The past few years have seen a steady growth in interdisciplinary research as the boundaries between scientific fields slowly begin to blur. Today, interdisciplinary research is being seen as the most effective way of tackling intricate socio-economic problems and is now being considered the best way to develop new knowledge streams.1 Interdisciplinary research involves researchers from various disciplines working together to resolve common issues and spark scientific breakthroughs.
An interdisciplinary research example is the field of neuroeconomics, which combines economic concepts with an understanding of neuroscience to develop a deeper understanding of the neural mechanisms that underlie economic behavior, and consequently affect human decision-making. Another example of interdisciplinary research is the study of materials science, which brings together engineering, physics, and chemistry to create innovative new materials with distinct features.
These interdisciplinary studies have produced ground-breaking findings that could revolutionize socio-economic development, transform industries, and advance our knowledge of complex systems.
Advantages of interdisciplinary research
The ability to make connections between different concepts and ideas is the foundation of interdisciplinary research. Take a look at the many advantages of interdisciplinary research.
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Facilitates an active exchange of knowledge
Interdisciplinary research enables active knowledge and concept sharing between academics and researchers across different disciplines. By working collaboratively and pooling their knowledge and skills, researchers can achieve fresh insights, creative solutions, and innovative breakthroughs that would not have been possible through conventional, discipline-specific approaches.
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Addresses complex global challenges
Interdisciplinary research can help to address real-world problems that require a multidisciplinary approach. For instance, the looming threat that climate change poses to our world needs to be addressed by experts across different domains, including environmental sciences, geology, economics, and politics. This interdisciplinary approach is critical to address the impact of climate change and to mitigate its adverse effects on natural resources, agricultural production, and life on our planet.
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Leads to the creation of new scientific fields
Researchers can assist in identifying global issues and developing new scientific disciplines by collaborating with teams made up of experts in a variety of subject areas. Interdisciplinary research and collaborating with scholars in other subjects can inspire the development of completely new fields of inquiry that explore previously uncharted territory. For instance, the discipline of bioinformatics integrates computer science and biology to provide innovative, new methods for studying biological data.
Disadvantages of interdisciplinary research
While the advantages of interdisciplinary research are clear for all to see, there are also some potential disadvantages of interdisciplinary research.
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Challenges in finding common ground
One of the first disadvantages of interdisciplinary research is that it can be challenging to find common ground between researchers across fields, as they may have different ways of thinking and different approaches to problem-solving. This can lead to communication difficulties and disagreements about the purpose and direction of the research.
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Resource-intensive, time-consuming research
Interdisciplinary research, unfortunately, frequently requires more time and resources than conventional, discipline-specific research. This is due to the fact that researchers will typically need to spend more time and energy getting to know peers from various backgrounds and gaining a basic understanding about other disciplines. This also makes interdisciplinary research more difficult to fund and can lead to project delays.
Benefits of interdisciplinary research for researchers2
Despite these challenges, interdisciplinary research is likely to continue growing in the years to come, opening up many opportunities and benefits of interdisciplinary research.
- Better critical thinking skills: Interdisciplinary researchers need to consider varied viewpoints and synthesize concepts from different subject areas to solve a specific research topic. This helps to build their critical thinking skills, enhance their knowledge, and advance their career.
- Well-rounded problem-solving approach: By looking across to other disciplines, researchers may gain fresh or better insights on their own data and methods. Interdisciplinary research also allows scientists to understand and apply interdisciplinary concepts and ideas to support and explain their own research.
- Visibility to a wider audience: Interesting topics of research often lie on the boundaries of more traditional research disciplines. By thinking creatively, applying your expertise in collaboration with peers across different disciplines, you gain better visibility and a wider audience for your research.
Interdisciplinary research is being used to develop innovative solutions to increasingly complex and multifaceted problems in a continually and quickly evolving world. The Human Genome Project is a stellar interdisciplinary research example, where experts from a wide range of disciplines, including genetics, biology, bioinformatics, and computer science came together to complete the human genome sequence. It took hundreds of researchers from across the world more than a decade to see this amazing achievement through successfully.
The results have revolutionized our knowledge of genetics and created new opportunities for the study and treatment of genetic diseases. Another good example of interdisciplinary research is the creation of new, sustainable renewable energy sources. Researchers from the environmental sciences, engineering, and geology collaborated to develop new technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, and energy storage systems, which have the potential to transform the way we produce and consume energy.
Interdisciplinary research continues to be crucial in tackling challenging scientific issues and developing a fresh approach to problems encountered in the real world. And as the examples above show, interdisciplinary research can produce some innovative breakthroughs; and while it may present some initial challenges, these are fortunately far outweighed by its many advantages.
Reference:
- Ledford, H. How to solve the world’s biggest problems. Nature, September 2015. Available online at https://www.nature.com/articles/525308a
- The 5 Significant Advantages of Interdisciplinary Research. Institute for Humane Studies, November 2016. Available online at https://www.theihs.org/blog/5-advantages-of-interdisciplinary-research/
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