Ten tips for developing interdisciplinary socio-ecological researchers

Rachel Kelly; Mary Mackay; Kirsty L. Nash; Christopher Cvitanovic; Edward H. Allison; Derek Armitage; Aletta Bonn; Steven J. Cooke; Stewart Frusher; Elizabeth A. Fulton; Benjamin S. Halpern; Priscila F.M. Lopes; E. J. Milner-Gulland; Myron A. Peck; Gretta T. Pecl; Robert L. Stephenson; Francisco Werner

doi:10.1007/s42532-019-00018-2

Ten tips for developing interdisciplinary socio-ecological researchers

Rachel Kelly^*, Mary Mackay, Kirsty L. Nash, Christopher Cvitanovic, Edward H. Allison, Derek Armitage, Aletta Bonn, Steven J. Cooke, Stewart Frusher, Elizabeth A. Fulton, Benjamin S. Halpern, Priscila F.M. Lopes, E. J. Milner-Gulland, Myron A. Peck, Gretta T. Pecl, Robert L. Stephenson, Francisco Werner

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

101 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Interdisciplinary research and collaborations are essential to disentangle complex and wicked global socio-ecological challenges. However, institutional structures and practices to support interdisciplinary research are still developing and a shared understanding on how best to develop effective interdisciplinary researchers (particularly at early career stages) is lacking. Barriers to interdisciplinary approaches, which include diverse disciplinary ‘languages’, research time constraints and limited guidance on how to achieve interdisciplinarity in practice, further challenge this understanding. To help overcome these barriers, this paper provides practical advice for early career researchers and their mentors, as well as senior researchers and lab leaders, in the form of 10 tips: ‘Develop an area of expertise’; ‘Learn new languages’; ‘Be open-minded’; ‘Be patient’; ‘Embrace complexity’; ‘Collaborate widely; ‘Push your boundaries’; ‘Consider if you will engage in interdisciplinary research’; ‘Foster interdisciplinary culture’; and ‘Champion interdisciplinary researchers’. They are presented here to empower present and future generations of interdisciplinary researchers in their endeavour to solve contemporary socio-ecological challenges worldwide.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	149-161
Number of pages	13
Journal	Socio-Ecological Practice Research
Volume	1
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-019-00018-2
Publication status	Published - 1 Jun 2019

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Kelly, R., Mackay, M., Nash, K. L., Cvitanovic, C., Allison, E. H., Armitage, D., Bonn, A., Cooke, S. J., Frusher, S., Fulton, E. A., Halpern, B. S., Lopes, P. F. M., Milner-Gulland, E. J., Peck, M. A., Pecl, G. T., Stephenson, R. L., & Werner, F. (2019). Ten tips for developing interdisciplinary socio-ecological researchers. Socio-Ecological Practice Research, 1(2), 149-161. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-019-00018-2

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title = "Ten tips for developing interdisciplinary socio-ecological researchers",

abstract = "Interdisciplinary research and collaborations are essential to disentangle complex and wicked global socio-ecological challenges. However, institutional structures and practices to support interdisciplinary research are still developing and a shared understanding on how best to develop effective interdisciplinary researchers (particularly at early career stages) is lacking. Barriers to interdisciplinary approaches, which include diverse disciplinary {\textquoteleft}languages{\textquoteright}, research time constraints and limited guidance on how to achieve interdisciplinarity in practice, further challenge this understanding. To help overcome these barriers, this paper provides practical advice for early career researchers and their mentors, as well as senior researchers and lab leaders, in the form of 10 tips: {\textquoteleft}Develop an area of expertise{\textquoteright}; {\textquoteleft}Learn new languages{\textquoteright}; {\textquoteleft}Be open-minded{\textquoteright}; {\textquoteleft}Be patient{\textquoteright}; {\textquoteleft}Embrace complexity{\textquoteright}; {\textquoteleft}Collaborate widely; {\textquoteleft}Push your boundaries{\textquoteright}; {\textquoteleft}Consider if you will engage in interdisciplinary research{\textquoteright}; {\textquoteleft}Foster interdisciplinary culture{\textquoteright}; and {\textquoteleft}Champion interdisciplinary researchers{\textquoteright}. They are presented here to empower present and future generations of interdisciplinary researchers in their endeavour to solve contemporary socio-ecological challenges worldwide.",

keywords = "Collaborative research, Early career researcher, Interdisciplinary research (IDR), Socio-ecological challenges",

author = "Rachel Kelly and Mary Mackay and Nash, {Kirsty L.} and Christopher Cvitanovic and Allison, {Edward H.} and Derek Armitage and Aletta Bonn and Cooke, {Steven J.} and Stewart Frusher and Fulton, {Elizabeth A.} and Halpern, {Benjamin S.} and Lopes, {Priscila F.M.} and Milner-Gulland, {E. J.} and Peck, {Myron A.} and Pecl, {Gretta T.} and Stephenson, {Robert L.} and Francisco Werner",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019, Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.",

year = "2019",

month = jun,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1007/s42532-019-00018-2",

language = "English",

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Kelly, R, Mackay, M, Nash, KL, Cvitanovic, C, Allison, EH, Armitage, D, Bonn, A, Cooke, SJ, Frusher, S, Fulton, EA, Halpern, BS, Lopes, PFM, Milner-Gulland, EJ, Peck, MA, Pecl, GT, Stephenson, RL & Werner, F 2019, 'Ten tips for developing interdisciplinary socio-ecological researchers', Socio-Ecological Practice Research, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 149-161. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-019-00018-2

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ten tips for developing interdisciplinary socio-ecological researchers

AU - Kelly, Rachel

AU - Mackay, Mary

AU - Nash, Kirsty L.

AU - Cvitanovic, Christopher

AU - Allison, Edward H.

AU - Armitage, Derek

AU - Bonn, Aletta

AU - Cooke, Steven J.

AU - Frusher, Stewart

AU - Fulton, Elizabeth A.

AU - Halpern, Benjamin S.

AU - Lopes, Priscila F.M.

AU - Milner-Gulland, E. J.

AU - Peck, Myron A.

AU - Pecl, Gretta T.

AU - Stephenson, Robert L.

AU - Werner, Francisco

PY - 2019/6/1

Y1 - 2019/6/1

N2 - Interdisciplinary research and collaborations are essential to disentangle complex and wicked global socio-ecological challenges. However, institutional structures and practices to support interdisciplinary research are still developing and a shared understanding on how best to develop effective interdisciplinary researchers (particularly at early career stages) is lacking. Barriers to interdisciplinary approaches, which include diverse disciplinary ‘languages’, research time constraints and limited guidance on how to achieve interdisciplinarity in practice, further challenge this understanding. To help overcome these barriers, this paper provides practical advice for early career researchers and their mentors, as well as senior researchers and lab leaders, in the form of 10 tips: ‘Develop an area of expertise’; ‘Learn new languages’; ‘Be open-minded’; ‘Be patient’; ‘Embrace complexity’; ‘Collaborate widely; ‘Push your boundaries’; ‘Consider if you will engage in interdisciplinary research’; ‘Foster interdisciplinary culture’; and ‘Champion interdisciplinary researchers’. They are presented here to empower present and future generations of interdisciplinary researchers in their endeavour to solve contemporary socio-ecological challenges worldwide.

AB - Interdisciplinary research and collaborations are essential to disentangle complex and wicked global socio-ecological challenges. However, institutional structures and practices to support interdisciplinary research are still developing and a shared understanding on how best to develop effective interdisciplinary researchers (particularly at early career stages) is lacking. Barriers to interdisciplinary approaches, which include diverse disciplinary ‘languages’, research time constraints and limited guidance on how to achieve interdisciplinarity in practice, further challenge this understanding. To help overcome these barriers, this paper provides practical advice for early career researchers and their mentors, as well as senior researchers and lab leaders, in the form of 10 tips: ‘Develop an area of expertise’; ‘Learn new languages’; ‘Be open-minded’; ‘Be patient’; ‘Embrace complexity’; ‘Collaborate widely; ‘Push your boundaries’; ‘Consider if you will engage in interdisciplinary research’; ‘Foster interdisciplinary culture’; and ‘Champion interdisciplinary researchers’. They are presented here to empower present and future generations of interdisciplinary researchers in their endeavour to solve contemporary socio-ecological challenges worldwide.

KW - Collaborative research

KW - Early career researcher

KW - Interdisciplinary research (IDR)

KW - Socio-ecological challenges

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U2 - 10.1007/s42532-019-00018-2

DO - 10.1007/s42532-019-00018-2

M3 - Article

SN - 2524-5279

VL - 1

SP - 149

EP - 161

JO - Socio-Ecological Practice Research

JF - Socio-Ecological Practice Research

IS - 2

ER -

Ten tips for developing interdisciplinary socio-ecological researchers

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