Rationale
Despite the trend toward more collaborative, interdisciplinary research, there are still many barriers to increasing collaboration. Collaborative research is still a relatively new and evolving way to do science, and the scientific community is constantly adapting to the new trend. The goal of a more collaborative research environment can only accomplished through the collective effort of researchers, administrators, and policy makers. At the center of this effort is the next generation of researchers who will become the future leaders of their fields, and who will shape the way science is done. Thus, it is important that researchers are educated and equipped with the skills needed to undertake interdisciplinary, collaborative research.
Dr. DeBakey set the model for Rice's collaboration with Baylor through his innovative ideas and genuine interest for advancing public health. Current training programmes for developing researchers at Rice can respond to the needs of modern medical research by teaching the importance of Dr. DeBakey's contribution to the medical research community of Rice.
Dr. DeBakey set the model for Rice's collaboration with Baylor through his innovative ideas and genuine interest for advancing public health. Current training programmes for developing researchers at Rice can respond to the needs of modern medical research by teaching the importance of Dr. DeBakey's contribution to the medical research community of Rice.
what needs to be taught
The first step in changing the way researchers are educated is to identify the specific skills required to perform collaborative research. A study published in 2008 identified 17 competencies that are required for successful interdisciplinary research collaborations. Faculty can incorporate training in these competencies into curriculum for curent students.
Taken from "Training for interdisciplinary health research: defining the required competencies":
Conduct research
Taken from "Training for interdisciplinary health research: defining the required competencies":
Conduct research
- Use theories and methods of multiple disciplines in developing integrated theoretical and research frameworks
- Integrate concepts and methods from multiple disciplines in designing interdisciplinary research protocols
- Investigate hypotheses through interdisciplinary research
- Draft funding proposals for interdisciplinary research programs in partnership with scholars from other disciplines
- Disseminate interdisciplinary research results both within and outside his or her discipline
- Advocate interdisciplinary research in developing initiatives within a substantive area of study
- Express respect for the perspectives of other disciplines
- Read journals outside his or her discipline
- Communicate regularly with scholars from multiple disciplines
- Share research from his or her discipline in language meaningful to an interdisciplinary team
- Modify his or her own work or research agenda as a result of interactions with colleagues from fields other than his or her own
- Present interdisciplinary research at venues representing more than one discipline
- Engage colleagues from other disciplines to gain their perspectives on research problems
- Interact in training exercises with scholars from other disciplines
- Attend scholarly presentations by members of other disciplines
- Collaborate respectfully and equitably with scholars from other disciplines to develop interdisciplinary research frameworks
- Author publications with scholars from other disciplines
how to teach collaboration
Facilitating Interdisciplinary Research identifies things educators can do to support interdisciplinary research:
- Train students in research, data-gathering, and data analysis in different disciplines.
- Provide examples of interdisciplinary research by inviting interdisciplinary research speakers and introducing exciting current interdisciplinary research.
- Encourage a broad and comprehensive approach to problem-solving so that it can be applied to multiple disciplines.
- Describe the ways course materials relate to topics in other disciplines.
- Discourage the notion that some disciplines are better than others.
- Support teaching through teams of faculty members from different departments.
- Modify core course requirements so that students have more opportunities to add breadth to their programs of study.
- Provide team-building and leadership-skills development as a formal part of the educational process.