The Trials and Tribulations of Working in Interdisciplinary Teams

• In Event: 1523 - Practice Symposium Roundtables
  In Informal Discussion Roundtable: Table 4: Working in Interdisciplinary Teams

Abstract

Sociologists in practice settings often need to engage with researchers from different scientific backgrounds. This challenge not only involves working across disciplines in the social sciences but could also mean interacting with researchers from the natural sciences, medicine, and/or public health. Successful interdisciplinary teams find common ground, which starts with understanding how researchers are trained in different scientific epistemologies. This informal discussion will seek to address major challenges of, and share practical solutions for, working across scientific disciplines.

As a senior science editor on an interdisciplinary project team, I have found that effective collaboration across disciplines requires patience and perspective. Patience is crucial because team members cannot assume familiarity in research training and experience as a basis for engaging with one another. The team essentially must create its own shared language and collective vision to finish tasks and achieve goals. Team members also must be willing and able to shift perspectives, from their own field to that of others. Learning how a different field approaches an issue rests on a healthy dose of curiosity and a willingness to go outside of one’s “comfort zone,” to reflect on interactions among disciplines.

The discussion will aim to provide an opportunity for addressing issues faced by interdisciplinary work teams in practice settings. Participants will be encouraged to share challenges that they have dealt with when working across disciplines and explain how such challenges have been handled. It is hoped that the discussion will lead to practical insights for improving the performance of interdisciplinary teams.

Author

• Eric R. Van Rite, American Institutes for Research