Core aspects of inter- and transdisciplinary research are knowledge co-creation and integration (Adelle et al., 2020; Bulten et al., 2021; Hoffmann et al., 2017; Lang et al., 2012). A precondition for successful co-creation and integration is that researchers take on new and/or different roles within inter- and transdisciplinary (ITD) teams. Being aware of researchers’ different roles in ITD teams supports the joint research endeavor in many ways, such as making expectations about own and others’ roles transparent (Bulten et al., 2021; Hilger et al., 2021). To raise this awareness, our workshop, based on a paper in preparation by the contributors, introduces a new tool we developed for mapping researchers’ roles in ITD research teams in a parsimonious and accessible way and for sparking reflection on the role profiles on individual and team level. Workshop participants apply the tool, thereby getting to know the tool and reflecting on their own roles in ITD research.
Based on literature in inter- and transdisciplinary sustainability science (e.g. Bulten et al., 2021; Hoffmann et al., 2022; Wittmayer & Schaepke, 2014), the mapping and reflection tool covers six typical roles of researchers in ITD projects: traditional scientist, self-reflexive scientist, knowledge integrator, knowledge broker, process facilitator, and change agent. The design of our tool considers that researchers may take on multiple roles to varying degrees at the same time. Application of the tool consists of a role survey for researchers, instant visualization of the resulting role profiles, and a list of individual and group-level reflection questions. We empirically tested the tool in two four-year ITD research projects in the fields of sustainable food systems and watershed management. Based on results from this multi-case study, we discuss the value of our tool and derive suggestions on how to advance the mapping of and reflection on researchers’ roles in ITD research projects.
In our two cases, the mapping tool detected a broad diversity of roles of researchers. In both ITD projects, the roles of traditional scientists and knowledge integrator were rather strong, whereas the role of change agent was weakest. Furthermore, notable differences exist for role profiles of senior and junior researchers as well as between natural and social scientists. The individual and group reflection revealed numerous opportunities and challenges related to role profiles of individual researchers as well as the ITD project team as a whole. Overall, the mapping and reflection tool proved to be an easy-to-apply tool for making researchers’ roles in ITD projects transparent. This enabled a discussion about role self-perception and perception by others in the project team and sparked discussions about how roles in the team should develop. It also allowed project members to reflect on coping strategies for the challenges they experienced in connection with their role profiles.
Outline of workshop content
In this workshop, we will introduce participants to a mapping and reflection tool for researchers’ roles in ITD research projects, which we developed and applied in a multi-case study. The workshop kicks-off with a short presentation of the basic design of the tool and its embedding in the growing literature on researchers’ roles. Notably, we set the tool in the context of debates about (1) the number and granularity of researchers’ roles that need to be distinguished and (2) the possibility of taking on several roles simultaneously. We explain why our tool focuses on the limited number of six roles and considers that researchers assume several roles simultaneously but to varying degrees.
The core of the workshop is a guided, interactive application of the tool by participants to map and reflect on their own roles in ITD research. The application proceeds as follows: (1) participants fill out a short survey that operationalizes six common roles in ITD research; (2) based on the survey, participants map their scores for the six roles on a spider web visualization; (3) using guiding questions provided in the end of the survey, participants reflect individually on opportunities and challenges of their role profile; (4) in breakout groups, participants present and compare their role profiles and jointly reflect on the opportunities and challenges they identified for their role profiles.
Following the application, we briefly present the results of our test of the tool in two ITD research projects. We show patterns in the role profiles of both projects and present the opportunities and challenges identified in connection with these role profiles.
The workshop concludes with a plenary discussion of participants about the value of the presented mapping and reflection tool and its potential use in ITD projects in which participants are involved. The discussion compares the insights gained from our empirical results from two ITD projects with insights gained from the application of the tool by participants in the workshop session. Especially, participants discuss to what extent the use of the tool can contribute to knowledge co-creation and integration in ITD research.
The aims of the workshop are:
• Participants become familiar with the mapping and reflection tool through theoretical introduction and own practical application
• Participants reflect on their own roles in ITD research and related opportunities and challenges based on their application of the tool
• Participants discuss the value of the tool for making researchers’ roles in ITD research transparent based on empirical results from two projects and participants’ own reflections
Outline of workshop design
• 10’ Introduction to tool and literature context
• 40’ Contributors guide participants through tool application [Individual exercise: mapping your own role profile (10’). Discussion in breakout groups: opportunities and challenges of role profiles (30’)]
• 10’ Presentation of results from previous tool applications within two inter- and transdisciplinary research projects
• 30’ Plenary discussion and wrap-up
Key readings
Bulten, Ellen, Laurens K. Hessels, Michaela Hordijk, and Andrew J. Segrave. 2021. “Conflicting Roles of Researchers in Sustainability Transitions: Balancing Action and Reflection.” Sustainability Science 16 (4): 1269–83. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-021-00938-7.
Hoffmann, Sabine, Lisa Deutsch, Julie Thompson Klein, and Michael O’Rourke. 2022. “Integrate the Integrators! A Call for Establishing Academic Careers for Integration Experts.” Humanities and Social Sciences Communications 9 (1): 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01138-z.
Wittmayer, Julia M., and Niko Schäpke. 2014. “Action, Research and Participation: Roles of Researchers in Sustainability Transitions.” Sustainability Science 9: 483–96.
