What is interdisciplinary research? What challenges do interdisciplinary researchers confront now? What are the prospects of interdisciplinary research for the coming century?
Interdisciplinary research is one of the most commonly used catchphrases in the field of ecology and broader science in general. This term has been used (and misused) so much that its definition has become very ambiguous and context-dependent. Ecologists generally embrace the importance of interdisciplinary work, but their vision and application varies drastically. The goal of this workshop is to address the current state of interdisciplinary research in ecology, including major benefits and challenges facing researchers, and the future outlook of the field regarding interdisciplinary work. By understanding the challenges that interdisciplinary researchers confront, we hope to better foster interdisciplinary research and scholarship in the academy. We will present an open-discussion workshop emphasizing interdisciplinary ecology from the perspectives of scientists at diverse career stages, culminating in a peer-reviewed publication addressing many of the ideas presented over the course of the workshop. Be prepared to do writing/research prior to and during workshop. If you are currently engaged in interdisciplinary research, planning to delve further into such work, or generally interested in the future of ecological research, we invite you to join us on Saturday, August 8 for a large working-group discussion on these and related topics. ESA general registration is now open, and we encourage you to consider registering for our workshop to have your voice heard! If you have questions, please contact Dennis Tarasi ([email protected]). We hope you can join us! Specific Details: Workshop #6: Educating the Interdisciplinary Ecologist -- assessing educational ecosystems to help ecologists succeed, get hired, and push boundaries. Time Slot: Saturday, August 8, 2015: 8:00 AM-11:30 AM Fee: $25 Dennis Tarasi Chair, CEE Graduate Student Seminar Committee President, Graduate Environment and Ecology Association PhD Candidate, Peet Lab Curriculum for the Environment and Ecology UNC-Chapel Hill
