how to build successful interdisciplinary research teams

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

Building Sustainable PlacesLearning from interdisciplinary research experience

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

Plan

1. Introduction to the project2. A children’s story3. Our story

All photos and video have copyright permission for use in this presentation

04/08/23 2reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

1. Introduction to the project

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

• 7 years (ending 2012)• Sites: Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Galloway• £1.1M from RELU and ESRC• 29 researchers: Universities of Aberdeen, Leeds, St Andrews,

Durham, Sheffield & others with Moors for the Future & Heather Trust

Building sustainable places by working with people in uplands to better anticipate & respond to future change

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

The Sustainable Uplands team:University of Aberdeen:Dr Mark ReedProf Steve Redpath

University of St Andrews:Dr Ioan FazeyDr Anna Evely

Macaulay Institute:Mark SutterMike Rivington

Green = RELU 4th Phase Project

University of Durham:Prof Tim BurtDr Fred WorrallDr Rob Dunford

University of Sheffield: Dr Christina Prell

Wirtschafts University, Austria:Dr Sigrid Stagl

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Austria: Jan Sendzimir

Moors for the Future partnershipThe Heather Trust (Simon Thorp)

University of Leeds:Prof Joe HoldenDr Klaus HubacekDr Nesha Beharry-BorgMs Jan BirchMs Sarah BuckmasterDr Dan ChapmanDr Pippa ChapmanDr Stephen CornellDr Andy DougillDr Evan FraserDr Jenny HodgsonDr Nanlin JinDr Brian IrvineProf Mike KirkbyDr Bill KuninMr Oliver MooreDr Claire QuinnDr Brad ParrishDr Lindsay StringerDr Mette Termansen

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

• Key findings: scenario films using stories to integrate insights from different disciplines (at end or on DVD)

• Challenges and rewards of using interdisciplinary approaches to build sustainable places in partnership between researchers and stakeholders

• Working with people from alien disciplines isn’t always easy...

Building Interdisciplinary Teams

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

2. A children’s story

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

Copyright permission for public reading from Harper Collins

Working successfully between disciplines and with stakeholders is all about investing in relationships – it is about communicating effectively with each other and fostering trust

Working successfully between disciplines and with stakeholders is all about investing in relationships – it is about communicating effectively with each other and fostering trust

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

3. Our story

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

Communicating with each other

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

Communicating with each other

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

Communicating with each other

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

Building interdisciplinary capacity

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

This takes time and hard work.

Just when you thought you’d finished...

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

2. Trusting each other

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

Impact• Inputs to policy processes e.g. via Defra’s upland

policy review, CRC’s upland inquiry, Foresight, NEA, Scottish Government Rural Land Use Study, IUCN peatland programme and consultation responses

• >£800K for 17 projects applying project outputs e.g. Yorkshire Water, Natural England, DEFRA, Premier Waste, United Utilities, Lancashire Wildlife Trust

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

Conclusion

Working successfully between disciplines and with stakeholders is all about investing in relationships – it is about communicating effectively with each other and fostering trust

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

A process of knowledge exchange...

RELU 4th phases project:• Understanding KE/KM processes• Upland/peatland Research,

Policy & Practice Hub

A new way to do research?

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme

Contactwww.see.leeds.ac.uk/sustainableuplands

Follow us on:

www.twitter.com/reluuplands

Email: sustainableuplands@see.leeds.ac.uk

Call or text on: 0797 428 6778