relu Rural Economy and

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relu Rural Economy and

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What makes interdisciplinarity work?

Experience from the Sustainable Uplands project

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Plan%

1.  Sustainable%Uplands:%an%interdisciplinary%research%project%2.  Some%quick%defini>ons%3.  A%children’s%story%4.  Our%story%5.  Conclusions%

All#photos#and#video#have#copyright#permission#for#use#in#this#presenta6on#

24/10/14% 2%relu Rural Economy and

Land Use Programme

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1. Introduction to the project

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•  £1.1M%RELU/LWEC%&%ESRC%funded%project%helping%people%an>cipate%and%adapt%to%future%change%across%UK%peatlands%since%2005%

•  Almost%£1M%coRfunding%from%research%users%•  Interdisciplinary%team%% % % % %%%%%%%%of%25%people%from%5% % % %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%Universi>es%&%2%NGOs%

•  Combined%models%& % % % %%% %with%local%knowledge%%

relu Rural Economy and

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2. Some quick definitions

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Disciplinary%Research%

•  Research%within%one%academic%discipline%•  Goals%set%by%single%discipline%•  LiYle%coopera>on%with%other%disciplines%and%barriers%oZen%erected%

•  Develop%new%theory%and%knowledge%in%a%single%discipline%(may%overlap%with%knowledge%generated%elsewhere)%

%#

# # # # # # #######(Tress#et#al.,#2005)#

Goals Disciplines

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Mul>disciplinarity%

•  Mul>ple%disciplines%•  Goals%set%by%mul>ple%disciplines%in%one%key%area%(e.g.%each%discipline%has%their%own%goal%that�s%compa>ble%with%the%goals%of%other%disciplines%on%the%same%issue)%

•  Loose%coopera>on%between%disciplines%for%exchange%of%knowledge%(oZen%towards%end%of%project)%

•  Develops%new%knowledge%and%theory% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%in%individual%disciplines%

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Interdisciplinarity%

•  Crosses%and%works%between%disciplinary%boundaries%•  People%from%different%disciplines%work%towards%a%common%shared%goal%

•  Integra>on%of%disciplinary%approaches%and%knowledge%

•  Development%of%new%integrated%knowledge%and%theory%

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Do%we%need%interdisciplinarity?%

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Transdisciplinarity%

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Disciplinary%%%

Mul>Rdisciplinary%%%

Interdisciplinary%%%Transdisciplinary%%

Less%integra>on%of%knowledge%

More%integra>on%

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Land Use Programme

•  Working%with%people%from%alien%disciplines%isn’t%always%easy...%

•  So%how%can%we%make% % % %%%%%interdisciplinary%&% % % %%%%%%%%transdisciplinary% % % % %%%%%%%%%%%%research%really%work?%

Making%interdisciplinarity%work%

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3. A children�s story

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Copyright#permission#for#public#reading#from#Harper#Collins#

Think%of%this%story%as%a%metaphor%for%the%challenges%and%rewards%of%working%with%people%from%alien%disciplines%–%what%lessons%can%you%take%from%this%story?%

The boy climbed to higher ground, called again, and waited

Working%successfully%between%disciplines%and%with%stakeholders%is%all%about%inves>ng%in%rela>onships%–%it%is%about%communica>ng%effec>vely%with%each%other%and%fostering%trust%

relu Rural Economy and

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3. Our story

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Communica>ng%with%each%other%

relu Rural Economy and

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Communica>ng%with%each%other%

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Communica>ng%with%each%other%

relu Rural Economy and

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Building%interdisciplinary%capacity%

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

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

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2.%Trus>ng%each%other%

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The%result...%

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Impact%

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5. Conclusion and next steps

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3. Lessons

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My#eureka#moment#would#have#stayed#by#

the#toilets#in#the#Chemistry#building#at#

Leeds#University,#without#the#collabora6on#

&#trust#of#researchers#from#many#

disciplines#and#the#interHprofessional#

network#of#Moors#for#the#Future…#

Lessons%

“

”

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•  Take%your%>me%–%draw%on%your%networks%•  Work%with%people%you%get%on%with%

– Personality%– How%you%view%knowledge%– Values%and%beliefs%

•  More%important%than% % % %%%%%%%%exper>se%and%seniority% % % %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%(to%a%point)%

1.%Build%trust%

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•  Invest%in%internal%communica>on%– Not%just%about%pufng%the%right%people%in%the%room%– Need%to%build%capacity:% % % %%%%%%%understand%each%other’s% % % %%%%%%%%%%%%language%&%approach%

•  The%result:%you’re% % % %%%%%%%communica>ng%with% % % %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%each%other,%not%just% % % % %%talking%at%each%other%

2.%Communicate%

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•  Who%is%conduc>ng?%•  Establish%clear%roles%&%manage%power%•  The%power%of%good%facilita>on%•  Expect%conflict%&%failure% % % %%%%%%%%%%%%%%(its%how%you%deal%with%it% % % %%%%%%%%%%%%that%maYers)%

•  The%result:%you%achieve% % % %%%%%%%%%%what%you%set%out%to%do%

3.%Facilitate%

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•  Different%team%members%will%want%different%outcomes:%make%room%for%as%many%as%you%can%

•  Quick%wins%(papers%re:%preliminary%findings)%•  Delivering%outcomes:%followRon%funding%&%legacy%•  The%result:%a%team%&%impacts%that%last%

4.%Deliver%tangible%outcomes%

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5. Conclusion

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Conclusion%

Working%successfully%between%disciplines%and%with%stakeholders%is%all%about%inves>ng%in%rela>onships%–%it%is%about%communica>ng%effec>vely%with%each%other%and%fostering%trust%

relu Rural Economy and

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www.sustainableuplandresearch.org%www.markreed.webeden.co.uk%

Follow%on:%%%

www.twiYer.com/reluuplands%

www.twiYer.com/lecmsr%(Mark)%%%