iUTAH: Collaborative Publication, Interoperability, and Reuse of Hydrologic Data and Models for a Large, Interdisciplinary Water Research Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horsburgh, J. S.; Jones, A. S.

2016-12-01

Data and models used within the hydrologic science community are diverse. New research data and model repositories have succeeded in making data and models more accessible, but have been, in most cases, limited to particular types or classes of data or models and also lack the type of collaborative, and iterative functionality needed to enable shared data collection and modeling workflows. File sharing systems currently used within many scientific communities for private sharing of preliminary and intermediate data and modeling products do not support collaborative data capture, description, visualization, and annotation. More recently, hydrologic datasets and models have been cast as "social objects" that can be published, collaborated around, annotated, discovered, and accessed. Yet it can be difficult using existing software tools to achieve the kind of collaborative workflows and data/model reuse that many envision. HydroShare is a new, web-based system for sharing hydrologic data and models with specific functionality aimed at making collaboration easier and achieving new levels of interactive functionality and interoperability. Within HydroShare, we have developed new functionality for creating datasets, describing them with metadata, and sharing them with collaborators. HydroShare is enabled by a generic data model and content packaging scheme that supports describing and sharing diverse hydrologic datasets and models. Interoperability among the diverse types of data and models used by hydrologic scientists is achieved through the use of consistent storage, management, sharing, publication, and annotation within HydroShare. In this presentation, we highlight and demonstrate how the flexibility of HydroShare's data model and packaging scheme, HydroShare's access control and sharing functionality, and versioning and publication capabilities have enabled the sharing and publication of research datasets for a large, interdisciplinary water research project called iUTAH (innovative Urban Transitions and Aridregion Hydro-sustainability). We discuss the experiences of iUTAH researchers now using HydroShare to collaboratively create, curate, and publish datasets and models in a way that encourages collaboration, promotes reuse, and meets funding agency requirements.

Training Interdisciplinary "Wicked Problem" Solvers: Applying Lessons from HERO in Community-Based Research Experiences for Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cantor, Alida; DeLauer, Verna; Martin, Deborah; Rogan, John

2015-01-01

Management of "wicked problems", messy real-world problems that defy resolution, requires thinkers who can transcend disciplinary boundaries, work collaboratively, and handle complexity and obstacles. This paper explores how educators can train undergraduates in these skills through applied community-based research, using the example of…

Seeking Social Capital and Expertise in a Newly-Formed Research Community: A Co-Author Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forte, Christine E.

2017-01-01

This exploratory study applies social network analysis techniques to existing, publicly available data to understand collaboration patterns within the co-author network of a federally-funded, interdisciplinary research program. The central questions asked: What underlying social capital structures can be determined about a group of researchers…

Complex Systems, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, and Institutional Renewal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plank, Jeffrey; Feldon, David; Sherman, William; Elliot, Jennifer

2011-01-01

Research-intensive universities enjoy--or suffer--a paradoxical reputation: They are thought to be dedicated to both cutting-edge research and to the preservation of the canon. They are seen as broad and diverse communities of scholars with a vibrant collective intellectual life, yet also as silos of disciplinary entrenchment. Most significantly,…

Mapping Research Activities and Technologies for Sustainability and Environmental Studies--A Case Study at University Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hara, Keishiro; Uwasu, Michinori; Kurimoto, Shuji; Yamanaka, Shinsuke; Umeda, Yasushi; Shimoda, Yoshiyuki

2013-01-01

Systemic understanding of potential research activities and available technology seeds at university level is an essential condition to promote interdisciplinary and vision-driven collaboration in an attempt to cope with complex sustainability and environmental problems. Nonetheless, any such practices have been hardly conducted at universities…

The RxCADRE study: A new approach to interdisciplinary fire research

Treesearch

David L. Peterson; Colin C. Hardy

2016-01-01

Much like other scientific endeavours, most fire research is conducted either within individual disciplines - fuels, physics, chemistry, ecology, modelling, and so forth - or, at best, across only two or three disciplines. This is primarily because fire scientists have particular areas of expertise and most collaborations are between scientists within that...

Organizational principles of cloud storage to support collaborative biomedical research.

PubMed

Kanbar, Lara J; Shalish, Wissam; Robles-Rubio, Carlos A; Precup, Doina; Brown, Karen; Sant'Anna, Guilherme M; Kearney, Robert E

2015-08-01

This paper describes organizational guidelines and an anonymization protocol for the management of sensitive information in interdisciplinary, multi-institutional studies with multiple collaborators. This protocol is flexible, automated, and suitable for use in cloud-based projects as well as for publication of supplementary information in journal papers. A sample implementation of the anonymization protocol is illustrated for an ongoing study dealing with Automated Prediction of EXtubation readiness (APEX).

A collaboration investigating endocannabinoid signalling in brain and bone.

PubMed

Zimmer, Andreas

2016-05-01

Investigations into the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the psychoactive effects of cannabis preparations have led to the discovery of the endocannabinoid system. Interest in the central nervous system effects was initially the main focus of the research, but it soon became evident that the endocannabinoid system affects virtually every organ. The research field has therefore experienced a tremendous growth over the last decade and is now truly interdisciplinary. This short review provides a personal account of an interdisciplinary collaboration between Itai Bab from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the author. It describes the discovery of the endocannabinoid system in bone and the analysis of its functions. I am summarising the role of CB1 signalling as a modulator of sympathetic inhibition of bone formation. Thus, activation of CB1 receptors on sympathetic nerve terminals in bone, presumably from endocannabinoids released from apposing osteoblasts, reduces the inhibition of bone formation of sympathetic norepinephrine. CB2 receptors on osteoblasts and osteoclasts also modulate the proliferation and functions of these cells. Thus, activation of CB2 stimulates bone formation and represses bone resorption, whereas the genetic disruption of CB2 results in an osteoporosis-like phenotype. This signalling mechanism is clinically relevant, as shown by the association of polymorphisms in the CB2 receptor gene, CNR2, with bone density and osteoporosis. Finally, the review provides a summary of the recently discovered role of endocannabinoid signalling in one elongation. This review will also discuss the benefits of interdisciplinary and international collaborations.

Innovation in collaborative health research training: the role of active learning.

PubMed

Poole, Gary; Egan, John P; Iqbal, Isabeau

2009-03-01

This paper describes and discusses the essential pedagogical elements of the Partnering in Community Health Research (PCHR) program, which was designed to address the training needs of researchers who participate in collaborative, interdisciplinary health research. These elements were intended to foster specific skills that helped learners develop research partnerships featuring knowledge, capabilities, values and attitudes needed for successful research projects. By establishing research teams called "clusters", PCHR provided research training and experience for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, as well as for community health workers and professionals. Pedagogical elements relied on active learning approaches such as inquiry-based and experience-based learning. Links between these elements and learning approaches are explained. Through their work in cluster-based applied research projects, the development of learning plans, and cross-cluster learning events, trainees acquired collaborative research competencies that were valuable, relevant and theoretically informed.

Addressing Health Disparities through Multi-institutional, Multidisciplinary Collaboratories

PubMed Central

Fleming, Erik S.; Perkins, James; Easa, David; Conde, José G.; Baker, Richard S.; Southerland, William M.; Dottin, Robert; Benabe, Julio E.; Ofili, Elizabeth O.; Bond, Vincent C.; McClure, Shelia A.; Sayre, Michael H.; Beanan, Maureen J.; Norris, Keith C.

2009-01-01

The national research leadership has recently become aware of the tremendous potential of translational research as an approach to address health disparities. The Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Translational Research Network (RTRN) is a research network that supports multi-institutional, multidisciplinary collaboration with a focus on key diseases and conditions for which disproportionately adverse racial and ethnic health disparities exist. The RTRN is designed to facilitate the movement of scientific advances across the translational research spectrum by providing researchers at different institutions with the infrastructure and tools necessary to collaborate on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research projects relating to specific health outcomes for which major racial/ethnic disparities exist. In the past, the difficulty of overcoming the restrictions imposed by time and space have made it difficult to carry out this type of large-scale, multilevel collaboration efficiently. To address this formidable challenge, the RTRN will deploy a translational research cluster system that uses “cyber workspaces” to bring researchers with similar interests together by using online collaboratory technology. These virtual meeting environments will provide a number of tools, including videoconferences (seminars, works in progress, meetings); project management tools (WebCT, Microsoft Share Point); and posting areas for projects, concepts, and other research and educational activities. This technology will help enhance access to resources across institutions with a common mission, minimize many of the logistical hurdles that impede intellectual exchange, streamline the planning and implementation of innovative interdisciplinary research, and assess the use of protocols and practices to assist researchers in interacting across and within cyber workspaces. PMID:18646341

Addressing health disparities through multi-institutional, multidisciplinary collaboratories.

PubMed

Fleming, Erik S; Perkins, James; Easa, David; Conde, José G; Baker, Richard S; Southerland, William M; Dottin, Robert; Benabe, Julio E; Ofili, Elizabeth O; Bond, Vincent C; McClure, Shelia A; Sayre, Michael H; Beanan, Maureen J; Norris, Keith C

2008-01-01

The national research leadership has recently become aware of the tremendous potential of translational research as an approach to address health disparities. The Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Translational Research Network (RTRN) is a research network that supports multi-institutional, multidisciplinary collaboration with a focus on key diseases and conditions for which disproportionately adverse racial and ethnic health disparities exist. The RTRN is designed to facilitate the movement of scientific advances across the translational research spectrum by providing researchers at different institutions with the infrastructure and tools necessary to collaborate on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research projects relating to specific health outcomes for which major racial/ethnic disparities exist. In the past, the difficulty of overcoming the restrictions imposed by time and space have made it difficult to carry out this type of large-scale, multilevel collaboration efficiently. To address this formidable challenge, the RTRN will deploy a translational research cluster system that uses "cyber workspaces" to bring researchers with similar interests together by using online collaboratory technology. These virtual meeting environments will provide a number of tools, including videoconferences (seminars, works in progress, meetings); project management tools (WebCT, Microsoft Share Point); and posting areas for projects, concepts, and other research and educational activities. This technology will help enhance access to resources across institutions with a common mission, minimize many of the logistical hurdles that impede intellectual exchange, streamline the planning and implementation of innovative interdisciplinary research, and assess the use of protocols and practices to assist researchers in interacting across and within cyber workspaces.

Toward Impactful Collaborations on Computing and Mental Health.

PubMed

Calvo, Rafael Alejandro; Dinakar, Karthik; Picard, Rosalind; Christensen, Helen; Torous, John

2018-02-09

We describe an initiative to bring mental health researchers, computer scientists, human-computer interaction researchers, and other communities together to address the challenges of the global mental ill health epidemic. Two face-to-face events and one special issue of the Journal of Medical Internet Research were organized. The works presented in these events and publication reflect key state-of-the-art research in this interdisciplinary collaboration. We summarize the special issue articles and contextualize them to present a picture of the most recent research. In addition, we describe a series of collaborative activities held during the second symposium and where the community identified 5 challenges and their possible solutions. ©Rafael Alejandro Calvo, Karthik Dinakar, Rosalind Picard, Helen Christensen, John Torous. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 09.02.2018.

Taking an Interdisciplinary Approach: Ten African-American Scholars Combine Expertise to Get at the Root of Obesity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, B. Denise

2005-01-01

Dr. Shiriki K. Kumanyika, an authority in culturally specific weight-control and dietary change research, is taking an activist role in designing research to reduce the rates of obesity and its associated health risks in the Black community. She has convened AACORN--the African American Collaborative Obesity Research Network, all of whose members…

Female Academics' Research Capacities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Socio-Cultural Issues, Personal Factors and Institutional Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masika, Rachel; Wisker, Gina; Dabbagh, Lanja; Akreyi, Kawther Jameel; Golmohamad, Hediyeh; Bendixen, Lone; Crawford, Kirstin

2014-01-01

In October 2010, an interdisciplinary group of female academics from a university in the Kurdistan region of Iraq initiated a collaborative research project with a UK university to investigate opportunities and challenges for female academics' research leadership in universities in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The project aimed to develop female…

SSERVI: Merging Science and Human Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmidt, Gregory; Gibbs, Kristina

2017-01-01

The NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) is a virtual institute focused on research and the intersection of science and exploration, training the next generation of lunar scientists, and community development. As part of the SSERVI mission, we act as a hub for the opportunities that engage the larger scientific and exploration communities in order to form a new interdisciplinary, research-focused collaborations.

Cost to Set up Common Languages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latora, Vito

Complexity is a highly interdisciplinary science. Although there are drawbacks for researchers to work at the interface of different fields, such as the cost to set up common languages, and the risks associated with not being recognized by any of the well-established scientific communities, some of my recent work indicates that interdisciplinarity can be extremely rewarding. Drawing on large data sets on scientific production during several decades, we have shown that highly interdisciplinary scholars can outperform specialized ones, and that scientists can enhance their performance by seeking collaborators with expertise in various fields. My vision for complexity is based on the added value of its interdisciplinary nature. I list below three research directions that I am personally eager to explore, and that I think will be among the main challenges of complexity in the next 10 years...

Building biomedical web communities using a semantically aware content management system.

PubMed

Das, Sudeshna; Girard, Lisa; Green, Tom; Weitzman, Louis; Lewis-Bowen, Alister; Clark, Tim

2009-03-01

Web-based biomedical communities are becoming an increasingly popular vehicle for sharing information amongst researchers and are fast gaining an online presence. However, information organization and exchange in such communities is usually unstructured, rendering interoperability between communities difficult. Furthermore, specialized software to create such communities at low cost-targeted at the specific common information requirements of biomedical researchers-has been largely lacking. At the same time, a growing number of biological knowledge bases and biomedical resources are being structured for the Semantic Web. Several groups are creating reference ontologies for the biomedical domain, actively publishing controlled vocabularies and making data available in Resource Description Framework (RDF) language. We have developed the Science Collaboration Framework (SCF) as a reusable platform for advanced structured online collaboration in biomedical research that leverages these ontologies and RDF resources. SCF supports structured 'Web 2.0' style community discourse amongst researchers, makes heterogeneous data resources available to the collaborating scientist, captures the semantics of the relationship among the resources and structures discourse around the resources. The first instance of the SCF framework is being used to create an open-access online community for stem cell research-StemBook (http://www.stembook.org). We believe that such a framework is required to achieve optimal productivity and leveraging of resources in interdisciplinary scientific research. We expect it to be particularly beneficial in highly interdisciplinary areas, such as neurodegenerative disease and neurorepair research, as well as having broad utility across the natural sciences.

Improving teamwork: impact of structured interdisciplinary rounds on a hospitalist unit.

PubMed

O'Leary, Kevin J; Haviley, Corinne; Slade, Maureen E; Shah, Hiren M; Lee, Jungwha; Williams, Mark V

2011-02-01

Effective collaboration and teamwork is essential in providing safe and effective care. Research reveals deficiencies in teamwork on medical units involving hospitalists. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of an intervention, Structured Inter-Disciplinary Rounds (SIDR), on nurses' ratings of collaboration and teamwork. The study was a controlled trial involving an intervention and control hospitalist unit. The intervention, SIDR, combined a structured format for communication with a forum for regular interdisciplinary meetings. We asked nurses to rate the quality of communication and collaboration with hospitalists using a 5-point ordinal scale. We also assessed teamwork and safety climate using a validated instrument. Multivariable regression analyses were used to assess the impact on length of stay (LOS) and cost using both a concurrent and historic control. A total of 49 of 58 (84%) nurses completed surveys. A larger percentage of nurses rated the quality of communication and collaboration with hospitalists as high or very high on the intervention unit compared to the control unit (80% vs. 54%; P = 0.05). Nurses also rated the teamwork and safety climate significantly higher on the intervention unit (P = 0.008 and P = 0.03 for teamwork and safety climate, respectively). Multivariable analyses demonstrated no difference in the adjusted LOS and an inconsistent effect on cost. SIDR had a positive effect on nurses' ratings of collaboration and teamwork on a hospitalist unit, yet no impact on LOS and cost. Further study is required to assess the impact of SIDR on patient safety measures. Copyright © 2010 Society of Hospital Medicine.

An Interdisciplinary Practical for Multimedia Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcos-Jorquera, Diego; Pertegal-Felices, María Luisa; Jimeno-Morenilla, Antonio; Gilar-Corbí, Raquel

2017-01-01

Interdisciplinary projects in the industry typically require collaboration between professionals from various fields. However, this relationship is not generally addressed in the training offered by university programs, which often ignore this interdisciplinary approach. This paper offers an example of interdisciplinary interaction through joint…

Interdisciplinary linkage of community psychology and cross-cultural psychology: history, values, and an illustrative research and action project on intimate partner violence.

PubMed

Mankowski, Eric S; Galvez, Gino; Glass, Nancy

2011-03-01

An analysis of the respective organizational histories, missions, and scholarly activity of the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology and the Society for Community Research and Action was conducted in order to inform the development of interdisciplinary linkages between members of the two organizations. The analysis revealed many points of shared values and actions, as well as some important differences. Both scholarly organizations developed out of a similar historical and cultural zeitgeist in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The missions emphasize the role of culture/diversity in psychological phenomena, adopting an interdisciplinary orientation, the value of collaboration, the importance of research method and ethics, and the value of action research. However, community psychology generally lacks an adequate treatment of cultural phenomena while cross-cultural psychology often fails to draw on community and participatory methods useful for understanding culture in context. These common roots and differences are examined. Finally, we describe a community based, participatory research and intervention project to address intimate partner violence among Latinos and European-Americans living in Oregon. Analysis of the research process and on some of our initial findings illustrates challenges and potential benefits of an interdisciplinary, cultural community psychology.

["Group" and organization: a dimension of collaboration of anthropology and epidemiology].

PubMed

Song, Lei-ming; Wang, Ning

2012-04-01

"Group" is a key concept in epidemiological research and "organization" is a core concept in anthropology. Group takes focus on the specific characteristics of the subjects, while organization takes focus on the relationship between the objects. For the characteristics and relationship of the objects that interacting with each other, the two concepts could be complementary in specific studies, and this will be the basic dimension of Interdisciplinary collaboration of anthropology and epidemiology.

Best Practice to Order Authors in Multi/Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Research Publications.

PubMed

Smith, Elise; Master, Zubin

2017-01-01

Misunderstanding and disputes about authorship are commonplace among members of multi/interdisciplinary health research teams. If left unmanaged and unresolved, these conflicts can undermine knowledge sharing and collaboration, obscure accountability for research, and contribute to the incorrect attribution of credit. To mitigate these issues, certain researchers suggest quantitative authorship distributions schemes (e.g., point systems), while others wish to replace or minimize the importance of authorship by using "contributorship"-a system based on authors' self-reporting contributions. While both methods have advantages, we argue that authorship and contributorship will most likely continue to coexist for multiple ethical and practical reasons. In this article, we develop a five-step "best practice" that incorporates the distribution of both contributorship and authorship for multi/interdisciplinary research. This procedure involves continuous dialogue and the use of a detailed contributorship taxonomy ending with a declaration explaining contributorship, which is used to justify authorship order. Institutions can introduce this approach in responsible conduct of research training as it promotes greater fairness, trust, and collegiality among team members and ultimately reduces confusion and facilitates resolution of time-consuming disagreements.

Teaching Small and Thinking Large: Effects of Including Social and Ethical Implications in an Interdisciplinary Nanotechnology Course

PubMed Central

Hoover, Elizabeth; Brown, Phil; Averick, Mara; Kane, Agnes; Hurt, Robert

2013-01-01

One way to ensure that social and ethical implications (SEI) of nanotechnology research are taken into consideration early in research projects is to incorporate ethical concepts into university science education. In this paper, we describe an interdisciplinary nanotechnology university science course and the ways in which the opinions of students regarding the ethical implications of nanotechnology research were influenced by the course. From an SEI perspective, there is value in scientists being aware of the need to make explicit the uncertainties that always exist in scientific and technological research and development. By the end of the class, a majority of the students felt that risks and ethical issues are not well understood by scientists working in nanomaterials, and ethical training was recommended for these scientists. Findings from this study speak to the importance of this type of interdisciplinary class in preparing students for collaborative research and making them aware of issues important to the general public who someday will become consumers of products derived from nanotechnology research. PMID:23585917

Proactive Encouragement of Interdisciplinary Research Teams in a Business School Environment: Strategy and Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Susan M.; Carter, Nathan C.; Hadlock, Charles R.; Haughton, Dominique M.; Sirbu, George

2008-01-01

This case study describes efforts to promote collaborative research across traditional boundaries in a business-oriented university as part of an institutional transformation. We model this activity within the framework of social network analysis and use quantitative tools from that field to characterize resulting impacts. (Contains 4 tables and 2…

Developing a Collaborative Agenda for Humanities and Social Scientific Research on Laboratory Animal Science and Welfare.

PubMed

Davies, Gail F; Greenhough, Beth J; Hobson-West, Pru; Kirk, Robert G W; Applebee, Ken; Bellingan, Laura C; Berdoy, Manuel; Buller, Henry; Cassaday, Helen J; Davies, Keith; Diefenbacher, Daniela; Druglitrø, Tone; Escobar, Maria Paula; Friese, Carrie; Herrmann, Kathrin; Hinterberger, Amy; Jarrett, Wendy J; Jayne, Kimberley; Johnson, Adam M; Johnson, Elizabeth R; Konold, Timm; Leach, Matthew C; Leonelli, Sabina; Lewis, David I; Lilley, Elliot J; Longridge, Emma R; McLeod, Carmen M; Miele, Mara; Nelson, Nicole C; Ormandy, Elisabeth H; Pallett, Helen; Poort, Lonneke; Pound, Pandora; Ramsden, Edmund; Roe, Emma; Scalway, Helen; Schrader, Astrid; Scotton, Chris J; Scudamore, Cheryl L; Smith, Jane A; Whitfield, Lucy; Wolfensohn, Sarah

2016-01-01

Improving laboratory animal science and welfare requires both new scientific research and insights from research in the humanities and social sciences. Whilst scientific research provides evidence to replace, reduce and refine procedures involving laboratory animals (the '3Rs'), work in the humanities and social sciences can help understand the social, economic and cultural processes that enhance or impede humane ways of knowing and working with laboratory animals. However, communication across these disciplinary perspectives is currently limited, and they design research programmes, generate results, engage users, and seek to influence policy in different ways. To facilitate dialogue and future research at this interface, we convened an interdisciplinary group of 45 life scientists, social scientists, humanities scholars, non-governmental organisations and policy-makers to generate a collaborative research agenda. This drew on methods employed by other agenda-setting exercises in science policy, using a collaborative and deliberative approach for the identification of research priorities. Participants were recruited from across the community, invited to submit research questions and vote on their priorities. They then met at an interactive workshop in the UK, discussed all 136 questions submitted, and collectively defined the 30 most important issues for the group. The output is a collaborative future agenda for research in the humanities and social sciences on laboratory animal science and welfare. The questions indicate a demand for new research in the humanities and social sciences to inform emerging discussions and priorities on the governance and practice of laboratory animal research, including on issues around: international harmonisation, openness and public engagement, 'cultures of care', harm-benefit analysis and the future of the 3Rs. The process outlined below underlines the value of interdisciplinary exchange for improving communication across different research cultures and identifies ways of enhancing the effectiveness of future research at the interface between the humanities, social sciences, science and science policy.

Developing a Collaborative Agenda for Humanities and Social Scientific Research on Laboratory Animal Science and Welfare

PubMed Central

Davies, Gail F.; Greenhough, Beth J; Hobson-West, Pru; Kirk, Robert G. W.; Applebee, Ken; Bellingan, Laura C.; Berdoy, Manuel; Buller, Henry; Cassaday, Helen J.; Davies, Keith; Diefenbacher, Daniela; Druglitrø, Tone; Escobar, Maria Paula; Friese, Carrie; Herrmann, Kathrin; Hinterberger, Amy; Jarrett, Wendy J.; Jayne, Kimberley; Johnson, Adam M.; Johnson, Elizabeth R.; Konold, Timm; Leach, Matthew C.; Leonelli, Sabina; Lewis, David I.; Lilley, Elliot J.; Longridge, Emma R.; McLeod, Carmen M.; Miele, Mara; Nelson, Nicole C.; Ormandy, Elisabeth H.; Pallett, Helen; Poort, Lonneke; Pound, Pandora; Ramsden, Edmund; Roe, Emma; Scalway, Helen; Schrader, Astrid; Scotton, Chris J.; Scudamore, Cheryl L.; Smith, Jane A.; Whitfield, Lucy; Wolfensohn, Sarah

2016-01-01

Improving laboratory animal science and welfare requires both new scientific research and insights from research in the humanities and social sciences. Whilst scientific research provides evidence to replace, reduce and refine procedures involving laboratory animals (the ‘3Rs’), work in the humanities and social sciences can help understand the social, economic and cultural processes that enhance or impede humane ways of knowing and working with laboratory animals. However, communication across these disciplinary perspectives is currently limited, and they design research programmes, generate results, engage users, and seek to influence policy in different ways. To facilitate dialogue and future research at this interface, we convened an interdisciplinary group of 45 life scientists, social scientists, humanities scholars, non-governmental organisations and policy-makers to generate a collaborative research agenda. This drew on methods employed by other agenda-setting exercises in science policy, using a collaborative and deliberative approach for the identification of research priorities. Participants were recruited from across the community, invited to submit research questions and vote on their priorities. They then met at an interactive workshop in the UK, discussed all 136 questions submitted, and collectively defined the 30 most important issues for the group. The output is a collaborative future agenda for research in the humanities and social sciences on laboratory animal science and welfare. The questions indicate a demand for new research in the humanities and social sciences to inform emerging discussions and priorities on the governance and practice of laboratory animal research, including on issues around: international harmonisation, openness and public engagement, ‘cultures of care’, harm-benefit analysis and the future of the 3Rs. The process outlined below underlines the value of interdisciplinary exchange for improving communication across different research cultures and identifies ways of enhancing the effectiveness of future research at the interface between the humanities, social sciences, science and science policy. PMID:27428071

Distant yet Near: Promoting Interdisciplinary Learning in Significantly Diverse Teams through Socially Responsible Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adya, Monica; Temple, Bryan K.; Hepburn, Donald M.

2015-01-01

With global specialization of work units within organizations, interdisciplinary work practices comprised of collaborative efforts between technical and business teams are increasingly common in today's workplace. While higher education has responded by creating opportunities for remote teams to learn from collaborative work, occasions for…

Electronic Nursing Notes: A Case Study on Interdisciplinary Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Elizabeth V.; Teets, Janet

2006-01-01

In an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Computer & Information Technology (CIT) and Nursing (NSG) Departments at the Middletown and Hamilton regional campuses of Miami University (of Ohio), student team members created a Web-based application to create Electronic Nursing Notes. Students from the two departments worked together to…

Using Speed Dating Sessions to Foster Collaboration in Continuing Interdisciplinary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laprise, Rejean; Thivierge, Robert L.

2012-01-01

Introduction: There are numerous examples of care gaps that could be reduced through enhanced knowledge exchange and practice collaboration between medical specialist physicians. In this paper, we report preliminary results on using speed-dating sessions (SDSs) to stimulate the development of continuing interdisciplinary education (CIDE)…

Integrative Pre-Service Elementary Teacher Training: The Role of Interdisciplinary Collaborative Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiatula, Victoria Oliaku

2015-01-01

This primer summarizes interdisciplinary collaborative mathematics as an integrative approach to train pre-service elementary teachers to teach math utilizing Junior Achievement USA (JA) educational programs within an elementary Math Methods course. The primer provides a JA historical background/program overview, summarizes the interdisciplinary…

Communicating Climate Change: Lessons Learned from a Researcher-Museum Collaboration †

PubMed Central

Parker, Christopher T.; Cockerham, Debbie; Foss, Ann W.

2018-01-01

The need for science education and outreach is great. However, despite the ever-growing body of available scientific information, facts are often misrepresented to or misunderstood by the general public. This can result in uninformed decisions that negatively impact society at both individual and community levels. One solution to this problem is to make scientific information more available to the public through outreach programs. Most outreach programs, however, focus on health initiatives, STEM programs, or young audiences exclusively. This article describes a collaboration between the Research and Learning Center at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and an interdisciplinary team of researchers from the Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex area. The collaboration was a pilot effort of a science communication fellowship and was designed to train researchers to effectively convey current science information to the public with a focus on lifelong learning. We focus on the broader idea of a university-museum collaboration that bridges the science communication gap as we outline the process of forming this collaboration, lessons we learned from the process, and directions that can support future collaborations. PMID:29904536

Education and Training for Clinical Neuropsychologists in Integrated Care Settings.

PubMed

Roper, Brad L; Block, Cady K; Osborn, Katie; Ready, Rebecca E

2018-05-01

The increasing importance of integrated care necessitates that education and training experiences prepare clinical neuropsychologists for competent practice in integrated care settings, which includes (a) general competence related to an integrated/interdisciplinary approach and (b) competence specific to the setting. Formal neuropsychology training prepares neuropsychologists with a wide range of knowledge and skills in assessment, intervention, teaching/supervision, and research that are relevant to such settings. However, less attention has been paid to the knowledge and skills that directly address functioning within integrated teams, such as the ability to develop, maintain, and expand collaboration across disciplines, bidirectional clinical-research translation and implementation in integrated team settings, and how such collaboration contributes to clinical and research activities. Foundational knowledge and skills relevant to interdisciplinary systems have been articulated as part of competencies for entry into clinical neuropsychology, but their emphasis in education and training programs is unclear. Recommendations and resources are provided regarding how competencies relevant to integrated care can be provided across the continuum of education and training (i.e., doctoral, internship, postdoctoral, and post-licensure).

Exploring psychometric properties of the interdisciplinary education perception scale in health graduate students.

PubMed

Leitch, Judith

2014-01-01

Designed as a measure of perceptions of collaboration, the original psychometric testing of the Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS) indicated a four-factor solution to this measure, although subsequent research has suggested a three-factor solution may have better fit indices. This study aimed to better understand psychometric properties of the IEPS in a new population, health graduate students in the United States, to determine which sub-scale structure may be a better fit. Additionally this research explores the IEPS through a targeted literature review and content analysis in combination with factor analysis to better understand what constructs are able to be assessed by this measure. Results showed that the three-factor model was the best fitting model for the IEPS, suggesting this structure should be used when looking at graduate-level health students. Results also suggested that the IEPS may be able to be as a measure of perceived professional prestige, for which there is currently no existing measure. The dimension of professional prestige should be explored in further research to create a more robust understanding of its role in collaboration between professions.

The SWAN biomedical discourse ontology.

PubMed

Ciccarese, Paolo; Wu, Elizabeth; Wong, Gwen; Ocana, Marco; Kinoshita, June; Ruttenberg, Alan; Clark, Tim

2008-10-01

Developing cures for highly complex diseases, such as neurodegenerative disorders, requires extensive interdisciplinary collaboration and exchange of biomedical information in context. Our ability to exchange such information across sub-specialties today is limited by the current scientific knowledge ecosystem's inability to properly contextualize and integrate data and discourse in machine-interpretable form. This inherently limits the productivity of research and the progress toward cures for devastating diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. SWAN (Semantic Web Applications in Neuromedicine) is an interdisciplinary project to develop a practical, common, semantically structured, framework for biomedical discourse initially applied, but not limited, to significant problems in Alzheimer Disease (AD) research. The SWAN ontology has been developed in the context of building a series of applications for biomedical researchers, as well as in extensive discussions and collaborations with the larger bio-ontologies community. In this paper, we present and discuss the SWAN ontology of biomedical discourse. We ground its development theoretically, present its design approach, explain its main classes and their application, and show its relationship to other ongoing activities in biomedicine and bio-ontologies.

Connecting biology and organic chemistry introductory laboratory courses through a collaborative research project.

PubMed

Boltax, Ariana L; Armanious, Stephanie; Kosinski-Collins, Melissa S; Pontrello, Jason K

2015-01-01

Modern research often requires collaboration of experts in fields, such as math, chemistry, biology, physics, and computer science to develop unique solutions to common problems. Traditional introductory undergraduate laboratory curricula in the sciences often do not emphasize connections possible between the various disciplines. We designed an interdisciplinary, medically relevant, project intended to help students see connections between chemistry and biology. Second term organic chemistry laboratory students designed and synthesized potential polymer inhibitors or inducers of polyglutamine protein aggregation. The use of novel target compounds added the uncertainty of scientific research to the project. Biology laboratory students then tested the novel potential pharmaceuticals in Huntington's disease model assays, using in vitro polyglutamine peptide aggregation and in vivo lethality studies in Drosophila. Students read articles from the primary literature describing the system from both chemical and biological perspectives. Assessment revealed that students emerged from both courses with a deeper understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of biology and chemistry and a heightened interest in basic research. The design of this collaborative project for introductory biology and organic chemistry labs demonstrated how the local interests and expertise at a university can be drawn from to create an effective way to integrate these introductory courses. Rather than simply presenting a series of experiments to be replicated, we hope that our efforts will inspire other scientists to think about how some aspect of authentic work can be brought into their own courses, and we also welcome additional collaborations to extend the scope of the scientific exploration. © 2015 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Violence, violence prevention, and safety: a research agenda for South Africa.

PubMed

Ward, Catherine L; Artz, Lillian; Berg, Julie; Boonzaier, Floretta; Crawford-Browne, Sarah; Dawes, Andrew; Foster, Donald; Matzopoulos, Richard; Nicol, Andrew; Seekings, Jeremy; Van As, Arjan B Sebastian; Van der Spuy, Elrena

2012-03-07

Violence is a serious problem in South Africa with many effects on health services; it presents complex research problems and requires interdisciplinary collaboration. Two key meta-questions emerge: (i) violence must be understood better to develop effective interventions; and (ii) intervention research (evaluating interventions, assessing efficacy and effectiveness, how best to scale up interventions in resource-poor settings) is necessary. A research agenda to address violence is proposed.

The cultural construction of interdisciplinarity: Doctoral student socialization in an interdisciplinary neuroscience program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holley, Karri A.

Using the methodologies of individual and group interviews, observation, and document analysis, this dissertation examines the experiences of doctoral students enrolled in an interdisciplinary neuroscience program. A framework drawn from theories of organizational socialization is employed to understand the influence of an interdisciplinary program on doctoral student socialization. While abundant previous literature exists in regards to the socialization of doctoral students, such literature largely concentrates the disciplinary experience. The escalating import of globalization and shifting fiscal realities place new demands on Ph.D. programs and doctoral students to work as part of collaborative research teams, produce interdisciplinary knowledge, and integrate theory and practice. The increasing influence of such factors requires a new focus on interdisciplinarity and the changing Ph.D. The goal of this dissertation is to expand the existing framework of socialization by documenting the influence of such obstacles on knowledge acquisition, identity development, and professional investment. This study focuses on how interdisciplinary identities are constructed by doctoral students through individual interaction with the social environment and cultural context. Particular attention is given to the structural and cultural obstacles that doctoral students must negotiate as they navigate an interdisciplinary program. The study expands on the previous literature regarding doctoral student socialization by focusing on identity development, specifically a student's symbolic identity as a neuroscientist, a student's disciplinary identity (related to her professional background and undergraduate experiences), and a multi-disciplinary identity that allows for connections across disciplinary boundaries. In contrast to the traditional concepts of identity which focus on boundaries and differences as an inherent part of self-definition, the structure of identity advanced here instead explores what factors connect individuals who are working in different areas of study. Faculty and peers perform important roles in this process, by modeling the relevance of collaborative research and engaging students in multi-disciplinary conversation.

Strategies used by interdisciplinary rural health training programs to assure community responsiveness and recruit practitioners.

PubMed

Slack, Marion K; Cummings, Doyle M; Borrego, Matthew E; Fuller, Kathi; Cook, Sherrie

2002-05-01

In this article, the strategies used by five US rural interdisciplinary training grant programs to respond to local needs and to promote recruitment in rural communities are described. The programs provide training to 17 health care disciplines and serve disadvantaged Hispanic, African-American, Amish, Native American, and Anglo populations. Four programs are based in academic institutions; one is based in a community health center. The programs provide services to the rural communities through individual clinical or case management services, population-level interventions, and collaborative research. All programs use specific mechanisms (e.g. case conferences or participation in local coalitions) to facilitate collaboration with residents and to link student activities with community or individual needs. Unique strategies include the use of problem-based learning and community health workers on the interdisciplinary team to increase responsiveness. The programs also provide educational support to students while they work in the rural communities. Finally, the primary strategy used to promote recruitment is the training experience in rural communities. The programs also appear to indirectly improve the environment of rural practice.

Collaborative mining and interpretation of large-scale data for biomedical research insights.

PubMed

Tsiliki, Georgia; Karacapilidis, Nikos; Christodoulou, Spyros; Tzagarakis, Manolis

2014-01-01

Biomedical research becomes increasingly interdisciplinary and collaborative in nature. Researchers need to efficiently and effectively collaborate and make decisions by meaningfully assembling, mining and analyzing available large-scale volumes of complex multi-faceted data residing in different sources. In line with related research directives revealing that, in spite of the recent advances in data mining and computational analysis, humans can easily detect patterns which computer algorithms may have difficulty in finding, this paper reports on the practical use of an innovative web-based collaboration support platform in a biomedical research context. Arguing that dealing with data-intensive and cognitively complex settings is not a technical problem alone, the proposed platform adopts a hybrid approach that builds on the synergy between machine and human intelligence to facilitate the underlying sense-making and decision making processes. User experience shows that the platform enables more informed and quicker decisions, by displaying the aggregated information according to their needs, while also exploiting the associated human intelligence.

Collaborative Mining and Interpretation of Large-Scale Data for Biomedical Research Insights

PubMed Central

Tsiliki, Georgia; Karacapilidis, Nikos; Christodoulou, Spyros; Tzagarakis, Manolis

2014-01-01

Biomedical research becomes increasingly interdisciplinary and collaborative in nature. Researchers need to efficiently and effectively collaborate and make decisions by meaningfully assembling, mining and analyzing available large-scale volumes of complex multi-faceted data residing in different sources. In line with related research directives revealing that, in spite of the recent advances in data mining and computational analysis, humans can easily detect patterns which computer algorithms may have difficulty in finding, this paper reports on the practical use of an innovative web-based collaboration support platform in a biomedical research context. Arguing that dealing with data-intensive and cognitively complex settings is not a technical problem alone, the proposed platform adopts a hybrid approach that builds on the synergy between machine and human intelligence to facilitate the underlying sense-making and decision making processes. User experience shows that the platform enables more informed and quicker decisions, by displaying the aggregated information according to their needs, while also exploiting the associated human intelligence. PMID:25268270

UCSD's Institute of Engineering in Medicine: fostering collaboration through research and education.

PubMed

Chien, Shu

2012-07-01

The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) was established in 1961 as a new research university that emphasizes innovation, excellence, and interdisciplinary research and education. It has a School of Medicine (SOM) and the Jacobs School of Engineering (JSOE) in close proximity, and both schools have national rankings among the top 15. In 1991, with the support of the Whitaker Foundation, the Whitaker Institute of Biomedical Engineering was formed to foster collaborations in research and education. In 2008, the university extended the collaboration further by establishing the Institute of Engineering in Medicine (IEM), with the mission of accelerating the discoveries of novel science and technology to enhance health care through teamwork between engineering and medicine, and facilitating the translation of innovative technologies for delivery to the public through clinical application and commercialization.

Interdisciplinary collaboration in gerontology and geriatrics in Latin America: conceptual approaches and health care teams.

PubMed

Gomez, Fernando; Curcio, Carmen Lucia

2013-01-01

The underlying rationale to support interdisciplinary collaboration in geriatrics and gerontology is based on the complexity of elderly care. The most important characteristic about interdisciplinary health care teams for older people in Latin America is their subjective-basis framework. In other regions, teams are organized according to a theoretical knowledge basis with well-justified priorities, functions, and long-term goals, in Latin America teams are arranged according to subjective interests on solving their problems. Three distinct approaches of interdisciplinary collaboration in gerontology are proposed. The first approach is grounded in the scientific rationalism of European origin. Denominated "logical-rational approach," its core is to identify the significance of knowledge. The second approach is grounded in pragmatism and is more associated with a North American tradition. The core of this approach consists in enhancing the skills and competences of each participant; denominated "logical-instrumental approach." The third approach denominated "logical-subjective approach" has a Latin America origin. Its core consists in taking into account the internal and emotional dimensions of the team. These conceptual frameworks based in geographical contexts will permit establishing the differences and shared characteristics of interdisciplinary collaboration in geriatrics and gerontology to look for operational answers to solve the "complex problems" of older adults.

Future challenges for occupational health services can be prevented by proactive collaboration with the companies using the services: a participatory and reflection project

PubMed Central

Lydell, Marie; Hildingh, Cathrine; Söderbom, Arne; Ziegert, Kristina

2017-01-01

Background There is clearly a need for research in the field of occupational health service (OHS) for applying new perspectives. Proactive collaboration is needed between the OHSs and the companies. The customers of the companies using the services should be able to safeguard themselves from the health problems caused by the work environment through proactive collaboration with the OHSs. Objective The main purpose of this interdisciplinary study was to explore how the stakeholders reflected to create and agree on core values for future challenges in OHS, as seen from the perspectives of OHS professionals and customer companies. Methodology An action research process was conducted. This study was divided into three phases. In phase I, the data were collected from interviews and diaries of interdisciplinary occupational health professionals (n=12). A focus group that sampled the eight managers of the customer companies was also included. In phase II, a questionnaire was developed with 24 questions focusing on examining the future challenges for OHS. The questionnaire was sent to customer companies (n=116). In phase III, a scoping review was undertaken. Results Three categories emerged from the analysis: “Balancing complex situations” clarified the complexity regarding senior employees; “Working with a proactive approach” indicated the need for working with a new proactive approach supporting sustainable health; and “Collaborate internally and externally” showed good relationships between the customer and the OHS, which is a mutual responsibility to both the partners. Conclusion The results outlined that it is necessary to take action to apply new proactive health promotions, with a focus on workplace health promotion. The results also indicated that interventions for senior employees are of importance. This study was done in collaboration with the stakeholders from the occupational health care service center and the managers from the customer companies. The use of a participatory research design, including close collaboration with the participants, allows the researchers to see the challenges. PMID:28579793

Future challenges for occupational health services can be prevented by proactive collaboration with the companies using the services: a participatory and reflection project.

PubMed

Lydell, Marie; Hildingh, Cathrine; Söderbom, Arne; Ziegert, Kristina

2017-01-01

There is clearly a need for research in the field of occupational health service (OHS) for applying new perspectives. Proactive collaboration is needed between the OHSs and the companies. The customers of the companies using the services should be able to safeguard themselves from the health problems caused by the work environment through proactive collaboration with the OHSs. The main purpose of this interdisciplinary study was to explore how the stakeholders reflected to create and agree on core values for future challenges in OHS, as seen from the perspectives of OHS professionals and customer companies. An action research process was conducted. This study was divided into three phases. In phase I, the data were collected from interviews and diaries of interdisciplinary occupational health professionals (n=12). A focus group that sampled the eight managers of the customer companies was also included. In phase II, a questionnaire was developed with 24 questions focusing on examining the future challenges for OHS. The questionnaire was sent to customer companies (n=116). In phase III, a scoping review was undertaken. Three categories emerged from the analysis: "Balancing complex situations" clarified the complexity regarding senior employees; "Working with a proactive approach" indicated the need for working with a new proactive approach supporting sustainable health; and "Collaborate internally and externally" showed good relationships between the customer and the OHS, which is a mutual responsibility to both the partners. The results outlined that it is necessary to take action to apply new proactive health promotions, with a focus on workplace health promotion. The results also indicated that interventions for senior employees are of importance. This study was done in collaboration with the stakeholders from the occupational health care service center and the managers from the customer companies. The use of a participatory research design, including close collaboration with the participants, allows the researchers to see the challenges.

Evaluating the Science of Discovery in Complex Health Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norman, Cameron D.; Best, Allan; Mortimer, Sharon; Huerta, Timothy; Buchan, Alison

2011-01-01

Complex health problems such as chronic disease or pandemics require knowledge that transcends disciplinary boundaries to generate solutions. Such transdisciplinary discovery requires researchers to work and collaborate across boundaries, combining elements of basic and applied science. At the same time, calls for more interdisciplinary health…

The Interdisciplinarity of Collaborations in "Cognitive Science"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergmann, Till; Dale, Rick; Sattari, Negin; Heit, Evan; Bhat, Harish S.

2017-01-01

We introduce a new metric for interdisciplinarity, based on co-author publication history. A published article that has co-authors with quite different publication histories can be deemed relatively "interdisciplinary," in that the article reflects a convergence of previous research in distinct sets of publication outlets. In recent…

The Effect of Interdisciplinary Interventions on Risk Factors for Lifestyle Disease: A Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tapsell, Linda C.; Neale, Elizabeth P.

2016-01-01

Interventions that comprise interdisciplinary collaboration including behavioral elements are effective in addressing lifestyle disease risk factors. However, it is not known how best to conduct this collaboration for sustainable change. The aim of this study was to systematically examine the evidence for the effects of interdisciplinary…

Advancing MCH Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Leadership Training and Practice Through a Learning Collaborative.

PubMed

McHugh, Meaghan C; Margolis, Lewis H; Rosenberg, Angela; Humphreys, Elizabeth

2016-11-01

Purpose The Interdisciplinary Leadership Learning Collaborative (ILLC), under the sponsorship of AUCD and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, brought together six teams, composed of 14 MCHB and UCEDD training programs to enhance their leadership training. Description Using adult learning principles, interactive training methods, and skill-focused learning, the ILLC built upon the evidence-based Interdisciplinary Leadership Development Program of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The program began with a 4-day on-site intensive and then continued through monthly conference calls, a mid-term on-site workshop, and a summary virtual workshop to present programmatic accomplishments and share plans for sustainability. Coaching/consultation for the teams around particular challenges was also part of the program. Assessment All teams reported enhancements in intentional leadership training, threading of leadership concepts across clinical, didactic, and workshop settings, and new collaborative partnerships for leadership training. Teams also identified a number of strategies to increase sustainability of their intentional leadership training efforts. Conclusion for Practice The learning collaborative is a productive model to address the growing need for interdisciplinary MCH leaders.

Collaborative Multi-Scale 3d City and Infrastructure Modeling and Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breunig, M.; Borrmann, A.; Rank, E.; Hinz, S.; Kolbe, T.; Schilcher, M.; Mundani, R.-P.; Jubierre, J. R.; Flurl, M.; Thomsen, A.; Donaubauer, A.; Ji, Y.; Urban, S.; Laun, S.; Vilgertshofer, S.; Willenborg, B.; Menninghaus, M.; Steuer, H.; Wursthorn, S.; Leitloff, J.; Al-Doori, M.; Mazroobsemnani, N.

2017-09-01

Computer-aided collaborative and multi-scale 3D planning are challenges for complex railway and subway track infrastructure projects in the built environment. Many legal, economic, environmental, and structural requirements have to be taken into account. The stringent use of 3D models in the different phases of the planning process facilitates communication and collaboration between the stake holders such as civil engineers, geological engineers, and decision makers. This paper presents concepts, developments, and experiences gained by an interdisciplinary research group coming from civil engineering informatics and geo-informatics banding together skills of both, the Building Information Modeling and the 3D GIS world. New approaches including the development of a collaborative platform and 3D multi-scale modelling are proposed for collaborative planning and simulation to improve the digital 3D planning of subway tracks and other infrastructures. Experiences during this research and lessons learned are presented as well as an outlook on future research focusing on Building Information Modeling and 3D GIS applications for cities of the future.

Go with the flow by way of interdisciplinary collaboration: Sharing, integrating and opening access to data from various studies in the Cache la Poudre watershed following fire and flood

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) Network consists of 18 sites across the continental United States. LTAR scientists seek to determine ways to ensure sustainability and enhance food production and ecosystem services at ...

International research collaboration as social relation: an Ethiopian-Canadian example.

PubMed

Bender, Amy; Guruge, Sepali; Aga, Fekadu; Hailemariam, Damen; Hyman, Ilene; Tamiru, Melesse

2011-06-01

International collaboration in nursing and other health disciplines is vital for addressing global health issues. While the results and processes of such collaborations have been reported, few publications have addressed their philosophical or theoretical underpinnings, particularly with respect to collaboration between those in low- and high-income countries. Piaget's notion of social relations of cooperation and constraint and Habermas's notion of "lifeworld" provide a theoretical lens through which to examine international collaboration as a construction of knowledge. This article is an exploration of these ideas as seen in the collective experience of Canadians and Ethiopians organizing an interdisciplinary forum on intimate partner violence in Ethiopia. The project is presented as a case study for reflecting on international collaboration as a manifestation of social relations. Such re-visioning of international collaboration may be useful for improving collaborative processes and their outcomes.

Life Sciences and the web: a new era for collaboration.

PubMed

Sagotsky, Jonathan A; Zhang, Le; Wang, Zhihui; Martin, Sean; Deisboeck, Thomas S

2008-01-01

The World Wide Web has revolutionized how researchers from various disciplines collaborate over long distances. This is nowhere more important than in the Life Sciences, where interdisciplinary approaches are becoming increasingly powerful as a driver of both integration and discovery. Data access, data quality, identity, and provenance are all critical ingredients to facilitate and accelerate these collaborative enterprises and it is here where Semantic Web technologies promise to have a profound impact. This paper reviews the need for, and explores advantages of as well as challenges with these novel Internet information tools as illustrated with examples from the biomedical community.

Exploring indicators of interdisciplinary research and education success

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, Gemma; Blanch, Anicet; Blaschke, Alfred Paul; Brouwer, Roy; Bucher, Christian; Farnleitner, Andreas; Fürnkranz-Prskawetz, Alexia; Loucks, Daniel Pete; Morgenroth, Eberhard; Parajka, Juraj; Pfeifer, Norbert; Rechberger, Helmut; Wagner, Wolfgang; Zessner, Matthias; Blöschl, Günter

2017-04-01

Interdisciplinary research and education programmes aim to produce groundbreaking research, often on socially relevant topics, and to produce experts with the skills to work across disciplines. However, there are many outstanding questions on the effectiveness of interdisciplinary programmes. Such as whether they produce novel and groundbreaking research, whether interdisciplinary graduates are leading to a more interdisciplinary culture of research and practice in academia and beyond, and whether an interdisciplinary approach can more effectively address issues of societal relevance than a mono-disciplinary approach. The Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems at Vienna University of Technology is currently in its eighth year and offers a valuable case study to contribute to understanding interdisciplinary research and education. Ten different research fields are covered by the Programme and because collaborative research takes place both between researchers from different research fields (cross-disciplinary research) and from researchers from the same research field (mono-disciplinary research) we are able to compare the impacts of each research type. We specifically explored three questions: i) whether cross-disciplinary research leads to more innovative scientific findings than mono-disciplinary research, ii) whether cross-disciplinary researchers develop professional skills that benefit their future careers, and iii) whether cross-disciplinary research produces findings of greater societal relevance than mono-disciplinary research. To conduct the evaluation we identified a variety of indicators. Journal impact factors (IF) and citation rates of ISI indexed publications were used to compare scientific innovativeness. Based on these indicators, our findings suggest that cross-disciplinary work is more innovative. The cross-disciplinary work is published in journals with a slightly higher impact factor (mean IF is 2.36) and receives slightly more citations (mean number of citations per paper is 8) than mono-disciplinary work (mean IF is 2.09, mean number of citations per paper is 5). Graduate interdisciplinary skills were explored by categorising each graduate as either a cross-disciplinary or mono-disciplinary researcher based on their doctoral studies and comparing this to their post-doctoral work. Findings suggest that researchers who learn to work across the disciplines for their PhDs continue to work this way in their ongoing careers indicating that valuable skills have been acquired. To examine the societal relevance of the Programme's research the number of media engagements or policy impacts relating to research results were collated. Findings suggest that both cross-disciplinary and mono-disciplinary research address topics of societal value but researchers often expand their understanding of a societal interest topic by bringing in new research fields.

Interdisciplinary treatment of diabetes mellitus in a military treatment facility.

PubMed

Earles, J E; Hartung, G H; Dickert, J M; Moriyama, H H; Coll, K J; Aiello, L M; Jackson, R; Polonsky, W

2001-10-01

The American Diabetes Association emphasizes interdisciplinary management as the standard of care for patients with diabetes. Many times, however, interdisciplinary means various health care professionals treating a patient but not necessarily interacting with each other regarding the patient's care. Recently, Tripler Army Medical Center replicated the Joslin Diabetes Center's diabetes outpatient intensive treatment program as part of a Joslin Diabetes Center/Department of Defense/Veteran's Administration research collaboration. Tripler Army Medical Center named this interdisciplinary program Holopono, which is Hawaiian for success. Holopono is a team of health care professionals providing integrated care and education to a group of diabetes patients over 3.5 days. Individual care management, aided by an Internet-based telemedicine system, then continues for 1 year after entry into the program. This article describes the Holopono program, the role of each team member, and how the team functions together to provide comprehensive diabetes care.

Practicing as a Social Work Educator in International Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butterfield, Alice K., Ed.; Cohen, Carol S., Ed.

2017-01-01

The editors offer Six Promising Principles to guide successful practice by social work educators in international settings, including research, travel and study programs, technical assistance and training, and interdisciplinary efforts. These principles inform the content, which illuminates the specific role of U.S. social work educators in…

It's a Snap! An Inquiry-Based, Snapping Shrimp Bioacoustics Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Bradley K.; Gorospe, Kelvin D.; Haverkort-Yeh, Roxanne D.; Rivera, Malia Ana J.

2013-01-01

This bioacoustics activity combines concepts in invertebrate taxonomy, animal communication, and acoustical physics while providing a unique opportunity for physics and biology teachers to collaborate and introduce their students to an exciting, interdisciplinary research field. Here, we propose a lab-and field-based activity that uses hydrophones…

Participatory Design of Citizen Science Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senabre, Enric; Ferran-Ferrer, Nuria; Perelló, Josep

2018-01-01

This article describes and analyzes the collaborative design of a citizen science research project through co-creation. Three groups of secondary school students and a team of scientists conceived three experiments on human behavior and social capital in urban and public spaces. The study goal is to address how interdisciplinary work and attention…

Improving undergraduate biology education in a large research university.

PubMed Central

Bender, C; Ward, S; Wells, M A

1994-01-01

The campus-wide Undergraduate Biology Research Program (UBRP) at the University of Arizona improves undergraduate science education by expanding student opportunities for independent research in faculty laboratories. Within the supportive community of a research laboratory, underclassmen, nonscience majors, and those aspiring to scientific careers all learn to appreciate the process of science. The Program impacts more than the students, promoting departmental cooperation, interdisciplinary collaborations, and improvements in undergraduate science education throughout a Research I University. PMID:8018999

Doppler Lidar System Design via Interdisciplinary Design Concept at NASA Langley Research Center - Part I

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyer, Charles M.; Jackson, Trevor P.; Beyon, Jeffrey Y.; Petway, Larry B.

2013-01-01

Optimized designs of the Navigation Doppler Lidar (NDL) instrument for Autonomous Landing Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) were accomplished via Interdisciplinary Design Concept (IDEC) at NASA Langley Research Center during the summer of 2013. Three branches in the Engineering Directorate and three students were involved in this joint task through the NASA Langley Aerospace Research Summer Scholars (LARSS) Program. The Laser Remote Sensing Branch (LRSB), Mechanical Systems Branch (MSB), and Structural and Thermal Systems Branch (STSB) were engaged to achieve optimal designs through iterative and interactive collaborative design processes. A preliminary design iteration was able to reduce the power consumption, mass, and footprint by removing redundant components and replacing inefficient components with more efficient ones. A second design iteration reduced volume and mass by replacing bulky components with excessive performance with smaller components custom-designed for the power system. Mechanical placement collaboration reduced potential electromagnetic interference (EMI). Through application of newly selected electrical components and thermal analysis data, a total electronic chassis redesign was accomplished. Use of an innovative forced convection tunnel heat sink was employed to meet and exceed project requirements for cooling, mass reduction, and volume reduction. Functionality was a key concern to make efficient use of airflow, and accessibility was also imperative to allow for servicing of chassis internals. The collaborative process provided for accelerated design maturation with substantiated function.

Teaching Scientific Literacy in an Introductory Women's Studies Course: A Case Study in Interdisciplinary Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuselier, Linda; Murphy, Claudia; Bender, Anita; Falcón, Kandace Creel

2015-01-01

Background and purpose: The purpose of this exploratory case study is to describe how scholars negotiated disciplinary divides to develop and communicate to their students an understanding of the basic features of scientific knowledge. Our goals were to examine boundary crossing in interdisciplinary collaboration and to assess the efficacy of…

Social Work and Engineering Collaboration: Forging Innovative Global Community Development Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbert, Dorie J.

2014-01-01

Interdisciplinary programs in schools of social work are growing in scope and number. This article reports on collaboration between a school of social work and a school of engineering, which is forging a new area of interdisciplinary education. The program engages social work students working alongside engineering students in a team approach to…

Teaching Anthropogenic Climate Change through Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Helping Students Think Critically about Science and Ethics in Dialogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Todd, Claire; O'Brien, Kevin J.

2016-01-01

Anthropogenic climate change is a complicated issue involving scientific data and analyses as well as political, economic, and ethical issues. In order to capture this complexity, we developed an interdisciplinary student and faculty collaboration by (1) offering introductory lectures on scientific and ethical methods to two classes, (2) assigning…

The Cancer Epidemiology Descriptive Cohort Database: A Tool to Support Population-Based Interdisciplinary Research

PubMed Central

Kennedy, Amy E.; Khoury, Muin J.; Ioannidis, John P.A.; Brotzman, Michelle; Miller, Amy; Lane, Crystal; Lai, Gabriel Y.; Rogers, Scott D.; Harvey, Chinonye; Elena, Joanne W.; Seminara, Daniela

2017-01-01

Background We report on the establishment of a web-based Cancer Epidemiology Descriptive Cohort Database (CEDCD). The CEDCD’s goals are to enhance awareness of resources, facilitate interdisciplinary research collaborations, and support existing cohorts for the study of cancer-related outcomes. Methods Comprehensive descriptive data were collected from large cohorts established to study cancer as primary outcome using a newly developed questionnaire. These included an inventory of baseline and follow-up data, biospecimens, genomics, policies, and protocols. Additional descriptive data extracted from publicly available sources were also collected. This information was entered in a searchable and publicly accessible database. We summarized the descriptive data across cohorts and reported the characteristics of this resource. Results As of December 2015, the CEDCD includes data from 46 cohorts representing more than 6.5 million individuals (29% ethnic/racial minorities). Overall, 78% of the cohorts have collected blood at least once, 57% at multiple time points, and 46% collected tissue samples. Genotyping has been performed by 67% of the cohorts, while 46% have performed whole-genome or exome sequencing in subsets of enrolled individuals. Information on medical conditions other than cancer has been collected in more than 50% of the cohorts. More than 600,000 incident cancer cases and more than 40,000 prevalent cases are reported, with 24 cancer sites represented. Conclusions The CEDCD assembles detailed descriptive information on a large number of cancer cohorts in a searchable database. Impact Information from the CEDCD may assist the interdisciplinary research community by facilitating identification of well-established population resources and large-scale collaborative and integrative research. PMID:27439404

Measuring interdisciplinary research and education outcomes in the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, Gemma; Loucks, Daniel Pete; Blaschke, Alfred Paul; Bucher, Christian; Farnleitner, Andreas; Fürnkranz-Prskawetz, Alexia; Parajka, Juraj; Pfeifer, Norbert; Rechberger, Helmut; Wagner, Wolfgang; Zessner, Matthias; Blöschl, Günter

2015-04-01

The interdisciplinary postgraduate research and education programme - the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems - was initiated in 2009. To date, 35 research students, three post-docs and ten faculty members have been engaged in the Programme, from ten research fields (aquatic microbiology, hydrology, hydro-climatology, hydro-geology, mathematical economics, photogrammetry, remote sensing, resource management, structural mechanics, and water quality). The Programme aims to develop research students with the capacity to work across the disciplines, to conduct cutting edge research and foster an international perspective. To do this, a variety of mechanisms are adopted that include research cluster groups, joint study sites, joint supervision, a basic study programme and a research semester abroad. The Programme offers a unique case study to explore if and how these mechanisms lead to research and education outcomes. Outcomes are grouped according to whether they are tangible (publications with co-authors from more than one research field, analysis of graduate profiles and career destinations) or non-tangible (interaction between researchers, networks and trust). A mixed methods approach that includes bibliometric analysis combined with interviews with students is applied. Bibliometric analysis shows that as the Programme has evolved the amount of multi-disciplinary work has increased (32% of the 203 full papers produced by the programme's researchers have authors from more than one research field). Network analysis to explore which research fields collaborate most frequently show that hydrology plays a significant role and has collaborated with seven of the ten research fields. Hydrology researchers seem to interact the most strongly with other research fields as they contribute understanding on water system processes. Network analysis to explore which individuals collaborate shows that much joint work takes place through the five research cluster groups (water resource management, land-surface processes, Hydrological Open Air Laboratory, water and health, modelling and risk). Student interviews highlight that trust between colleagues and supervisors, and the role of spaces for interaction (joint study sites, cluster group meetings, shared offices etc.) are important for joint work. Graduate analysis shows that students develop skills and confidence to work across disciplines through collaborating on their doctoral research. Working collaboratively during the doctorate appears to be strongly correlated with continuing to work in this way after graduation.

Catalyzing Cross-Disciplinary Research and Education Within and Beyond the Environmental and Geosciences to Address Emerging, Societally-Relevant Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cak, A. D.; Vigdor, L. J.; Vorosmarty, C. J.; Giebel, B. M.; Santistevan, C.; Chasteau, C.

2017-12-01

Tackling emergent, societally-relevant problems in the environmental sciences is hardly confined to a single research discipline, but rather requires collaborations that bridge diverse domains and perspectives. While new technologies (e.g., Skype) can in theory unite otherwise geographically distributed participation in collaborative research, physical distance nevertheless raises the bar on intellectual dialogue. Such barriers may reveal perceptions of or real differences across disciplines, reflecting particular traditions in their histories and academic cultures. Individual disciplines are self-defined by their scientific, epistemologic, methodologic, or philosophical traditions (e.g., difficulties in understanding processes occurring at different scales, insufficient research funding for interdisciplinary work), or cultural and discursive hurdles (e.g., navigating a new field's jargon). Coupled with these challenges is a considerable deficiency in educating the next generation of scientists to help them develop a sufficient comfort level with thinking critically across multiple disciplinary domains and conceptual frameworks. To address these issues, the City University of New York (CUNY), the largest public urban university in the U.S., made a significant investment in advancing cross-disciplinary research and education, culminating in the opening of the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) in New York City (NYC) in late 2014. We report here on our experiences incubating new collaborative efforts to address environmental science-related research as it is interwoven with the ASRC's five research initiatives (Environmental Sciences, Neuroscience, Structural Biology, Photonics, and Nanoscience). We describe the ASRC's overall structure and function as both a stand-alone interdisciplinary center and one that collaborates more broadly with CUNY's network of twenty-four campuses distributed across NYC's five boroughs. We identify challenges we have faced so far, particularly in attempting to overcome traditional scientific, discursive, and cultural barriers, and how we are addressing them. We also describe several outreach and educational programming efforts designed to promote cross-disciplinarity, including informal science education.

How can scientists bring research to use: the HENVINET experience.

PubMed

Bartonova, Alena

2012-06-28

Health concerns have driven the European environmental policies of the last 25 years, with issues becoming more complex. Addressing these concerns requires an approach that is both interdisciplinary and engages scientists with society. In response to this requirement, the FP6 coordination action "Health and Environment Network" HENVINET was set up to create a permanent inter-disciplinary network of professionals in the field of health and environment tasked to bridge the communication gap between science and society. In this paper we describe how HENVINET delivered on this task. The HENVINET project approached the issue of inter-disciplinary collaboration in four ways. (1) The Drivers-Pressures-State-Exposure-Effect-Action framework was used to structure information gathering, collaboration and communication between scientists in the field of health and the environment. (2) Interactive web-based tools were developed to enhance methods for knowledge evaluation, and use these methods to formulate policy advice. (3) Quantification methods were adapted to measure scientific agreement. And (4) Open architecture web technology was used to develop an information repository and a web portal to facilitate collaboration and communication among scientists. Twenty-five organizations from Europe and five from outside Europe participated in the Health and Environment Network HENVINET, which lasted for 3.5 years. The consortium included partners in environmental research, public health and veterinary medicine; included medical practitioners and representatives of local administrations; and had access to national policy making and EEA and WHO expertise. Dedicated web-based tools for visualisation of environmental health issues and knowledge evaluation allowed remote expert elicitation, and were used as a basis for developing policy advice in five health areas (asthma and allergies; cancer; neurodevelopmental disorders; endocrine disruption; and engineered nanoparticles in the environment). An open searchable database of decision support tools was established and populated. A web based social networking tool was developed to enhance collaboration and communication between scientists and society. HENVINET addressed key issues that arise in inter-disciplinary research on health and environment and in communicating research results to policy makers and society. HENVINET went beyond traditional scientific tools and methods to bridge the communication gap between science and policy makers. The project identified the need for a common framework and delivered it. It developed and implemented a variety of novel methods and tools and, using several representative examples, demonstrated the process of producing politically relevant scientific advice based on an open participation of experts. It highlighted the need for, and benefits of, a liaison between health and environment professionals and professionals in the social sciences and liberal arts. By adopting critical complexity thinking, HENVINET extended the traditional approach to environment and health research, and set the standard for current approaches to bridge the gap between science and society.

Standards for the Psychosocial Care of Children With Cancer and Their Families: An Introduction to the Special Issue | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

Pediatric oncology psychosocial professionals collaborated with an interdisciplinary group of experts and stakeholders and developed evidence-based standards for pediatric psychosocial care. Given the breadth of research evidence and traditions of clinical care, 15 standards were derived. Each standard is based on a systematic review of relevant literature and used the AGREE

The paradox of scientific excellence and the search for productivity in pharmaceutical research and development.

PubMed

Grasela, T H; Slusser, R

2014-05-01

Scientific advances in specialty areas are proceeding at a rapid rate, but the research and development enterprise seems unable to take full advantage. Harnessing the steady stream of knowledge and inventions from different disciplines is the critical management issue of our time. This article suggests a framework for a management-directed effort to improve productivity by enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration.

Emerging Lessons of the Interdisciplinary Generalist Curriculum (IGC) Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wartman, Steven A.; Davis, Ardis K.; Wilson, Modena E. H.; Kahn, Norman B., Jr.; Kahn, Ruth H.

1998-01-01

The interdisciplinary general-curriculum project was designed to develop innovative preclinical generalist curricula in ten medical and osteopathic schools and to encourage generalist careers. After two competitive cycles, much has been learned about interdisciplinary collaboration, recruitment and retention of community preceptors, faculty…

Psychometrics of the scale of attitudes toward physician-pharmacist collaboration: a study with medical students.

PubMed

Hojat, Mohammadreza; Spandorfer, John; Isenberg, Gerald A; Vergare, Michael J; Fassihi, Reza; Gonnella, Joseph S

2012-01-01

Despite the emphasis placed on interdisciplinary education and interprofessional collaboration between physicians and pharmacologists, no psychometrically sound instrument is available to measure attitudes toward collaborative relationships. This study was designed to examine psychometrics of an instrument for measuring attitudes toward physician-pharmacist collaborative relationships for administration to students in medical and pharmacy schools and to physicians and pharmacists. The Scale of Attitudes Toward Physician-Pharmacist Collaboration was completed by 210 students at Jefferson Medical College. Factor analysis and correlational methods were used to examine psychometrics of the instrument. Consistent with the conceptual framework of interprofessional collaboration, three underlying constructs, namely "responsibility and accountability;" "shared authority;" and "interdisciplinary education" emerged from the factor analysis of the instrument providing support for its construct validity. The reliability coefficient alpha for the instrument was 0.90. The instrument's criterion-related validity coefficient with scores of a validated instrument (Jefferson Scale of Attitudes Toward Physician-Nurse Collaboration) was 0.70. Findings provide support for the validity and reliability of the instrument for medical students. The instrument has the potential to be used for the evaluation of interdisciplinary education in medical and pharmacy schools, and for the evaluation of patient outcomes resulting from collaborative physician-pharmacist relationships.

Interdisciplinary and participatory approaches: the key to effective groundwater management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barthel, Roland; Foster, Stephen; Villholth, Karen G.

2017-11-01

The challenges of a changing world, which are progressively threatening sustainable use of groundwater resources, can only be rationally and effectively addressed through close collaboration between experts and practitioners from different disciplines. Furthermore, science and management need to build on stakeholder opinions and processes in order to generate useful knowledge and positive outcomes in terms of sustainable and equitable groundwater management. This essay provides a discussion of the status of and vision for participatory and inter-disciplinary approaches to groundwater evaluation and management as well as a conceptual framework and relevant research questions that will facilitate such approaches.

Gender differences in scientific collaborations: Women are more egalitarian than men

PubMed Central

Araújo, Eduardo B.; Araújo, Nuno A. M.; Moreira, André A.; Herrmann, Hans J.; Andrade, José S.

2017-01-01

By analyzing a unique dataset of more than 270,000 scientists, we discovered substantial gender differences in scientific collaborations. While men are more likely to collaborate with other men, women are more egalitarian. This is consistently observed over all fields and regardless of the number of collaborators a scientist has. The only exception is observed in the field of engineering, where this gender bias disappears with increasing number of collaborators. We also found that the distribution of the number of collaborators follows a truncated power law with a cut-off that is gender dependent and related to the gender differences in the number of published papers. Considering interdisciplinary research, our analysis shows that men and women behave similarly across fields, except in the case of natural sciences, where women with many collaborators are more likely to have collaborators from other fields. PMID:28489872

Gender differences in scientific collaborations: Women are more egalitarian than men.

PubMed

Araújo, Eduardo B; Araújo, Nuno A M; Moreira, André A; Herrmann, Hans J; Andrade, José S

2017-01-01

By analyzing a unique dataset of more than 270,000 scientists, we discovered substantial gender differences in scientific collaborations. While men are more likely to collaborate with other men, women are more egalitarian. This is consistently observed over all fields and regardless of the number of collaborators a scientist has. The only exception is observed in the field of engineering, where this gender bias disappears with increasing number of collaborators. We also found that the distribution of the number of collaborators follows a truncated power law with a cut-off that is gender dependent and related to the gender differences in the number of published papers. Considering interdisciplinary research, our analysis shows that men and women behave similarly across fields, except in the case of natural sciences, where women with many collaborators are more likely to have collaborators from other fields.

Can Teacher Collaboration Overcome Barriers to Interdisciplinary Learning in a Disciplinary University? A Case Study Using Climate Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pharo, E. J.; Davison, A.; Warr, K.; Nursey-Bray, M.; Beswick, K.; Wapstra, E.; Jones, C.

2012-01-01

A teacher network was formed at an Australian university in order to better promote interdisciplinary student learning on the complex social-environmental problem of climate change. Rather than leaving it to students to piece together disciplinary responses, eight teaching academics collaborated on the task of exposing students to different types…

The Cancer Epidemiology Descriptive Cohort Database: A Tool to Support Population-Based Interdisciplinary Research.

PubMed

Kennedy, Amy E; Khoury, Muin J; Ioannidis, John P A; Brotzman, Michelle; Miller, Amy; Lane, Crystal; Lai, Gabriel Y; Rogers, Scott D; Harvey, Chinonye; Elena, Joanne W; Seminara, Daniela

2016-10-01

We report on the establishment of a web-based Cancer Epidemiology Descriptive Cohort Database (CEDCD). The CEDCD's goals are to enhance awareness of resources, facilitate interdisciplinary research collaborations, and support existing cohorts for the study of cancer-related outcomes. Comprehensive descriptive data were collected from large cohorts established to study cancer as primary outcome using a newly developed questionnaire. These included an inventory of baseline and follow-up data, biospecimens, genomics, policies, and protocols. Additional descriptive data extracted from publicly available sources were also collected. This information was entered in a searchable and publicly accessible database. We summarized the descriptive data across cohorts and reported the characteristics of this resource. As of December 2015, the CEDCD includes data from 46 cohorts representing more than 6.5 million individuals (29% ethnic/racial minorities). Overall, 78% of the cohorts have collected blood at least once, 57% at multiple time points, and 46% collected tissue samples. Genotyping has been performed by 67% of the cohorts, while 46% have performed whole-genome or exome sequencing in subsets of enrolled individuals. Information on medical conditions other than cancer has been collected in more than 50% of the cohorts. More than 600,000 incident cancer cases and more than 40,000 prevalent cases are reported, with 24 cancer sites represented. The CEDCD assembles detailed descriptive information on a large number of cancer cohorts in a searchable database. Information from the CEDCD may assist the interdisciplinary research community by facilitating identification of well-established population resources and large-scale collaborative and integrative research. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(10); 1392-401. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

An exploratory study of the potential learning benefits for medical students in collaborative drawing: creativity, reflection and ‘critical looking’

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Building on a series of higher educational arts/medicine initiatives, an interdisciplinary drawing module themed on the human body was developed for both year 3 Craft students and year 3 Medicine degree students. This became the subject of a research project exploring how the collaborative approach to drawing adopted on this module impacted on the students’ learning. In this article, emphasis is given to issues thought to have most potential relevance to medical education. Methods Using an ethnographic research design, the methods adopted were: direct observation of all aspects of the module sessions, audio and video recordings and photographs of the sessions, the incorporation of a semi-structured discussion at the end of each session, and anonymous student questionnaires. Results A number of key themes emerged. The complex, phased and multi-sensory nature of the ‘critical looking’ skills developed through the drawing exercises was seen as of potential value in medical education, being proposed as analogous to processes involved in clinical examination and diagnosis. The experience of interdisciplinary collaborative drawing was significant to the students as a creative, participatory and responsive form of learning. The emphasis on the physical experience of drawing and the thematic use of the human body as drawing subject led to reflective discussions about bodily knowledge and understanding. There were indications that students had a meta-cognitive awareness of the learning shifts that had occurred and the sessions provoked constructive self-reflective explorations of pre-professional identity. Conclusions This preliminary study suggests, through the themes identified, that there may be potential learning outcomes for medical students in this model of interdisciplinary collaborative drawing of the human body. Further research is needed to explore their applicability and value to medical education. There is a need to explore in more depth the beliefs, motivations and learning styles of medical students opting for the module, the significance and weighting of different learning and teaching elements in the module and the impact of the learning on medical students in the immediate post-module phase. PMID:23773830

An exploratory study of the potential learning benefits for medical students in collaborative drawing: creativity, reflection and 'critical looking'.

PubMed

Lyon, Philippa; Letschka, Patrick; Ainsworth, Tom; Haq, Inam

2013-06-17

Building on a series of higher educational arts/medicine initiatives, an interdisciplinary drawing module themed on the human body was developed for both year 3 Craft students and year 3 Medicine degree students. This became the subject of a research project exploring how the collaborative approach to drawing adopted on this module impacted on the students' learning. In this article, emphasis is given to issues thought to have most potential relevance to medical education. Using an ethnographic research design, the methods adopted were: direct observation of all aspects of the module sessions, audio and video recordings and photographs of the sessions, the incorporation of a semi-structured discussion at the end of each session, and anonymous student questionnaires. A number of key themes emerged. The complex, phased and multi-sensory nature of the 'critical looking' skills developed through the drawing exercises was seen as of potential value in medical education, being proposed as analogous to processes involved in clinical examination and diagnosis. The experience of interdisciplinary collaborative drawing was significant to the students as a creative, participatory and responsive form of learning. The emphasis on the physical experience of drawing and the thematic use of the human body as drawing subject led to reflective discussions about bodily knowledge and understanding. There were indications that students had a meta-cognitive awareness of the learning shifts that had occurred and the sessions provoked constructive self-reflective explorations of pre-professional identity. This preliminary study suggests, through the themes identified, that there may be potential learning outcomes for medical students in this model of interdisciplinary collaborative drawing of the human body. Further research is needed to explore their applicability and value to medical education. There is a need to explore in more depth the beliefs, motivations and learning styles of medical students opting for the module, the significance and weighting of different learning and teaching elements in the module and the impact of the learning on medical students in the immediate post-module phase.

Teaching Cellular Automation Concepts through Interdisciplinary Collaborative Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biernacki, Joseph J.; Ayers, Jerry B.

2000-01-01

Reports on the experiences of 12 students--three senior undergraduates majoring in chemical engineering, five master-level, and four doctoral students--in a course titled "Interdisciplinary Studies in Multi-Scale Simulation of Concrete Materials". Course objectives focused on incorporating team-oriented interdisciplinary experiences into the…

Build It: Will They Come?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corrie, Brian; Zimmerman, Todd

Scientific research is fundamentally collaborative in nature, and many of today's complex scientific problems require domain expertise in a wide range of disciplines. In order to create research groups that can effectively explore such problems, research collaborations are often formed that involve colleagues at many institutions, sometimes spanning a country and often spanning the world. An increasingly common manifestation of such a collaboration is the collaboratory (Bos et al., 2007), a “…center without walls in which the nation's researchers can perform research without regard to geographical location — interacting with colleagues, accessing instrumentation, sharing data and computational resources, and accessing information from digital libraries.” In order to bring groups together on such a scale, a wide range of components need to be available to researchers, including distributed computer systems, remote instrumentation, data storage, collaboration tools, and the financial and human resources to operate and run such a system (National Research Council, 1993). Media Spaces, as both a technology and a social facilitator, have the potential to meet many of these needs. In this chapter, we focus on the use of scientific media spaces (SMS) as a tool for supporting collaboration in scientific research. In particular, we discuss the design, deployment, and use of a set of SMS environments deployed by WestGrid and one of its collaborating organizations, the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in the Mathematical and Computational Sciences (IRMACS) over a 5-year period.

Interfacing mathematics and biology: a discussion on training, research, collaboration, and funding.

PubMed

Miller, Laura A; Alben, Silas

2012-11-01

This article summarizes the discussion at a workshop on "Working at the Interface of Mathematics and Biology" at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. The goal of this workshop was to foster an ongoing discussion by the community on how to effectively train students from the biological, physical, engineering, and mathematical sciences to work at the intersection of these fields. One major point of discussion centered on how to be a successful interdisciplinary researcher in terms of where to publish, how to successfully write grants, and how to navigate evaluations for tenure and promotion. An emphasis was placed on the importance of developing strong multidisciplinary collaborations and clearly defining one's career trajectory to the home discipline. Another focus of the discussion was on the training of students and postdoctoral fellows in interdisciplinary work and helping these junior researchers to launch their careers. The group emphasized the need for the development of publicly available resources for biologists to learn basic tools for mathematical modeling and for mathematicians and engineers to see how their fields may be applied to current topics in the life sciences.

The Collaborative Production of Meaningful Measure(ment)s: Preliminary Insights into a Work in Progress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bormann, Inka; Michelsen, Gerd

2010-01-01

This article introduces a tri-national research and development project which aims to develop indicators for the cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary educational task "education for sustainable development" (ESD). These indicators are meant to help monitor the implementation of ESD efforts in schools and institutions of higher education…

The Development of a Mentoring Program for University Undergraduate Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putsche, Laura; Storrs, Debbie; Lewis, Alicia A.; Haylett, Jennifer

2008-01-01

The Women's Center at a university in the United States implemented a mentoring program based on feminist and networking models to improve the educational climate for female undergraduate students. Due to a lack of literature detailing how to develop such a program, an interdisciplinary team of researchers collaborated with the Women's Center to…

Taking Math Outside of the Classroom: Math in the City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radu, Petronela

2013-01-01

Math in the City is an interdisciplinary mathematics course offered at University of Nebraska-Lincoln in which students engage in a real-world experience to understand current major societal issues of local and national interest. The course is run in collaboration with local businesses, research centers, and government organizations, that provide…

Interdisciplinary Facilities that Support Collaborative Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asoodeh, Mike; Bonnette, Roy

2006-01-01

It has become widely accepted that the computer is an indispensable tool in the study of science and technology. Thus, in recent years curricular programs such as Industrial Technology and associated scientific disciplines have been adopting and adapting the computer as a tool in new and innovative ways to support teaching, learning, and research.…

Producing Knowledge about Plurilingualism with Young Students: A Challenge for Collaborative Ethnography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unamuno, Virginia; Patiño, Adriana

2017-01-01

One of the core concerns of the research undertaken by GREIP has been to develop an interdisciplinary approach to plurilingualism that could be useful in education. This approach was established by taking into consideration, the competences that make it possible to acquire the knowledge, orientations and practices that allow effective…

What Type of Faculty and Training Are Required for a Successful Basic Sciences Program?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Anthony

1992-01-01

Science education for optometry must go beyond therapeutic patient management to more preparation for biologically based care. Optometry faculty should be involved in research driven by specific patient problems and should prepare professionals to address patient quality-of-life and daily living needs. Interdisciplinary collaboration is needed.…

Interdisciplinary collaboration experiences in creating an everyday rehabilitation model: a pilot study

PubMed Central

Moe, Aud; Brataas, Hildfrid V

2016-01-01

Background When functional impairment occurs, assistance to achieve self-help can lead to qualitatively more active everyday life for recipients and better use of community resources. Home-based everyday rehabilitation is a new interdisciplinary service for people living at home. Rehabilitation involves meeting the need for interprofessional services, interdisciplinary collaboration, and coordination of services. Everyday rehabilitation is a service that requires close interdisciplinary cooperation. The purpose of this study was to gain knowledge about employees’ experiences with establishing a new multidisciplinary team and developing a team-based work model. Method The study had a qualitative design using two focus group interviews with a newly established rehabilitation team. The sample consisted of an occupational therapist, two care workers with further education in rehabilitation, a nurse, a physiotherapist, and a project leader. Data were analyzed by thematic content analysis. Results The data highlight three phases: a planning phase (ten meetings over half a year), a startup phase of trials of interdisciplinary everyday rehabilitation in practice (2 months), and a third period specifying and implementing an everyday rehabilitation model (6 months). During these phases, three themes emerged: 1) team creation and design of the service, 2) targeted practical trials, and 3) equality of team members and combining interdisciplinary methods. Conclusion The team provided information about three processes: developing work routines and a revised team-based flow chart, developing team cooperation with integrated Trans- and interdisciplinary collaboration, and working with external exchange. There is more need for secure network solutions. PMID:27143911

Astronomy as the Leader of Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Sciences (Introductory talk)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martirosyan, R. M.; Mickaelian, A. M.

2015-07-01

Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary sciences over the last few decades have become the major booster of science development. The most important discoveries occur just at the intersection of sciences and in collaboration of several fields. There appeared such intermediate fields as mathematical physics, physical chemistry, biophysics, biochemistry, geophysics, etc. In astronomy, astrophysics has long been the main field, and in present archaeoastronomy, astrochemistry, astrobiology, astroinformatics (which is tightly related to virtual observatories) are developing. On the other hand, in recent years many science areas surfeit of research on Earth, more and more use data coming from the Space and are being developed just due to them. It is possible that in the near future, various science areas create Space departments or simply develop their research in close collaboration with astronomers. Interesting discoveries have been made in studies of astronomical topics in various areas of culture; such topics are widely used in folklore, other genres of literature, painting, and architecture. Astronomy has also a leading role in scientific tourism, scientific journalism and in general, dissemination of popular science or public outreach.

Astronomy as the Leader of Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mickaelian, A. M.; Farmanyan, S. V.

2016-12-01

Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary sciences over the last few decades have become the major booster of science development. The most important discoveries occur just at the intersection of sciences and in collaboration of several fields. There appeared such intermediate fields as mathematical physics, physical chemistry, biophysics, biochemistry, geophysics, etc. In astronomy, astrophysics has long been the main field, and in present archaeoastronomy, astrochemistry, astrobiology, astroinformatics (which is tightly related to virtual observatories) are developing. On the other hand, in recent years many science areas surfeit of research on Earth, more and more use data coming from the Space and are being developed just due to them. It is possible that in the near future, various science areas create Space departments or simply develop their research in close collaboration with astronomers. Interesting discoveries have been made in studies of astronomical topics in various areas of culture; such topics are widely used in folklore, other genres of literature, painting, and architecture. Astronomy has also a leading role in scientific tourism, scientific journalism and in general, dissemination of popular science or public outreach.

Multidisciplinary Optimization Methods for Aircraft Preliminary Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kroo, Ilan; Altus, Steve; Braun, Robert; Gage, Peter; Sobieski, Ian

1994-01-01

This paper describes a research program aimed at improved methods for multidisciplinary design and optimization of large-scale aeronautical systems. The research involves new approaches to system decomposition, interdisciplinary communication, and methods of exploiting coarse-grained parallelism for analysis and optimization. A new architecture, that involves a tight coupling between optimization and analysis, is intended to improve efficiency while simplifying the structure of multidisciplinary, computation-intensive design problems involving many analysis disciplines and perhaps hundreds of design variables. Work in two areas is described here: system decomposition using compatibility constraints to simplify the analysis structure and take advantage of coarse-grained parallelism; and collaborative optimization, a decomposition of the optimization process to permit parallel design and to simplify interdisciplinary communication requirements.

Recent Seismicity in Texas and Research Design and Progress of the TexNet-CISR Collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hennings, P.; Savvaidis, A.; Rathje, E.; Olson, J. E.; DeShon, H. R.; Datta-Gupta, A.; Eichhubl, P.; Nicot, J. P.; Kahlor, L. A.

2017-12-01

The recent increase in the rate of seismicity in Texas has prompted the establishment of an interdisciplinary, interinstitutional collaboration led by the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology which includes the TexNet Seismic Monitoring and Research project as funded by The State of Texas (roughly 2/3rds of our funding) and the industry-funded Center for Integrated Seismicity Research (CISR) (1/3 of funding). TexNet is monitoring and cataloging seismicity across Texas using a new backbone seismic network, investigating site-specific earthquake sequences by deploying temporary seismic monitoring stations, and conducting reservoir modeling studies. CISR expands TexNet research into the interdisciplinary realm to more thoroughly study the factors that contribute to seismicity, characterize the associated hazard and risk, develop strategies for mitigation and management, and develop methods of effective communication for all stakeholders. The TexNet-CISR research portfolio has 6 themes: seismicity monitoring, seismology, geologic and hydrologic description, geomechanics and reservoir modeling, seismic hazard and risk assessment, and seismic risk social science. Twenty+ specific research projects span and connect these themes. We will provide a synopsis of research progress including recent seismicity trends in Texas; Fort Worth Basin integrated studies including geological modeling and fault characterization, fluid injection data syntheses, and reservoir and geomechanical modeling; regional ground shaking characterization and mapping, infrastructure vulnerability assessment; and social science topics of public perception and information seeking behavior.

Energy and scientific communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Sanctis, E.

2013-06-01

Energy communication is a paradigmatic case of scientific communication. It is particularly important today, when the world is confronted with a number of immediate, urgent problems. Science communication has become a real duty and a big challenge for scientists. It serves to create and foster a climate of reciprocal knowledge and trust between science and society, and to establish a good level of interest and enthusiasm for research. For an effective communication it is important to establish an open dialogue with the audience, and a close collaboration among scientists and science communicators. An international collaboration in energy communication is appropriate to better support international and interdisciplinary research and projects.

Validation of the Impact of Health Information Technology (I-HIT) Scale: an international collaborative.

PubMed

Dykes, Patricia C; Hurley, Ann C; Brown, Suzanne; Carr, Robyn; Cashen, Margaret; Collins, Rita; Cook, Robyn; Currie, Leanne; Docherty, Charles; Ensio, Anneli; Foster, Joanne; Hardiker, Nicholas R; Honey, Michelle L L; Killalea, Rosaleen; Murphy, Judy; Saranto, Kaija; Sensmeier, Joyce; Weaver, Charlotte

2009-01-01

In 2005, the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Nursing Informatics Community developed a survey to measure the impact of health information technology (HIT), the I-HIT Scale, on the role of nurses and interdisciplinary communication in hospital settings. In 2007, nursing informatics colleagues from Australia, England, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland and the United States formed a research collaborative to validate the I-HIT across countries. All teams have completed construct and face validation in their countries. Five out of six teams have initiated reliability testing by practicing nurses. This paper reports the international collaborative's validation of the I-HIT Scale completed to date.

Interdisciplinary Training: Preparing Counselors for Collaborative Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okech, Jane E. Atieno; Geroski, Anne M.

2015-01-01

This article utilizes one counselor education program's experience as a framework for exploring how to prepare counselors to work in interdisciplinary teams. Based on an interdisciplinary training program that involves faculty and graduate students from counseling, social work, nursing, internal medicine and family medicine, the article explores…

Interdisciplinary collaboration between social workers and dieticians in nutrition education programs for children-at-risk.

PubMed

Shor, Ron

2010-01-01

Bio-psycho-social risk factors may lead to situations of poor nutrition of children. However, despite the multiple risk factors involved in such situations, interdisciplinary collaboration between experts in the psycho-social dimensions and experts in the bio-dimension of poor nutrition has not been a common model of practice. An evaluation was conducted in Israel of the experience of collaboration between social workers and dieticians in leading nutrition-education programs. A qualitative methodology was implemented with 22 participants. The findings illuminate the potential that interdisciplinary collaboration has to enhance the response of each of the professions to the risks for poor nutrition. The barriers affecting collaboration are: (a) role ambiguity about the non-administrative functions of social workers; (b) the dieticians' lack of sufficient familiarity with the life circumstances of low-income families and how to adjust the nutrition-related contents to their circumstances; and (c) difficulties to achieve a balance between the structured methods of knowledge delivery of the dieticians and the less structured methods of intervention of social workers. The findings illuminate the significance of incorporating suitable approaches into the collaboration for reducing these barriers.

Rawls’s Wide Reflective Equilibrium as a Method for Engaged Interdisciplinary Collaboration

PubMed Central

Taebi, Behnam

2017-01-01

The introduction of new technologies in society is sometimes met with public resistance. Supported by public policy calls for “upstream engagement” and “responsible innovation,” recent years have seen a notable rise in attempts to attune research and innovation processes to societal needs, so that stakeholders’ concerns are taken into account in the design phase of technology. Both within the social sciences and in the ethics of technology, we see many interdisciplinary collaborations being initiated that aim to address tensions between various normative expectations about science and engineering and the actual outcomes. However, despite pleas to integrate social science research into the ethics of technology, effective normative models for assessing technologies are still scarce. Rawls’s wide reflective equilibrium (WRE) is often mentioned as a promising approach to integrate insights from the social sciences in the normative analysis of concrete cases, but an in-depth discussion of how this would work in practice is still lacking. In this article, we explore to what extent the WRE method can be used in the context of technology development. Using cases in engineering and technology development, we discuss three issues that are currently neglected in the applied ethics literature on WRE. The first issue concerns the operationalization of abstract background theories to moral principles. The second issue concerns the inclusiveness of the method and the demand for openness. The third issue is how to establish whether or not an equilibrium has been reached. These issues should be taken into account when applying the methods to real-world cases involving technological risks. Applying the WRE method in the context of engaged interdisciplinary collaboration requires sensitivity for issues of power and representativeness to properly deal with the dynamics between the technical and normative researchers involved as well as society at large. PMID:29657348

Rawls's Wide Reflective Equilibrium as a Method for Engaged Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Potentials and Limitations for the Context of Technological Risks.

PubMed

Doorn, Neelke; Taebi, Behnam

2018-05-01

The introduction of new technologies in society is sometimes met with public resistance. Supported by public policy calls for "upstream engagement" and "responsible innovation," recent years have seen a notable rise in attempts to attune research and innovation processes to societal needs, so that stakeholders' concerns are taken into account in the design phase of technology. Both within the social sciences and in the ethics of technology, we see many interdisciplinary collaborations being initiated that aim to address tensions between various normative expectations about science and engineering and the actual outcomes. However, despite pleas to integrate social science research into the ethics of technology, effective normative models for assessing technologies are still scarce. Rawls's wide reflective equilibrium (WRE) is often mentioned as a promising approach to integrate insights from the social sciences in the normative analysis of concrete cases, but an in-depth discussion of how this would work in practice is still lacking. In this article, we explore to what extent the WRE method can be used in the context of technology development. Using cases in engineering and technology development, we discuss three issues that are currently neglected in the applied ethics literature on WRE. The first issue concerns the operationalization of abstract background theories to moral principles. The second issue concerns the inclusiveness of the method and the demand for openness. The third issue is how to establish whether or not an equilibrium has been reached. These issues should be taken into account when applying the methods to real-world cases involving technological risks. Applying the WRE method in the context of engaged interdisciplinary collaboration requires sensitivity for issues of power and representativeness to properly deal with the dynamics between the technical and normative researchers involved as well as society at large.

Forming interdisciplinary expertise: One organization’s journey on the road to translational nanomedicine

PubMed Central

Ku, Sharon

2012-01-01

This paper provides a sociological account of how researchers of different disciplines become experts in translational nanomedicine. Using a case study of the Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory (NCL) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the author argues that the relationship between the different disciplines involved in translational nanomedicine should be understood in the broader socio-political context of the boundary politics between the academy, industry, and government. This study suggests that the process of training the nanobio expert is not simply a process of inculcating skills; it is also a process of institution-building. In the case of the NCL, sustaining the laboratory’s existence at the interface between the university, industry, and government informed how researchers practiced interdisciplinarity and cultivated their interdisciplinary expertise. It required mobilizing institutional resources through administrative/managerial strategies. Viewing the formation of a professional identity as a social process helps clarify the meaning of interdisciplinarity and provides insight in evaluating the performance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the design of nanoscience education. PMID:22517677

The Evolution of an Interprofessional Shared Decision-Making Research Program: Reflective Case Study of an Emerging Paradigm

PubMed Central

Menear, Matthew; Stacey, Dawn; Brière, Nathalie; Légaré, France

2016-01-01

Introduction: Healthcare research increasingly focuses on interprofessional collaboration and on shared decision making, but knowledge gaps remain about effective strategies for implementing interprofessional collaboration and shared decision-making together in clinical practice. We used Kuhn’s theory of scientific revolutions to reflect on how an integrated interprofessional shared decision-making approach was developed and implemented over time. Methods: In 2007, an interdisciplinary team initiated a new research program to promote the implementation of an interprofessional shared decision-making approach in clinical settings. For this reflective case study, two new team members analyzed the team’s four projects, six research publications, one unpublished and two published protocols and organized them into recognizable phases according to Kuhn’s theory. Results: The merging of two young disciplines led to challenges characteristic of emerging paradigms. Implementation of interprofessional shared-decision making was hindered by a lack of conceptual clarity, a dearth of theories and models, little methodological guidance, and insufficient evaluation instruments. The team developed a new model, identified new tools, and engaged knowledge users in a theory-based approach to implementation. However, several unresolved challenges remain. Discussion: This reflective case study sheds light on the evolution of interdisciplinary team science. It offers new approaches to implementing emerging knowledge in the clinical context. PMID:28435417

The Evolution of an Interprofessional Shared Decision-Making Research Program: Reflective Case Study of an Emerging Paradigm.

PubMed

Dogba, Maman Joyce; Menear, Matthew; Stacey, Dawn; Brière, Nathalie; Légaré, France

2016-07-19

Healthcare research increasingly focuses on interprofessional collaboration and on shared decision making, but knowledge gaps remain about effective strategies for implementing interprofessional collaboration and shared decision-making together in clinical practice. We used Kuhn's theory of scientific revolutions to reflect on how an integrated interprofessional shared decision-making approach was developed and implemented over time. In 2007, an interdisciplinary team initiated a new research program to promote the implementation of an interprofessional shared decision-making approach in clinical settings. For this reflective case study, two new team members analyzed the team's four projects, six research publications, one unpublished and two published protocols and organized them into recognizable phases according to Kuhn's theory. The merging of two young disciplines led to challenges characteristic of emerging paradigms. Implementation of interprofessional shared-decision making was hindered by a lack of conceptual clarity, a dearth of theories and models, little methodological guidance, and insufficient evaluation instruments. The team developed a new model, identified new tools, and engaged knowledge users in a theory-based approach to implementation. However, several unresolved challenges remain. This reflective case study sheds light on the evolution of interdisciplinary team science. It offers new approaches to implementing emerging knowledge in the clinical context.

The influence of interdisciplinary collaboration on decision making: a framework to analyse stakeholder coalitions, evolution and learning in strategic delta planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vermoolen, Myrthe; Hermans, Leon

2015-04-01

The sustained development of urbanizing deltas requires that conflicting interests are reconciled, in an environment characterized by technical complexity and knowledge limitations. However, integrating ideas and establishing cooperation between actors with different backgrounds and roles still proves a challenge. Agreeing on strategic choices is difficult and implementation of agreed plans may lead to unanticipated and unintended outcomes. How can individual disciplinary perspectives come together and establish a broadly-supported and well-informed plan, the implementation of which contributes to sustainable delta development? The growing recognition of this need to bring together different stakeholders and different disciplinary perspectives runs parallel to a paradigm shift from 'hard' hydrological engineering to multi-functional and more 'soft' hydrological engineering in water management. As a result, there is now more attention for interdisciplinary collaboration that not only takes the physical characteristics of water systems into account, but also the interaction between physical and societal components of these systems. Thus, it is important to study interdisciplinary collaboration and how this influences decision-making. Our research looks into this connection, using a case in delta planning in the Netherlands, where there have been several (attempts for) integration of spatial planning and flood risk/ water management, e.g. in the case of the Dutch Delta Programme. This means that spatial designers and their designs play an important role in the strategic delta planning process as well, next to civil engineers, etc. This study explores the roles of stakeholders, experts and policy makers in interdisciplinary decision-making in dynamic delta planning processes, using theories and methods that focus on coalitions, learning and changes over time in policy and planning processes. This requires an expansion of the existing frameworks to study interdisciplinary collaboration. The question here is how to combine policy science frameworks (e.g. the Advocacy Coalition Framework) and social network methods (e.g. Social Network Analysis) with frameworks that allow a connection with the physical delta systems. This will result in a new framework for analysing interdisciplinary stakeholder coalitions, evolution and learning in strategic delta planning. The use of this framework will be illustrated with an example from strategic delta planning in the Dutch Southwest Delta. With this, we want to see how spatial planning and water management disciplines have combined into new policies for delta management in the Netherlands over the past 25 years.

Breaking Down Walls to Creativity through Interdisciplinary Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Richard E.

2016-01-01

This article describes initial success in developing an interdisciplinary studio for teaching collaborative creativity and design, with faculty from multiple departments co-teaching and co-mentoring interdisciplinary student groups engaged in social innovation. The rationale for developing this studio has been to prepare students for the kind of…

Teaching scientific literacy in an introductory women's studies course: a case study in interdisciplinary collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuselier, Linda; Murphy, Claudia; Bender, Anita; Creel Falcón, Kandace

2015-01-01

Background and purpose:The purpose of this exploratory case study is to describe how scholars negotiated disciplinary divides to develop and communicate to their students an understanding of the basic features of scientific knowledge. Our goals were to examine boundary crossing in interdisciplinary collaboration and to assess the efficacy of adding science content to an introductory Women's Studies course. Sample:We studied a collaboration between faculty in Biology and Women's Studies and evaluated science modules in a Women's Studies course at a regional four-year university in the Midwestern USA. The study included 186 student participants over three semesters and four faculty from Philosophy, Women's Studies and Biology. Design and method:Women's Studies and Biology faculty collaborated to design and implement science content learning modules that included the case of women and science in an introductory Women's Studies course. Qualitative data collected from faculty participants in the form of peer debrief sessions and narrative reflections were used to examine the process of interdisciplinary collaboration. Students exposed to curriculum changes were administered pre- and post-lesson surveys to evaluate their understanding of issues faced by women in science careers, the nature of science, and interest in science studies. Data from collaborators, student journal reflections, and pre-/post-lesson surveys were considered together in an evaluation of how knowledge of science was understood and taught in a Women's Studies course over a longitudinal study of three semesters. Results:We found evidence of discipline-based challenges to interdisciplinarity and disciplinary boundary crossing among collaborators. Three themes emerged from our collaboration: challenges posed by disciplinary differences, creation of a space for interdisciplinary work, and evidence of boundary crossing. Student participants exhibited more prior knowledge of Women's Studies content than nature of science but showed learning in the areas of scientific literacy and the understanding of issues related to women in science careers. Student understanding of science content was enhanced by the participation of a woman scientist in the learning module. Conclusion:This case study illustrates how creating an inclusive space for interdisciplinary collaboration led to successful curriculum transformation and academic boundary crossing by faculty participants. Success is evident in the legacy of interdisciplinarity in the curriculum and learning gains by students. Use of a feminist science studies framework was successful at helping students learn about the influence of values on science and the tentative nature of scientific conclusions. It was less successful in teaching the distinction between science and other ways of knowing and the conception that science is an evidence-based approach to understanding the natural world. This study highlights the importance of interdisciplinary teams of faculty members collaborating to help students learn about science by modeling that there are multiple ways of knowing.

Finding collaborators: toward interactive discovery tools for research network systems.

PubMed

Borromeo, Charles D; Schleyer, Titus K; Becich, Michael J; Hochheiser, Harry

2014-11-04

Research networking systems hold great promise for helping biomedical scientists identify collaborators with the expertise needed to build interdisciplinary teams. Although efforts to date have focused primarily on collecting and aggregating information, less attention has been paid to the design of end-user tools for using these collections to identify collaborators. To be effective, collaborator search tools must provide researchers with easy access to information relevant to their collaboration needs. The aim was to study user requirements and preferences for research networking system collaborator search tools and to design and evaluate a functional prototype. Paper prototypes exploring possible interface designs were presented to 18 participants in semistructured interviews aimed at eliciting collaborator search needs. Interview data were coded and analyzed to identify recurrent themes and related software requirements. Analysis results and elements from paper prototypes were used to design a Web-based prototype using the D3 JavaScript library and VIVO data. Preliminary usability studies asked 20 participants to use the tool and to provide feedback through semistructured interviews and completion of the System Usability Scale (SUS). Initial interviews identified consensus regarding several novel requirements for collaborator search tools, including chronological display of publication and research funding information, the need for conjunctive keyword searches, and tools for tracking candidate collaborators. Participant responses were positive (SUS score: mean 76.4%, SD 13.9). Opportunities for improving the interface design were identified. Interactive, timeline-based displays that support comparison of researcher productivity in funding and publication have the potential to effectively support searching for collaborators. Further refinement and longitudinal studies may be needed to better understand the implications of collaborator search tools for researcher workflows.

Finding Collaborators: Toward Interactive Discovery Tools for Research Network Systems

PubMed Central

Schleyer, Titus K; Becich, Michael J; Hochheiser, Harry

2014-01-01

Background Research networking systems hold great promise for helping biomedical scientists identify collaborators with the expertise needed to build interdisciplinary teams. Although efforts to date have focused primarily on collecting and aggregating information, less attention has been paid to the design of end-user tools for using these collections to identify collaborators. To be effective, collaborator search tools must provide researchers with easy access to information relevant to their collaboration needs. Objective The aim was to study user requirements and preferences for research networking system collaborator search tools and to design and evaluate a functional prototype. Methods Paper prototypes exploring possible interface designs were presented to 18 participants in semistructured interviews aimed at eliciting collaborator search needs. Interview data were coded and analyzed to identify recurrent themes and related software requirements. Analysis results and elements from paper prototypes were used to design a Web-based prototype using the D3 JavaScript library and VIVO data. Preliminary usability studies asked 20 participants to use the tool and to provide feedback through semistructured interviews and completion of the System Usability Scale (SUS). Results Initial interviews identified consensus regarding several novel requirements for collaborator search tools, including chronological display of publication and research funding information, the need for conjunctive keyword searches, and tools for tracking candidate collaborators. Participant responses were positive (SUS score: mean 76.4%, SD 13.9). Opportunities for improving the interface design were identified. Conclusions Interactive, timeline-based displays that support comparison of researcher productivity in funding and publication have the potential to effectively support searching for collaborators. Further refinement and longitudinal studies may be needed to better understand the implications of collaborator search tools for researcher workflows. PMID:25370463

Interdisciplinary research in global biogeochemical cycling Nitrous oxide in terrestrial ecosystems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norman, S. D.; Peterson, D. L.

1984-01-01

NASA has begun an interdisciplinary research program to investigate various aspects of Global Biology and Global Habitability. An important element selected for the study of global phenomena is related to biogeochemical cycling. The studies involve a collaboration with recognized scientists in the areas of plant physiology, microbiology, nutrient cycling theory, and related areas. Selected subjects of study include nitrogen cycling dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems with special attention to biosphere/atmosphere interactions, and an identification of sensitive response variables which can be used in ecosystem models based on parameters derived from remotely sensed variables. A description is provided of the progress and findings over the past two years. Attention is given to the characteristics of nitrous oxide emissions, the approach followed in the investigations, the selection of study sites, radiometric measurements, and research in Sequoia.

Cultivation of an Interdisciplinary, Research-Based Neuroscience Minor at Hope College

PubMed Central

Chase, Leah A.; Stewart, Joanne; Barney, Christopher C.

2006-01-01

Hope College is an undergraduate liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 3,000 students. In the spring of 2005, we began to offer an interdisciplinary neuroscience minor program that is open to all students. The objective of this program is to introduce students to the field of neuroscience, and to do so in such a way as to broaden students’ disciplinary perspectives, enhance communication and quantitative skills, and increase higher-level reasoning skills by encouraging collaboration among students who have different disciplinary backgrounds. This is a research-based program that culminates in a one-year capstone research course. Here we present the story of the program development at Hope College, including a description of our newly developed curriculum, our initial assessment data, and the lessons we have learned in developing this program. PMID:23493857

North-South health research collaboration: challenges in institutional interaction.

PubMed

Maina-Ahlberg, B; Nordberg, E; Tomson, G

1997-04-01

North-South health development cooperation often includes research financed largely by external donors. The cooperation varies between projects and programmes with regard to subject area, mix of disciplines involved, research methods, training components and project management arrangements. A variety of problems is encountered, but they are rarely described and discussed in published project reports. We authors conducted a study of a small number of European health researchers collaborating with researchers from the Third World. We focused upon projects involving both biomedical and social science researchers, and apart from a literature review three methods were applied: self-administered questionnaires to European researchers, semistructured interviews with five IHCAR researchers, and written summaries by the three authors, each on one recent or ongoing collaborative project of their choice. Most collaborative projects were initiated from the North and are monodisciplinary or partly interdisciplinary in the sense that researchers did independent data collection preceded by joint planning and followed by joint analysis and write-up. There may be disagreements concerning remuneration such as allowances in relation to fieldwork and training. Socio-cultural misunderstanding and conflict was reportedly rare, and no serious problems were reported regarding authorship and publishing. It is concluded that collaborative research is a complex and poorly understood process with considerable potential and worth pursuing despite the problems. Difficulties related to logistics and finance are easily and freely discussed, while there is little evidence that transdisciplinary research is conducted or even discussed. We recommend that published and unpublished reports on collaborative research projects include more detailed accounts of the North-South collaborative arrangements and their management, ethical and financial aspects.

Datathons and Software to Promote Reproducible Research.

PubMed

Celi, Leo Anthony; Lokhandwala, Sharukh; Montgomery, Robert; Moses, Christopher; Naumann, Tristan; Pollard, Tom; Spitz, Daniel; Stretch, Robert

2016-08-24

Datathons facilitate collaboration between clinicians, statisticians, and data scientists in order to answer important clinical questions. Previous datathons have resulted in numerous publications of interest to the critical care community and serve as a viable model for interdisciplinary collaboration. We report on an open-source software called Chatto that was created by members of our group, in the context of the second international Critical Care Datathon, held in September 2015. Datathon participants formed teams to discuss potential research questions and the methods required to address them. They were provided with the Chatto suite of tools to facilitate their teamwork. Each multidisciplinary team spent the next 2 days with clinicians working alongside data scientists to write code, extract and analyze data, and reformulate their queries in real time as needed. All projects were then presented on the last day of the datathon to a panel of judges that consisted of clinicians and scientists. Use of Chatto was particularly effective in the datathon setting, enabling teams to reduce the time spent configuring their research environments to just a few minutes-a process that would normally take hours to days. Chatto continued to serve as a useful research tool after the conclusion of the datathon. This suite of tools fulfills two purposes: (1) facilitation of interdisciplinary teamwork through archiving and version control of datasets, analytical code, and team discussions, and (2) advancement of research reproducibility by functioning postpublication as an online environment in which independent investigators can rerun or modify analyses with relative ease. With the introduction of Chatto, we hope to solve a variety of challenges presented by collaborative data mining projects while improving research reproducibility.

Move the Neighbourhood: Study design of a community-based participatory public open space intervention in a Danish deprived neighbourhood to promote active living.

PubMed

Pawlowski, Charlotte Skau; Winge, Laura; Carroll, Sidse; Schmidt, Tanja; Wagner, Anne Margrethe; Nørtoft, Kamilla Pernille Johansen; Lamm, Bettina; Kural, René; Schipperijn, Jasper; Troelsen, Jens

2017-05-19

A limited amount of research has examined the effect of changing public open spaces on active living. This paper will present the study protocol of a community-based intervention study co-designed in an interdisciplinary collaboration with community members to develop urban installations highly tailored to promote active living among children (10-13-years-old) and seniors (>60-years-old) in a deprived neighbourhood in Copenhagen. The study builds on a quasi-experimental study design with two sub-studies: 1) a children study and 2) a senior study. The interventions will be developed, designed and implemented in collaboration with local children and seniors, respectively, using different co-design tools and methods. We will evaluate the effect of the interventions on children's and senior's use of the new-built urban installations using accelerometers in combination with GPS as well as systematic observation using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC). A process evaluation with focus groups consisting of the various stakeholders in the two sub-studies will be used to gain knowledge of the intervention processes. The paper presents new approaches in the field of public open space interventions through interdisciplinary collaboration, participatory co-design approach and combination of measurements. Using both effect and process evaluations the study will provide unique insights in the role and importance of the interdisciplinary collaboration, participatory processes, and tailoring changes in public open space to local needs and wishes. These results can be used to guide urban renewal projects in deprived neighbourhoods in the future. Retrospectively registered with study ID ISRCTN50036837 . Date of registration: 16 December 2016.

The University of Miami Center for Oceans and Human Health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleming, L. E.; Smith, S. L.; Minnett, P. J.

2007-05-01

Two recent major reports on the health of the oceans in the United States have warned that coastal development and population pressures are responsible for the dramatic degradation of U.S. ocean and coastal environments. The significant consequences of this increased population density, particularly in sub/tropical coastal regions, can be seen in recent weather events: Hurricanes Andrew, Ivan, and Katrina in the US Gulf of Mexico states, and the Tsunami in Southeast Asia in December 2004, all causing significant deaths and destruction. Microbial contamination, man-made chemicals, and a variety of harmful algal blooms and their toxins are increasingly affecting the health of coastal human populations via the seafood supply, as well as the commercial and recreational use of coastal marine waters. At the same time, there has been the realization that the oceans are a source of unexplored biological diversity able to provide medicinal, as well as nutritional, benefits. Therefore, the exploration and preservation of the earth's oceans have significant worldwide public health implications for current and future generations. The NSF/NIEHS Center for Oceans and Human Health Center (COHH) at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School and its collaborators builds on several decades of collaborative and interdisciplinary research, education, and training to address the NIEHS-NSF research initiative in Oceans and Human Health. The COHH focuses on issues relevant to the Southeastern US and Caribbean, as well as global Sub/Tropical areas worldwide, to integrate interdisciplinary research between biomedical and oceanographic scientists. The Center includes three Research Projects: (1) research into the application of toxic algal culture, toxin analysis, remote sensing, oceanography, and genomics to subtropical/tropical Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) organism and toxin distribution; (2) exploring the interaction between functional genomics and oceanography of the subtropical/tropical HAB organism, Karenia brevis, and its environmental interactions; and (3) exploring the relationship between microbial indicators and human health effects in sub/tropical recreational marine waters. There are three Facilities Cores supporting this research in Genomics, Remote Sensing, and Toxic Algal Culture. To accomplish this research program in subtropical/tropical oceans and human health, the University of Miami Oceans & Human Health Center collaborates with interdisciplinary scientists at Florida International University (FIU), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Miami Dade County Dept of Health, the University of Florida, and other institutions, as well as other Oceans and Human Health Centers and researchers.

Translational Research 2.0: a framework for accelerating collaborative discovery.

PubMed

Asakiewicz, Chris

2014-05-01

The world wide web has revolutionized the conduct of global, cross-disciplinary research. In the life sciences, interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving and collaboration are becoming increasingly important in facilitating knowledge discovery and integration. Web 2.0 technologies promise to have a profound impact - enabling reproducibility, aiding in discovery, and accelerating and transforming medical and healthcare research across the healthcare ecosystem. However, knowledge integration and discovery require a consistent foundation upon which to operate. A foundation should be capable of addressing some of the critical issues associated with how research is conducted within the ecosystem today and how it should be conducted for the future. This article will discuss a framework for enhancing collaborative knowledge discovery across the medical and healthcare research ecosystem. A framework that could serve as a foundation upon which ecosystem stakeholders can enhance the way data, information and knowledge is created, shared and used to accelerate the translation of knowledge from one area of the ecosystem to another.

A Community-Building Framework for Collaborative Research Coordination across the Education and Biology Research Disciplines.

PubMed

Pelaez, Nancy; Anderson, Trevor R; Gardner, Stephanie M; Yin, Yue; Abraham, Joel K; Bartlett, Edward L; Gormally, Cara; Hurney, Carol A; Long, Tammy M; Newman, Dina L; Sirum, Karen; Stevens, Michael T

2018-06-01

Since 2009, the U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Biological Sciences has funded Research Coordination Networks (RCN) aimed at collaborative efforts to improve participation, learning, and assessment in undergraduate biology education (UBE). RCN-UBE projects focus on coordination and communication among scientists and educators who are fostering improved and innovative approaches to biology education. When faculty members collaborate with the overarching goal of advancing undergraduate biology education, there is a need to optimize collaboration between participants in order to deeply integrate the knowledge across disciplinary boundaries. In this essay we propose a novel guiding framework for bringing colleagues together to advance knowledge and its integration across disciplines, the "Five 'C's' of Collaboration: Commitment, Collegiality, Communication, Consensus, and Continuity." This guiding framework for professional network practice is informed by both relevant literature and empirical evidence from community-building experience within the RCN-UBE Advancing Competencies in Experimentation-Biology (ACE-Bio) Network. The framework is presented with practical examples to illustrate how it might be used to enhance collaboration between new and existing participants in the ACE-Bio Network as well as within other interdisciplinary networks.

A Program to Prepare Graduate Students for Careers in Climate Adaptation Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huntly, N.; Belmont, P.; Flint, C.; Gordillo, L.; Howe, P. D.; Lutz, J. A.; Null, S. E.; Reed, S.; Rosenberg, D. E.; Wang, S. Y.

2017-12-01

We describe our experiences creating a graduate program that addresses the need for a next generation of scientists who can produce, communicate, and help implement actionable science. The Climate Adaptation Science (CAS) graduate program, funded by the National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) program, prepares graduate students for careers at the interfaces of science with policy and management in the field of climate adaptation, which is a major 21st-century challenge for science and society. The program is interdisciplinary, with students and faculty from natural, social, and physical sciences, engineering, and mathematics, and is based around interdisciplinary team research in collaboration with partners from outside of academia who have climate adaptation science needs. The program embeds students in a cycle of creating and implementing actionable science through a two-part internship, with partners from government, non-governmental organizations, and industry, that brackets and informs a year of interdisciplinary team research. The program is communication-rich, with events that foster information exchange and understanding across disciplines and workplaces. We describe the CAS program, our experiences in developing it, the research and internship experiences of students in the program, and initial metrics and feedback on the effectiveness of the program.

Breaking barriers through collaboration: the example of the Cell Migration Consortium.

PubMed

Horwitz, Alan Rick; Watson, Nikki; Parsons, J Thomas

2002-10-15

Understanding complex integrated biological processes, such as cell migration, requires interdisciplinary approaches. The Cell Migration Consortium, funded by a Large-Scale Collaborative Project Award from the National Institute of General Medical Science, develops and disseminates new technologies, data, reagents, and shared information to a wide audience. The development and operation of this Consortium may provide useful insights for those who plan similarly large-scale, interdisciplinary approaches.

Funding and remuneration of interdisciplinary primary care teams in Canada: a conceptual framework and application.

PubMed

Wranik, W Dominika; Haydt, Susan M; Katz, Alan; Levy, Adrian R; Korchagina, Maryna; Edwards, Jeanette M; Bower, Ian

2017-05-15

Reliance on interdisciplinary teams in the delivery of primary care is on the rise. Funding bodies strive to design financial environments that support collaboration between providers. At present, the design of financial arrangements has been fragmented and not based on evidence. The root of the problem is a lack of systematic evidence demonstrating the superiority of any particular financial arrangement, or a solid understanding of options. In this study we develop a framework for the conceptualization and analysis of financial arrangements in interdisciplinary primary care teams. We use qualitative data from three sources: (i) interviews with 19 primary care decision makers representing 215 clinics in three Canadian provinces, (ii) a research roundtable with 14 primary care decision makers and/or researchers, and (iii) policy documents. Transcripts from interviews and the roundtable were coded thematically and a framework synthesis approach was applied. Our conceptual framework differentiates between team level funding and provider level remuneration, and characterizes the interplay and consonance between them. Particularly the notions of hierarchy, segregation, and dependence of provider incomes, and the link between funding and team activities are introduced as new clarifying concepts, and their implications explored. The framework is applied to the analysis of collaboration incentives, which appear strongest when provider incomes are interdependent, funding is linked to the team as a whole, and accountability does not have multiple lines. Emergent implementation issues discussed by respondents include: (i) centrality of budget negotiations; (ii) approaches to patient rostering; (iii) unclear funding sources for space and equipment; and (iv) challenges with community engagement. The creation of patient rosters is perceived as a surprisingly contentious issue, and the challenges of funding for space and equipment remain unresolved. The development and application of a conceptual framework is an important step to the systematic study of the best performing financial models in the context of interdisciplinary primary care. The identification of optimal financial arrangements must be contextualized in terms of feasibility and the implementation environment. In general, financial hierarchy, both overt and covert, is considered a barrier to collaboration.

[Multiprofessional team working in palliative medicine].

PubMed

Osaka, Iwao

2013-04-01

Now, more than ever, palliative medicine has been gaining recognition for its essential role in cancer treatment. Since its beginning, it has emphasized the importance of collaboration among multidisciplinary professionals, valuing a comprehensive and holistic philosophy, addressing a wide range of hopes and suffering that patients and families experience. There are three models (approaches) for the medical teams: multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary. Palliative care teams often choose the interdisciplinary team model, and the teams in the palliative care units may often choose the transdisciplinary team model. Recently, accumulating research has shown the clinical benefits of the interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary approach in palliative care settings. Clarifying appropriate functions and ideal features of physicians in the health care team, and enforcing the suitable team approach will contribute to improve the quality of whole medical practice beyond the framework of "palliative medicine".

An Interdisciplinary Evaluation of Transactive Memory in Distributed Cyber Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mancuso, Vincent Francis

2012-01-01

In the modern workplace, collaboration is no longer only a face-to-face process. When working together, it is common for teams to rely on technology and operate across geographic, temporal and cultural boundaries. Most research, when looking at distributed teams, takes a uni-disciplinary perspective and fails to address the entire problem space.…

Teaching Engineering/Engineering Teaching: Interdisciplinary Collaboration and the Construction of Academic Identities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winberg, Christine

2008-01-01

Academics in higher education institutions are members of disciplinary communities by virtue of their qualifications and research activities, and as teachers of particular disciplines (or professions) they are (or need to become) members of a community of educational practitioners. In this paper, I analyse the ways in which a small group of…

A Qualitative Evaluation of the Use of Multimedia Case Studies in an Introductory Engineering Course at Two Southeastern Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huett, Kim C.; Kawulich, Barbara

2015-01-01

Collaborating at two universities to improve teaching and learning in undergraduate engineering, an interdisciplinary team of researchers, instructors, and evaluators planned and implemented the use of multimedia case studies with students enrolled in an introductory engineering course. This qualitative action evaluation study focuses on results…

Analysis of Student Participation in University Classes: An Interdisciplinary Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trigueros, Carmen; Rivera, Enrique; Pavesio, Maite; Torres, Juan

2005-01-01

The interest to improve the quality of teaching in higher education has led to the involvement of a group of faculty members at the University of Granada Faculty of Education in an Action-Research (A-R) experience titled "Towards a model of collaborative lecture throughout the analysis of their educational tasks." This has been an…

Experiments in interdisciplinarity: Responsible research and innovation and the public good

PubMed Central

Åm, Heidrun

2018-01-01

In Europe, responsible research and innovation (RRI) has emerged as a science policy measure that demands the early integration of a broad range of social actors and perspectives into research and development (R&D). More collaboration of the social sciences and humanities (SSH) with science and engineering appears within this policy framework as a crucial element that will enable better technological development. However, RRI is new to both natural scientists and SSH scholars, and interdisciplinary collaborations are challenging for many reasons. In this paper, we discuss these challenges while suggesting that what RRI can be in a particular project is not a given but remains an empirical question. Natural scientists and SSH scholars need to coresearch RRI in an experimental mode. PMID:29579043

Experiments in interdisciplinarity: Responsible research and innovation and the public good.

PubMed

Delgado, Ana; Åm, Heidrun

2018-03-01

In Europe, responsible research and innovation (RRI) has emerged as a science policy measure that demands the early integration of a broad range of social actors and perspectives into research and development (R&D). More collaboration of the social sciences and humanities (SSH) with science and engineering appears within this policy framework as a crucial element that will enable better technological development. However, RRI is new to both natural scientists and SSH scholars, and interdisciplinary collaborations are challenging for many reasons. In this paper, we discuss these challenges while suggesting that what RRI can be in a particular project is not a given but remains an empirical question. Natural scientists and SSH scholars need to coresearch RRI in an experimental mode.

Spotlight on nano-theranostics in South Korea: applications in diagnostics and treatment of diseases.

PubMed

Lee, Sangwha; Kim, Jongsung; Bark, Chung Wung; Lee, Bonghee; Ju, Heongkyu; Kang, Se Chan; Kim, TaeYoung; Kim, Moon Il; Ko, Young Tag; Nam, Jeong-Seok; Yoon, Hyon Hee; Yun, Kyu-Sik; Yoon, Young Soo; An, Seong Soo A; Hulme, John

2015-01-01

From the synergistic integration and the multidisciplinary strengths of the BioNano Sensor Research Center, Gachon Bionano Research Institute, and Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, researchers, students, and faculties at Gachon University in collaboration with other institutions in Korea, Australia, France, America, and Japan have come together to produce a special issue on the diverse applications of nano-theranostics in nanomedicine. This special issue will showcase new research conducted by various scientific groups in Gyonggi-do and Songdo/Incheon, South Korea. The objectives of this special issue are as follows: 1) to bring together and demonstrate some of the latest research results in the field, 2) to introduce new multifunctional nanomaterials and their applications in imaging and detection methods, and 3) to stimulate collaborative interdisciplinary research at both national and international levels in nanomedicine.

High rate information systems - Architectural trends in support of the interdisciplinary investigator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Handley, Thomas H., Jr.; Preheim, Larry E.

1990-01-01

Data systems requirements in the Earth Observing System (EOS) Space Station Freedom (SSF) eras indicate increasing data volume, increased discipline interplay, higher complexity and broader data integration and interpretation. A response to the needs of the interdisciplinary investigator is proposed, considering the increasing complexity and rising costs of scientific investigation. The EOS Data Information System, conceived to be a widely distributed system with reliable communication links between central processing and the science user community, is described. Details are provided on information architecture, system models, intelligent data management of large complex databases, and standards for archiving ancillary data, using a research library, a laboratory and collaboration services.

Interdisciplinary knowledge translation: lessons learned from a mental health: fire service collaboration.

PubMed

Henderson, Joanna L; Mackay, Sherri; Peterson-Badali, Michele

2010-12-01

Collaborative approaches are being increasingly advocated for addressing a variety of health, mental health and social needs for children, youth and families. Factors important for effective knowledge translation of collaborative approaches of service delivery across disciplines, however, have not been rigorously examined. TAPP-C: The Arson Prevention Program for Children is an intervention program for child and adolescent firesetters provided collaboratively by fire service and mental health professionals. The present study examined the adopter, innovation, and dissemination characteristics associated with TAPP-C implementation, protocol adherence and extent of collaboration by 241 community-based fire service professionals from communities across Ontario. Results revealed that dissemination factors are particularly important for understanding program implementation, adherence and cross-discipline collaboration. Moreover, the findings of this study show significant benefits to both within discipline (intra-disciplinary) and across discipline (interdisciplinary) knowledge translation strategies.

Interdisciplinary Models for Research and Clinical Endeavors in Genomic Medicine: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

PubMed

Musunuru, Kiran; Arora, Pankaj; Cooke, John P; Ferguson, Jane F; Hershberger, Ray E; Hickey, Kathleen T; Lee, Jin-Moo; Lima, João A C; Loscalzo, Joseph; Pereira, Naveen L; Russell, Mark W; Shah, Svati H; Sheikh, Farah; Wang, Thomas J; MacRae, Calum A

2018-06-01

The completion of the Human Genome Project has unleashed a wealth of human genomics information, but it remains unclear how best to implement this information for the benefit of patients. The standard approach of biomedical research, with researchers pursuing advances in knowledge in the laboratory and, separately, clinicians translating research findings into the clinic as much as decades later, will need to give way to new interdisciplinary models for research in genomic medicine. These models should include scientists and clinicians actively working as teams to study patients and populations recruited in clinical settings and communities to make genomics discoveries-through the combined efforts of data scientists, clinical researchers, epidemiologists, and basic scientists-and to rapidly apply these discoveries in the clinic for the prediction, prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. The highly publicized US Precision Medicine Initiative, also known as All of Us, is a large-scale program funded by the US National Institutes of Health that will energize these efforts, but several ongoing studies such as the UK Biobank Initiative; the Million Veteran Program; the Electronic Medical Records and Genomics Network; the Kaiser Permanente Research Program on Genes, Environment and Health; and the DiscovEHR collaboration are already providing exemplary models of this kind of interdisciplinary work. In this statement, we outline the opportunities and challenges in broadly implementing new interdisciplinary models in academic medical centers and community settings and bringing the promise of genomics to fruition. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

Accelerating cancer systems biology research through Semantic Web technology.

PubMed

Wang, Zhihui; Sagotsky, Jonathan; Taylor, Thomas; Shironoshita, Patrick; Deisboeck, Thomas S

2013-01-01

Cancer systems biology is an interdisciplinary, rapidly expanding research field in which collaborations are a critical means to advance the field. Yet the prevalent database technologies often isolate data rather than making it easily accessible. The Semantic Web has the potential to help facilitate web-based collaborative cancer research by presenting data in a manner that is self-descriptive, human and machine readable, and easily sharable. We have created a semantically linked online Digital Model Repository (DMR) for storing, managing, executing, annotating, and sharing computational cancer models. Within the DMR, distributed, multidisciplinary, and inter-organizational teams can collaborate on projects, without forfeiting intellectual property. This is achieved by the introduction of a new stakeholder to the collaboration workflow, the institutional licensing officer, part of the Technology Transfer Office. Furthermore, the DMR has achieved silver level compatibility with the National Cancer Institute's caBIG, so users can interact with the DMR not only through a web browser but also through a semantically annotated and secure web service. We also discuss the technology behind the DMR leveraging the Semantic Web, ontologies, and grid computing to provide secure inter-institutional collaboration on cancer modeling projects, online grid-based execution of shared models, and the collaboration workflow protecting researchers' intellectual property. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

ARIANNA: A research environment for neuroimaging studies in autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Retico, Alessandra; Arezzini, Silvia; Bosco, Paolo; Calderoni, Sara; Ciampa, Alberto; Coscetti, Simone; Cuomo, Stefano; De Santis, Luca; Fabiani, Dario; Fantacci, Maria Evelina; Giuliano, Alessia; Mazzoni, Enrico; Mercatali, Pietro; Miscali, Giovanni; Pardini, Massimiliano; Prosperi, Margherita; Romano, Francesco; Tamburini, Elena; Tosetti, Michela; Muratori, Filippo

2017-08-01

The complexity and heterogeneity of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) require the implementation of dedicated analysis techniques to obtain the maximum from the interrelationship among many variables that describe affected individuals, spanning from clinical phenotypic characterization and genetic profile to structural and functional brain images. The ARIANNA project has developed a collaborative interdisciplinary research environment that is easily accessible to the community of researchers working on ASD (https://arianna.pi.infn.it). The main goals of the project are: to analyze neuroimaging data acquired in multiple sites with multivariate approaches based on machine learning; to detect structural and functional brain characteristics that allow the distinguishing of individuals with ASD from control subjects; to identify neuroimaging-based criteria to stratify the population with ASD to support the future development of personalized treatments. Secure data handling and storage are guaranteed within the project, as well as the access to fast grid/cloud-based computational resources. This paper outlines the web-based architecture, the computing infrastructure and the collaborative analysis workflows at the basis of the ARIANNA interdisciplinary working environment. It also demonstrates the full functionality of the research platform. The availability of this innovative working environment for analyzing clinical and neuroimaging information of individuals with ASD is expected to support researchers in disentangling complex data thus facilitating their interpretation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developing a center for nursing research: an influence on nursing education and research through mentorship.

PubMed

Krause-Parello, Cheryl A; Sarcone, Annaruth; Samms, Kimika; Boyd, Zakiya N

2013-03-01

Nursing research, education, and mentoring are effective strategies to enhance and generate nursing knowledge. In order to explore new opportunities using an international and interdisciplinary approach, a Center for Nursing Research (CNR) was developed at Kean University a public institution for higher education in the United States. At the CNR, nursing professionals and students collaborate in all aspects of nursing education and the research process from a global perspective and across disciplines. The advancement of knowledge and understanding is of absolute importance to the field of nursing and other collaborative fields. The CNR functions to educate nursing faculty and students through scholarly activities with an ongoing commitment to nursing education and research. Mentorship in nursing education and research fosters professional, scholarly, and personal growth for both the mentor and mentee. The CNR serves as a model vehicle of applied, functional mentoring strategies and provides the venue to allow the mentor and mentee to collaborate in all aspects of nursing education and research. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Outcomes in mothers with rheumatic diseases and their offspring workshop

PubMed Central

Neville, Autumn; Bernatsky, Sasha; Kuriya, Bindee; Bujold, Emmanuel; Chakravarty, Eliza; Platt, Robert W; Bérard, Anick; Vinet, Évelyne

2017-01-01

This conference report describes six presentations that were given during a Canadian Institutes for Health Research-funded workshop. The goal of the workshop was to discuss key knowledge gaps in the study of outcomes in mothers with rheumatic diseases and their offspring. Presentations focused on epidemiological and methodological issues associated with the reproductive and perinatal health of women with rheumatic diseases. Discussions of relevant recent research allowed for discovery of potential data sources that could facilitate interdisciplinary research and created the opportunity for future collaborations.

Networking 2.0: Expanding your collaboration circles through the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohde, J. A.; Bowden, S.; Stephenson, S. N.; Starkweather, S.

2015-12-01

The Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) envisions a prosperous, sustainable, and healthy Arctic understood through innovative and collaborative research coordinated among Federal agencies and domestic and international partners. IARPC's approach is to harnesses the talent of the scientific and stakeholder community through Federally-run but broadly open collaboration teams, and an innovative website that expands the frontiers of collaborative research. The Obama Administration released the five-year Arctic Research Plan: FY2013-2017 in February 2013. The Plan focuses on advancing knowledge and sustainability of the Arctic by improving collaboration in seven priority research areas: sea ice and marine ecosystems, terrestrial ice and ecosystems, atmospheric studies, observing systems, regional climate models, human health studies, and adaptation tools for communities. From these seven research areas, 12 collaboration teams were formed to respond to the 145 milestones laid out in the Plan. The collaboration teams are charged with enhancing inter-institutional and interdisciplinary implementation of scientific research on local, regional, and circumpolar environmental and societal issues in the Arctic. The collaboration teams are co-chaired by Federal program managers, and, in some cases, external partners and are open to research and stakeholder communities. They meet on a regular basis by web- or teleconference to inform one another about ongoing and planned programs and new research results, as well as to inventory existing programs, identify gaps in knowledge and research, and address and implement the Plan's milestones. In-between meetings, team members communicate via our innovative, user-driven, collaboration website. Members share information about their research activities by posting updates, uploading documents, and including events on our calendar, and entering into dialogue about their research activities. Conversations taking place on the website are open to any other member, enabling new talent to enter into conversations and collaborations to form.

Combining interdisciplinary and International Medical Graduate perspectives to teach clinical and ethical communication using multimedia.

PubMed

Woodward-Kron, Robyn; Flynn, Eleanor; Delany, Clare

2011-01-01

In Australia, international medical graduates (IMGs) play a crucial role in addressing workforce shortages in healthcare. Their ability to deliver safe and effective healthcare in an unfamiliar cultural setting is intrinsically tied to effective communication. Hospital-based medical clinical educators, who play an important role in providing communication training to IMGs, would benefit from practical resources and an understanding of the relevant pedagogies to address these issues in their teaching. This paper examines the nature of an interdisciplinary collaboration to develop multimedia resources for teaching clinical and ethical communication to IMGs. We describe the processes and dynamics of the collaboration, and outline the methodologies from applied linguistics, medical education, and health ethics that we drew upon. The multimedia consist of three video clips of challenging communication scenarios as well as experienced IMGs talking about communication and ethics. The multimedia are supported by teaching guidelines that address relevant disciplinary concerns of the three areas of collaboration. In the paper's discussion we point out the pre-conditions that facilitated the interdisciplinary collaboration. We propose that such collaborative approaches between the disciplines and participants can provide new perspectives to address the multifaceted challenges of clinical teaching and practice.

Collaborative Co-Mentored Dissertations Spanning Institutions: Influences on Student Development

PubMed Central

DeLong, Mary J.

2007-01-01

The Graduate Partnerships Program (GPP), established in 2000, links universities with National Institutes of Health (NIH) laboratories for predoctoral training. Several partnerships required that students create collaborative dissertations between at least one NIH and one university research mentor. More than 60 students have entered into these co-mentored research collaborations, and many others established them even though not required. Much was learned about the experiences of these and other GPP students by using structured interviews as part of a formal self-study of the GPP in 2005. Complications of trying to work with two mentors are managed through careful program design and mentor selection. In the collaborative model, students develop a complex set of scientific and interpersonal skills. They lead their own independent research projects, drawing on the expertise of multiple mentors and acquiring skills at negotiating everyone's interests. They develop high levels of independence, maturity, flexibility, and the ability to see research questions from different perspectives. No evidence was found that co-mentoring diminishes the normally expected accomplishments of a student during the Ph.D. Multi-mentored dissertations require skills not all graduate students may possess this early in training, but for those who do, they can promote rapid and extensive development of skills needed for collaborative, interdisciplinary research. PMID:17548874

The Senior Living Lab: an example of nursing leadership

PubMed Central

Riva-Mossman, Susie; Kampel, Thomas; Cohen, Christine; Verloo, Henk

2016-01-01

The Senior Living Lab (SLL) is dedicated to the care of older adults and exemplifies how nursing leadership can influence clinical practice by designing research models capable of configuring interdisciplinary partnerships with the potential of generating innovative practices and better older patient outcomes. Demographic change resulting in growing numbers of older adults requires a societal approach, uniting stakeholders in social innovation processes. The LL approach is an innovative research method that values user perceptions and participation in the cocreation of new products and services. The SLL is crafting a platform responsive to change. It is a learning organization facilitating community-based participatory research methods in the field. Advanced nurse practitioners are well positioned to lead the way forward, fostering interdisciplinary academic collaborations dedicated to healthy aging at home. The SLL demonstrates how nursing science is taking the lead in the field of social innovation. PMID:27013869

The Senior Living Lab: an example of nursing leadership.

PubMed

Riva-Mossman, Susie; Kampel, Thomas; Cohen, Christine; Verloo, Henk

2016-01-01

The Senior Living Lab (SLL) is dedicated to the care of older adults and exemplifies how nursing leadership can influence clinical practice by designing research models capable of configuring interdisciplinary partnerships with the potential of generating innovative practices and better older patient outcomes. Demographic change resulting in growing numbers of older adults requires a societal approach, uniting stakeholders in social innovation processes. The LL approach is an innovative research method that values user perceptions and participation in the cocreation of new products and services. The SLL is crafting a platform responsive to change. It is a learning organization facilitating community-based participatory research methods in the field. Advanced nurse practitioners are well positioned to lead the way forward, fostering interdisciplinary academic collaborations dedicated to healthy aging at home. The SLL demonstrates how nursing science is taking the lead in the field of social innovation.

The BRIGHTEN Program: Implementation and Evaluation of a Program to Bridge Resources of an Interdisciplinary Geriatric Health Team via Electronic Networking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emery, Erin E.; Lapidos, Stan; Eisenstein, Amy R.; Ivan, Iulia I.; Golden, Robyn L.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To demonstrate the feasibility of the BRIGHTEN Program (Bridging Resources of an Interdisciplinary Geriatric Health Team via Electronic Networking), an interdisciplinary team intervention for assessing and treating older adults for depression in outpatient primary and specialty medical clinics. The BRIGHTEN team collaborates "virtually"…

Infrastructure for collaborative science and societal applications in the Columbia River estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baptista, António M.; Seaton, Charles; Wilkin, Michael P.; Riseman, Sarah F.; Needoba, Joseph A.; Maier, David; Turner, Paul J.; Kärnä, Tuomas; Lopez, Jesse E.; Herfort, Lydie; Megler, V. M.; McNeil, Craig; Crump, Byron C.; Peterson, Tawnya D.; Spitz, Yvette H.; Simon, Holly M.

2015-12-01

To meet societal needs, modern estuarine science needs to be interdisciplinary and collaborative, combine discovery with hypotheses testing, and be responsive to issues facing both regional and global stakeholders. Such an approach is best conducted with the benefit of data-rich environments, where information from sensors and models is openly accessible within convenient timeframes. Here, we introduce the operational infrastructure of one such data-rich environment, a collaboratory created to support (a) interdisciplinary research in the Columbia River estuary by the multi-institutional team of investigators of the Science and Technology Center for Coastal Margin Observation & Prediction and (b) the integration of scientific knowledge into regional decision making. Core components of the operational infrastructure are an observation network, a modeling system and a cyber-infrastructure, each of which is described. The observation network is anchored on an extensive array of long-term stations, many of them interdisciplinary, and is complemented by on-demand deployment of temporary stations and mobile platforms, often in coordinated field campaigns. The modeling system is based on finiteelement unstructured-grid codes and includes operational and process-oriented simulations of circulation, sediments and ecosystem processes. The flow of information is managed through a dedicated cyber-infrastructure, conversant with regional and national observing systems.

Understanding and managing the food-energy-water nexus - opportunities for water resources research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Ximing; Wallington, Kevin; Shafiee-Jood, Majid; Marston, Landon

2018-01-01

Studies on the food, energy, and water (FEW) nexus lay a shared foundation for researchers, policy makers, practitioners, and stakeholders to understand and manage linked production, utilization, and security of FEW systems. The FEW nexus paradigm provides the water community specific channels to move forward in interdisciplinary research where integrated water resources management (IWRM) has fallen short. Here, we help water researchers identify, articulate, utilize, and extend our disciplinary strengths within the broader FEW communities, while informing scientists in the food and energy domains about our unique skillset. This paper explores the relevance of existing and ongoing scholarship within the water community, as well as current research needs, for understanding FEW processes and systems and implementing FEW solutions through innovations in technologies, infrastructures, and policies. Following the historical efforts in IWRM, hydrologists, water resources engineers, economists, and policy analysts are provided opportunities for interdisciplinary studies among themselves and in collaboration with energy and food communities, united by a common path to achieve sustainability development goals.

[Sex role orientation and interdisciplinary co-operation].

PubMed

Kada, Olivia; Brunner, Eva; Maier, Marco

2010-01-01

Interdisciplinary collaboration between nurses and physicians contributes to optimal patient outcomes. Both insufficient knowledge of each other's roles and competencies and the power position of physicians impede nurse-physician collaboration. Health care managers play an important role in the promotion of nurse-physician collaboration. Leadership is associated with masculine traits, but female attributes are crucial in social relationships. Austrian health care management students (n=141, response rate: 93 %) rated themselves, the typical nurse and the typical physician with respect to masculine and feminine traits using the Bem sex-role-inventory (BSRI). The respondents saw themselves as equally masculine and feminine (androgynous self-concept); nurses were rated as significantly more masculine than feminine, whereas physicians were described as masculine sex-typed and significantly less feminine than nurses. For health care managers who also have to promote interdisciplinary collaboration an androgynous self-concept can be regarded as advantageous. They need to reflect on their ideas about nurses and physicians in order to manage the challenge of promoting interprofessional co-operation. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Why and How Political Science Can Contribute to Public Health? Proposals for Collaborative Research Avenues

PubMed Central

Gagnon, France; Bergeron, Pierre; Clavier, Carole; Fafard, Patrick; Martin, Elisabeth; Blouin, Chantal

2017-01-01

Written by a group of political science researchers, this commentary focuses on the contributions of political science to public health and proposes research avenues to increase those contributions. Despite progress, the links between researchers from these two fields develop only slowly. Divergences between the approach of political science to public policy and the expectations that public health can have about the role of political science, are often seen as an obstacle to collaboration between experts in these two areas. Thus, promising and practical research avenues are proposed along with strategies to strengthen and develop them. Considering the interdisciplinary and intersectoral nature of population health, it is important to create a critical mass of researchers interested in the health of populations and in healthy public policy that can thrive working at the junction of political science and public health. PMID:28949461

Spotlight on nano-theranostics in South Korea: applications in diagnostics and treatment of diseases

PubMed Central

Lee, Sangwha; Kim, Jongsung; Bark, Chung Wung; Lee, Bonghee; Ju, Heongkyu; Kang, Se Chan; Kim, TaeYoung; Kim, Moon Il; Ko, Young Tag; Nam, Jeong-Seok; Yoon, Hyon Hee; Yun, Kyu-Sik; Yoon, Young Soo; An, Seong Soo A; Hulme, John

2015-01-01

From the synergistic integration and the multidisciplinary strengths of the BioNano Sensor Research Center, Gachon Bionano Research Institute, and Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, researchers, students, and faculties at Gachon University in collaboration with other institutions in Korea, Australia, France, America, and Japan have come together to produce a special issue on the diverse applications of nano-theranostics in nanomedicine. This special issue will showcase new research conducted by various scientific groups in Gyonggi-do and Songdo/Incheon, South Korea. The objectives of this special issue are as follows: 1) to bring together and demonstrate some of the latest research results in the field, 2) to introduce new multifunctional nanomaterials and their applications in imaging and detection methods, and 3) to stimulate collaborative interdisciplinary research at both national and international levels in nanomedicine. PMID:26345737

CNRS interdisciplinary research program for solar energy development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The contributions of CNRS to the French national solar energy R and D program are reviewed. The three principal processes in which solar radiation is converted into other, directly usable energy forms are discussed in detail. These include thermodynamic conversion, photovoltaic conversion, and bioconversion to produce a substitute fuel. Related research on insolation and the weather is mentioned and relations with the industrial sector are considered. French collaboration with other countries in solar energy is discussed.

Interdisciplinary team science and the public: Steps toward a participatory team science.

PubMed

Tebes, Jacob Kraemer; Thai, Nghi D

2018-01-01

Interdisciplinary team science involves research collaboration among investigators from different disciplines who work interdependently to share leadership and responsibility. Although over the past several decades there has been an increase in knowledge produced by science teams, the public has not been meaningfully engaged in this process. We argue that contemporary changes in how science is understood and practiced offer an opportunity to reconsider engaging the public as active participants on teams and coin the term participatory team science to describe public engagement in team science. We discuss how public engagement can enhance knowledge within the team to address complex problems and suggest a different organizing framework for team science that aligns better with how teams operate and with participatory approaches to research. We also summarize work on public engagement in science, describe opportunities for various types of engagement, and provide an example of participatory team science carried out across research phases. We conclude by discussing implications of participatory team science for psychology, including changing the default when assembling an interdisciplinary science team by identifying meaningful roles for public engagement through participatory team science. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

A Model for Collaborative Learning in Undergraduate Climate Change Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teranes, J. L.

2008-12-01

Like several colleges and universities across the nation, the University of California, San Diego, has introduced climate change topics into many existing and new undergraduate courses. I have administered a program in this area at UCSD and have also developed and taught a new lower-division UCSD course entitled "Climate Change and Society", a general education course for non-majors. This class covers the basics of climate change, such as the science that explains it, the causes of climate change, climate change impacts, and mitigation strategies. The teaching methods for this course stress interdisciplinary approaches. I find that inquiry-based and collaborative modes of learning are particularly effective when applied to science-based climate, environmental and sustainability topics. Undergraduate education is often dominated by a competitive and individualistic approach to learning. In this approach, individual success is frequently perceived as contingent on others being less successful. Such a model is at odds with commonly stated goals of teaching climate change and sustainability, which are to equip students to contribute to the debate on global environmental change and societal adaptation strategies; and to help students become better informed citizens and decision makers. I present classroom-tested strategies for developing collaborative forms of learning in climate change and environmental courses, including team projects, group presentations and group assessment exercises. I show how critical thinking skills and long-term retention of information can benefit in the collaborative mode of learning. I find that a collaborative learning model is especially appropriate to general education courses in which the enrolled student body represents a wide diversity of majors, class level and expertise. I also connect collaborative coursework in interdisciplinary environmental topics directly to applications in the field, where so much "real-world" achievement in research, education, government and business is effectively accomplished in collaborative teams.

[Biological markers in epidemiology: concepts, applications, perspectives (part I)].

PubMed

Hoffmann, W; Latza, U; Ahrens, W; Greiser, K H; Kroke, A; Nieters, A; Schulze, M B; Steiner, M; Terschüren, C; Wjst, M

2002-02-01

The inclusion of biomarkers in epidemiological research provides new possibilities for exposure assessment and the study of early structural or functional changes and pre-clinical stages of diseases. At the same time issues of validity, reliability, and quality control as well as logistics require special attention. Usually epidemiological studies become more expensive with regard to time and cost. Interdisciplinary collaboration between epidemiology, basic research, and laboratory research is crucial. A prerequisite for this collaboration are agreements on definitions, methods and procedures. The definition of "biomarker" and a description of previous uses of biomarkers in epidemiological studies are presented in the first part of this paper. The second part addresses genetic markers and markers of individual sensitivity and susceptibility. We will end with a discussion about the possible future of biomarkers in epidemiology.

Harnessing Technology to Improve Formative Assessment of Student Conceptions in STEM: Forging a National Network

PubMed Central

Haudek, Kevin C.; Kaplan, Jennifer J.; Knight, Jennifer; Long, Tammy; Merrill, John; Munn, Alan; Nehm, Ross; Smith, Michelle; Urban-Lurain, Mark

2011-01-01

Concept inventories, consisting of multiple-choice questions designed around common student misconceptions, are designed to reveal student thinking. However, students often have complex, heterogeneous ideas about scientific concepts. Constructed-response assessments, in which students must create their own answer, may better reveal students’ thinking, but are time- and resource-intensive to evaluate. This report describes the initial meeting of a National Science Foundation–funded cross-institutional collaboration of interdisciplinary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education researchers interested in exploring the use of automated text analysis to evaluate constructed-response assessments. Participants at the meeting shared existing work on lexical analysis and concept inventories, participated in technology demonstrations and workshops, and discussed research goals. We are seeking interested collaborators to join our research community. PMID:21633063

Analysing Institutions Interdisciplinarity by Extensive Use of Rao-Stirling Diversity Index.

PubMed

Cassi, Lorenzo; Champeimont, Raphaël; Mescheba, Wilfriedo; de Turckheim, Élisabeth

2017-01-01

This paper shows how the Rao-Stirling diversity index may be extensively used for positioning and comparing institutions interdisciplinary practices. Two decompositions of this index make it possible to explore different components of the diversity of the cited references in a corpus of publications. The paper aims at demonstrating how these bibliometric tools can be used for comparing institutions in a research field by highlighting collaboration orientations and institutions strategies. To make the method available and easy to use for indicator users, this paper first recalls a previous result on the decomposition of the Rao-Stirling index into multidisciplinarity and interdisciplinarity components, then proposes a new decomposition to further explore the profile of research collaborations and finally presents an application to Neuroscience research in French universities.

Analysing Institutions Interdisciplinarity by Extensive Use of Rao-Stirling Diversity Index

PubMed Central

Cassi, Lorenzo; Champeimont, Raphaël; Mescheba, Wilfriedo

2017-01-01

This paper shows how the Rao-Stirling diversity index may be extensively used for positioning and comparing institutions interdisciplinary practices. Two decompositions of this index make it possible to explore different components of the diversity of the cited references in a corpus of publications. The paper aims at demonstrating how these bibliometric tools can be used for comparing institutions in a research field by highlighting collaboration orientations and institutions strategies. To make the method available and easy to use for indicator users, this paper first recalls a previous result on the decomposition of the Rao-Stirling index into multidisciplinarity and interdisciplinarity components, then proposes a new decomposition to further explore the profile of research collaborations and finally presents an application to Neuroscience research in French universities. PMID:28114382

Harnessing technology to improve formative assessment of student conceptions in STEM: forging a national network.

PubMed

Haudek, Kevin C; Kaplan, Jennifer J; Knight, Jennifer; Long, Tammy; Merrill, John; Munn, Alan; Nehm, Ross; Smith, Michelle; Urban-Lurain, Mark

2011-01-01

Concept inventories, consisting of multiple-choice questions designed around common student misconceptions, are designed to reveal student thinking. However, students often have complex, heterogeneous ideas about scientific concepts. Constructed-response assessments, in which students must create their own answer, may better reveal students' thinking, but are time- and resource-intensive to evaluate. This report describes the initial meeting of a National Science Foundation-funded cross-institutional collaboration of interdisciplinary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education researchers interested in exploring the use of automated text analysis to evaluate constructed-response assessments. Participants at the meeting shared existing work on lexical analysis and concept inventories, participated in technology demonstrations and workshops, and discussed research goals. We are seeking interested collaborators to join our research community.

Collaborative Supercomputing for Global Change Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemani, R.; Votava, P.; Michaelis, A.; Melton, F.; Milesi, C.

2011-03-01

There is increasing pressure on the science community not only to understand how recent and projected changes in climate will affect Earth's global environment and the natural resources on which society depends but also to design solutions to mitigate or cope with the likely impacts. Responding to this multidimensional challenge requires new tools and research frameworks that assist scientists in collaborating to rapidly investigate complex interdisciplinary science questions of critical societal importance. One such collaborative research framework, within the NASA Earth sciences program, is the NASA Earth Exchange (NEX). NEX combines state-of-the-art supercomputing, Earth system modeling, remote sensing data from NASA and other agencies, and a scientific social networking platform to deliver a complete work environment. In this platform, users can explore and analyze large Earth science data sets, run modeling codes, collaborate on new or existing projects, and share results within or among communities (see Figure S1 in the online supplement to this Eos issue (http://www.agu.org/eos_elec)).

Promoting Knowledge to Action through the Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myers, B.; Wiggins, H. V.

2016-12-01

The Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) is a multi-institutional collaborative U.S. program that advances scientific knowledge to inform societal responses to Arctic change. Currently, SEARCH focuses on how diminishing Arctic sea ice, thawing permafrost, and shrinking land ice impact both Arctic and global systems. Emphasizing "knowledge to action", SEARCH promotes collaborative research, synthesizes research findings, and broadly communicates the resulting knowledge to Arctic researchers, stakeholders, policy-makers, and the public. This poster presentation will highlight recent program products and findings; best practices and challenges for managing a distributed, interdisciplinary program; and plans for cross-disciplinary working groups focused on Arctic coastal erosion, synthesis of methane budgets, and development of Arctic scenarios. A specific focus will include how members of the broader research community can participate in SEARCH activities. http://www.arcus.org/search

Negotiating geophysical hazards in Nepal: An interdisciplinary approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oven, Katie; Petley, Dave; Rosser, Nick; Dunn, Chris; Rigg, Jonathan

2010-05-01

It is widely accepted that the impact of natural hazards reflects not only the nature of geophysical processes but also the social conditions that prevail. The need for collaborative research to address these complex interactions between the natural and human systems is well recognised, however moving from theory to practice presents a number of significant challenges. How researchers frame problems; develop their research questions; select the methodologies to explore these questions; and privilege certain knowledges over others, can be seen to vary between physical and social science. Drawing on a case study examining the vulnerability of rural communities to landslides in the Upper Bhote Koshi Valley, Central Nepal, this paper explores how these barriers can be overcome and the benefits of undertaking interdisciplinary research within the natural hazards field. This research investigates the different framings of landslide risk and vulnerability from different stakeholder and disciplinary perspectives. Specifically, we ask: 1. Who is vulnerable to landslide hazard? 2. Why do people occupy landslide prone areas? 3. How do ‘at risk' rural communities perceive and respond to landslide hazard and risk? The findings, based on a series of participatory methodologies, challenge a number of assumptions made regarding landslide vulnerability in mountain communities. Within the Upper Bhote Koshi Valley clear transitions in settlement patterns, rural livelihoods and thus the occupation of landslide prone areas have been seen over time. For the majority of households, their decision to occupy these areas is driven by the economic and social benefits associated with the Arniko Highway which runs through the valley, linking Nepal with Tibet. Landslide vulnerability therefore emerges not just from societal marginalisation but also from situations of relative prosperity. The findings suggest that occupants of landslide prone areas have a good understanding of landslide hazard and its associated risks in this highly dynamic environment. However, these risks are contextualised in relation to other, often more pressing, social concerns. We therefore argue for a more deliberative and reflexive approach to landslide risk management which avoids singular framings of what the problem and hence the solution might be. We suggest that this can only be achieved through interdisciplinary collaboration and the privileging of different knowledge types. Key words: Nepal; landslide; vulnerability; risk perception; interdisciplinary research

Leadership styles of service professionals aiding women of abuse: enhancing service delivery.

PubMed

Haeseler, Lisa Ann

2013-01-01

Leadership styles of service professionals--including social workers and teachers--in the area of family abuse were investigated. Leadership characteristics of the professionals were measured by their responses to a survey. Results indicated that the interviewed service professionals demonstrated productive leadership traits. Study findings are congruent with leadership styles described in the research. Holistic and collaborative services are required to enhance care for women of abuse, as their needs are multifaceted and complex. Specific leadership styles promote better care for women; leaders need to collaboratively initiate and deliver more interdisciplinary and unified service.

STEAM-y Partnerships: A Case of Interdisciplinary Professional Development and Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelton, Molly L.; Saraniero, Patti

2018-01-01

Museum partnerships can involve significant tensions, especially when these collaborations reach across institutions to blend disciplines such as art and mathematics. Rather than simply being obstacles to overcome, we suggest that tensions arising in multi-institutional, cross-disciplinary collaborations can be highly generative for collaborators,…

The Future of Climate Change Education and Communication: Preparing Our Posterity for Risks and Opportunity? (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ledley, T. S.; Niepold, F.

2013-12-01

Climate change will have impacts on all aspects of life. As such it is a topic that is interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary and thus requires input from a professionally diverse group of experts to be addressed effectively. This represents the next step in an evolution of how geoscientists see their work and their responsibility communicate and collaborate with other professionals to enable their findings and understanding of the Earth system to benefit society. In the late 1970's geoscience research extended beyond the traditional disciplinary perspectives to investigate the interactions of the components of the Earth system and the impacts of those interactions. Geoscience research became interdisciplinary. In the last 10 years as the reality of climate change has become more apparent,it is clear that the conversation needs to extend well beyond the geosciences to include for example agriculture, economics, psychology, architecture, urban planning, engineering and the social sciences. Climate change education and communication needs to become both interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary. This presentation will discuss the obstacles that need to be overcome to achieve interdisciplinary and transdiciplinary ways of addressing the problems and opportunities resulting from climate change, the efforts that are underway to help develop a common language and shared understanding to enable transdisciplinary solutions to societal issues in the future.

Development of a model for organisation of and cooperation on home-based rehabilitation - an action research project.

PubMed

Steihaug, Sissel; Lippestad, Jan-W; Isaksen, Hanne; Werner, Anne

2014-01-01

To use general policy guidelines and staff experience of rehabilitation work in two boroughs in Oslo to develop a model for organisation and cooperation in home-based rehabilitation. The project was conducted as a collaboration between researchers and employees in the two boroughs. It was a practice-oriented study designed as an action research project combining knowledge generation and improvement of practice. Data were collected at seven meetings, and individual, qualitative interviews with a total of 24 persons were conducted in the period February 2010 to June 2011. Home-based rehabilitation occurred rarely in the boroughs, and this field received little attention. However, this project provided a broad discussion of rehabilitation involving all parts of the organisation of both boroughs. In the course of the project, researchers and borough staff together developed a model for the organisation of and cooperation on rehabilitation including a coordinating unit assigned the paramount responsibility for the rehabilitation and an interdisciplinary team organising the collaboration on the practical level. When implementing a model like this in primary health services, we recommend involving several levels and service locations of the borough staff in order to legitimise the model in the organisation. An increasing number of older people with chronic diseases in the Western world have caused increasing emphasis on rehabilitation in primary health care in patients' homes. This study has elucidated challenging framework conditions for rehabilitation work in two Norwegian boroughs. To reduce municipal challenges we propose a rehabilitation model with a coordinating unit with the paramount responsibility for rehabilitation, and an interdisciplinary team constituting a suitable structure for collaboration.

Challenges to collaboration in school mental health and strategies for overcoming them.

PubMed

Weist, Mark D; Mellin, Elizabeth A; Chambers, Kerri L; Lever, Nancy A; Haber, Deborah; Blaber, Christine

2012-02-01

This article reviews challenges to collaboration in school mental health (SMH) and presents practical strategies for overcoming them. The importance of collaboration to the success of SMH programs is reviewed, with a particular focus on collaboration between school- and community-employed professionals. Challenges to effective collaboration between school- and community-employed professionals in SMH are considered. Strategies for overcoming challenges to effective collaboration are presented. Marginalization of the SMH agenda, limited interdisciplinary teamwork, restricted coordination mechanisms, confidentiality concerns, and resource and funding issues are key challenges to collaboration. Strategies targeted toward each of these challenges may help improve the effectiveness of SMH programs and ultimately student outcomes. Collaboration between school- and community-employed professionals is critical to the success of SMH programs. Despite its promise, the success of SMH programs can be jeopardized by ineffective collaboration between school- and community-employed professionals. Strategies to overcome marginalization, promote authentic interdisciplinary teamwork, build effective coordination mechanisms, protect student and family confidentiality, and promote policy change and resource enhancements should be addressed in SMH improvement planning. © 2012, American School Health Association.

Interdisciplinary training to build an informatics workforce for precision medicine

PubMed Central

Williams, Marc S.; Ritchie, Marylyn D.; Payne, Philip R.O.

2015-01-01

The proposed Precision Medicine Initiative has the potential to transform medical care in the future through a shift from interventions based on evidence from population studies and empiric response to ones that account for a range of individual factors that more reliably predict response and outcomes for the patient. Many things are needed to realize this vision, but one of the most critical is an informatics workforce that has broad interdisciplinary training in basic science, applied research and clinical implementation. Current approaches to informatics training do not support this requirement. We present a collaborative model of training that has the potential to produce a workforce prepared for the challenges of implementing precision medicine. PMID:27054076

A Conceptual Measurement Model for eHealth Readiness: a Team Based Perspective

PubMed Central

Phillips, James; Poon, Simon K.; Yu, Dan; Lam, Mary; Hines, Monique; Brunner, Melissa; Power, Emma; Keep, Melanie; Shaw, Tim; Togher, Leanne

2017-01-01

Despite the shift towards collaborative healthcare and the increase in the use of eHealth technologies, there does not currently exist a model for the measurement of eHealth readiness in interdisciplinary healthcare teams. This research aims to address this gap in the literature through the development of a three phase methodology incorporating qualitative and quantitative methods. We propose a conceptual measurement model consisting of operationalized themes affecting readiness across four factors: (i) Organizational Capabilities, (ii) Team Capabilities, (iii) Patient Capabilities, and (iv) Technology Capabilities. The creation of this model will allow for the measurement of the readiness of interdisciplinary healthcare teams to use eHealth technologies to improve patient outcomes. PMID:29854207

Accelerating Cancer Systems Biology Research through Semantic Web Technology

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhihui; Sagotsky, Jonathan; Taylor, Thomas; Shironoshita, Patrick; Deisboeck, Thomas S.

2012-01-01

Cancer systems biology is an interdisciplinary, rapidly expanding research field in which collaborations are a critical means to advance the field. Yet the prevalent database technologies often isolate data rather than making it easily accessible. The Semantic Web has the potential to help facilitate web-based collaborative cancer research by presenting data in a manner that is self-descriptive, human and machine readable, and easily sharable. We have created a semantically linked online Digital Model Repository (DMR) for storing, managing, executing, annotating, and sharing computational cancer models. Within the DMR, distributed, multidisciplinary, and inter-organizational teams can collaborate on projects, without forfeiting intellectual property. This is achieved by the introduction of a new stakeholder to the collaboration workflow, the institutional licensing officer, part of the Technology Transfer Office. Furthermore, the DMR has achieved silver level compatibility with the National Cancer Institute’s caBIG®, so users can not only interact with the DMR through a web browser but also through a semantically annotated and secure web service. We also discuss the technology behind the DMR leveraging the Semantic Web, ontologies, and grid computing to provide secure inter-institutional collaboration on cancer modeling projects, online grid-based execution of shared models, and the collaboration workflow protecting researchers’ intellectual property. PMID:23188758

Neuroscience thinks big (and collaboratively).

PubMed

Kandel, Eric R; Markram, Henry; Matthews, Paul M; Yuste, Rafael; Koch, Christof

2013-09-01

Despite cash-strapped times for research, several ambitious collaborative neuroscience projects have attracted large amounts of funding and media attention. In Europe, the Human Brain Project aims to develop a large-scale computer simulation of the brain, whereas in the United States, the Brain Activity Map is working towards establishing a functional connectome of the entire brain, and the Allen Institute for Brain Science has embarked upon a 10-year project to understand the mouse visual cortex (the MindScope project). US President Barack Obama's announcement of the BRAIN Initiative (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies Initiative) in April 2013 highlights the political commitment to neuroscience and is expected to further foster interdisciplinary collaborations, accelerate the development of new technologies and thus fuel much needed medical advances. In this Viewpoint article, five prominent neuroscientists explain the aims of the projects and how they are addressing some of the questions (and criticisms) that have arisen.

The Unique Role of the Pediatric Clinical Research Nurse in Anesthesia: An Interdisciplinary Collaboration.

PubMed

Dube, Christine; Young, Vanessa; Anderson, Michelle; Barton, Brenda; Leahy, Izabela

2017-08-01

This article describes the distinctive function of the pediatric clinical research nurse (CRN) in the anesthesia setting. The pediatric CRN in anesthesia acts as a liaison between families and the research team and is the major nexus between the principal investigator or anesthesiologist on a study, and the collaborating surgeons from many different departments. This is unique because the CRNs collaborate with physicians in specialties that can include plastics, urology, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, otolaryngology, cardiology, critical care, and many other departments. The profession requires a breath of knowledge ranging from clinical understanding of diseases, surgical procedures, and recovery to cognitive and developmental stages, to expertise in the research protocol process. Our objective was to describe these specialized activities of the pediatric anesthesia CRN, with focus on care coordination, communication, and continuity of care. Defining this role will enhance the quality of clinical research conducted by the CRN in anesthesia and may influence the development of novel medical treatments. Copyright © 2016 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proposing an Interdisciplinary, Communication-Focused Agenda for Cancer and Aging Researchers

PubMed Central

Friedman, Daniela B.; Wilcox, Sara; Hebert, James R.

2015-01-01

Cancer is mainly a disease of older people. Costs for cancer prevention and control are rising due to increased life expectancy and the large cohort of aging “baby boomers.” An effective strategy for better understanding processes related to cancer and aging across the entire cancer continuum (i.e., from prevention through to end-of-life care) is to approach this challenge collaboratively. Communication-focused research is an area of collaborative study for cancer and aging researchers that would provide evidence regarding the most effective means for reaching older adults with messages about cancer prevention, control, and quality of life issues. Specifically we recommend research that is guided by multidisciplinary communication frameworks, involves health care providers, incorporates an intergenerational and family-centered approach into designing and implementing empirical studies, and creates culturally appropriate messaging through community-engaged research. PMID:25893924

Investigating mode errors on automated flight decks: illustrating the problem-driven, cumulative, and interdisciplinary nature of human factors research.

PubMed

Sarter, Nadine

2008-06-01

The goal of this article is to illustrate the problem-driven, cumulative, and highly interdisciplinary nature of human factors research by providing a brief overview of the work on mode errors on modern flight decks over the past two decades. Mode errors on modem flight decks were first reported in the late 1980s. Poor feedback, inadequate mental models of the automation, and the high degree of coupling and complexity of flight deck systems were identified as main contributors to these breakdowns in human-automation interaction. Various improvements of design, training, and procedures were proposed to address these issues. The author describes when and why the problem of mode errors surfaced, summarizes complementary research activities that helped identify and understand the contributing factors to mode errors, and describes some countermeasures that have been developed in recent years. This brief review illustrates how one particular human factors problem in the aviation domain enabled various disciplines and methodological approaches to contribute to a better understanding of, as well as provide better support for, effective human-automation coordination. Converging operations and interdisciplinary collaboration over an extended period of time are hallmarks of successful human factors research. The reported body of research can serve as a model for future research and as a teaching tool for students in this field of work.

Knowledge and attitude toward interdisciplinary team working among obstetricians and gynecologists in teaching hospitals in South East Nigeria.

PubMed

Iyoke, Chukwuemeka Anthony; Lawani, Lucky Osaheni; Ugwu, George Onyemaechi; Ajah, Leonard Ogbonna; Ezugwu, Euzebus Chinonye; Onah, Paul; Onwuka, Chidinma Ifechi

2015-01-01

Interdisciplinary team working could facilitate the efficient provision and coordination of increasingly diverse health services, thereby improving the quality of patient care. The purpose of this study was to describe knowledge of interdisciplinary team working among obstetricians and gynecologists in two teaching hospitals in South East Nigeria and to determine their attitude toward an interdisciplinary collaborative approach to patient care in these institutions. This was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and was carried out using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 17.0 for Windows. In total, 116 doctors participated in the study. The mean age of the respondents was 31.9±7.0 (range 22-51) years. Approximately 74% of respondents were aware of the concept of interdisciplinary team working. Approximately 15% of respondents who were aware of the concept of interdisciplinary team working had very good knowledge of it; 52% had good knowledge and 33% had poor knowledge. Twenty-nine percent of knowledgeable respondents reported ever receiving formal teaching/training on interdisciplinary team working in the course of their professional development. About 78% of those aware of team working believed that interdisciplinary teams would be useful in obstetrics and gynecology practice in Nigeria, with 89% stating that it would be very useful. Approximately 77% of those aware of team working would support establishment and implementation of interdisciplinary teams at their centers. There was a high degree of knowledge of the concept and a positive attitude toward interdisciplinary team working among obstetricians and gynecologists in the study centers. This suggests that the attitude of physicians may not be an impediment to implementation of a collaborative interdisciplinary approach to clinical care in the study centers.

Knowledge and attitude toward interdisciplinary team working among obstetricians and gynecologists in teaching hospitals in South East Nigeria

PubMed Central

Iyoke, Chukwuemeka Anthony; Lawani, Lucky Osaheni; Ugwu, George Onyemaechi; Ajah, Leonard Ogbonna; Ezugwu, Euzebus Chinonye; Onah, Paul; Onwuka, Chidinma Ifechi

2015-01-01

Background Interdisciplinary team working could facilitate the efficient provision and coordination of increasingly diverse health services, thereby improving the quality of patient care. The purpose of this study was to describe knowledge of interdisciplinary team working among obstetricians and gynecologists in two teaching hospitals in South East Nigeria and to determine their attitude toward an interdisciplinary collaborative approach to patient care in these institutions. Methods This was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and was carried out using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 17.0 for Windows. Results In total, 116 doctors participated in the study. The mean age of the respondents was 31.9±7.0 (range 22–51) years. Approximately 74% of respondents were aware of the concept of interdisciplinary team working. Approximately 15% of respondents who were aware of the concept of interdisciplinary team working had very good knowledge of it; 52% had good knowledge and 33% had poor knowledge. Twenty-nine percent of knowledgeable respondents reported ever receiving formal teaching/training on interdisciplinary team working in the course of their professional development. About 78% of those aware of team working believed that interdisciplinary teams would be useful in obstetrics and gynecology practice in Nigeria, with 89% stating that it would be very useful. Approximately 77% of those aware of team working would support establishment and implementation of interdisciplinary teams at their centers. Conclusion There was a high degree of knowledge of the concept and a positive attitude toward interdisciplinary team working among obstetricians and gynecologists in the study centers. This suggests that the attitude of physicians may not be an impediment to implementation of a collaborative interdisciplinary approach to clinical care in the study centers. PMID:26064058

Advantages and disadvantages of interdisciplinary consultation in the prescription of assistive technologies for mobility limitations.

PubMed

de Laat, Fred A; van Heerebeek, Bart; van Netten, Jaap J

2018-03-28

To explore the advantages and disadvantages experienced by professionals in interdisciplinary consultation involving the user, prescriber and technician in the prescription of assistive technologies for mobility limitations. Cross-sectional study. Prescribers (N = 39) and orthopaedic technicians (N = 50), who were regularly involved in an interdisciplinary consultation completed a questionnaire about advantages and disadvantages of the interdisciplinary consultation. Advantages of the interdisciplinary consultation were mentioned within all CanMEDS areas of medical practice, including better and quicker prescription of the assistive technology, shared knowledge of medical diagnosis and device possibilities, shared decision making of the device prescription and clear communication rules. Disadvantages were mentioned in the CanMEDS areas management and collaboration, including planning problems (financial) reimbursement of this type of consultation, and time efficiency. On a 10-point scale, mean (standard deviation) rates of interdisciplinary consultations were 7.9 (0.6) according to prescribers, and 7.8 (0.9) by technicians. All participants wanted to continue the interdisciplinary consultation. Prescribers and technicians in the field of assistive technologies for walking mobility limitations appreciate an interdisciplinary consultation. Advantages are found in all CanMEDS areas, whereas disadvantages only concern coordination. It should be encouraged to realize this kind of consultation in all situations where such technologies are prescribed. Implications for rehabilitation Interdisciplinary consultation involving the user, prescriber and technician to prescribe assistive technologies for mobility limitations has many advantages in all CanMEDS areas of medical practice, and few disadvantages, related to management and collaboration only. The disadvantages of interdisciplinary consultation, such as (financial) reimbursement by health insurance companies, have to be taken into account. Professionals in the field of ankle-foot-orthoses and orthopaedic shoes (medical specialist as prescriber and orthopaedic technician) who are involved in interdisciplinary consultation appreciate it and want to continue.

Integrating water and agricultural management: collaborative governance for a complex policy problem.

PubMed

Fish, Rob D; Ioris, Antonio A R; Watson, Nigel M

2010-11-01

This paper examines governance requirements for integrating water and agricultural management (IWAM). The institutional arrangements for the agriculture and water sectors are complex and multi-dimensional, and integration cannot therefore be achieved through a simplistic 'additive' policy process. Effective integration requires the development of a new collaborative approach to governance that is designed to cope with scale dependencies and interactions, uncertainty and contested knowledge, and interdependency among diverse and unequal interests. When combined with interdisciplinary research, collaborative governance provides a viable normative model because of its emphasis on reciprocity, relationships, learning and creativity. Ultimately, such an approach could lead to the sorts of system adaptations and transformations that are required for IWAM. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Configuring The REU Experience To Maximize Student Collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majkowski, L.; Pullin, M. J.

2012-12-01

The New Mexico Tech NSF-funded REU Program, Interdisciplinary Science for the Environment (ISE), hosted six cohorts of students between 2005 and 2010. The program ran for eight weeks during the first cycle and nine weeks during the second cycle, bringing in an average of twelve student participants per year. Students were provided with a stipend, food allowance, travel from home to New Mexico Tech, and free campus housing. The program sponsored weekend group field trips to scientific, environmental, and cultural sites of significance in New Mexico. For the second cycle, the ISE shared some programmatic elements with the New Mexico EPSCoR Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). The majority of the research projects focused on the geosciences, with interdepartmental participation from researchers in earth science, hydrology, chemistry, environmental science, and biology. The ISE adopted a non-traditional approach to matching student participants with research projects and faculty mentors. Students were selected from different disciplines to work together in pairs on each project. This model provided the students with a peer collaborator in addition to the guidance of their faculty mentors and support from graduate students associated with the different projects. The focus on cohort, both within the individual research projects and each year's group, enabled and enhanced the students' critical thinking, problem-solving and teamwork skills. Students would routinely seek out the advice of their peers when they hit a roadblock in their research. This collaboration also occurred across the boundaries of the ISE and UROP cohorts. Long-term follow up has shown that a significant number of the student participants have continued on to graduate school. Students credit the program with developing their capacity to work on complex problems in an interdisciplinary group environment. Additionally, many students have continued contact with their research partners, faculty mentors and other members of their REU cohort.

Engaging Ocean Grads As Interdisciplinary Professional Problem Solvers: Why Preparing Our Future Ocean Leaders Means Inspiring Them to Look Beyond Their Academic Learning.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Good, L. H.; Erickson, A.

2016-02-01

Academic learning and research experiences alone cannot prepare our emerging ocean leaders to take on the challenges facing our oceans. Developing solutions that incorporate environmental and ocean sciences necessitates an interdisciplinary approach, requiring emerging leaders to be able to work in collaborative knowledge to action systems, rather than on micro-discipline islands. Professional and informal learning experiences can enhance graduate marine education by helping learners gain the communication, collaboration, and innovative problem-solving skills necessary for them to interact with peers at the interface of science and policy. These rich experiences can also provide case-based and hands-on opportunities for graduate learners to explore real-world examples of ocean science, policy, and management in action. However, academic programs are often limited in their capacity to offer such experiences as a part of a traditional curriculum. Rather than expecting learners to rely on their academic training, one approach is to encourage and support graduates to seek professional development beyond their university's walls, and think more holistically about their learning as it relates to their career interests. During this session we discuss current thinking around the professional learning needs of emerging ocean leaders, what this means for academic epistemologies, and examine initial evaluation outcomes from activities in our cross-campus consortium model in Monterey Bay, California. This innovative model includes seven regional academic institutions working together to develop an interdisciplinary ocean community and increase access to professional development opportunities to better prepare regional ocean-interested graduate students and early career researchers as future leaders.

Interdisciplinary collaboration and the electronic medical record.

PubMed

Green, Shayla D; Thomas, Joan D

2008-01-01

To examine interdisciplinary collaboration via electronic medical records (EMRs) with a focus on physicians' perception of nursing documentation. Quality improvement project using a survey instrument. Tertiary care pediatric hospital. Thirty-seven physicians. Physicians perceptions of nursing documentation after EMR implementation Physicians desire nursing documentation with greater clarity and additional information. Physicians indicate checklists alone for patient assessment and intervention data are insufficient for effective nurse/physician collaboration. Narrative nursing summaries are invaluable references that guide medical treatment decisions. Physicians see detailed assessments and well-described interventions of nurses' as critical to their ability to effectively practice medicine. Health care technology is called to develop EMRs that enable nurses to document detailed patient data in a swift and straightforward manner. Joint collaboration between nurses, physicians, and technology specialists is recommended to develop effective EMR systems.

Transforming Epidemiology for 21st Century Medicine and Public Health

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Khoury, Muin J; Lam, Tram Kim; Ioannidis, John

2013-01-01

n 2012, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) engaged the scientific community to provide a vision for cancer epidemiology in the 21st century. Eight overarching thematic recommendations, with proposed corresponding actions for consideration by funding agencies, professional societies, and the research community emerged from the collective intellectual discourse. The themes are (i) extending the reach of epidemiology beyond discovery and etiologic research to include multilevel analysis, intervention evaluation, implementation, and outcomes research; (ii) transforming the practice of epidemiology by moving toward more access and sharing of protocols, data, metadata, and specimens to foster collaboration, to ensure reproducibility and replication, and acceleratemore » translation; (iii) expanding cohort studies to collect exposure, clinical, and other information across the life course and examining multiple health-related endpoints; (iv) developing and validating reliable methods and technologies to quantify exposures and outcomes on a massive scale, and to assess concomitantly the role of multiple factors in complex diseases; (v) integrating big data science into the practice of epidemiology; (vi) expanding knowledge integration to drive research, policy, and practice; (vii) transforming training of 21st century epidemiologists to address interdisciplinary and translational research; and (viii) optimizing the use of resources and infrastructure for epidemiologic studies. These recommendations can transform cancer epidemiology and the field of epidemiology, in general, by enhancing transparency, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strategic applications of new technologies. They should lay a strong scientific foundation for accelerated translation of scientific discoveries into individual and population health benefits.« less

Transforming Epidemiology for 21st Century Medicine and Public Health

PubMed Central

Khoury, Muin J.; Lam, Tram Kim; Ioannidis, John P.A.; Hartge, Patricia; Spitz, Margaret R.; Buring, Julie E.; Chanock, Stephen J.; Croyle, Robert T.; Goddard, Katrina A.; Ginsburg, Geoffrey S.; Herceg, Zdenko; Hiatt, Robert A.; Hoover, Robert N.; Hunter, David J.; Kramer, Barnet S.; Lauer, Michael S.; Meyerhardt, Jeffrey A.; Olopade, Olufunmilayo I.; Palmer, Julie R.; Sellers, Thomas A.; Seminara, Daniela; Ransohoff, David F.; Rebbeck, Timothy R.; Tourassi, Georgia; Winn, Deborah M.; Zauber, Ann; Schully, Sheri D.

2013-01-01

In 2012, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) engaged the scientific community to provide a vision for cancer epidemiology in the 21st century. Eight overarching thematic recommendations, with proposed corresponding actions for consideration by funding agencies, professional societies, and the research community emerged from the collective intellectual discourse. The themes are (i) extending the reach of epidemiology beyond discovery and etiologic research to include multilevel analysis, intervention evaluation, implementation, and outcomes research; (ii) transforming the practice of epidemiology by moving towards more access and sharing of protocols, data, metadata, and specimens to foster collaboration, to ensure reproducibility and replication, and accelerate translation; (iii) expanding cohort studies to collect exposure, clinical and other information across the life course and examining multiple health-related endpoints; (iv) developing and validating reliable methods and technologies to quantify exposures and outcomes on a massive scale, and to assess concomitantly the role of multiple factors in complex diseases; (v) integrating “big data” science into the practice of epidemiology; (vi) expanding knowledge integration to drive research, policy and practice; (vii) transforming training of 21st century epidemiologists to address interdisciplinary and translational research; and (viii) optimizing the use of resources and infrastructure for epidemiologic studies. These recommendations can transform cancer epidemiology and the field of epidemiology in general, by enhancing transparency, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strategic applications of new technologies. They should lay a strong scientific foundation for accelerated translation of scientific discoveries into individual and population health benefits. PMID:23462917

Role of School Employees' Mental Health Knowledge in Interdisciplinary Collaborations to Support the Academic Success of Students Experiencing Mental Health Distress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frauenholtz, Susan; Mendenhall, Amy N.; Moon, Jungrim

2017-01-01

Children with mental health disorders are at elevated risk of deleterious academic outcomes. The school, acting as a bridge between home and community, is a key site for identification and intervention with children experiencing mental health distress. Yet survey research has indicated that many teachers and other school staff have limited…

Interdisciplinary Evidence-based Practice: Moving from Silos to Synergy

PubMed Central

Newhouse, Robin P.; Spring, Bonnie

2010-01-01

Despite the assumption that health care providers work synergistically in practice, professions have tended to be more exclusive than inclusive when it comes to educating students in a collaborative approach to interdisciplinary evidence-based practice (EBP). This article explores the state of academic and clinical training regarding interdisciplinary EBP, describes efforts to foster interdisciplinary EBP, and suggests strategies to accelerate the translation of EBP across disciplines. Moving from silos to synergy in interdisciplinary EBP will require a paradigm shift. Changes can be leveraged professionally and politically using national initiatives currently in place on improving quality and health care reform. PMID:21074648

Critical thinking and reflection exercises in a biochemistry course to improve prospective health professions students' attitudes toward physician-pharmacist collaboration.

PubMed

Van Winkle, Lon J; Cornell, Susan; Fjortoft, Nancy; Bjork, Bryan C; Chandar, Nalini; Green, Jacalyn M; La Salle, Sophie; Viselli, Susan M; Burdick, Paulette; Lynch, Sean M

2013-10-14

To determine the impact of performing critical-thinking and reflection assignments within interdisciplinary learning teams in a biochemistry course on pharmacy students' and prospective health professions students' collaboration scores. Pharmacy students and prospective medical, dental, and other health professions students enrolled in a sequence of 2 required biochemistry courses. They were randomly assigned to interdisciplinary learning teams in which they were required to complete case assignments, thinking and reflection exercises, and a team service-learning project. Students were asked to complete the Scale of Attitudes Toward Physician-Pharmacist Collaboration prior to the first course, following the first course, and following the second course. The physician-pharmacist collaboration scores of prospective health professions students increased significantly (p<0.001). Having prospective health professions students work in teams with pharmacy students to think and reflect in and outside the classroom improves their attitudes toward physician-pharmacist collaboration.

NASA-UVA Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology Program (LA2ST)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gangloff, Richard P.

1991-01-01

The general objective of the Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology (LA2ST) Program is to conduct interdisciplinary graduate student research on the performance of next generation, light weight aerospace alloys, composites, and associated thermal gradient structures in close collaboration with Langley researchers. Specific technical objectives are established for each research project. Relevant data and basic understanding of material behavior and microstructure, new monolithic and composite alloys, advanced processing methods, new solid and fluid mechanic analyses, measurement advances, and a pool of educated graduate students are sought.

PCOR, CER, and CBPR: alphabet soup or complementary fields of health research?

PubMed

Burke, Jessica G; Jones, Jennifer; Yonas, Michael; Guizzetti, Lisa; Virata, Maria C; Costlow, Monica; Morton, Sally C; Elizabeth, Miller

2013-12-01

Comparative effectiveness research (CER) and community- based participatory research (CBPR) are two fields of research that do not have a history of strong collaboration. However, CER and CBPR researchers could benefit from interdisciplinary collaboration to design and implement relevant, timely, action-oriented research. This commentary explores field-specific definitions of stakeholders and then outlines various roles stakeholders might play within grant-funded research. Questions such as "What stakeholders should be involved?" and "How are stakeholders involved?" are addressed. The goal of this commentary is to highlight how the expertise and experiences of CBPR investigators can enhance the field of CER and to describe strategies for encouraging stakeholder involvement in CER research through the lens of CBPR. It is recommended that a team-based approach to conducting stakeholder-engaged CER encourages multiple stakeholders and "end users" to contribute their diverse expertise to the research process and contributes to the development of research with an increased likelihood of improving patient health and healthcare. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Intelligent biology and medicine in 2015: advancing interdisciplinary education, collaboration, and data science.

PubMed

Huang, Kun; Liu, Yunlong; Huang, Yufei; Li, Lang; Cooper, Lee; Ruan, Jianhua; Zhao, Zhongming

2016-08-22

We summarize the 2015 International Conference on Intelligent Biology and Medicine (ICIBM 2015) and the editorial report of the supplement to BMC Genomics. The supplement includes 20 research articles selected from the manuscripts submitted to ICIBM 2015. The conference was held on November 13-15, 2015 at Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. It included eight scientific sessions, three tutorials, four keynote presentations, three highlight talks, and a poster session that covered current research in bioinformatics, systems biology, computational biology, biotechnologies, and computational medicine.

Fundreds in Arkansas: An Interdisciplinary Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

La Porte, Angela M.

2010-01-01

This article discusses Fundreds in Arkansas, an interactive cooperative in Arkansas to promote and support Mel Chin's nationwide interdisciplinary artwork, Operation Paydirt (The Fundred Dollar Bill Project). The artwork involves communities and educational institutions across the country, healthcare professionals, engineers, urban planners, and…

024 PP: MEANINGFUL AND ENGAGING, OR TOKENISTIC? REFLECTIONS ON COLLABORATIVE ENGAGEMENT IN THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING SEXUAL HEALTH INTERVENTIONS

PubMed Central

Boydell, N; McDaid, L

2017-01-01

Working with non-academic partners and including participants, and other stakeholders, in the design and delivery of research is emerging as a critical element in the field of health research. As researchers based in an interdisciplinary team with a focus on the development of sexual health interventions, we have long recognised that engagement with individuals and communities is a critical part of the research process, and actively sought out opportunities to collaborate with non-academic partners with a view to ensuring that our work is relevant in the ‘real-world’. While the increasing call for ‘collaboration’, ‘patient and public involvement’ and ‘co-production’ is welcome, we recognise the possibility that without critical reflection on the part of the research team, such engagement can lack meaning for those being asked to participate, potentially reducing its value and risking it being perceived as tokenistic. In this paper we reflect on our experiences as qualitative researchers for whom a key role in interdisciplinary research teams has been undertaking a number of ‘patient public involvement’ projects with both young people and gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) to inform the development of sexual health interventions. We critically reflect on some of the challenges and opportunities involved in this form of ‘consultation’, and explore the ethical implications of engaging stakeholders in identifying issues they consider important as part of the design and delivery of future interventions, but which may not be considered either a priority or feasible.

Use of the Collaborative Optimization Architecture for Launch Vehicle Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braun, R. D.; Moore, A. A.; Kroo, I. M.

1996-01-01

Collaborative optimization is a new design architecture specifically created for large-scale distributed-analysis applications. In this approach, problem is decomposed into a user-defined number of subspace optimization problems that are driven towards interdisciplinary compatibility and the appropriate solution by a system-level coordination process. This decentralized design strategy allows domain-specific issues to be accommodated by disciplinary analysts, while requiring interdisciplinary decisions to be reached by consensus. The present investigation focuses on application of the collaborative optimization architecture to the multidisciplinary design of a single-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle. Vehicle design, trajectory, and cost issues are directly modeled. Posed to suit the collaborative architecture, the design problem is characterized by 5 design variables and 16 constraints. Numerous collaborative solutions are obtained. Comparison of these solutions demonstrates the influence which an priori ascent-abort criterion has on development cost. Similarly, objective-function selection is discussed, demonstrating the difference between minimum weight and minimum cost concepts. The operational advantages of the collaborative optimization

The emergence of cognitive hearing science.

PubMed

Arlinger, Stig; Lunner, Thomas; Lyxell, Björn; Pichora-Fuller, M Kathleen

2009-10-01

Cognitive Hearing Science or Auditory Cognitive Science is an emerging field of interdisciplinary research concerning the interactions between hearing and cognition. It follows a trend over the last half century for interdisciplinary fields to develop, beginning with Neuroscience, then Cognitive Science, then Cognitive Neuroscience, and then Cognitive Vision Science. A common theme is that an interdisciplinary approach is necessary to understand complex human behaviors, to develop technologies incorporating knowledge of these behaviors, and to find solutions for individuals with impairments that undermine typical behaviors. Accordingly, researchers in traditional academic disciplines, such as Psychology, Physiology, Linguistics, Philosophy, Anthropology, and Sociology benefit from collaborations with each other, and with researchers in Computer Science and Engineering working on the design of technologies, and with health professionals working with individuals who have impairments. The factors that triggered the emergence of Cognitive Hearing Science include the maturation of the component disciplines of Hearing Science and Cognitive Science, new opportunities to use complex digital signal-processing to design technologies suited to performance in challenging everyday environments, and increasing social imperatives to help people whose communication problems span hearing and cognition. Cognitive Hearing Science is illustrated in research on three general topics: (1) language processing in challenging listening conditions; (2) use of auditory communication technologies or the visual modality to boost performance; (3) changes in performance with development, aging, and rehabilitative training. Future directions for modeling and the translation of research into practice are suggested.

Planning, Teaching, and Assessing Elementary Education Interdisciplinary Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Cynthia; Henning, Mary Beth

2010-01-01

This paper describes an innovative teaching collaboration between two university professors to prepare undergraduate preservice teachers for planning, designing, and assessing interdisciplinary curriculum. Specifically, we were interested in whether deliberate efforts to integrate social studies and assessment methods courses would facilitate our…

Co-Teaching an Interdisciplinary Literacy Methods Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball, Douglas E.

2009-01-01

Two professors of reading redesigned, merged, and co-taught their respective methods courses (one elementary, one special education) to foster "literacy for all" through interdisciplinary content and collaboration. The characteristic needs of students with learning disabilities and the instructional strategies that promote their literacy…

Partners in Public Health: Public Health Collaborations With Schools of Pharmacy, 2015.

PubMed

DiPietro Mager, Natalie A; Ochs, Leslie; Ranelli, Paul L; Kahaleh, Abby A; Lahoz, Monina R; Patel, Radha V; Garza, Oscar W; Isaacs, Diana; Clark, Suzanne

To collect data on public health collaborations with schools of pharmacy, we sent a short electronic survey to accredited and preaccredited pharmacy programs in 2015. We categorized public health collaborations as working or partnering with local and/or state public health departments, local and/or state public health organizations, academic schools or programs of public health, and other public health collaborations. Of 134 schools, 65 responded (49% response rate). Forty-six (71%) responding institutions indicated collaborations with local and/or state public health departments, 34 (52%) with schools or programs of public health, and 24 (37%) with local and/or state public health organizations. Common themes of collaborations included educational programs, community outreach, research, and teaching in areas such as tobacco control, emergency preparedness, chronic disease, drug abuse, immunizations, and medication therapy management. Interdisciplinary public health collaborations with schools of pharmacy provide additional resources for ensuring the health of communities and expose student pharmacists to opportunities to use their training and abilities to affect public health. Examples of these partnerships may stimulate additional ideas for possible collaborations between public health organizations and schools of pharmacy.

Brainstorming Design for Health: Helping Patients Utilize Patient-Generated Information on the Web

PubMed Central

Huh, Jina; Hartzler, Andrea; Munson, Sean; Anderson, Nick; Edwards, Kelly; Gore, John L.; McDonald, David; O’Leary, Jim; Parker, Andrea; Streat, Derek; Yetisgen-Yildiz, Meliha; Pratt, Wanda; Ackerman, Mark S.

2013-01-01

Researchers and practitioners show increasing sinterest in utilizing patient-generated information on the Web. Although the HCI and CSCW communities have provided many exciting opportunities for exploring new ideas and building broad agenda in health, few venues offer a platform for interdisciplinary and collaborative brainstorming about design challenges and opportunities in this space. The goal of this workshop is to provide participants with opportunities to interact with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and practices—researchers, practitioners, designers, programmers, and ethnographers—and together generate tangible design outcomes that utilize patient-generated information on the Web. Through small multidisciplinary group work, we will provide participants with new collaboration opportunities, understanding of the state of the art, inspiration for future work, and ideally avenues for continuing to develop research and design ideas generated at the workshop. PMID:24499843

Building Interdisciplinary Research and Communication Skills in the Agricultural and Climate Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson-Maynard, J.; Borrelli, K.; Wolf, K.; Bernacchi, L.; Eigenbrode, S.; Daley Laursen, D.

2015-12-01

Preparing scientists and educators to create and promote practical science-based agricultural approaches to climate change adaptation and mitigation is a main focus of the Regional Approaches to Climate Change (REACCH) project. Social, political and environmental complexities and interactions require that future scientists work across disciplines rather than having isolated knowledge of one specific subject area. Additionally, it is important for graduate students earning M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in agriculture and climate sciences to be able to communicate scientific findings effectively to non-scientific audiences. Unfortunately, university graduate curricula rarely adequately prepare students with these important skills. REACCH recognizes the need for graduate students to have thorough exposure to other disciplines and to be able to communicate information for outreach and education purposes. These priorities have been incorporated into graduate training within the REACCH project. The interdisciplinary nature of the project and its sophisticated digital infrastructure provide graduate students multiple opportunities to gain these experiences. The project includes over 30 graduate students from 20 different disciplines and research foci including agronomy, biogeochemistry, soil quality, conservation tillage, hydrology, pest and beneficial organisms, economics, modeling, remote sensing, science education and climate science. Professional develop workshops were developed and held during annual project meetings to enhance student training. The "Toolbox" survey (http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/toolbox/) was used to achieve effective interdisciplinary communication. Interdisciplinary extension and education projects were required to allow students to gain experience with collaboration and working with stakeholder groups. Results of student surveys and rubrics developed to gauge success in interdisciplinary research and communication may provide a helpful starting point for future projects involving graduate student training.

Desegregating undergraduate mathematics and biology--interdisciplinary instruction with emphasis on ongoing biomedical research.

PubMed

Robeva, Raina

2009-01-01

The remarkable advances in the field of biology in the last decade, specifically in the areas of biochemistry, genetics, genomics, proteomics, and systems biology, have demonstrated how critically important mathematical models and methods are in addressing questions of vital importance for these disciplines. There is little doubt that the need for utilizing and developing mathematical methods for biology research will only grow in the future. The rapidly increasing demand for scientists with appropriate interdisciplinary skills and knowledge, however, is not being reflected in the way undergraduate mathematics and biology courses are structured and taught in most colleges and universities nationwide. While a number of institutions have stepped forward and addressed this need by creating and offering interdisciplinary courses at the juncture of mathematics and biology, there are still many others at which there is little, if any, interdisciplinary interaction between the curricula. This chapter describes an interdisciplinary course and a textbook in mathematical biology developed collaboratively by faculty from Sweet Briar College and the University of Virginia School of Medicine. The course and textbook are designed to provide a bridge between the mathematical and biological sciences at the lower undergraduate level. The course is developed for and is being taught in a liberal arts setting at Sweet Briar College, Virginia, but some of the advanced modules are used in a course at the University of Virginia for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students. The individual modules are relatively independent and can be used as stand-alone projects in conventional mathematics and biology courses. Except for the introductory material, the course and textbook topics are based on current biomedical research.

Research Experience for Undergrads with the Boulder Solar Alliance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snow, M. A.; Raftery, C. L.

2017-12-01

The Research Experience for Undergraduates program operated by the Boulder Solar Alliance has just finished its eleventh year. Students from around the US come to Boulder, Colorado to work with a mentor in the field of solar and space physics. Mentors are drawn from all of the research institutes in Boulder. Students spend the first week getting acquianted with the interdisciplinary nature of the field and learning how to work collaboratively on a research project. We include several professional development activities at weekly brown bag lunches, and finally the students present their results in both oral and poster form.

Accelerating the pace of discovery in orthopaedic research: A vision toward team science.

PubMed

Bahney, Chelsea S; Bruder, Scott P; Cain, Jarrett D; Keyak, Joyce H; Killian, Megan L; Shapiro, Irving M; Jones, Lynne C

2016-10-01

The landscape of basic science in the United States and around the world is changing, and the field of orthopaedic research is positioned to lead by embracing a culture of collaborative, team science that reflects our field's interdisciplinary nature. In this article we hope to address some of the cultural challenges and programmatic barriers that impede a team science approach in the US and suggest opportunities for change. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:1673-1679, 2016. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Architecture for an advanced biomedical collaboration domain for the European paediatric cancer research community (ABCD-4-E).

PubMed

Nitzlnader, Michael; Falgenhauer, Markus; Gossy, Christian; Schreier, Günter

2015-01-01

Today, progress in biomedical research often depends on large, interdisciplinary research projects and tailored information and communication technology (ICT) support. In the context of the European Network for Cancer Research in Children and Adolescents (ENCCA) project the exchange of data between data source (Source Domain) and data consumer (Consumer Domain) systems in a distributed computing environment needs to be facilitated. This work presents the requirements and the corresponding solution architecture of the Advanced Biomedical Collaboration Domain for Europe (ABCD-4-E). The proposed concept utilises public as well as private cloud systems, the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) framework and web-based applications to provide the core capabilities in accordance with privacy and security needs. The utility of crucial parts of the concept was evaluated by prototypic implementation. A discussion of the design indicates that the requirements of ENCCA are fully met. A whole system demonstration is currently being prepared to verify that ABCD-4-E has the potential to evolve into a domain-bridging collaboration platform in the future.

Design and Evaluation in eHealth: Challenges and Implications for an Interdisciplinary Field

PubMed Central

2007-01-01

Much has been written about insufficient user involvement in the design of eHealth applications, the lack of evidence demonstrating impact, and the difficulties these bring for adoption. Part of the problem lies in the differing languages, cultures, motives, and operational constraints of producers and evaluators of eHealth systems and services. This paper reflects on the benefits of and barriers to interdisciplinary collaboration in eHealth, focusing particularly on the relationship between software developers and health services researchers. It argues that the common pattern of silo or parallel working may be ameliorated by developing mutual awareness and respect for each others’ methods, epistemologies, and contextual drivers and by recognizing and harnessing potential synergies. Similarities and differences between models and techniques used in both communities are highlighted in order to illustrate the potential for integrated approaches and the strengths of unique paradigms. By sharing information about our research approaches and seeking to actively collaborate in the process of design and evaluation, the aim of achieving technologies that are truly user-informed, fit for context, high quality, and of demonstrated value is more likely to be realized. This may involve embracing new ways of working jointly that are unfamiliar to the stakeholders involved and that challenge disciplinary conventions. It also has policy implications for agencies commissioning research and development in this area. PMID:17537718

Facilitating Collaboration across Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Fields in Program Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ejiwale, James A.

2014-01-01

Collaboration plays a major role in interdisciplinary activities among Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) disciplines or fields. It also affects the relationships among cluster members on the management team. Although effective collaboration does not guarantee success among STEM disciplines, its absence usually assures…

Teacher Collaboration in a Restructuring Urban High School. Report No. 37.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Legters, Nettie E.

This report examines the impact of three restructuring strategies--interdisciplinary teaming, school-within-a-school organization, and flexible scheduling---on professional interactions between teachers. The ways in which collegiality and collaboration have been addressed in the education literature are discussed, and how collaboration is…

Creating Regional Interdisciplinary Collaboration with Open Spaces at the People & Places Forum

EPA Science Inventory

Facilitating the integration of natural and social sciences in resource management presents a wide range of questions, including where to find collaborators and what knowledge collaborators can contribute. In order to begin to document answers to these questions, the Twin Ports-b...

Connectivity of tropical marine ecosystems--An overview of interdisciplinary research to understand biodiversity and trophic relationships in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

USGS Publications Warehouse

McClain-Counts, Jennifer P.; Demopoulos, Amanda W.J.

2012-01-01

The Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico contain marine reserves and protected areas that encompass a variety of tropical ecosystems, including coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds. Reserves and protected areas are established for a variety of reasons, such as preserving nursery habitats and biodiversity, or reducing anthropogenic effects associated with pollution and land use. Questions remain regarding the effectiveness of these designated areas in preserving and protecting spatially connected habitats and associated fishes and invertebrates. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), University of Florida, and Arkansas State University are collaborating on interdisciplinary research in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to examine the biodiversity and trophic dynamics of fishes and invertebrates residing in connected mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs to discern the effectiveness of current marine reserves and protected areas for conserving reef resources.

Challenges faced by multidisplinary new investigators on addressing grand challenges in global health.

PubMed

Logie, Carmen; Dimaras, Helen; Fortin, Anny; Ramón-García, Santiago

2014-04-15

The grand challenges approach aims to spark innovative and transformative strategies to overcome barriers to significant global health issues. Grand Challenges Canada endorses an 'Integrated Innovation™' approach that focuses on the intersection of scientific/technological, social and business innovation. In this article we explore themes emerging from a dialogue between the authors, who are multidisciplinary recipients of the 'Rising Stars in Global Health' award from Grand Challenges Canada, regarding benefits of engaging in integrated innovation research, and recommendations for how this approach may develop in the future. Our dialogue followed a semi-structured interview format that addressed three topics: 1) reflections on applying an Integrated Innovation™ approach for global health; 2) thoughts on participation in the Grand Challenges 2012 meeting; and 3) authors' visions of Grand Challenges Canada and the Grand Challenge movement towards 2020. The dialogue was transcribed verbatim and we used thematic analysis techniques to identify, analyze and report themes in the data. Benefits of working using the Grand Challenges approach centered on two themes: a) the potential for scientific breakthrough and b) building interdisciplinary collaborations and a community of scholars. Challenges and opportunities for Grand Challenges in moving forward included: a) capacity building, particularly regarding Integrated Innovation™ and scale-up planning; b) interdisciplinary and international mentorship for new investigators; and c) potential for future commercialization. Our discussion highlighted that Integrated Innovation™ offers the opportunity to develop new theories, methods and approaches to global health while simultaneously fostering a collaborative spirit grounded in international, interdisciplinary collaborations. However, the arguable over-emphasis on corporatization poses a major challenge for new investigators. We propose a more balanced way forward that can harness technology to foster mentorship across time and space to support the development of such skills and ideas among new investigators.

An open debate about the object and purpose of global health knowledge in the context of an interdisciplinary research partnership on HIV/STI prevention priorities in Peru

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background With the failure of the latest vaccine trial, HVTN-505, HIV prevention efforts remain critical. Social and structural factors contributing to HIV and STI transmission include stigma regarding sexual violence, HIV infection and sexual orientation. For instance, HIV prevention and overall sexual health programs in Peru have been implemented yet key populations of youth (sex workers, male and transgender youth) continue to be overrepresented in new cases of HIV and STI. This suggests that interventions must take new directions and highlights the need for additional research. Discussion While interdisciplinary, international research collaborations often are indicated as best practice in developing new knowledge in global health and an important component of the leadership in health systems, this does not mean they are free of challenges. In this debate we document our reflections on some of the challenges in developing an interdisciplinary and international research team to understand HIV and STI prevention priorities among youth in two culturally diverse cities in Peru: Lima, the capital city, and Ayacucho, in the Andean region. Summary Rather than offering solutions we aim to contribute to the debate about the object and purpose of global health research in the context of developing international research partnerships that genuinely promote a reciprocal and bidirectional flow of knowledge between the Global South and the Global North, and researchers at intersections of these locations. PMID:24886493

Facilitating Inclusion in Early Childhood Settings: Interdisciplinary Preservice Preparation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Melody F.; Able-Boone, Harriet; West, Tracey A.

2001-01-01

An interdisciplinary practicum case study is presented to illustrate components of a specialized preservice preparation for graduate students (n=44) in audiology, early childhood special education, school psychology, and speech-language pathology, designed to assist them in becoming inclusion collaborators/facilitators. Students' perceptions of…

New Frontiers in Analyzing Dynamic Group Interactions: Bridging Social and Computer Science

PubMed Central

Lehmann-Willenbrock, Nale; Hung, Hayley; Keyton, Joann

2017-01-01

This special issue on advancing interdisciplinary collaboration between computer scientists and social scientists documents the joint results of the international Lorentz workshop, “Interdisciplinary Insights into Group and Team Dynamics,” which took place in Leiden, The Netherlands, July 2016. An equal number of scholars from social and computer science participated in the workshop and contributed to the papers included in this special issue. In this introduction, we first identify interaction dynamics as the core of group and team models and review how scholars in social and computer science have typically approached behavioral interactions in groups and teams. Next, we identify key challenges for interdisciplinary collaboration between social and computer scientists, and we provide an overview of the different articles in this special issue aimed at addressing these challenges. PMID:29249891

New Frontiers in Analyzing Dynamic Group Interactions: Bridging Social and Computer Science.

PubMed

Lehmann-Willenbrock, Nale; Hung, Hayley; Keyton, Joann

2017-10-01

This special issue on advancing interdisciplinary collaboration between computer scientists and social scientists documents the joint results of the international Lorentz workshop, "Interdisciplinary Insights into Group and Team Dynamics," which took place in Leiden, The Netherlands, July 2016. An equal number of scholars from social and computer science participated in the workshop and contributed to the papers included in this special issue. In this introduction, we first identify interaction dynamics as the core of group and team models and review how scholars in social and computer science have typically approached behavioral interactions in groups and teams. Next, we identify key challenges for interdisciplinary collaboration between social and computer scientists, and we provide an overview of the different articles in this special issue aimed at addressing these challenges.

Integrating social science and design inquiry through interdisciplinary design charrettes: an approach to participatory community problem solving.

PubMed

Sutton, Sharon E; Kemp, Susan P

2006-09-01

Interdisciplinary collaborations that aim to facilitate meaningful community outcomes require both the right mix of disciplinary knowledge and effective community participation, which together can deepen collective knowledge and the capacity to take action. This article explores three interdisciplinary design charrettes, intensive participatory workshops that addressed specific community problems and provided a context for integrating design and social science inquiry with local community knowledge. Evaluation data from the charrettes shed light on how students from the design and social science disciplines experienced the charrettes, and on their interactions with community members. Key advantages to this interdisciplinary, community-based collaboration included expanded knowledge derived from the use of multiple modes of inquiry, particularly the resulting visualization tools that helped community members understand local issues and envision novel solutions. Key drawbacks included difficulties in balancing the two disciplines, the tendency for social scientists to feel out of place on designers' turf, and the increased disciplinary and interpersonal conflicts arising from a more diverse pool of participants.

Crossing Borders: An Online Interdisciplinary Course in Health Informatics for Students From Two Countries.

PubMed

Fossum, Mariann; Fruhling, Ann; Moe, Carl Erik; Thompson, Cheryl Bagley

2017-04-01

A cross-countries and interprofessional novel approach for delivering an international interdisciplinary graduate health informatics course online is presented. Included in this discussion are the challenges, lessons learned, and pedagogical recommendations from the experiences of teaching the course. Four professors from three different fields and from three universities collaborated in offering an international health informatics course for an interdisciplinary group of 18 US and seven Norwegian students. Highly motivated students and professors, an online technology infrastructure that supported asynchronously communication and course delivery, the ability to adapt the curriculum to meet the pedagogy requirements at all universities, and the support of higher administration for international collaboration were enablers for success. This project demonstrated the feasibility and advantages of an interdisciplinary, interprofessional, and cross-countries approach in teaching health informatics online. Students were able to establish relationships and conduct professional conversations across disciplines and international boundaries using content management software. This graduate course can be used as a part of informatics, computer science, and/or health science programs.

Using speed dating sessions to foster collaboration in continuing interdisciplinary education.

PubMed

Laprise, Réjean; Thivierge, Robert L

2012-01-01

There are numerous examples of care gaps that could be reduced through enhanced knowledge exchange and practice collaboration between medical specialist physicians. In this paper, we report preliminary results on using speed-dating sessions (SDSs) to stimulate the development of continuing interdisciplinary education (CIDE) activities. In 2007, a 35-minute SDS was carried out during a 2-hour faculty development workshop to provide continuing medical education (CME) directors of Quebec's 35 medical specialist associations with a formal opportunity to quickly share clinical issues and goals. A post-workshop survey was used to assess participants' satisfaction and whether they had met new colleagues, learned about interdisciplinary issues, and discovered opportunities for collaboration. CME accreditation files were audited to assess the occurrence of CIDE activities in the year prior and the 2 years that followed the workshop. CME directors were called to assess whether the development of these activities was directly attributable to their participation in the SDS. CME directors of 26 specialist physician associations attended the faculty development workshop. The vast majority of survey respondents (n = 18/20) were satisfied with the SDS and believed that this method was a stimulating and efficient way to meet new colleagues, quickly share clinical issues and goals, learn about unexpected but important interdisciplinary issues, and identify opportunities for CIDE collaboration. Sixty percent (12/20) reported having identified at least 1 opportunity for collaboration that was worth pursuing in the near future, and 19% of attending CME directors (5/26) developed a CIDE activity within 2 years, as compared with none in the previous year and for the 9 nonparticipating associations. Results suggest that SDSs enhanced networking, knowledge exchange, and collaboration in continuing education among CME providers who participated in a faculty development activity on CIDE. Copyright © 2012 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and the Council on CME, Association for Hospital Medical Education.

What Are We Going to Do about a Problem Like Polymer Chemistry? Develop New Methods of Delivery to Improve Understanding of a Demanding Interdisciplinary Topic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavalli, G.; Hamerton, I.; Lygo-Baker, S.

2015-01-01

Following collaboration between two chemistry lecturers and an academic developer an attempt was made to enhance the learning of students within a chemistry module through the adaptation of the delivery of content material. This paper reports a piece of practitioner led research which considered how effective the approach developed was upon the…

Interdisciplinary collaboration: the role of the clinical nurse leader.

PubMed

Bender, Miriam; Connelly, Cynthia D; Brown, Caroline

2013-01-01

  To explore the feasibility and acceptability of a clinical nurse leader (CNL) role to improve interdisciplinary collaboration (IC) within a fragmented acute-care microsystem.   Fragmented patient care is associated with preventable adverse healthcare outcomes. IC decreases fragmentation and improves patient care quality. The CNL role is theorized to provide the necessary leadership and competency skill base to impact IC at the optimal organizational level, the point of care where most healthcare decisions are made.   This study used a descriptive non-experimental design. CNL daily workflow was developed to target empirical determinants of IC. Descriptive data were collected from multiple stakeholders using an investigator-developed survey.   Findings indicate the integration of the role is feasible and acceptable to the microsystem healthcare team.   Preliminary evidence suggests the CNL role may be an effective intervention to facilitate IC. More research is needed to support the CNL role's association with microsystem IC.   The CNL role presents an innovative opportunity for clinical and administrative leadership to partner together to redesign a healthcare delivery system and improve patient care quality. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Working with a fractional object: enactments of appetite in interdisciplinary work in anthropology and biomedicine.

PubMed

Christensen, Bodil Just; Hillersdal, Line; Holm, Lotte

2017-08-01

This paper explores the productive tensions occurring in an interdisciplinary research project on weight loss after obesity surgery. The study was a bio-medical/anthropological collaboration investigating to what extent eating patterns, the subjective experience of hunger and physiological mechanisms are involved in appetite regulation that might determine good or poor response to the surgery. Linking biomedical and anthropological categories and definitions of central concepts about the body turned out to be a major challenge in the collaborative analysis. Notably, the conception of what constitutes 'appetite' was a key concern, as each discipline has its particular definition and operationalization of the term. In response, a material-semiotic approach was chosen which allowed for a reconceptualization of appetite as a 'fractional object', engaged in multiple relations and enacted differently in each instance. This perspective produced creative contrasts and offered alternative explorations of both scientific knowledge production and anthropological practices. The paper thereby explores the interfaces between anthropology and medical science by attending to the challenges and opportunities that result from destabilising an assumed fixed and well-defined concept associated with the body.

Interdisciplinary multiinstitutional alliances in support of educational programs for health sciences librarians.

PubMed Central

Smith, L C

1996-01-01

This project responds to the need to identify the knowledge, skills, and expertise required by health sciences librarians in the future and to devise mechanisms for providing this requisite training. The approach involves interdisciplinary multiinstitutional alliances with collaborators drawn from two graduate schools of library and information science (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Indiana University) and two medical schools (University of Illinois at Chicago and Washington University). The project encompasses six specific aims: (1) investigate the evolving role of the health sciences librarian; (2) analyze existing programs of study in library and information science at all levels at Illinois and Indiana; (3) develop opportunities for practicums, internships, and residencies; (4) explore the possibilities of computing and communication technologies to enhance instruction; (5) identify mechanisms to encourage faculty and graduate students to participate in medical informatics research projects; and (6) create recruitment strategies to achieve better representation of currently underrepresented groups. The project can serve as a model for other institutions interested in regional collaboration to enhance graduate education for health sciences librarianship. PMID:8913560

International Interdisciplinary Research Institute Project in Senegal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gueye, Paul

2010-02-01

The project of an interdisciplinary research institute in Senegal was initiated in 1993 in Senegal (West Africa) and became a template for a similar project in the US in 1999. Since then, numerous meetings and presentations have been held at various national and international institutions, workshops and conferences. The current development of this partnership includes drafts for a full design of all systems at each facility, as well as the physics, applied health and educational programs to be implemented. The Senegal facility was conceived for scientific capacity building and equally to act as a focal point aimed at using the local scientific expertise. An anticipated outcome would be a contribution to the reduction of an ever-growing brain drain process suffered by the country, and the African continent in general. The development of the project led also to a strong African orientation of the facility: built for international collaboration, it is to be a pan-African endeavor and to serve primarily African countries. The facility received a presidential approval in a 2003 meeting and will develop an interdisciplinary program centered on a strong materials science research which will also allow for the establishment of an advanced analytical (physical chemistry) laboratory. A central part of the facility will be linked to state-of-the art accelerator mass spectrometry, cyclotron and low energy electromagnetic accelerator systems. )

Enacting the ‘neuro’ in practice: Translational research, adhesion and the promise of porosity

PubMed Central

Michael, Mike

2014-01-01

This article attends to the processes through which neuroscience and the neuro are enacted in a specific context: a translational neuroscience research group that was the setting of an ethnographic study. The article therefore provides a close-up perspective on the intersection of neuroscience and translational research. In the scientific setting we studied, the neuro was multiple and irreducible to any particular entity or set of practices across a laboratory and clinical divide. Despite this multiplicity, the group’s work was held together through the ‘promise of porosity’ – that one day there would be translation of lab findings into clinically effective intervention. This promise was embodied in the figure of the Group Leader whose expertise spanned clinical and basic neurosciences. This is theorized in terms of a contrast between cohesion and adhesion in interdisciplinary groupings. We end by speculating on the role of ‘vivification’ – in our case mediated by the Group Leader – in rendering ‘alive’ the expectations of interdisciplinary collaboration. PMID:25362829

Breaking Down the Door: A Nonprofit Model Creating Pathways for Non-Traditional STEM Student Engagement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelaez, C.; Pelaez, J.

2015-12-01

Blueprint Earth was created as a nonprofit scientific research organization dedicated to conducting micro-scale interdisciplinary environmental investigations to generate macroscopic, system-level environmental understanding. The field data collection and analysis process was conceived to be dependent on student participation and collaboration with more senior scientists, effecting knowledge transfer and emphasizing the critical nature of interdisciplinary research in investigating complex, macroscopic questions. Recruiting for student volunteer researchers is conducted in academic institutions, and to date has focused primarily on the Los Angeles area. Self-selecting student participation has run contrary to traditional STEM demographics. The vast majority of research participants in Blueprint Earth's work are female and/or from a minority (non-white) background, and most are first-generation college students or from low-income, Pell grant-eligible households. Traditional field research programs for students often come at a high cost, creating barriers to access for field-based STEM opportunities. The nonprofit model employed by Blueprint Earth provides zero-cost access to opportunity for students that the STEM world is currently targeting for future professional development.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration amongst Colleagues and between Initiatives with the Magnetics Information Consortium (MagIC) Database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minnett, R.; Koppers, A. A. P.; Jarboe, N.; Tauxe, L.; Constable, C.; Jonestrask, L.; Shaar, R.

2014-12-01

Earth science grand challenges often require interdisciplinary and geographically distributed scientific collaboration to make significant progress. However, this organic collaboration between researchers, educators, and students only flourishes with the reduction or elimination of technological barriers. The Magnetics Information Consortium (http://earthref.org/MagIC/) is a grass-roots cyberinfrastructure effort envisioned by the geo-, paleo-, and rock magnetic scientific community to archive their wealth of peer-reviewed raw data and interpretations from studies on natural and synthetic samples. MagIC is dedicated to facilitating scientific progress towards several highly multidisciplinary grand challenges and the MagIC Database team is currently beta testing a new MagIC Search Interface and API designed to be flexible enough for the incorporation of large heterogeneous datasets and for horizontal scalability to tens of millions of records and hundreds of requests per second. In an effort to reduce the barriers to effective collaboration, the search interface includes a simplified data model and upload procedure, support for online editing of datasets amongst team members, commenting by reviewers and colleagues, and automated contribution workflows and data retrieval through the API. This web application has been designed to generalize to other databases in MagIC's umbrella website (EarthRef.org) so the Geochemical Earth Reference Model (http://earthref.org/GERM/) portal, Seamount Biogeosciences Network (http://earthref.org/SBN/), EarthRef Digital Archive (http://earthref.org/ERDA/) and EarthRef Reference Database (http://earthref.org/ERR/) will benefit from its development.

The Collaborative Peer Supervision Group Project: A Continuing Education Model to Promote Professional Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomasgard, Michael; Warfield, Janeece

2005-01-01

Thomasgard, a physician, and Warfield, a psychologist, describe the multidisciplinary Collaborative Peer Supervision Group Project, originally developed and implemented in Columbus, Ohio. Collaborative Peer Supervision Groups (CPSGs) foster the development of case-based, interdisciplinary, continuing education. CPSGs are designed to improve the…

[Urotechnology: a new interdisciplinary platform for promoting and managing of technical innovations in urology].

PubMed

Miernik, A; Becker, C; Wullich, B; Schoenthaler, M; Arnolds, B J; Wetterauer, U

2015-01-01

The innovative power in medical engineering and technology development requires a close cooperation between universities and non-university research institutions and a collaboration with industrial partners. German knowledge in the fields of video and micro-optics, microsystem technology and of informational technology and software applications seem to be highly competitive at international level. Germany's previous leadership in the development of technical equipment will be challenged by today's requirements and difficulties in medical engineering. Research and expenses demands for the development of novel medical instruments, products and applications will increase continuously. Transparency and coordinated collaboration between universities and industrial partners will contribute to a substantial improvement in surgical therapy. Medical technology of the future, including urotechnology, requires professional structures and coordination and will have to be based on evidence.

Making Choices: Ethical Decisions in a Global Context.

PubMed

Bonde, Sheila; Briant, Clyde; Firenze, Paul; Hanavan, Julianne; Huang, Amy; Li, Min; Narayanan, N C; Parthasarathy, D; Zhao, Hongqin

2016-04-01

The changing milieu of research--increasingly global, interdisciplinary and collaborative--prompts greater emphasis on cultural context and upon partnership with international scholars and diverse community groups. Ethics training, however, tends to ignore the cross-cultural challenges of making ethical choices. This paper confronts those challenges by presenting a new curricular model developed by an international team. It examines ethics across a very broad range of situations, using case studies and employing the perspectives of social science, humanities and the sciences. The course has been developed and taught in a highly collaborative way, involving researchers and students at Zhejiang University, the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and Brown University. The article presents the curricular modules of the course, learning outcomes, an assessment framework developed for the project, and a discussion of evaluation findings.

Research data management support for large-scale, long-term, interdisciplinary collaborative research centers with a focus on environmental sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curdt, C.; Hoffmeister, D.; Bareth, G.; Lang, U.

2017-12-01

Science conducted in collaborative, cross-institutional research projects, requires active sharing of research ideas, data, documents and further information in a well-managed, controlled and structured manner. Thus, it is important to establish corresponding infrastructures and services for the scientists. Regular project meetings and joint field campaigns support the exchange of research ideas. Technical infrastructures facilitate storage, documentation, exchange and re-use of data as results of scientific output. Additionally, also publications, conference contributions, reports, pictures etc. should be managed. Both, knowledge and data sharing is essential to create synergies. Within the coordinated programme `Collaborative Research Center' (CRC), the German Research Foundation offers funding to establish research data management (RDM) infrastructures and services. CRCs are large-scale, interdisciplinary, multi-institutional, long-term (up to 12 years), university-based research institutions (up to 25 sub-projects). These CRCs address complex and scientifically challenging research questions. This poster presents the RDM services and infrastructures that have been established for two CRCs, both focusing on environmental sciences. Since 2007, a RDM support infrastructure and associated services have been set up for the CRC/Transregio 32 (CRC/TR32) `Patterns in Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere-Systems: Monitoring, Modelling and Data Assimilation' (www.tr32.de). The experiences gained have been used to arrange RDM services for the CRC1211 `Earth - Evolution at the Dry Limit' (www.crc1211.de), funded since 2016. In both projects scientists from various disciplines collect heterogeneous data at field campaigns or by modelling approaches. To manage the scientific output, the TR32DB data repository (www.tr32db.de) has been designed and implemented for the CRC/TR32. This system was transferred and adapted to the CRC1211 needs (www.crc1211db.uni-koeln.de) in 2016. Both repositories support secure and sustainable data storage, backup, documentation, publication with DOIs, search, download, statistics as well as web mapping features. Moreover, RDM consulting and support services as well as training sessions are carried out regularly.

Three Interdisciplinary Studies on IT Outsourcing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gantman, Sonia Vilvovsky

2012-01-01

This dissertation provides interdisciplinary insights into the role of client's internal collaborative experience in managing communication during a complex outsourced project, building a quality client-vendor relationship and ultimately achieving success in the project. Each of the three studies in this dissertation identifies a gap in…

Interdisciplinary Collaboration in EHDI Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Lauri; Houston, K. Todd; Hoffman, Jeff; Bradham, Tamala S.

2011-01-01

State coordinators of early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) programs were asked to complete a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, or SWOT, analysis that consisted of 12 evaluative areas of EHDI programs. For the interdisciplinary area, 47 coordinators responded with 224 items, and themes were identified within each SWOT…

Students' Perception of Interdisciplinary, Problem-Based Learning in a Food Biotechnology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Betsy L. L.; Yap, Kueh C.; Hoh, Yin K.

2011-01-01

Abstract: Students' perception of 8 criteria (rationale of the problem; interdisciplinary learning; facilitator asked essential questions; learner's skills; assessments; facilitation procedures; team's use of resources [team collaboration], and facilitator within a problem-based learning context) were assessed for a food biotechnology course that…

Longitudinal data for interdisciplinary ageing research. Design of the Linnaeus Database.

PubMed

Malmberg, Gunnar; Nilsson, Lars-Göran; Weinehall, Lars

2010-11-01

To allow for interdisciplinary research on the relations between socioeconomic conditions and health in the ageing population, a new anonymized longitudinal database - the Linnaeus Database - has been developed at the Centre for Population Studies at Umeå University. This paper presents the database and its research potential. Using the Swedish personal numbers the researchers have, in collaboration with Statistics Sweden and the National Board for Health and Welfare, linked individual records from Swedish register data on death causes, hospitalization and various socioeconomic conditions with two databases - Betula and VIP (Västerbottens Intervention Programme) - previously developed by the researchers at Umeå University. Whereas Betula includes rich information about e.g. cognitive functions, VIP contains information about e.g. lifestyle and health indicators. The Linnaeus Database includes annually updated socioeconomic information from Statistics Sweden registers for all registered residents of Sweden for the period 1990 to 2006, in total 12,066,478. The information from the Betula includes 4,500 participants from the city of Umeå and VIP includes data for almost 90,000 participants. Both datasets include cross-sectional as well as longitudinal information. Due to the coverage and rich information, the Linnaeus Database allows for a variety of longitudinal studies on the relations between, for instance, socioeconomic conditions, health, lifestyle, cognition, family networks, migration and working conditions in ageing cohorts. By joining various datasets developed in different disciplinary traditions new possibilities for interdisciplinary research on ageing emerge.

CUAHSI Data Services: Tools and Cyberinfrastructure for Water Data Discovery, Research and Collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seul, M.; Brazil, L.; Castronova, A. M.

2017-12-01

CUAHSI Data Services: Tools and Cyberinfrastructure for Water Data Discovery, Research and CollaborationEnabling research surrounding interdisciplinary topics often requires a combination of finding, managing, and analyzing large data sets and models from multiple sources. This challenge has led the National Science Foundation to make strategic investments in developing community data tools and cyberinfrastructure that focus on water data, as it is central need for many of these research topics. CUAHSI (The Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc.) is a non-profit organization funded by the National Science Foundation to aid students, researchers, and educators in using and managing data and models to support research and education in the water sciences. This presentation will focus on open-source CUAHSI-supported tools that enable enhanced data discovery online using advanced searching capabilities and computational analysis run in virtual environments pre-designed for educators and scientists so they can focus their efforts on data analysis rather than IT set-up.

On the Cutting Edge of Research to Conserve At-Risk Species: Maximizing Impact through Partnerships.

PubMed

Marquardt, Shauna R; Annis, Mandy; Drum, Ryan G; Hummel, Stephanie Longstaff; Mosby, David E; Smith, Tamara

2018-04-25

Today's conservation challenges are complex. Solving these challenges often requires scientific collaborations that extend beyond the scope, expertise, and capacity of any single agency, organization, or institution. Conservation efforts can benefit from interdisciplinary collaboration, scientific and technological innovations, and the leveraging of capacity and resources among partners. Here we explore a series of case studies demonstrating how collaborative scientific partnerships are furthering the mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, including: 1) contaminants of emerging concern in the Great Lakes Basin, 2) Poweshiek skipperling conservation, 3) using technology to improve population survey methods for bats and monarch butterfly, and 4) Big River restoration in the Southeast Missouri lead mining district. These case studies illustrate how strategic and effective scientific collaboration is a multi-stage process that requires investment of time and resources by all participants. Early coordination and communication is crucial to aligning planned work with scientific and decision-making needs. Collaborations between USFWS and external scientists can be mutually beneficial by supporting the agency mission while also providing an avenue for innovative research to be directly applied in conservation decisions and management actions.

NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute: Combining Science and Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bailey, B.; Schmidt, G.; Daou, D.; Pendleton, Y.

2015-10-01

The NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) is a virtual institute focused on research at the intersection of science andexploration, training the next generation of lunar scientists, and community development. As part of the SSERVI mission, we act as a hub for opportunities that engage the larger scientific and exploration communities in order to form new interdisciplinary, research-focused collaborations. This talk will describe the research efforts of the nine domestic teams that constitute the U.S. complement of the Institute and how we will engage the international science and exploration communities through workshops, conferences, online seminars and classes, student exchange programs and internships.

Behavioural science at work for Canada: National Research Council laboratories.

PubMed

Veitch, Jennifer A

2007-03-01

The National Research Council is Canada's principal research and development agency. Its 20 institutes are structured to address interdisciplinary problems for industrial sectors, and to provide the necessary scientific infrastructure, such as the national science library. Behavioural scientists are active in five institutes: Biological Sciences, Biodiagnostics, Aerospace, Information Technology, and Construction. Research topics include basic cellular neuroscience, brain function, human factors in the cockpit, human-computer interaction, emergency evacuation, and indoor environment effects on occupants. Working in collaboration with NRC colleagues and with researchers from universities and industry, NRC behavioural scientists develop knowledge, designs, and applications that put technology to work for people, designed with people in mind.

Learning through inter- and intradisciplinary problem solving: using cognitive apprenticeship to analyse doctor-to-doctor consultation.

PubMed

Pimmer, Christoph; Pachler, Norbert; Nierle, Julia; Genewein, Urs

2012-12-01

Today's healthcare can be characterised by the increasing importance of specialisation that requires cooperation across disciplines and specialities. In view of the number of educational programmes for interdisciplinary cooperation, surprisingly little is known on how learning arises from interdisciplinary work. In order to analyse the learning and teaching practices of interdisciplinary cooperation, a multiple case study research focused on how consults, i.e., doctor-to-doctor consultations between medical doctors from different disciplines were carried out: semi-structured interviews with doctors of all levels of seniority from two hospital sites in Switzerland were conducted. Starting with a priori constructs based on the 'methods' underpinning cognitive apprenticeship (CA), the transcribed interviews were analysed according to the principles of qualitative content analysis. The research contributes to three debates: (1) socio-cognitive and situated learning, (2) intra- and interdisciplinary learning in clinical settings, and (3), more generally, to cooperation and problem solving. Patient cases, which necessitate the cooperation of doctors in consults across boundaries of clinical specialisms, trigger intra- as well as interdisciplinary learning and offer numerous and varied opportunities for learning by requesting doctors as well as for on-call doctors, in particular those in residence. The relevance of consults for learning can also be verified from the perspective of CA which is commonly used by experts, albeit in varying forms, degrees of frequency and quality, and valued by learners. Through data analysis a model for collaborative problem-solving and help-seeking was developed which shows the interplay of pedagogical 'methods' of CA in informal clinical learning contexts.

Improving management of small natural features on private lands by negotiating the science-policy boundary for Maine vernal pools.

PubMed

Calhoun, Aram J K; Jansujwicz, Jessica S; Bell, Kathleen P; Hunter, Malcolm L

2014-07-29

Vernal pools are far more important for providing ecosystem services than one would predict based on their small size. However, prevailing resource-management strategies are not effectively conserving pools and other small natural features on private lands. Solutions are complicated by tensions between private property and societal rights, uncertainties over resource location and function, diverse stakeholders, and fragmented regulatory authority. The development and testing of new conservation approaches that link scientific knowledge, stakeholder decision-making, and conservation outcomes are important responses to this conservation dilemma. Drawing from a 15-y history of vernal pool conservation efforts in Maine, we describe the coevolution of pool conservation and research approaches, focusing on how research-based knowledge was produced and used in support of management decisions. As management shifted from reactive, top-down approaches to proactive and flexible approaches, research shifted from an ecology-focused program to an interdisciplinary program based on social-ecological systems. The most effective strategies for linking scientific knowledge with action changed as the decision-makers, knowledge needs, and context for vernal pool management advanced. Interactions among stakeholders increased the extent to which knowledge was coproduced and shifted the objective of stakeholder engagement from outreach to research collaboration and development of innovative conservation approaches. New conservation strategies were possible because of the flexible, solutions-oriented collaborations and trust between scientists and decision-makers (fostered over 15 y) and interdisciplinary, engaged research. Solutions to the dilemma of conserving small natural features on private lands, and analogous sustainability science challenges, will benefit from repeated negotiations of the science-policy boundary.

The Breast Cancer Family Registry: an infrastructure for cooperative multinational, interdisciplinary and translational studies of the genetic epidemiology of breast cancer

PubMed Central

John, Esther M; Hopper, John L; Beck, Jeanne C; Knight, Julia A; Neuhausen, Susan L; Senie, Ruby T; Ziogas, Argyrios; Andrulis, Irene L; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Boyd, Norman; Buys, Saundra S; Daly, Mary B; O'Malley, Frances P; Santella, Regina M; Southey, Melissa C; Venne, Vickie L; Venter, Deon J; West, Dee W; Whittemore, Alice S; Seminara, Daniela

2004-01-01

Introduction The etiology of familial breast cancer is complex and involves genetic and environmental factors such as hormonal and lifestyle factors. Understanding familial aggregation is a key to understanding the causes of breast cancer and to facilitating the development of effective prevention and therapy. To address urgent research questions and to expedite the translation of research results to the clinical setting, the National Cancer Institute (USA) supported in 1995 the establishment of a novel research infrastructure, the Breast Cancer Family Registry, a collaboration of six academic and research institutions and their medical affiliates in the USA, Canada, and Australia. Methods The sites have developed core family history and epidemiology questionnaires, data dictionaries, and common protocols for biospecimen collection and processing and pathology review. An Informatics Center has been established to collate, manage, and distribute core data. Results As of September 2003, 9116 population-based and 2834 clinic-based families have been enrolled, including 2346 families from minority populations. Epidemiology questionnaire data are available for 6779 affected probands (with a personal history of breast cancer), 4116 unaffected probands, and 16,526 relatives with or without a personal history of breast or ovarian cancer. The biospecimen repository contains blood or mouthwash samples for 6316 affected probands, 2966 unaffected probands, and 10,763 relatives, and tumor tissue samples for 4293 individuals. Conclusion This resource is available to internal and external researchers for collaborative, interdisciplinary, and translational studies of the genetic epidemiology of breast cancer. Detailed information can be found at the URL . PMID:15217505

Critical Thinking and Reflection Exercises in a Biochemistry Course to Improve Prospective Health Professions Students’ Attitudes Toward Physician-Pharmacist Collaboration

PubMed Central

Cornell, Susan; Fjortoft, Nancy; Bjork, Bryan C.; Chandar, Nalini; Green, Jacalyn M.; La Salle, Sophie; Viselli, Susan M.; Burdick, Paulette; Lynch, Sean M.

2013-01-01

Objective. To determine the impact of performing critical-thinking and reflection assignments within interdisciplinary learning teams in a biochemistry course on pharmacy students’ and prospective health professions students’ collaboration scores. Design. Pharmacy students and prospective medical, dental, and other health professions students enrolled in a sequence of 2 required biochemistry courses. They were randomly assigned to interdisciplinary learning teams in which they were required to complete case assignments, thinking and reflection exercises, and a team service-learning project. Assessment. Students were asked to complete the Scale of Attitudes Toward Physician-Pharmacist Collaboration prior to the first course, following the first course, and following the second course. The physician-pharmacist collaboration scores of prospective health professions students increased significantly (p<0.001). Conclusions. Having prospective health professions students work in teams with pharmacy students to think and reflect in and outside the classroom improves their attitudes toward physician-pharmacist collaboration. PMID:24159210

Refocusing research priorities in schools of nursing.

PubMed

Kulage, Kristine M; Ardizzone, Laura; Enlow, William; Hickey, Kathleen; Jeon, Christie; Kearney, Joan; Schnall, Rebecca; Larson, Elaine L

2013-01-01

It is critical for schools of nursing to periodically reassess their scholarly programs to ensure that their conceptual framework and approaches address current challenges and enhance productivity. This article describes the process undertaken at Columbia University School of Nursing to evaluate scholarly enterprise so that it remains relevant and responsive to changing trends and to revise our research conceptual model to be reflective of the foci of our clinicians and researchers. As part of a larger strategic initiative, a two-phase Research Excellence Planning and Implementation Workgroup was convened, consisting of a broad representation of faculty and administrative staff, with an overall goal of expanding scholarly capacity. During Phase I, members developed measurable outcomes and tactics and revised the school's conceptual research model. In Phase II, the workgroup implemented and monitored tactics and presented final recommendations to the dean. To measure progress, faculty members completed a survey to establish baseline scholarship and collaboration with results indicating room for growth in interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration. Ongoing assessment of outcomes includes Web-based tracking of scholarly activities and follow-up surveys to monitor expansion of faculty collaboration. We recommend this process to other schools committed to sustainable, increasingly relevant scholarship. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hydroclimatological data and analyses from a headwaters region of Mongolia as boundary objects in interdisciplinary climate change research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venable, N. B. H.

2017-09-01

Collaborative work on increasingly complex hydroclimatic investigations often crosses disciplinary boundaries. Elements of scientific inquiry, such as data or the results of analyses can become objectified, or capable of being adopted and/or adapted by users from multiple disciplinary realms. These objects often provide a bridge for collaborative endeavors, or are used as tools by individuals pursuing multi-disciplinary work. Boundary object terminology was first formalized and applied by social scientists. However, few examples of the application of this useful framework are found in the hydrologic literature. The construct is applied here to identify and discuss how common research products and processes are used both internally and externally through providing examples from a project examining the historical and paleo proxy-based hydroclimatology of a headwaters region of Mongolia. The boundary object concept is valuable to consider when conducting and critiquing basic research, collaborating across multiple disciplinary teams as when studying climate change issues, as an individual researcher working in a cross boundary sense using methods from differing disciplines to answer questions, and/or when one group adapts the work of another to their own research problems or interpretive needs, as occurred with selected products of this project.

An Innovative Interdisciplinary Approach to Providing Internships for College Seniors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuller, Kathy

2015-01-01

The undergraduate Business and Human Development (HD) Departments at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM), are collaborating in an innovative interdisciplinary approach to supporting internships with local businesses in order to provide college seniors with experiences in the area of career development known as the "Senior…

Chemistry, Poetry, and Artistic Illustration: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Teaching and Promoting Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furlan, Ping Y.; Kitson, Herbert; Andes, Cynthia

2007-01-01

This article describes a successful interdisciplinary collaboration among chemistry, humanities and English faculty members, who utilized poetry and artistic illustration to help students learn, appreciate, and enjoy chemistry. Students taking general chemistry classes were introduced to poetry writing and museum-type poster preparation during one…

Mathematics in Literature and Cinema: An Interdisciplinary Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chabrán, H. Rafael; Kozek, Mark

2016-01-01

We describe our team-taught, interdisciplinary course "Numb3rs in Lett3rs & Fi1ms: Mathematics in Literature and Cinema," which explores mathematics in the context of modern literature and cinema. Our goal with this course is to advance collaborations between mathematics and the written/theatre-based creative arts.

Students' Experiences in Interdisciplinary Problembased Learning: A Discourse Analysis of Group Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Imafuku, Rintaro; Kataoka, Ryuta; Mayahara, Mitsuori; Suzuki, Hisayoshi; Saiki, Takuya

2014-01-01

Interdisciplinary problem-based learning (PBL) aims to provide students with opportunities to develop the necessary skills to work with different health professionals in a collaborative manner. This discourse study examined the processes of collective knowledge construction in Japanese students in the tutorials. Analyses of video-recorded data…

Knacktive: Answering a Call for More Interdisciplinary, Collaborative, Educational Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shadinger, David; Toomey, Deborah

2014-01-01

Knacktive is a one-term course that incorporates a highly select group of undergraduate students and replicates the intense teamwork atmosphere of a technology-oriented, professional marketing communication agency. As an interdisciplinary learning opportunity, Knacktive melds students from five disciplines--including art and graphic design,…

Negotiating Global and Interdisciplinary Imperatives for Indigenous Education Scholarship and Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charles, Harvey; Harris, Michelle; Carlson, Bronwyn

2016-01-01

Indigenous Studies is a rapidly growing field of enquiry both nationally and internationally. The internationalisation of the discipline is dependent on its interdiciplinarity and on the collaborative efforts of interdisciplinary scholars. Colonised Indigenous people globally share similar experiences despite differences in histories and contexts.…

Middle School to Professional Development: Interdisciplinary STEM for Multiple Stakeholders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suriel, Regina L.; Spires, Robert W.; Radcliffe, Barbara J.; Martin, Ellice P.; Paine, Deborah G.

2018-01-01

The STEMITL project is an interdisciplinary collaboration between a Southeastern University's middle grades education department and local PDS partner school districts incorporating six full-day immersive projects for seventh-grade students. During the 2016-2017 academic year, seventh-grade students were brought to the university's newly…

Identifying Barriers to and Outcomes of Interdisciplinarity in the Engineering Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richter, David M.; Paretti, Marie C.

2009-01-01

In addition to developing deep knowledge of a single discipline, engineers must also be able to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries and develop interdisciplinary expertise to successfully address the complex challenges of the contemporary workplace. While numerous descriptions of interdisciplinary courses and projects appear in the…

The influence of learning styles on collaborative performances of allied health students in a clinical exercise.

PubMed

Sandmire, D A; Vroman, K G; Sanders, R

2000-01-01

With the increasing emphasis on interdisciplinary practice, there is a need to recognize factors that promote effective interdisciplinary teams. The influence of individual learning-style preference on collaborative performance was examined in 78 occupational and physical therapy students in a neuroscience course. They were randomly assigned in pairs to one of three subsets based upon their Kolb Learning Style Inventory scores (active experimenters vs reflective observers). The students viewed a videotape of a quadriplegic patient's physical examination and completed a collaborative exercise that required performance skills on all levels of Bloom's taxonomy of learning. Analysis of variance revealed no significant difference among learning-style subset pairs in performance (F2, 36 = 0.43, p > 0.05), but the exercise's overall grade correlated with the average of the pair's highest individual scores on two prior written exams (r = 0.631, p < 0.05), suggesting that background knowledge may predict performance better than learning styles do. It is suggested that differences in information-processing styles as measured by the Kolb inventory do not affect interdisciplinary team performance.

The center for plant and microbial complex carbohydrates at the University of Georgia Complex Carbohydrate Research Center. Five-year report, September 15, 1987--December 31, 1992

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Albersheim, Peter; Darvill, Alan

1992-05-01

The Complex Carbohydrate Research Center (CCRC) is the home of ten independent but complementary interdisciplinary research groups led by nine regular faculty and one adjunct faculty. The research of these groups represents a broad spectrum of interests, and they are involved in about 90 collaborations with their CCRC and UGA colleagues and with scientists at other institutions and companies in the US, Canada, Europe, Israel, and Japan. The hallmark of the CCRC is the collaborative, interactive environment encouraged by its directors, faculty and tong-term staff. Newcomers to the CCRC or short-term members soon learn that everyone benefits from this process.more » The team-oriented approach in carbohydrate science translates into the day-today generous giving of one's time and expertise to the work of others, whether it be in sharing specialized instrumentation, participating in the design of experiments and interpretalon of data, providing service to scientists outside the CCRC, or joining collaborative projects. The CCRC is founded on the principle that the cross-fertilization of ideas and know-how leads to the synergistic advancement of science. This report contains a series of appendices that document the extent and breadth of the Plant and Microbial Carbohydrate Center's contributions to collaborative research and education. Several collaborative research projects that have received postdoctoral research associate support from the Grant are highlighted, as these projects are particularly illustrative of the wide-ranging collaborations that have evolved as a result of this Grant and the quality of the science that the Grant enables.« less

Japan's efforts to promote global health using satellite remote sensing data from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency for prediction of infectious diseases and air quality.

PubMed

Igarashi, Tamotsu; Kuze, Akihiko; Sobue, Shinichi; Yamamoto, Aya; Yamamoto, Kazuhide; Oyoshi, Kei; Imaoka, Keiji; Fukuda, Toru

2014-12-01

In this paper we review the status of new applications research of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for global health promotion using information derived from Earth observation data by satellites in cooperation with inter-disciplinary collaborators. Current research effort at JAXA to promote global public health is focused primarily on the use of remote sensing to address two themes: (i) prediction models for malaria and cholera in Kenya, Africa; and (ii) air quality assessment of small, particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3). Respiratory and cardivascular diseases constitute cross-boundary public health risk issues on a global scale. The authors report here on results of current of a collaborative research to call attention to the need to take preventive measures against threats to public health using newly arising remote sensing information from space.

Translating brilliance: Facilitating communication and growth among university and K-12 STEM faculty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulze, Sharon

2008-10-01

The STEM world is broad, diverse, and receiving lots of press as a single entity even though STEM practitioners are diverse as any group can be. As barriers to interdisciplinary research blur or fall completely, the importance and connectedness of STEM preparation and communication among young children, middle and high school students, teachers of those students, undergraduates, grad students, post-docs, faculty, corporate researchers, legislators, and the public at large has become more important than ever. The Science House at NC State University has spent 17 years finding creative ways to implement ageless truths and cutting-edge research to foster collaboration among people with common goals and interests but remarkably different cultures and means of communication. In this session we will discuss key lessons from those 17 years of work and find ways to continue to grow communication and collaboration in the pursuit of excellence.

Translational Medicine is developing in China: a new venue for collaboration.

PubMed

Wang, Xiangdong; Wang, Ena; Marincola, Francesco M

2011-01-04

Translational Medicine is an emerging area comprising multidisciplinary Research from basic sciences to medical applications well summarized by the Bench-to-Beside concept; this entails close collaboration between clinicians and basic scientists across institutes. We further clarified that Translational Medicine should be regarded as a two-way road: Bench-to-Bedside and Bedside-to-Bench, to complement testing of novel therapeutic strategies in humans with feedback understanding of how they respond to them. It is, therefore, critical and important to define and promote Translational Medicine among clinicians, basic Researchers, biotechnologists, politicians, ethicists, sociologists, investors and coordinate these efforts among different Countries, fostering aspects germane only to this type of Research such as, as recently discussed, biotechnology entrepreneurship. Translational Medicine as an inter-disciplinary science is developing rapidly and widely and, in this article, we will place a special emphasis on China.

Creating Catalytic Collaborations between Theater Artists, Scientists, and Research Institutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wise, Debra

2012-02-01

Catalyst Collaborative@MIT (CC@MIT) is a collaboration between MIT and Underground Railway Theater (URT), a company with 30 years experience creating theater through interdisciplinary inquiry and engaging community. CC@MIT is dedicated to creating and presenting plays that deepen public understanding about science, while simultaneously providing artistic and emotional experiences not available in other forms of dialogue about science. CC@MIT engages audiences in thinking about themes in science of social and ethical concern; provides insight into the culture of science and the impact of that culture on society; and examines the human condition through the lens of science that intersects our lives and the lives of scientists. Original productions range from Einstein's Dreams to From Orchids to Octopi -- an evolutionary love story; classics re-framed include The Life of Galileo and Breaking the Code (about Alan Turing). CC@MIT commissions playwrights and scientists to create plays; engages audiences with scientists; performs at MIT and a professional venue near the campus; collaborates with the Cambridge Science Festival and MIT Museum; engages MIT students, as well as youth and children. Artistic Director Debra Wise will address how the collaboration developed, what opportunities are provided by collaborations between theaters and scientific research institutions, and lessons learned of value to the field.

Modeling Adsorption Kinetics (Bio-remediation of Heavy Metal Contaminated Water)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCarthy, Chris

My talk will focus on modeling the kinetics of the adsorption and filtering process using differential equations, stochastic methods, and recursive functions. The models have been developed in support of our interdisciplinary lab group which is conducting research into bio-remediation of heavy metal contaminated water via filtration through biomass such as spent tea leaves. The spent tea leaves are available in large quantities as a result of the industrial production of tea beverages. The heavy metals bond with the surfaces of the tea leaves (adsorption). Funding: CUNY Collaborative Incentive Research Grant.

Interdisciplinary Dialogue for Education, Collaboration, and Innovation: Intelligent Biology and Medicine In and Beyond 2013

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Bing; Huang, Yufei; McDermott, Jason E.

The 2013 International Conference on Intelligent Biology and Medicine (ICIBM 2013) was held on August 11-13, 2013 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. The conference included six scientific sessions, two tutorial sessions, one workshop, two poster sessions, and four keynote presentations that covered cutting-edge research topics in bioinformatics, systems biology, computational medicine, and intelligent computing. Here, we present a summary of the conference and an editorial report of the supplements to BMC Genomics and BMC Systems Biology that include 19 research papers selected from ICIBM 2013.

Interdisciplinary dialogue for education, collaboration, and innovation: Intelligent Biology and Medicine in and beyond 2013

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The 2013 International Conference on Intelligent Biology and Medicine (ICIBM 2013) was held on August 11-13, 2013 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. The conference included six scientific sessions, two tutorial sessions, one workshop, two poster sessions, and four keynote presentations that covered cutting-edge research topics in bioinformatics, systems biology, computational medicine, and intelligent computing. Here, we present a summary of the conference and an editorial report of the supplements to BMC Genomics and BMC Systems Biology that include 19 research papers selected from ICIBM 2013. PMID:24564388

Multidisciplinary care considerations for gender nonconforming adolescents with eating disorders: A case series.

PubMed

Donaldson, Abigail A; Hall, Allison; Neukirch, Jodie; Kasper, Vania; Simones, Shannon; Gagnon, Sherry; Reich, Steven; Forcier, Michelle

2018-05-01

Gender nonconforming youth are at risk for body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Currently, only a small body of literature addresses this high-risk group. The five cases in this series highlight important themes for this patient population from an interdisciplinary perspective. Identified themes include increased risk for self-harm/suicide, complex psychiatric, and medical implications of delay to treatment for either gender dysphoria or disordered eating, and the importance of collaborative management to maximize care and facilitate healthy development to adulthood. The purpose of this case series is to expand the interdisciplinary discussion regarding the breadth of presentation and management considerations for gender nonconforming adolescents with disordered eating. An interdisciplinary approach to care might enhance access to comprehensive, collaborative treatment for disordered eating, and gender dysphoria in this unique population. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Need for an Effective Collaboration across Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Fields for a Meaningful Technological Development in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haruna, Umar Ibrahim

2015-01-01

Collaboration plays a major role in interdisciplinary activities among Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) disciplines or fields. It also affects the relationships among cluster members on the management team. Although effective collaboration does not guarantee success among STEM disciplines, its absence usually assures…

Learning at the Boundaries: Collaboration between Mathematicians and Mathematics Educators within and across Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennison, Anne; Goos, Merrilyn

2016-01-01

Collaboration between mathematicians and mathematics educators may provide a means of improving the quality of pre-service teacher education for prospective teachers of mathematics. Some preliminary findings of a project that investigates this type of interdisciplinary collaboration, both within and across institutions, are reported on in this…

Benefits of Teaching Interdisciplinary Subjects Collaboratively in Jordanian Pre-Vocational Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Saaideh, Mon'im A.; Al-Zyoud, Mohammad Sayel Nasr-allah

2015-01-01

The study aimed to investigate the benefits of teaching pre-vocational education (PVE) through the collaboration of the other teacher with the PVE teacher. The study adopted experimental and descriptive methodologies. An experiment was conducted through collaboration of teachers of different subjects in Pre-Vocational Education (PVE) to teach a…

Breaking good: a chemist wanders into entomology.

PubMed

Law, John H

2015-01-07

In this highly personal account of my career in science, I try to show how many others influenced its course. I was able to abandon work in pure chemistry and microbiology and to take up research in entomology only with the help of others. My faith in the value of collaborative, interdisciplinary work has been the key to success. Our focus on proteins of insect hemolymph has provided valuable insights into insect biochemistry and physiology.

Survey on astrobiology research and teaching activities within the United kingdom.

PubMed

Dartnell, Lewis R; Burchell, Mark J

2009-10-01

While astrobiology is apparently growing steadily around the world, in terms of the number of researchers drawn into this interdisciplinary area and teaching courses provided for new students, there have been very few studies conducted to chart this expansion quantitatively. To address this deficiency, the Astrobiology Society of Britain (ASB) conducted a questionnaire survey of universities and research institutions nationwide to ascertain the current extent of astrobiology research and teaching in the UK. The aim was to provide compiled statistics and an information resource for those who seek research groups or courses of study, and to facilitate new interdisciplinary collaborations. The report here summarizes details gathered on 33 UK research groups, which involved 286 researchers (from undergraduate project students to faculty members). The survey indicates that around 880 students are taking university-level courses, with significant elements of astrobiology included, every year in the UK. Data are also presented on the composition of astrobiology students by their original academic field, which show a significant dominance of physics and astronomy students. This survey represents the first published systematic national assessment of astrobiological academic activity and indicates that this emerging field has already achieved a strong degree of penetration into the UK academic community.

Interdisciplinary Research Produces Results in the Understanding of Planetary Dunes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Titus, Timothy N.; Hayward, Rosalyn Kay; Bourke, Mary C.

2010-08-01

Second International Planetary Dunes Workshop: Planetary Analogs—Integrating Models, Remote Sensing, and Field Data; Alamosa, Colorado, 18-21 May 2010; Dunes and other eolian bed forms are prominent on several planetary bodies in our solar system. Despite 4 decades of study, many questions remain regarding the composition, age, and origins of these features, as well as the climatic conditions under which they formed. Recently acquired data from orbiters and rovers, together with terrestrial analogs and numerical models, are providing new insights into Martian sand dunes, as well as eolian bed forms on other terrestrial planetary bodies (e.g., Titan). As a means of bringing together terrestrial and planetary researchers from diverse backgrounds with the goal of fostering collaborative interdisciplinary research, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Carl Sagan Center for the Study of Life in the Universe, the Desert Research Institute, and the U.S. National Park Service held a workshop in Colorado. The small group setting facilitated intensive discussion of problems and issues associated with eolian processes on Earth, Mars, and Titan.

Building Transferable Knowledge and Skills through an Interdisciplinary Polar Science Graduate Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Culler, L. E.; Virginia, R. A.; Albert, M. R.; Ayres, M.

2015-12-01

Modern graduate education must extend beyond disciplinary content to prepare students for diverse careers in science. At Dartmouth, a graduate program in Polar Environmental Change uses interdisciplinary study of the polar regions as a core from which students develop skills and knowledge for tackling complex environmental issues that require cooperation across scientific disciplines and with educators, policy makers, and stakeholders. Two major NSF-funded initiatives have supported professional development for graduate students in this program, including an IGERT (Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship) and leadership of JSEP's (Joint Science Education Project) Arctic Science Education Week in Greenland. We teach courses that emphasize the links between science and the human dimensions of environmental change; host training sessions in science communication; invite guest speakers who work in policy, academia, journalism, government research, etc.; lead an international field-based training that includes policy-focused meetings and a large outreach component; provide multiple opportunities for outreach and collaboration with local schools; and build outreach and education into graduate research programs where students instruct and mentor high school students. Students from diverse scientific disciplines (Ecology, Earth Science, and Engineering) participate in all of the above, which significantly strengthens their interdisciplinary view of polar science and ability to communicate across disciplines. In addition, graduate students have developed awareness, confidence, and the skills to pursue and obtain diverse careers. This is reflected in the fact that recent graduates have acquired permanent and post-doctoral positions in academic and government research, full-time teaching, and also in post-docs focused on outreach and science policy. Dartmouth's interdisciplinary approach to graduate education is producing tomorrow's leaders in science.

BRIE: The Penn State Biogeochemical Research Initiative for Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freeman, K. H.; Brantley, S. L.; Brenchley, J.

2003-12-01

Few scientists are prepared to address the interdisciplinary challenges of biogeochemical research due to disciplinary differences in vocabulary, technique, and scientific paradigm. Thus scientists and engineers trained in traditional disciplines bring a restricted view to the study of environmental systems, which can limit their ability to exploit new techniques and opportunities for scientific advancement. Although the literature is effusive with enthusiasm for interdisciplinary approaches to biogeochemistry, there remains the basic difficulty of cross-training geological and biological scientists. The NSF-IGERT funded Biogeochemical Research Initiative for Education (BRIE) program at Penn State is specifically designed to break down both disciplinary and institutional barriers and it has fostered cross-disciplinary collaboration and training since 1999. Students and faculty are drawn from environmental engineering, geochemistry, soil science, chemistry and microbiology, and the program is regarded on the Penn State campus as a successful example of how interdisciplinary science can best be promoted. There are currently 23 Ph.D. students funded by the program, with an additional 7 affiliated students. At present, a total of 6 students have completed doctoral degrees, and they have done so within normal timeframes. The program is "discipline-plus," whereby students enroll in traditional disciplinary degree programs, and undertake broad training via 12 credits of graduate coursework in other departments. Students are co-advised by faculty from different disciplines, and engage in interdisciplinary research facilitated by research "credit cards." Funding is available for international research experiences, travel to meetings, and other opportunities for professional development. Students help institutionalize interdisciplinary training by designing and conducting a teaching module that shares their expertise with a class in another department or discipline. Community building through social activities and scientific forums is a priority in both the undergraduate and graduate programs. In addition, entering Ph.D. students build cohort identity by taking a course that introduces them to BRIE faculty and research facilities through hands-on laboratory and field-based research activities. The BRIE undergraduate summer internship program has provided interdisciplinary research opportunities for a total of 35 students over the past five summers. This program aims to recruit students to the Ph.D. program, and at present, two Ph.D. students have entered this way. Our efforts have focused on attracting students from under-represented groups. Diversity in this program has been above national norms: and summer students have include 10 (29 %) African-American or Hispanic-American students, and 25 (over 70 %) females. The Ph.D. students and graduates are 50% female, with three students from minority populations.

Assessment of the NASA Astrobiology Institute

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

Astrobiology is a scientific discipline devoted to the study of life in the universe--its origins, evolution, distribution, and future. It brings together the physical and biological sciences to address some of the most fundamental questions of the natural world: How do living systems emerge? How do habitable worlds form and how do they evolve? Does life exist on worlds other than Earth? As an endeavor of tremendous breadth and depth, astrobiology requires interdisciplinary investigation in order to be fully appreciated and examined. As part of a concerted effort to undertake such a challenge, the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) was established in 1998 as an innovative way to develop the field of astrobiology and provide a scientific framework for flight missions. Now that the NAI has been in existence for almost a decade, the time is ripe to assess its achievements. At the request of NASA's Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), the Committee on the Review of the NASA Astrobiology Institute undertook the assignment to determine the progress made by the NAI in developing the field of astrobiology. It must be emphasized that the purpose of this study was not to undertake a review of the scientific accomplishments of NASA's Astrobiology program, in general, or of the NAI, in particular. Rather, the objective of the study is to evaluate the success of the NAI in achieving its stated goals of: 1. Conducting, supporting, and catalyzing collaborative interdisciplinary research; 2. Training the next generation of astrobiology researchers; 3. Providing scientific and technical leadership on astrobiology investigations for current and future space missions; 4. Exploring new approaches, using modern information technology, to conduct interdisciplinary and collaborative research among widely distributed investigators; and 5. Supporting outreach by providing scientific content for use in K-12 education programs, teaching undergraduate classes, and communicating directly with the public. The committee s assessment of the NAI's progress in these five areas is presented in Chapters 2 to 6, respectively.

The Meaning of Collaboration, from the Perspective of Iranian Nurses: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Zamanzadeh, V.; Irajpour, A.; Valizadeh, L.; Shohani, M.

2014-01-01

Background. Interdisciplinary collaboration among nurses is a complex and multifaceted process, an essential element in nursing, which is crucial to maintain an efficient, safe, and viable medical setting. The aim of this study was to explore the meaning of concept of collaboration through conducting a qualitative research approach. Method. The present study is qualitatively conducted in a content analysis approach. The data collection process included 18 unstructured and in-depth interviews with nurses during 2012-2013 in educational medical centers of west and northwest of Iran. A purposive sampling method was used. All the interviews were recorded, transcribed, and finally analyzed using a qualitative content analysis with a conventional method. Result. Categories obtained from analysis of the data to explain the meaning of collaboration consist of (i) prerequisites of collaboration, (ii) actualization of collaboration, and (iii) achievement of a common goal. Conclusion. The results of the present study ended in the discovery of meaning of collaboration that confirm results of other related studies, hence clarifying and disambiguating the concept under study. These results also contribute to the development of collaboration theories and the relevant measurement tools. PMID:25587572

Integrating visualization and interaction research to improve scientific workflows.

PubMed

Keefe, Daniel F

2010-01-01

Scientific-visualization research is, nearly by necessity, interdisciplinary. In addition to their collaborators in application domains (for example, cell biology), researchers regularly build on close ties with disciplines related to visualization, such as graphics, human-computer interaction, and cognitive science. One of these ties is the connection between visualization and interaction research. This isn't a new direction for scientific visualization (see the "Early Connections" sidebar). However, momentum recently seems to be increasing toward integrating visualization research (for example, effective visual presentation of data) with interaction research (for example, innovative interactive techniques that facilitate manipulating and exploring data). We see evidence of this trend in several places, including the visualization literature and conferences.

Early-Career Professional Development Training for Stakeholder-Relevant, Interdisciplinary Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosendahl, D. H.; Bamzai, A.; Mcpherson, R. A.

2015-12-01

There are many challenges to conducting inter- or multi-disciplinary research because basic research, applied research, management processes, disciplines, and even sub-disciplines have been "siloed" for so long that many research and management professionals find it difficult to communicate common interests and research needs. It is clear that the next generation of researchers must overcome these disciplinary biases and engage in more open dialogue with other disciplines and the management community in order to be better positioned to collaborate, speak a common language, and understand each other's needs. The U.S. Department of the Interior's South Central Climate Science Center recently conducted a professional development workshop for 28 early-career researchers involved in climate-related research across the South-Central U.S. The participants consisted of graduate students, postdocs, and junior faculty representing 17 different natural and social science disciplines and seven Universities/Institutions. The workshop provided the participants with guidance and instruction on how to overcome the identified challenges in conducting "actionable" research and how to better navigate multi-institutional and multi- or inter-disciplinary research. The workshop was comprised of: (1) a series of instructional presentations organized into themed sessions; (2) two keynote addresses to provide a broader perspective; (3) a real-world case study activity; (4) individual and group projects/presentations; and (5) field trips. In addition, we purposely created informal opportunities for participants to network, which met the goal of facilitating interdisciplinary interactions. An overview of the workshop experience will be provided, including a focus on those aspects leading to its ultimate success and recommendations for how to develop and implement a similar early-career workshop for your own purposes.

Creating a center for global health at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

PubMed

Haq, Cynthia; Baumann, Linda; Olsen, Christopher W; Brown, Lori DiPrete; Kraus, Connie; Bousquet, Gilles; Conway, James; Easterday, B C

2008-02-01

Globalization, migration, and widespread health disparities call for interdisciplinary approaches to improve health care at home and abroad. Health professions students are pursuing study abroad in increasing numbers, and universities are responding with programs to address these needs. The University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison schools of medicine and public health, nursing, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, and the division of international studies have created an interdisciplinary center for global health (CGH). The CGH provides health professions and graduate students with courses, field experiences, and a new Certificate in Global Health. Educational programs have catalyzed a network of enthusiastic UW global health scholars. Partnerships with colleagues in less economically developed countries provide the foundation for education, research, and service programs. Participants have collaborated to improve the education of health professionals and nutrition in Uganda; explore the interplay between culture, community development, and health in Ecuador; improve animal health and address domestic violence in Mexico; and examine successful public health efforts in Thailand. These programs supply students with opportunities to understand the complex determinants of health and structure of health systems, develop adaptability and cross-cultural communication skills, experience learning and working in interdisciplinary teams, and promote equity and reduce health disparities at home and abroad. Based on the principles of equity, sustainability, and reciprocity, the CGH provides a strong foundation to address global health challenges through networking and collaboration among students, staff, and faculty within the UW and beyond.

Collaborative medical informatics research using the Internet and the World Wide Web.

PubMed Central

Shortliffe, E. H.; Barnett, G. O.; Cimino, J. J.; Greenes, R. A.; Huff, S. M.; Patel, V. L.

1996-01-01

The InterMed Collaboratory is an interdisciplinary project involving six participating medical institutions. There are two broad mandates for the effort. The first is to further the development, sharing, and demonstration of numerous software and system components, data sets, procedures and tools that will facilitate the collaborations and support the application goals of these projects. The second is to provide a distributed suite of clinical applications, guidelines, and knowledge-bases for clinical, educational, and administrative purposes. To define the interactions among the components, datasets, procedures, and tools that we are producing and sharing, we have identified a model composed of seven tiers, each of which supports the levels above it. In this paper we briefly describe those tiers and the nature of the collaborative process with which we have experimented. PMID:8947641

Exploring the Use of Wikis for Information Sharing in Interdisciplinary Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phuwanartnurak, Jiranida

2013-01-01

Interdisciplinary design presents challenges in design collaboration due to the difficulty in communicating and coordinating among disciplines. Many tools have been developed and used to support information sharing in design, and the use of Web technology is becoming increasingly important for the sharing of information within design teams. Wikis…

Interdisciplinary Project Experiences: Collaboration between Majors and Non-Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smarkusky, Debra L.; Toman, Sharon A.

2014-01-01

Students in computer science and information technology should be engaged in solving real-world problems received from government and industry as well as those that expose them to various areas of application. In this paper, we discuss interdisciplinary project experiences between majors and non-majors that offered a creative and innovative…

The mock trial: a collaborative interdisciplinary approach to understanding legal and ethical issues.

PubMed

March, Alice L; Ford, Cassandra D; Adams, Marsha Howell; Cheshire, Michelle; Collins, Angela S

2011-01-01

To provide high-quality, safe, patient-centered care, RNs must exhibit a strong understanding of legal and ethical issues. The authors describe an interdisciplinary teaching learning strategy, the premock, actual, and postmock trial, to augment student retention of legal and ethical concepts and enhance the development of their personal accountability.

"On the Case": Designing an Interdisciplinary Learning Game with "Neuromancer"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slocombe, Will; Price, Chris

2008-01-01

Computer games are increasingly being considered as a means of promoting learning, especially the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) games in the classroom. This article extends this idea by proposing an innovative method of fostering interdisciplinary collaboration through the design of computer games. The game to be developed, "On the…

Facilitating Interdisciplinary Work: Using Quality Assessment to Create Common Ground

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oberg, Gunilla

2009-01-01

Newcomers often underestimate the challenges of interdisciplinary work and, as a rule, do not spend sufficient time to allow them to overcome differences and create common ground, which in turn leads to frustration, unresolved conflicts, and, in the worst case scenario, discontinued work. The key to successful collaboration is to facilitate the…

Integrating Literacy, Math, and Science to Make Learning Come Alive

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bintz, William P.; Moore, Sara D.; Hayhurst, Elaine; Jones, Rubin; Tuttle, Sherry

2006-01-01

In this article, the authors who are an interdisciplinary team of middle school educators collaboratively developed and implemented an interdisciplinary unit designed to help middle school students: (1) think like mathematicians and scientists; (2) develop specific areas of expertise in math and science; and (3) use literature as a tool to learn…

An App for the Cathedral in Freiberg--An Interdisciplinary Project Seminar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kröber, Cindy; Münster, Sander

2014-01-01

This project seminar aims at creating and evaluating a manual for interdisciplinary projects as part of a learning process. Working together, pedagogies and students from different disciplines assess tools and recommendations for successful collaborations while developing an app for the cathedral in Freiberg. As part of the project the students…

HESS Opinions "Integration of groundwater and surface water research: an interdisciplinary problem?"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barthel, R.

2014-02-01

Today there is a great consensus that water resources research needs to become more holistic, integrating perspectives of a large variety of disciplines. Groundwater and surface water (hereafter: GW and SW) are typically identified as different compartments of the hydrological cycle and were traditionally often studied and managed separately. However, despite this separation, these respective fields of study are usually not considered to be different disciplines. They are often seen as different specialisations of hydrology with different focus, yet similar theory, concepts, methodology. The present article discusses how this notion may form a substantial obstacle in the further integration of GW and SW research and management. The article focusses on the regional scale (areas of approx. 103 to 106 km2), which is identified as the scale where integration is most greatly needed, but ironically the least amount of fully integrated research seems to be undertaken. The state of research on integrating GW and SW research is briefly reviewed and the most essential differences between GW hydrology (or hydrogeology, geohydrology) and SW hydrology are presented. Groundwater recharge and baseflow are used as examples to illustrate different perspectives on similar phenomena that can cause severe misunderstandings and errors in the conceptualisation of integration schemes. It is also discussed that integration of GW and SW research on the regional scale necessarily must move beyond the hydrological aspects, by collaborating with social sciences and increasing the interaction between science and the society in general. The typical elements of an ideal interdisciplinary workflow are presented and their relevance with respect to integration of GW and SW is discussed. The overall conclusions are that GW hydrology and SW hydrogeology study rather different objects of interest, using different types of observation, working on different problem settings. They have thus developed different theory, methodology and terminology. Yet, there seems to be a widespread lack of awareness of these differences which hinders the detection of the existing interdisciplinary aspects of GW and SW integration and consequently the development of truly unifying, interdisciplinary theory and methodology. Thus, despite having the ultimate goal of creating a more holistic approach, we should start integration by analysing potential disciplinary differences. Improved understanding among hydrologists of what interdisciplinary means and how it works is needed. Hydrologists, despite frequently being involved in multidisciplinary projects, are not sufficiently involved in developing interdisciplinary strategies and do usually not regard the process of integration as such as a research topic of its own. There seems to be a general reluctance to apply (truly) interdisciplinary methodology because this is tedious and few, immediate incentives are experienced.

Dancing with Words

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Jeffrey

2004-01-01

The interdisciplinary collaboration is a type of subversive activity that helps the students and teachers to see beyond the traditional subject boundaries. A high school teacher's collaboration with the dance instructor helped students to understand and see Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal Dreams" in a new way.

Preparing the Next Generation of Early Childhood Teachers: The Emerging Role of Interprofessional Education and Collaboration in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Elizabeth M.

2013-01-01

Effective collaboration between early childhood teachers and social workers is now considered critical to providing children with adequate psycho-social supports and services in early childhood settings. In order for this interdisciplinary collaboration to be more effective, opportunities for each discipline to learn about each other's knowledge,…

Using narratives to motivate climate science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stiller-Reeve, Mathew; Bremer, Scott; Blanchard, Anne

2015-04-01

This paper presents the lessons learnt by the climate scientists within an interdisciplinary research project called 'TRACKS': Transforming climate knowledge with and for society. The project uses the climate narratives of local people in northeast Bangladesh as a basis for mobilizing high quality climate knowledge for adaptation. To ensure this high quality climate information, the project demands an interdisciplinary approach. This project is therefore a broad, but tight collaboration between climate science and perspectives from social science and the humanities. For the climate scientists involved, the aim was to do research that would provide local people with climate information that would hopefully aid adaptation. The climate research design had to consider the perceptions of the local people in northeast Bangladesh, and what aspects of the local climate that they thought were important. For the climate scientists to gain an appropriate understanding, they were fully integrated into the whole narrative research process. The different disciplines cooperate fully in all aspects of the TRACKS project. The climate scientists were involved in planning the narrative interview survey about weather and how it impacts the lives of local people in northeast Bangladesh. The climate scientists participated in a workshop with social science colleagues from Bangladesh and Norway, to design the research questions, the interview framework, and the data management plan. The climate scientists then travelled to Bangladesh with social scientist colleagues to observe and discuss ten pilot interviews with local people, and to take part in two 'stakeholder-mapping' workshops. On the basis of these interviews and workshops, the climate scientists arranged an interdisciplinary workshop where all the project's researchers designed the climate science research questions together. The climate research questions have therefore been built around a first-hand interdisciplinary experience of the situation in northeast Bangladesh. At no point did we decide on the pertinent climatic issues independently of the local people. The success of this interdisciplinary approach so far has depended on time, patience, and humility. In this presentation, we present the narrative approach we have initiated in TRACKS. We will look at some of local climate narratives from the full-scale survey, as well as the challenges and the research questions that resulted from the process. We will also discuss future perspectives of how we re-integrate the new climate science into the dialogue with the local people.

Interdisciplinary geriatric and palliative care team narratives: collaboration practices and barriers.

PubMed

Goldsmith, Joy; Wittenberg-Lyles, Elaine; Rodriguez, Dariela; Sanchez-Reilly, Sandra

2010-01-01

Despite the development and implementation of team training models in geriatrics and palliative care, little attention has been paid to the nature and process of teamwork. Geriatrics and palliative care in the clinical setting offer an interdisciplinary approach structured to meet the comprehensive needs of a patient and his or her family. Fellowship members of an interdisciplinary geriatric and palliative care team participated in semistructured interviews. Team members represented social work, chaplaincy, psychology, nursing, and medicine. A functional narrative analysis revealed four themes: voice of the lifeworld, caregiver teamwork, alone on a team, and storying disciplinary communication. The content-ordering function of narratives revealed a divergence in team members' conceptualization of teamwork and team effectiveness, and group ordering of narratives documented the collaborative nature of teams. The study findings demonstrate the potential for narratives as a pedagogical tool in team training, highlighting the benefits of reflective practice for improving teamwork and sustainability.

How to Study Chronic Diseases-Implications of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for Research Designs.

PubMed

von Peter, Sebastian; Bieler, Patrick

2017-01-01

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) has been received considerable attention internationally. The Convention's main arguments are conceptually analyzed. Implications for the development of research designs are elaborated upon. The Convention entails both a human rights and a sociopolitical dimension. Advancing a relational notion of disability, it enters a rather foreign terrain to medical sciences. Research designs have to be changed accordingly. Research designs in accordance with the CRPD should employ and further develop context-sensitive research strategies and interdisciplinary collaboration. Complex designs that allow for a relational analysis of personalized effects have to be established and evaluated, thereby systematically integrating qualitative methods.

Integrated Concentration in Science (iCons): Undergraduate Education Through Interdisciplinary, Team-Based, Real-World Problem Solving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuominen, Mark

2013-03-01

Attitude, Skills, Knowledge (ASK) - In this order, these are fundamental characteristics of scientific innovators. Through first-hand practice in using science to unpack and solve complex real-world problems, students can become self-motivated scientific leaders. This presentation describes the pedagogy of a recently developed interdisciplinary undergraduate science education program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst focused on addressing global challenges with scientific solutions. Integrated Concentration in Science (iCons) is an overarching concentration program that supplements the curricula provided within each student's chosen major. iCons is a platform for students to perform student-led research in interdisciplinary collaborative teams. With a schedule of one course per year over four years, the cohort of students move through case studies, analysis of real-world problems, development of potential solutions, integrative communication, laboratory practice, and capstone research projects. In this presentation, a track emphasizing renewable energy science is used to illustrate the iCons pedagogical methods. This includes discussion of a third-year laboratory course in renewable energy that is educationally scaffolded: beginning with a boot camp in laboratory techniques and culminating with student-designed research projects. Among other objectives, this course emphasizes the practice of using reflection and redesign, as a means of generating better solutions and embedding learning for the long term. This work is supported in part by NSF grant DUE-1140805.

Early detection of sporadic pancreatic cancer: strategic map for innovation--a white paper.

PubMed

Kenner, Barbara J; Chari, Suresh T; Cleeter, Deborah F; Go, Vay Liang W

2015-07-01

Innovation leading to significant advances in research and subsequent translation to clinical practice is urgently necessary in early detection of sporadic pancreatic cancer. Addressing this need, the Early Detection of Sporadic Pancreatic Cancer Summit Conference was conducted by Kenner Family Research Fund in conjunction with the 2014 American Pancreatic Association and Japan Pancreas Society Meeting. International interdisciplinary scientific representatives engaged in strategic facilitated conversations based on distinct areas of inquiry: Case for Early Detection: Definitions, Detection, Survival, and Challenges; Biomarkers for Early Detection; Imaging; and Collaborative Studies. Ideas generated from the summit have led to the development of a Strategic Map for Innovation built upon 3 components: formation of an international collaborative effort, design of an actionable strategic plan, and implementation of operational standards, research priorities, and first-phase initiatives. Through invested and committed efforts of leading researchers and institutions, philanthropic partners, government agencies, and supportive business entities, this endeavor will change the future of the field and consequently the survival rate of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Early Detection of Sporadic Pancreatic Cancer

PubMed Central

Kenner, Barbara J.; Chari, Suresh T.; Cleeter, Deborah F.; Go, Vay Liang W.

2015-01-01

Abstract Innovation leading to significant advances in research and subsequent translation to clinical practice is urgently necessary in early detection of sporadic pancreatic cancer. Addressing this need, the Early Detection of Sporadic Pancreatic Cancer Summit Conference was conducted by Kenner Family Research Fund in conjunction with the 2014 American Pancreatic Association and Japan Pancreas Society Meeting. International interdisciplinary scientific representatives engaged in strategic facilitated conversations based on distinct areas of inquiry: Case for Early Detection: Definitions, Detection, Survival, and Challenges; Biomarkers for Early Detection; Imaging; and Collaborative Studies. Ideas generated from the summit have led to the development of a Strategic Map for Innovation built upon 3 components: formation of an international collaborative effort, design of an actionable strategic plan, and implementation of operational standards, research priorities, and first-phase initiatives. Through invested and committed efforts of leading researchers and institutions, philanthropic partners, government agencies, and supportive business entities, this endeavor will change the future of the field and consequently the survival rate of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. PMID:25938853

Urbanization and stream ecology: Diverse mechanisms of change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roy, Allison; Capps, Krista A.; El-Sabaawi, Rana W.; Jones, Krista L.; Parr, Thomas B.; Ramirez, Alonso; Smith, Robert F.; Walsh, Christopher J.; Wenger, Seth J.

2016-01-01

The field of urban stream ecology has evolved rapidly in the last 3 decades, and it now includes natural scientists from numerous disciplines working with social scientists, landscape planners and designers, and land and water managers to address complex, socioecological problems that have manifested in urban landscapes. Over the last decade, stream ecologists have met 3 times at the Symposium on Urbanization and Stream Ecology (SUSE) to discuss current research, identify knowledge gaps, and promote future research collaborations. The papers in this special series on urbanization and stream ecology include both primary research studies and conceptual synthesis papers spurred from discussions at SUSE in May 2014. The themes of the meeting are reflected in the papers in this series emphasizing global differences in mechanisms and responses of stream ecosystems to urbanization and management solutions in diverse urban streams. Our hope is that this series will encourage continued interdisciplinary and collaborative research to increase the global understanding of urban stream ecology toward stream protection and restoration in urban landscapes.

A case study in innovative outreach--combining training, research, and technology transfer to address real-world problems.

PubMed Central

Chang, D P

1998-01-01

Outreach, training, technology transfer, and research are often treated as programmatically distinct activities. The interdisciplinary and applied aspects of the Superfund Basic Research Program offer an opportunity to explore different models. A case study is presented that describes a collaborative outreach effort that combines all of the above. It involves the University of California's Davis and Berkeley program projects, the University of California Systemwide Toxic Substances Research and Teaching Program, the U.S. Navy's civilian workforce at the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California (MINSY), a Department of Defense (DoD) Environmental Education Demonstration Grant program, and the Private Industry Council of Napa and Sonoma counties in California. The effort applied a Superfund-developed technology to a combined waste, radium and polychlorinated biphenyl contamination, stemming from a problematic removal action at an installation/restoration site at MINSY. The effort demonstrates that opportunities for similar collaborations are possible at DoD installations. PMID:9703494

SEIZURE PREDICTION: THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP

PubMed Central

Zaveri, Hitten P.; Frei, Mark G.; Arthurs, Susan; Osorio, Ivan

2010-01-01

The recently convened Fourth International Workshop on Seizure Prediction (IWSP4) brought together a diverse international group of investigators, from academia and industry, including epileptologists, neurosurgeons, neuroscientists, computer scientists, engineers, physicists, and mathematicians who are conducting interdisciplinary research on the prediction and control of seizures. IWSP4 allowed the presentation and discussion of results, an exchange of ideas, an assessment of the status of seizure prediction, control and related fields and the fostering of collaborative projects. PMID:20674508

True Collaboration: Building and Maintaining Successful Teams.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pollak, Judy P.; Mills, Rebecca A.

1997-01-01

Describes members' responsibilities within effective middle school interdisciplinary teams. States that principals are responsible for hiring, orientation, teacher empowerment, and staff development, while existing team members help new members by building a new team identity and developing collaborative relationships. Asserts that new teachers…

Learning at the Boundaries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goos, Merrilyn

2015-01-01

This paper reports on a project that aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration between mathematicians and mathematics educators in pre-service teacher education. The project involves 23 investigators from six universities. Interviews were conducted with selected project participants to identify conditions that enable or hinder collaboration,…

Earth Remote Sensing Center of Excellence at Scripps Institution of Oceanography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, B. Greg

2000-01-01

We developed advanced communications and networking capability and satellite reception systems for Earth science to improve the ability of scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) to conduct interdisciplinary research. With matching funds from the SIO Director's office we implemented a "virtual center" utilizing modern networking hardware and software to enhance access for researchers and students to unique satellite and in situ data sets. The center provides facilities and data access to graduate students as well as research scientists at SIO, and outside SIO. Our private sector partners installed and testes and advanced X-band data acquisition system for satellite data capture relevant for Earth science research and applications. Some of the commercial applications of these partners have been developed (or are under development) with NASA SBIR resources. The X-band system collected RADARSAT, ERS-2 and MODIS imagery. Perhaps most importantly, this COE brought together - for the first time - an interdisciplinary team of SIO scientists with interests in Earth remote sensing. The collaboration extended beyond our infrastructure and research accomplishments leading to a dialog that resulted in a report with strong recommendations to the SIO community for enhancing satellite remote sensing at SIO.

Graduate Education for the Future: New Models and Methods for the Clinical and Translational Workforce

PubMed Central

Bennett, L. Michelle; Cicutto, Lisa; Gadlin, Howard; Moss, Marc; Tentler, John; Schoenbaum, Ellie

2015-01-01

Abstract This paper is the third in a five‐part series on the clinical and translational science educational pipeline, and it focuses on strategies for enhancing graduate research education to improve skills for interdisciplinary team science. Although some of the most cutting edge science takes place at the borders between disciplines, it is widely perceived that advancements in clinical and translational science are hindered by the “siloed” efforts of researchers who are comfortable working in their separate domains, and reluctant to stray from their own discipline when conducting research. Without appropriate preparation for career success as members and leaders of interdisciplinary teams, talented scientists may choose to remain siloed or to leave careers in clinical and translational science all together, weakening the pipeline and depleting the future biomedical research workforce. To address this threat, it is critical to begin at what is perhaps the most formative moment for academics: graduate training. This paper focuses on designs for graduate education, and contrasts the methods and outcomes from traditional educational approaches with those skills perceived as essential for the workforce of the future, including the capacity for research collaboration that crosses disciplinary boundaries. PMID:26643714

Innovations in nutrition education and global health: the Bangalore Boston nutrition collaborative

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background India has a wide range of nutrition and health problems which require professionals with appropriate skills, knowledge and trans-disciplinary collaborative abilities to influence policy making at the national and global level. Methods The Bangalore Boston Nutrition Collaborative (BBNC) was established as collaboration between St. John’s Research Institute (SJRI), Harvard School of Public Health and Tufts University, with a focus on nutrition research and training. The goals of the BBNC were to conduct an interdisciplinary course, develop web-based courses and identify promising Indian students and junior faculty for graduate training in Boston. Results From 2010, an annual two-week short course in nutrition research methods was conducted on the SJRI campus taught by international faculty from Indian and US universities. More than 100 students applied yearly for approximately 30 positions. The course had didactic lectures in the morning and practical hands-on sessions in the afternoon. Student rating of the course was excellent and consistent across the years. The ratings on the design and conduct of the course significantly improved (p <0.001) from 2010 to 2012. Through open-ended questions, students reported the main strengths of the course to be the excellent faculty and practical “hands-on” sessions. A web based learning system TYRO, was developed, which can be used for distance learning. Four faculty members/graduate students from SJRI have visited Boston for collaborative research efforts. Conclusion The BBNC has become a well-established capacity building and research training program for young professionals in nutrition and global health. Efforts are ongoing to secure long term funding to sustain and expand this collaboration to deliver high quality nutrition and global health education enabled by information and communication technologies. PMID:24400811

Innovations in nutrition education and global health: the Bangalore Boston nutrition collaborative.

PubMed

Kuriyan, Rebecca; Griffiths, Jeffrey K; Finkelstein, Julia L; Thomas, Tinku; Raj, Tony; Bosch, Ronald J; Kurpad, Anura V; Duggan, Christopher

2014-01-08

India has a wide range of nutrition and health problems which require professionals with appropriate skills, knowledge and trans-disciplinary collaborative abilities to influence policy making at the national and global level. The Bangalore Boston Nutrition Collaborative (BBNC) was established as collaboration between St. John's Research Institute (SJRI), Harvard School of Public Health and Tufts University, with a focus on nutrition research and training. The goals of the BBNC were to conduct an interdisciplinary course, develop web-based courses and identify promising Indian students and junior faculty for graduate training in Boston. From 2010, an annual two-week short course in nutrition research methods was conducted on the SJRI campus taught by international faculty from Indian and US universities. More than 100 students applied yearly for approximately 30 positions. The course had didactic lectures in the morning and practical hands-on sessions in the afternoon. Student rating of the course was excellent and consistent across the years. The ratings on the design and conduct of the course significantly improved (p <0.001) from 2010 to 2012. Through open-ended questions, students reported the main strengths of the course to be the excellent faculty and practical "hands-on" sessions. A web based learning system TYRO, was developed, which can be used for distance learning. Four faculty members/graduate students from SJRI have visited Boston for collaborative research efforts. The BBNC has become a well-established capacity building and research training program for young professionals in nutrition and global health. Efforts are ongoing to secure long term funding to sustain and expand this collaboration to deliver high quality nutrition and global health education enabled by information and communication technologies.

Recommendations for the role of social science research in One Health.

PubMed

Lapinski, Maria Knight; Funk, Julie A; Moccia, Lauren T

2015-03-01

The social environment has changed rapidly as technology has facilitated communication among individuals and groups in ways not imagined 20 years ago. Communication technology increasingly plays a role in decision-making about health and environmental behaviors and is being leveraged to influence that process. But at its root is the fundamental need to understand human cognition, communication, and behavior. The concept of 'One Health' has emerged as a framework for interdisciplinary work that cuts across human, animal, and ecosystem health in recognition of their interdependence and the value of an integrated perspective. Yet, the science of communication, information studies, social psychology, and other social sciences have remained marginalized in this emergence. Based on an interdisciplinary collaboration, this paper reports on a nascent conceptual framework for the role of social science in 'One Health' issues and identifies a series of recommendations for research directions that bear additional scrutiny and development. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

E-Learning in a University Interdisciplinary and Bilingual Context: Analysis of Students' Participation, Motivation and Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruiz-Molina, Maria-Eugenia; Cuadrado-Garcia, Manuel

2008-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the use of virtual learning environments in multicultural higher education of two different subjects: foreign language and marketing. Design/methodology/approach: The paper describes the aims, development and results of an interdisciplinary collaboration project was held between two European…

Learning Clinical Assessment and Interdisciplinary Team Collaboration in Primary Care. MOOC for Healthcare Practitioners and Students.

PubMed

Lunde, Lene; Moen, Anne; Rosvold, Elin O

2018-01-01

Novel ways to build sufficient capacity to meet the need for competent healthcare providers in primary care are in strong demand. We developed a massive, open, online course (MOOC) to introduce and promote clinical skills development for healthcare workers (physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and nurse aids) and students in healthcare education (medical students and master and bachelor students in nursing) focusing on systematic health assessment and strengthening clinical decision making in primary care. Results from the pilot supports that the MOOC was relevant and highly useful for the participants, and has potential to contribute to interdisciplinary collaboration and discussions.

The Pan-University Network for Global Health: framework for collaboration and review of global health needs.

PubMed

Winchester, M S; BeLue, R; Oni, T; Wittwer-Backofen, U; Deobagkar, D; Onya, H; Samuels, T A; Matthews, S A; Stone, C; Airhihenbuwa, C

2016-04-21

In the current United Nations efforts to plan for post 2015-Millennium Development Goals, global partnership to address non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has become a critical goal to effectively respond to the complex global challenges of which inequity in health remains a persistent challenge. Building capacity in terms of well-equipped local researchers and service providers is a key to bridging the inequity in global health. Launched by Penn State University in 2014, the Pan University Network for Global Health responds to this need by bridging researchers at more than 10 universities across the globe. In this paper we outline our framework for international and interdisciplinary collaboration, as well the rationale for our research areas, including a review of these two themes. After its initial meeting, the network has established two central thematic priorities: 1) urbanization and health and 2) the intersection of infectious diseases and NCDs. The urban population in the global south will nearly double in 25 years (approx. 2 billion today to over 3.5 billion by 2040). Urban population growth will have a direct impact on global health, and this growth will be burdened with uneven development and the persistence of urban spatial inequality, including health disparities. The NCD burden, which includes conditions such as hypertension, stroke, and diabetes, is outstripping infectious disease in countries in the global south that are considered to be disproportionately burdened by infectious diseases. Addressing these two priorities demands an interdisciplinary and multi-institutional model to stimulate innovation and synergy that will influence the overall framing of research questions as well as the integration and coordination of research.

Improving management of small natural features on private lands by negotiating the science–policy boundary for Maine vernal pools

PubMed Central

Calhoun, Aram J. K.; Jansujwicz, Jessica S.; Bell, Kathleen P.; Hunter, Malcolm L.

2014-01-01

Vernal pools are far more important for providing ecosystem services than one would predict based on their small size. However, prevailing resource-management strategies are not effectively conserving pools and other small natural features on private lands. Solutions are complicated by tensions between private property and societal rights, uncertainties over resource location and function, diverse stakeholders, and fragmented regulatory authority. The development and testing of new conservation approaches that link scientific knowledge, stakeholder decision-making, and conservation outcomes are important responses to this conservation dilemma. Drawing from a 15-y history of vernal pool conservation efforts in Maine, we describe the coevolution of pool conservation and research approaches, focusing on how research-based knowledge was produced and used in support of management decisions. As management shifted from reactive, top-down approaches to proactive and flexible approaches, research shifted from an ecology-focused program to an interdisciplinary program based on social–ecological systems. The most effective strategies for linking scientific knowledge with action changed as the decision-makers, knowledge needs, and context for vernal pool management advanced. Interactions among stakeholders increased the extent to which knowledge was coproduced and shifted the objective of stakeholder engagement from outreach to research collaboration and development of innovative conservation approaches. New conservation strategies were possible because of the flexible, solutions-oriented collaborations and trust between scientists and decision-makers (fostered over 15 y) and interdisciplinary, engaged research. Solutions to the dilemma of conserving small natural features on private lands, and analogous sustainability science challenges, will benefit from repeated negotiations of the science–policy boundary. PMID:25002496

Collaborative Paradigm of Preventive, Personalized, and Precision Medicine With Point-of-Care Technologies.

PubMed

Dhawan, Atam P

2016-01-01

Recent advances in biosensors, medical instrumentation, and information processing and communication technologies (ICT) have enabled significant improvements in healthcare. However, these technologies have been mainly applied in clinical environments, such as hospitals and healthcare facilities, under managed care by well-trained and specialized individuals. The global challenge of providing quality healthcare at affordable cost leads to the proposed paradigm of P reventive, Personalized, and Precision Medicine that requires a seamless use of technology and infrastructure support for patients and healthcare providers at point-of-care (POC) locations including homes, semi or pre-clinical facilities, and hospitals. The complexity of the global healthcare challenge necessitates strong collaborative interdisciplinary synergies involving all stakeholder groups including academia, federal research institutions, industry, regulatory agencies, and clinical communities. It is critical to evolve with collaborative efforts on the translation of research to technology development toward clinical validation and potential healthcare applications. This special issue is focused on technology innovation and translational research for POC applications with potential impact in improving global healthcare in the respective areas. Some of these papers were presented at the NIH-IEEE Strategic Conference on Healthcare Innovations and POC Technologies for Precision Medicine (HI-POCT) held at the NIH on November 9-10, 2015. The papers included in the Special Issue provide a spectrum of critical issues and collaborative resources on translational research of advanced POC devices and ICT into global healthcare environment.

Is Quaternary geology ready for the future?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritter, Dale F.

1996-07-01

Armed with a better understanding of process and an array of developing dating techniques, Quaternary geology is poised to achieve greater recognition in the general scientific community. This recognition however, will require some thought adjustment. Quaternary geologists will have to convince government, industry and a variety of scientific groups that they possess unique training and expertise that is needed as part of the thrust to fully understand and/or resolve major scientific problems. Therefore, future research and education efforts should not focus on developing a rigidly defined identity within geoscience, but instead should seek ways to be integrated with interdisciplinary teams that will investigate complex environmental and climate change problems. Such a scenaria creates and enermous dilemma for Quaternary geologists because they will derive greater intellectual stimulation from scientists working in discplines other than geology, and their scientific collaboratiors will most likely not be their academic colleagues. This outward expansion of our scientific network will require the development of interdsciplinary research collaboration and/or degree-granting programs at the graduate level. To accomplish such goals, universities must resist "turf protection", and funding agencies muts become more efficient at facilitating interdisciplinary research.

Forget me not: dementia in prison.

PubMed

Maschi, Tina; Kwak, Jung; Ko, Eunjeong; Morrissey, Mary B

2012-08-01

The number of older adults with dementia in U.S. prisons is rapidly rising. Yet, the vast majority of this marginalized subgroup of the aging population is left neglected behind bars without access to adequate medical and mental health care services. We assert that proactive, interdisciplinary collaborative efforts to improve practice, policy, and research and to develop a high-quality evidence-based continuum of care for this aging population are urgently needed. The overarching goals of this paper are to raise awareness of the life and experiences of persons with dementia in prison and to stimulate discussion, research, and advocacy efforts for this forgotten subgroup of older Americans. We describe the growing number of older adults with dementia in U.S. prisons, high-risk factors for dementia present in the prison population, and the life and experience of persons with dementia in the culture and environment of prison that is primarily not designed for them. We review the current state of services and programs for dementia in prison. We conclude by proposing practice, policy, and research-related priority areas and strategies for interdisciplinary gerontological responses.

Doppler Lidar System Design via Interdisciplinary Design Concept at NASA Langley Research Center - Part III

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnes, Bruce W.; Sessions, Alaric M.; Beyon, Jeffrey; Petway, Larry B.

2014-01-01

Optimized designs of the Navigation Doppler Lidar (NDL) instrument for Autonomous Landing Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) were accomplished via Interdisciplinary Design Concept (IDEC) at NASA Langley Research Center during the summer of 2013. Three branches in the Engineering Directorate and three students were involved in this joint task through the NASA Langley Aerospace Research Summer Scholars (LARSS) Program. The Laser Remote Sensing Branch (LRSB), Mechanical Systems Branch (MSB), and Structural and Thermal Systems Branch (STSB) were engaged to achieve optimal designs through iterative and interactive collaborative design processes. A preliminary design iteration was able to reduce the power consumption, mass, and footprint by removing redundant components and replacing inefficient components with more efficient ones. A second design iteration reduced volume and mass by replacing bulky components with excessive performance with smaller components custom-designed for the power system. The existing power system was analyzed to rank components in terms of inefficiency, power dissipation, footprint and mass. Design considerations and priorities are compared along with the results of each design iteration. Overall power system improvements are summarized for design implementations.

The Relationship of Personality Traits to Satisfaction with the Team: A Study of Interdisciplinary Teacher Teams in Rhode Island Middle Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humbyrd, Michele

2010-01-01

A shift toward shared practice in schools has emerged and teachers are moving from isolation to collaboration (Hindin, Morocco, Mott, & Aguilar, 2007). One of the structures that supports collaboration is the collaborative team. Teams have great potential, however, their failure can impact the organization's progress and the team members'…

Managing the Process of International Collaboration in Online Course Development: A Case-Example Involving Higher Education Institutions in Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, and the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Cathal; Bergin, Michael; Titze, Sylvia; Ruf, Wolfgang; Kunz, Stefan; Mazza, Riccardo; Chalder, Trudie; Windgassen, Sula; Miner, Dianne Cooney; Wells, John S. G.

2017-01-01

There has been significant growth recently in online learning and joint programmes of education involving collaborative partnerships between and among higher education institutions in different jurisdictions. Utilising an interdisciplinary team model (Care and Scanlan 2001), we describe in this article the process of collaboration among four…

Bioethics and Public Health Collaborate to Reveal Impacts of Climate Change on Caribbean Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macpherson, C.; Akpinar-Elci, M.

2011-12-01

Interdisciplinary dialog and collaboration aimed at protecting health against climate change is impeded by the small number of scientists and health professionals skilled in interdisciplinary work, and by the view held by many that "climate change won't affect me personally". These challenges may be surmounted by discussions about the lived experience of climate change and how this threatens things we value. Dialog between bioethics and public health generated an innovative collaboration using the focus group method. The main limitation of focus groups is the small number of participants however the data obtained is generalizable to wider groups and is used regularly in business to enhance marketing strategies. Caribbean academicians from varied disciplines discussed how climate change affects them and life in the Caribbean. Caribbean states are particularly vulnerable to climate change because their large coastal areas are directly exposed to rising sea levels and their development relies heavily on foreign aid. The Caribbean comprises about half of the 39 members of the Association of Small Island States (AOSIS), and small island states comprise about 5% of global population [1]. Participants described socioeconomic and environmental changes in the Caribbean that they attribute to climate change. These include extreme weather, unusual rain and drought, drying rivers, beach erosion, declining fish catches, and others. The session exposed impacts on individuals, businesses, agriculture, and disaster preparedness. This data helps to reframe climate change as a personal reality rather than a vague future concern. It is relevant to the design, implementation, and sustainability of climate policies in the Caribbean and perhaps other small island states. The method and interdisciplinary approach can be used in other settings to elicit dialog about experiences and values across sectors, and to inform policies. Those who have experienced extreme weather are more concerned about climate change than others [2] and no expertise is needed to discuss such experiences or related values. These are accessible concepts in all disciplines and across socioeconomic levels. Research to further identify and describe values challenged by climate change is needed and can be communicated across disciplines and to the public. The resultant dialog will facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration, public and political debate, and possibly generate behavior change. References 1. Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). Accessed July 6, 2011. http://aosis.info/members-and-observers/ 2. Spence A., Poortinga W., Butler C., Pidgeon N.F. Perceptions of climate change and willingness to save energy related to flood experience. Nature Climate Change. March 2011. Accessed July 6, 2011. http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate1059.html

Promoting Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Trainees Addressing Siloed Medical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitts, Robert Li; Christodoulou, Joanna; Goldman, Stuart

2011-01-01

Objective: Professional siloing within medical institutions has been identified as a problem in medical education, including resident training. The authors discuss how trainees from different disciplines can collaborate to address this problem. Method: A group of trainees from psychiatry, developmental medicine, neurology, and education came…

Analyzing the Cognitive Skills and Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stafford, Tish

2011-01-01

The Common Core Standards (CCS) movement represents a double-edged sword for school librarians. On the one hand, it gives prominence to inquiry skills and interdisciplinary collaboration, reinforcing the profession's efforts to infuse inquiry into the curriculum through collaborative planning and co-instruction between classroom teachers and…

The quest for a true One Health perspective of brucellosis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

One Health is an interdisciplinary collaboration aiming at mitigating risks to human health arising from microorganisms present in non-human animal species, which have the potential to be transmitted and cause disease in humans. Different degrees of scientific collaboration and sectoral integration ...

Preface to Special Topic: Selected Papers from the 5th International Conference on Optofluidics.

PubMed

Fan, Shih-Kang; Yang, Zhenchuan

2016-01-01

The 5th International Conference on Optofluidics (Optofluidics 2015) was held in Taipei, Taiwan, July 26-29, 2015. The aim of this conference was to provide a forum to promote scientific exchange and to foster closer networks and collaborative ties between leading international researchers in optics and micro/nanofluidics across various disciplines. The scope of Optofluidics 2015 was deliberately broad and interdisciplinary, encompassing the latest advances and the most innovative developments in micro/nanoscale science and technology. Topics ranged from fundamental research to its applications in chemistry, physics, biology, materials, and medicine.

Promoting Diversity Through Polar Interdisciplinary Coordinated Education (Polar ICE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonnell, J. D.; Hotaling, L. A.; Garza, C.; Van Dyk, P. B.; Hunter-thomson, K. I.; Middendorf, J.; Daniel, A.; Matsumoto, G. I.; Schofield, O.

2017-12-01

Polar Interdisciplinary Coordinated Education (ICE) is an education and outreach program designed to provide public access to the Antarctic and Arctic regions through polar data and interactions with the scientists. The program provides multi-faceted science communication training for early career scientists that consist of a face-to face workshop and opportunities to apply these skills. The key components of the scientist training workshop include cultural competency training, deconstructing/decoding science for non-expert audiences, the art of telling science stories, and networking with members of the education and outreach community and reflecting on communication skills. Scientists partner with educators to provide professional development for K-12 educators and support for student research symposia. Polar ICE has initiated a Polar Literacy initiative that provides both a grounding in big ideas in polar science and science communication training designed to underscore the importance of the Polar Regions to the public while promoting interdisciplinary collaborations between scientists and educators. Our ultimate objective is to promote STEM identity through professional development of scientists and educators while developing career awareness of STEM pathways in Polar science.

An innovative approach to interdisciplinary occupational safety and health education.

PubMed

Rosen, Mitchel A; Caravanos, Jack; Milek, Debra; Udasin, Iris

2011-07-01

The New York and New Jersey Education and Research Center (ERC) provides a range of graduate continuing education for occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals in training. A key element of the education is to provide interdisciplinary training to industrial hygienists, ergonomists, occupational medicine physicians and other health and safety trainees to prepare them for the collaboration required to solve the complex occupational health and safety problems they will face in their careers. This center has developed an innovative interdisciplinary training approach that provides an historical aspect, while allowing the graduate students to identify solutions to occupational issues from a multi-disciplinary approach. The ERC developed a tour that brings students to sites of historical and/or contemporary significance in the occupational safety and health and environmental fields. The ERC has conducted five tours, and has included 85 students and residents as participants. 80% of participants rated the tour as providing a high amount of OSH knowledge gained. 98% of the participants felt the goal of providing interdisciplinary education was achieved. This tour has been successful in bridging the OSH fields to better understand how occupational and environmental exposures have occurred, in order to prevent future exposures so that workplace conditions and health can be improved. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Stop Posturing and Start Problem Solving: A Call for Research to Prevent Gun Violence.

PubMed

Hills-Evans, Kelsey; Mitton, Julian; Sacks, Chana A

2018-01-01

Gun violence is a major cause of preventable injury and death in the United States, leading to more than 33,000 deaths each year. However, gun violence prevention is an understudied and underfunded area of research. We review the barriers to research in the field, including restrictions on federal funding. We then outline potential areas in which further research could inform clinical practice, public health efforts, and public policy. We also review examples of innovative collaborations among interdisciplinary teams working to develop strategies to integrate gun violence prevention into patient-doctor interactions in order to interrupt the cycle of gun violence. © 2018 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

Measuring User Similarity Using Electric Circuit Analysis: Application to Collaborative Filtering

PubMed Central

Yang, Joonhyuk; Kim, Jinwook; Kim, Wonjoon; Kim, Young Hwan

2012-01-01

We propose a new technique of measuring user similarity in collaborative filtering using electric circuit analysis. Electric circuit analysis is used to measure the potential differences between nodes on an electric circuit. In this paper, by applying this method to transaction networks comprising users and items, i.e., user–item matrix, and by using the full information about the relationship structure of users in the perspective of item adoption, we overcome the limitations of one-to-one similarity calculation approach, such as the Pearson correlation, Tanimoto coefficient, and Hamming distance, in collaborative filtering. We found that electric circuit analysis can be successfully incorporated into recommender systems and has the potential to significantly enhance predictability, especially when combined with user-based collaborative filtering. We also propose four types of hybrid algorithms that combine the Pearson correlation method and electric circuit analysis. One of the algorithms exceeds the performance of the traditional collaborative filtering by 37.5% at most. This work opens new opportunities for interdisciplinary research between physics and computer science and the development of new recommendation systems PMID:23145095

Measuring user similarity using electric circuit analysis: application to collaborative filtering.

PubMed

Yang, Joonhyuk; Kim, Jinwook; Kim, Wonjoon; Kim, Young Hwan

2012-01-01

We propose a new technique of measuring user similarity in collaborative filtering using electric circuit analysis. Electric circuit analysis is used to measure the potential differences between nodes on an electric circuit. In this paper, by applying this method to transaction networks comprising users and items, i.e., user-item matrix, and by using the full information about the relationship structure of users in the perspective of item adoption, we overcome the limitations of one-to-one similarity calculation approach, such as the Pearson correlation, Tanimoto coefficient, and Hamming distance, in collaborative filtering. We found that electric circuit analysis can be successfully incorporated into recommender systems and has the potential to significantly enhance predictability, especially when combined with user-based collaborative filtering. We also propose four types of hybrid algorithms that combine the Pearson correlation method and electric circuit analysis. One of the algorithms exceeds the performance of the traditional collaborative filtering by 37.5% at most. This work opens new opportunities for interdisciplinary research between physics and computer science and the development of new recommendation systems.

Scientific authorship and collaboration network analysis on malaria research in Benin: papers indexed in the web of science (1996-2016).

PubMed

Azondekon, Roseric; Harper, Zachary James; Agossa, Fiacre Rodrigue; Welzig, Charles Michael; McRoy, Susan

2018-01-01

To sustain the critical progress made, prioritization and a multidisciplinary approach to malaria research remain important to the national malaria control program in Benin. To document the structure of the malaria collaborative research in Benin, we analyze authorship of the scientific documents published on malaria from Benin. We collected bibliographic data from the Web Of Science on malaria research in Benin from January 1996 to December 2016. From the collected data, a mulitigraph co-authorship network with authors representing vertices was generated. An edge was drawn between two authors when they co-author a paper. We computed vertex degree, betweenness, closeness, and eigenvectors among others to identify prolific authors. We further assess the weak points and how information flow in the network. Finally, we perform a hierarchical clustering analysis, and Monte-Carlo simulations. Overall, 427 publications were included in this study. The generated network contained 1792 authors and 116,388 parallel edges which converted in a weighted graph of 1792 vertices and 95,787 edges. Our results suggested that prolific authors with higher degrees tend to collaborate more. The hierarchical clustering revealed 23 clusters, seven of which form a giant component containing 94% of all the vertices in the network. This giant component has all the characteristics of a small-world network with a small shortest path distance between pairs of three, a diameter of 10 and a high clustering coefficient of 0.964. However, Monte-Carlo simulations suggested our observed network is an unusual type of small-world network. Sixteen vertices were identified as weak articulation points within the network. The malaria research collaboration network in Benin is a complex network that seems to display the characteristics of a small-world network. This research reveals the presence of closed research groups where collaborative research likely happens only between members. Interdisciplinary collaboration tends to occur at higher levels between prolific researchers. Continuously supporting, stabilizing the identified key brokers and most productive authors in the Malaria research collaborative network is an urgent need in Benin. It will foster the malaria research network and ensure the promotion of junior scientists in the field.

The Power of Partnership

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hazi, A

2005-09-20

Institutions Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory conduct similar or complementary research often excel through collaboration. Indeed, much of Lawrence Livermore's research involves collaboration with other institutions, including universities, other national laboratories, government agencies, and private industry. In particular, Livermore's strategic collaborations with other University of California (UC) campuses have proven exceptionally successful in combining basic science and applied multidisciplinary research. In joint projects, the collaborating institutions benefit from sharing expertise and resources as they work toward their distinctive missions in education, research, and public service. As Laboratory scientists and engineers identify resources needed to conduct their work, they often turn tomore » university researchers with complementary expertise. Successful projects can expand in scope to include additional scientists and engineers both from the Laboratory and from UC, and these projects may become an important element of the research portfolios of the cognizant Livermore directorate and the university department. Additional funding may be provided to broaden or deepen a research project or perhaps develop it for transfer to the private sector for commercial release. Occasionally, joint projects evolve into a strategic collaboration at the institutional level, attracting the attention of the Laboratory director and the UC chancellor. Government agencies or private industries may contribute funding in recognition of the potential payoff of the joint research, and a center may be established at one of the UC campuses. Livermore scientists and engineers and UC faculty are recruited to these centers to focus on a particular area and achieve goals through interdisciplinary research. Some of these researchers hold multilocation appointments, allowing them to work at Livermore and another UC campus. Such centers also attract postdoctoral researchers and graduate students pursuing careers in the centers specialized areas of science. foster university collaboration is through the Laboratory's institutes, which have been established to focus university outreach efforts in fields of scientific importance to Livermore's programs and missions. Some of these joint projects may grow to the level of a strategic collaboration. Others may assist in Livermore's national security mission; provide a recruiting pipeline from universities to the Laboratory; or enhance university interactions and the vitality of Livermore's science and technology environment through seminars, workshops, and visitor programs.« less

Challenges faced by multidisplinary new investigators on addressing grand challenges in global health

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The grand challenges approach aims to spark innovative and transformative strategies to overcome barriers to significant global health issues. Grand Challenges Canada endorses an ‘Integrated Innovation™’ approach that focuses on the intersection of scientific/technological, social and business innovation. In this article we explore themes emerging from a dialogue between the authors, who are multidisciplinary recipients of the ‘Rising Stars in Global Health’ award from Grand Challenges Canada, regarding benefits of engaging in integrated innovation research, and recommendations for how this approach may develop in the future. Discussion Our dialogue followed a semi-structured interview format that addressed three topics: 1) reflections on applying an Integrated Innovation™ approach for global health; 2) thoughts on participation in the Grand Challenges 2012 meeting; and 3) authors’ visions of Grand Challenges Canada and the Grand Challenge movement towards 2020. The dialogue was transcribed verbatim and we used thematic analysis techniques to identify, analyze and report themes in the data. Benefits of working using the Grand Challenges approach centered on two themes: a) the potential for scientific breakthrough and b) building interdisciplinary collaborations and a community of scholars. Challenges and opportunities for Grand Challenges in moving forward included: a) capacity building, particularly regarding Integrated Innovation™ and scale-up planning; b) interdisciplinary and international mentorship for new investigators; and c) potential for future commercialization. Conclusions Our discussion highlighted that Integrated Innovation™ offers the opportunity to develop new theories, methods and approaches to global health while simultaneously fostering a collaborative spirit grounded in international, interdisciplinary collaborations. However, the arguable over-emphasis on corporatization poses a major challenge for new investigators. We propose a more balanced way forward that can harness technology to foster mentorship across time and space to support the development of such skills and ideas among new investigators. PMID:24735677

An interdisciplinary approach to personalized medicine: case studies from a cardiogenetics clinic.

PubMed

Erskine, Kathleen E; Griffith, Eleanor; Degroat, Nicole; Stolerman, Marina; Silverstein, Louise B; Hidayatallah, Nadia; Wasserman, David; Paljevic, Esma; Cohen, Lilian; Walsh, Christine A; McDonald, Thomas; Marion, Robert W; Dolan, Siobhan M

2013-01-01

In the genomic age, the challenges presented by various inherited conditions present a compelling argument for an interdisciplinary model of care. Cardiac arrhythmias with a genetic basis, such as long QT syndrome, require clinicians with expertise in many specialties to address the complex genetic, psychological, ethical and medical issues involved in treatment. The Montefiore-Einstein Center for CardioGenetics has been established to provide personalized, interdisciplinary care for families with a history of sudden cardiac death or an acute cardiac event. Four vignettes of patient care are presented to illustrate the unique capacity of an interdisciplinary model to address genetic, psychological, ethical and medical issues. Because interdisciplinary clinics facilitate collaboration among multiple specialties, they allow for individualized, comprehensive care to be delivered to families who experience complex inherited medical conditions. As the genetic basis of many complex conditions is discovered, the advantages of an interdisciplinary approach for delivering personalized medicine will become more evident.

The Challenge of Interdisciplinary Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Locker, Kitty O.

1994-01-01

Discusses what makes business communication research interdisciplinary and why interdisciplinary research is difficult yet desirable. Details the value of interdisciplinary concepts, methods, and perspectives. Notes how business communication research might be made interdisciplinary and points out the need for tolerance in interdisciplinary…