INTER DISCIPLINARY

RESEARCH
INTER DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH

• THE SIGNIFICANCE OF INTER DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH LIES IN THE

COMPLEXITY OF SOCIAL AND SCIENTIFIC PROBLEMS INSOLUBLE BY
SINGLE DISCIPLINES OR SINGLE EXPERTS.
• CORE CURRICULA IS MOSTLY IS INTER DISCIPLINARY
• PROFESSIONAL ATTENTION TO IDR AROSE IN THE 1970s AND
FLOURISHED IN THE 1980s.
• IT APPEARS TO BE ON THE RISE AGAIN.
INTER DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
• IDR ACT AS COUNTER BALANCE SPECIALIZATIONA AND ISOLATION
• ASKS NEW QUESTIONS
• BRIDGES LANGAUGES, CULTURES, HABITS OF THOUGHT AND
INSTITUTIONS.
• SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF FUNDING INITIATIVES TARGET IDR
• HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CHANGE CURRENT STRUCTURES OF
INSTITUTIONS ABOUT THEIR POLICIES, STRATEGIES, LABORATORIES
AND LEVELS OF TRAINING

• YET IDR POSES SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

INTER DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
IDR CAN BE OF SEVERAL TYPES:

• BORROWING FROM OTHER FIELDS : TOOLS AND METHODS,

AND/OR CONCEPTS, MODELS OR PARADIGMS.

• INTERFIELD THEORIES : Ex: ATOMIC STRUCTURE, EVOLUTION ETC.

• FRONTIER PROBLEM – SOLVING -: COMPLEX SOCIETAL PROBLEMS

THAT NEED MULTIPLE FORMS OF KNOWLEDGE.
INTER DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH

• IDR INTEGRATES TEAMS ABOUT:

• PERSPECTIVES/CONCEPTS/ THEORIES AND /OR

• TOOLS / TECHNIQUES AND / OR INFORMATION / DATA FROM TWO OR
MORE BODIES OF SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE OR PRACTICE

• EXAMPLES OF BODIES OF SPECIALIZED FIELDS: LOW TEMP PHYSICS,

• MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY, TOXICOLOGY.
INTER DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
• INTER - DISCIPLINARY: OCCUPYING THE SPACES BETWEEN DISCIPLINES TO
BUILD NEW KNOWLEDGE (INTEGRATION)
• MULTI – DISCIPLINARY: MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES COMING TOGETHER BUT,
EACH WORKING PRIMARILY WITH THEIR OWN FRAMEWORK AND
METHODS (INTERACTION)
• TRANS- DISCIPLINARY: CREATING A CROSS ROAD IN WHICH DIFFERENT
DISCIPLINES INTERSECT AND PROBLEMATIZE EACH OTHER THROUGH A
SOCIAL LEARNING PROCESS ( HYBRIXISATION)

• THERE APPEARS A NEED FOR ESTABLISHED SCIENCE AND ENGG

RESOURCES TO COME TOGETHER WITH COMPUTING POWER AND
ANALYTICAL SOFTWARE.
INTER DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
INTER DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
INTER DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
• CHARACTERISTICS OF INTER DISCIPLINARY RESEARACH:

• TWO OR MORE DISTINCT ACADEMIC FIELDS

• DEFINED IN A LANGUAGE OF AT LEAST TWO FIELDS, USING MULTIPLE
OR INTERSECTING MODELS.
• DRAWN FROM MULTIPLE DATA SOURCES AND VARYING ANALYSIS OF
SAME DATA.
• SAME QUESTION BUT DIFFERENT PARADIGM OR DIFFERENT BUT
RELATED RESEARCH QUESTIONS.
INTER DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
CHARACTERISTICS:

• INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN PARALLEL WORK.

• FULLY SYNTHESIZED METHODS, MAY RESULT IN DEVELOPMENT OF A
NEW FIELD.
• SHARED PUBLICATIONS, WITH SOME NEW LANGUAGE ACROSS
TRADITIONAL LINES.
• THRIVES ON BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE RESEARCH TEAM.
IDR : ADVANTAGES

• IMPROVE COMMUNICATION ABILITY (DIVERSE TEAM MEMBERS)

• GET ACQUAINTED WITH COLLABORATION PROCESS
• FOSTER COLLABORATION SKILLS
• BENEFITS FUTURE CAREER DEVELOPMENT
• DIFFERENT PROFESSIONS COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER
• IMPROVE SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT
IDR : BENEFITS
• 1. ACCELERATE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RESEARCH AREA.
• (ESPECIALLY FOR NEW MEMBERS AND STUDENTS)
• 2. INSTITUTE A PRODUCTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
• (STARTING FROM “HOME BASE” TO SHARED WORK SPACE, OFFERS
SAFE PLACE FOR STUDENTS TO DEAL WITH UNCERTAINITIES AND TO
AVOID PIT FALLS)
• 3. HELP SOLVE DIFFICULT PROBLEMS:
• ( ASSISTANCE TO STUDENTS, READY PARTICIPATION, DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES AND EXPERIENCES MADE AVAILABLE)
IDR : BENEFITS
• 4. PROVIDE FEED BACK:
• (REGULAR FORMAL TEAM MEETINGS, REVIEW OF PROGRESS,
PERIODIC UPDATES, ENCOURAGEMENT FROM OTHERS)
• 5. OFFER EMOTIONAL SUPPORT:
• ( HELP FROM TEAM TO SUSTAIN POSITIVE ATTITUDE, OVERCOMING
STRESS, JOB MARKET PRESSURE)
IDR : CHALLENGES

• DIFFERENT STAKE HOLDERS WITH DIFFERENT AGENDAS.

• TRADE OFFS TO BE MADE WITH OVER LAPPING MEASURES

• ABILITY TO MEET OBJECTIVES OF DIFFERENT MEMBERS

• ESTABLISHING A SYSTEMATIC PROCESS TO DETERMINE SPECIFIC

WORK PACKAGES
IDR : EXAMPLES : DANISH UNIs
• 1. DIGITIZATION IN THE SERVICE OF BUSINESS COMMUNITY
• (PROJECT “MADE” “MANUFACTURING ACADEMY OF DENMARK)
• 2. WHOLE WILL BE GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS
• (DEVELOPMENT OF EQUIPMENT FOR RAPID DIAGNOSIS OF BLOOD
POISONING AND MAKING IT COMMERCIALLY FEASIBLE)
• 3. CROSS DISCIPLINARY VENTURE ENDS AS THINK TANK:
• (PLANTS FOR A CHANGING WORLD, LAWYERS, PHILOSOPHERS,
ECONOMISTS, SOCIAL SCIENTISTS AND PLANT BIOLOGISTS)
IDR : EXAMPLES : DANISH UNIs
• 4. FROM RESEARCH TO INVOICING:
• (ANALYSING ENCRYPTED DATA IS NOW POSSIBLE THUS OPENING NEW
POSSIBILITIES IN RESEARCH IN ELECTRONIC MARKETS)
• 5. INNOVATION TAKES FLIGHT:
• ( DRONES ARE THE FUTURE, DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS)
IDR : STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
• 1. TAKE OWNERSHIP OF RESEARCH :
• (ADVISORS GUIDE RESEARCH, DON’T TELL WHAT EXACTLY TO DO,
STUDENT NEEDS TO QUICKLY ADJUST INTO ONGOING TASKS)
• 2. FREQUENTLY COMMUNICATE WITH ADVISORS:
• (MORE THE BETTER, PAY ATTENTION, ATTEND TO TASKS, DO NOT BE
DEPENDANT, VALUE OTHERS TIME)
• 3. READ AND RE READ RESEARCH ARTICLES:
• (UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ARTICLE, EVALUATIVE
READING HELPS)
IDR : STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
• 4. EXPLAIN YOUR RESEARCH OFTEN:
• (IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO CONVEY IDEAS CLEARLY, ARTICULATION,
ABILITY TO DEFEND)
• 5. WORK TO IMPROVE WRITING:
• (SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATIN IS DIFFERENT, CREATION OF MODELS,
TABLES, PICTURES HELPS)
• 6. GRACEFULLY ACCEPT FEEDBACK:
• ( LEARN TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK IN A CONSTRUCTIVE MANNER,
RESEARCH IS PARTLY BUILT ON CRITICAL APPROACH)
 EXERCISE

• IDENTIFY AND DISCUSS THE NATURE OF INTERDISCIPLINARY

RESEARCH AND ITS RELEVANCE IN A SMALL TEAM
• HIGHLIGHT THE MAIN FIELDS AND APPROACHES TO STUDY
RELATIONS BETWEEN AND NATURE.
• EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES AND CHALLENGES OF IDR WITH HELP OF
EXAMPLES.
• REFLECT ON POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS OF IDR IN YOUR STUDY