Editor’s note:

In a recent publication in Cell Press's Nexus, Professor Chen Deliang of Tsinghua University explores the intricate dynamics of interdisciplinary research in his article "Challenges in Cross-disciplinary Interactions for Sustainable Development Goals." His analysis underscores that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is not without its hurdles, including cultural differences, information overload, the academia-industry divide, and complex evaluation and reward systems. Professor Chen advocates for open dialogue, aligned objectives, mutual understanding, respect, and trust-based partnerships to navigate these challenges. This approach promises to unlock innovative solutions that propel us towards a sustainable future.

Dive into Professor Chen’s thought-provoking analysis and discover how interdisciplinary collaboration can transform the landscape of sustainable development.

1.Importance of cross-disciplinary collaborations

Tackling society's most complex challenges, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), requires research that goes beyond a single discipline. To achieve sustainable development, solutions must integrate social, economic, and environmental considerations. This is where cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary work becomes crucial.

• Cross-disciplinary work involves applying the methods and insights from one discipline to another without merging the boundaries between fields. A discipline is about a division of labour that employs particular theories and methods, and each discipline has its own culture and rules. Crossing discipline is about breaking these rules and crafting new ones.

• Interdisciplinary work, on the other hand, blends different methodologies and perspectives from multiple disciplines. When many disciplines interact with each other and share concepts and approaches, new integrated approaches and solutions that span disciplines emerge. Approaches are interdisciplinary when they focus primarily on the integrated system, not only on its components.

Both approaches involve engaging multiple disciplines and are often used interchangeably in practice. For this article, we will consider both under the broader umbrella of crossdisciplinary interactions.

These interactions are essential for innovation—the driving force behind discoveries and technologies that are critical for achieving SDGs. By working together, different fields can generate breakthroughs that none could achieve alone. For example, the collaboration between climate researchers and computer scientists has led to advancements in AI-aided climate predictions and climate actions.

2.Challenges and solutions

Despite the importance of cross-disciplinary collaborations, they often face significant challenges, especially when focusing on industrial innovations aimed at SDG goals. These challenges arise due to differences in the goals, languages, methods, and cultures of the collaborating partners. Institutional silos and reluctance to leave the conform zone of a specific discipline can also play a role in hindering successful collaboration. Without mutual understanding and proper alignment, misunderstandings and conflicts can occur, slowing progress and, in the worst case, even preventing us from achieving our goals.

Although there are many challenges, the following four are major areas where these challenges manifest:

Cultural Differences

Cultural differences between disciplines or intuitions can be an invisible yet critical challenge. Each discipline has its own set of values, norms, and ways of thinking. These differences can cause friction or distrust if not properly addressed.

For example, let’s consider the concept of resilience that is widely used:

• In engineering, resilience often means restoring a system to its original state after a disturbance, like restoring an electric power supply system after a disruption caused by extreme weather.

• In ecology, resilience refers to a system’s ability to adapt and transform in response to change, sometimes reaching a new status that is better than the original one. For instance, an ecosystem might evolve positively and improve its function after a wildfire, compared to its status before the wildfire.

When engineers and ecologists collaborate on landscape planning, for example in urban areas, their differing interpretations of resilience can lead to conflicts in goals. Engineers might prioritize restoration, while ecologists push for adaptation and transformation. To avoid this, it’s important to clearly define key terms and align objectives from the start.

However, these differences can also be a strength. When managed well, they foster creative problem-solving by bringing together multiple perspectives, leading to more innovative solutions. This is indeed the core value of cross-disciplinary collaborations.

Information Overload

Cross-disciplinary work often involves combining knowledge from different fields, which can lead to information overload. People involved may struggle to manage large volumes of highly specialized data from different disciplines. This can be overwhelming and hinder collaboration, as it becomes difficult to integrate all the information into a cohesive strategy.

For example, in a project combining climate science, economics, and public policy, each field may contribute complex data, information, and knowledge. Without effective tools to manage this complex set of information, participants of the project might struggle to make sense of it all.

To address this, a system approach and advanced data management tools can help organize and analyze large datasets, making it easier for members of the project to extract the most relevant and essential information. For instance, using data visualization software can help partners see patterns and relationships between different types of data, enabling more informed decision-making.

Academia-Industry Divide

The divide between academia and industry is a well-known challenge in cross-disciplinary work. Academia tends to focus on theoretical advancements and long-term research, whileindustry is more focused on practical applications and short-term results. Without mutual understanding, these differing expectations can lead to frustration on both sides. Ultimately, these different priorities often make collaboration difficult, sometimes can even deter people from collaborating.

To bridge this gap, fostering dialogue between science, policy, and industry is crucial. The key is to establish trust among the partners. Joint meetings or workshops that bring together academic researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers can help align their efforts toward achieving common goal. Also, open communication and mutual respect for each other’s perspectives and constraints can significantly enhance collaboration. Finally, the roles of human relations and social activities should not be ignored.

Strategies to overcome this divide include:

• Encouraging open communication: Regular and transparent dialogue helps prevent misunderstandings.

• Creating a shared vision: Aligning on common goals, such as achieving SDGs, gives everyone a clear target to work toward.

• Building partnerships and trust: Strong, trust-based relationships are essential for effective collaboration across different sectors. Building a culture of respect and collaboration is the key. When team members from different disciplines feel appreciated, competition is reduced, and they are more likely to work together effectively.

Evaluation and Reward System

The existing academic and professional reward systems often prioritize single-discipline achievements, discouraging engagement in cross-disciplinary work. For example, most current funding schemes and reward structures are discipline-specific, leaving interdisciplinary efforts with fewer opportunities to be positively evaluated and rewarded.

To address this issue, it is essential to develop evaluation metrics that recognize and reward interdisciplinary contributions, such as their impact on real-world applications or collaboration outcomes. Another potential solution is to adopt dual-affiliation appointments to bridge this gap—an approach already implemented by some universities and encouraged by certain funding agencies.

Leadership

In many cases, strong leadership is critical to the success of cross-disciplinary projects. A good leader must clearly articulate the project’s vision, motivate the team, and effectively manage the integration of diverse perspectives. Leadership also involves conflict resolution—navigating disagreements that may arise due to different approaches or priorities.

3.Conclusion

Cross-disciplinary interactions are essential for achieving the SDGs. These collaborations integrate diverse perspectives, creating innovative solutions that wouldn’t be possible through single-discipline approaches. While challenges like cultural differences, information overload, and the academia-industry divide can slow progress or even prevent us from achieving shared goals, strong leadership, effective communication, and long-term trust building can help teams overcome these barriers. However, addressing these issues and building trust among partners involved in cross-disciplinary collaborations requires patience, as well as long-term thinking and strategic planning.

By fostering open dialogue, creating shared goals, ensuring mutual understanding and respect, and building partnerships based on trust, cross-disciplinary collaborations can drive groundbreaking innovations that advance the SDG agenda and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Declaration of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process

During the preparation of this work the author used Copilot in order to improve the languish and readability. After using this tool, the author reviewed and edited the content as needed and takes full responsibility for the content of the publication.