The Essence of Interdisciplinary

Research
Speaker: Martin Dunn

Writer: Sreetej Lakkam

Research is performed to induce scientific development in any field. High quality research
aims to produce knowledge which is applicable in diverse fields. Professor Dunn focusses on
developing a research eco-system that promotes interdisciplinary research at SUTD. From his
vast experience in mathematical modelling to describe systems and find further application,
he stresses on the importance of cross disciplinary research and effects.

Variation in Research Ideologies

The approach towards research depends on many factors. One of the vital things is the local
environment, which consists of key stake holders. Multiple funding agencies with varying
interests like the government, industry have an agenda for supporting any research. Further
financiers who assist in running research labs expect returns and this call for the research to
be relevant to the interest of financiers. The research ecosystem is a balance between strategic
identification of need of the financiers and using intellectual resources like faculty and
students to accomplish research goals. The whole system works in two approaches bottoms-
up approach where ideas are pitched and funding is provided at large and research is
accomplished. Conversely there is top-down approach where great care is taken to nurture
resources in the fields of innovation and research.

Another classic differentiator is the purpose of research. The two main types are research for
understanding known as blue sky research which consists of research in pure sciences, and
research for application. Blue sky research focusses on scientific goals whose immediate
applications are not apparent. It is mostly curiosity driven and the scientific breakthroughs in
this basic research are sometimes ground breaking like development in stem cell research and
genome sequencing which were initially thought of as theoretical concepts. On the contrary
research for application is driven by real world applications like research focused by DARPA.
The development of GPS and Internet was interdisciplinary as it involves resources from
many fields. The focus of this kind of research is to exploit the technology.

Importance of Inter-Disciplinary research

Interdisciplinary research can benefit from enormous intellectual resources across different
disciplines. The collective working among various groups of researchers will bridge the gap
between disciplines. Interdisciplinary research areas like bio-informatics combining a
traditional biology with computer science solves issues related to large group of pathogens.
Rapidly identifying patterns related to infectious disease evolution by simulation genome
sequences can only be possible by effective merger of these two diverse fields of science.
Such challenges and opportunities for scientific advancement can only be discovered through
interdisciplinary research.

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 The Essence of Interdisciplinary
Research
Traditional university structure which is developed around basic sciences is now giving way
to exploration of research areas between disciplines. The collaboration between departments
leads to development of research centres and research institutes. Interdisciplinary research
institutes like The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard and The
Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, which is an epicentre of a highly
collaborative effort to fight cancer utilize the vast expertise across disciplines to develop
rapid and effective solutions to most dreadful issues.

Unique Style of SUTD

SUTD is developed with the aim to avoid hindrance by disciplinary constraints. The research
problems are developed across fields, creating a large dynamic network of connections
between external agencies like government and funders. Further the research labs are
established with larger themes to promote interdisciplinary research. They aim to spark
shared intellectual resources across disciplines. The system works as a dynamic nodal
network and emergent research patterns due to this collaborative research will lead to ground
breaking discoveries.

The research is primarily focussed in three segments.

Design and making

Urban solutions, issues and challenges of urbanization, City networks

Cyber-physical world and challenges

These research areas are not exclusive but are all connected as nodes in a dynamic network. It
is a combination of top-down and down top universities approaches. The research structures
like International Design Centre (IDC), Digital Manufacturing Centre(DMAND), Centre for
innovation of cities involve deep disciplinary component and also depend of real solid
collaboration, leading to true sense of interdisciplinary research.

Obstacles in Interdisciplinary research

Main obstacles in collaborative research are differences in technical jargon between research
disciplines leading to difficulties in collaboration and understanding. Further having an open
view about all the disciplines and showing respect for methods of fellow researchers is of
paramount importance. Another major obstacle is the research community acceptance of
interdisciplinary research, as interdisciplinary researchers generally find it hard to publish in
journals based on disciplines.

Finally interdisciplinary nature of the studies is valuable not only for its immediate benefits to
our research, but also for keeping the door open to diverse career paths in the sciences.
Interdisciplinary knowledge induces creativity as innovation comes at intersections. It also
encourages rapid learning and adaptability through skill transfer across disciplines, which is
vital to solve the complex multi-dimensional problems of the future.