Interdisciplinary Early Career Researchers - Perspectives and Potential Partnerships

Interdisciplinary research and collaborations are key to addressing complex and wicked global socio-ecological challenges. However, institutional structures and practices that can support interdisciplinary research are still developing and shared understanding on how best to develop effective interdisciplinary research and researchers is lacking – including engaging and developing early career researchers (ECRs) and their capacity. This presentation highlights the need for and value of engaging ECR skills and perspectives in interdisciplinary research, particularly for identifying and co-creating visions of the future. It will be informal and conversational, and hopefully foster knowledge sharing on experiences, insights, and opportunities for future work and partnerships with early career researchers.

This talk is by Dr Rachel Kelly. Dr Rachel Kelly is a Knowledge Broker at the Centre for Marine Socioecology (University of Tasmania). She oversees the centre’s approach to end-user engagement, and research uptake in the context of informing marine and coastal (and climate) issues and solutions. She also conducts research in this role as a Marine Socioecologist. Her research focuses on human dimensions of sustainability and inter/transdisciplinary approaches and her work centres around collaboration with diverse teams to develop sustainable solutions to ocean and climate challenges, including in Future Seas 2030. This has involved research collaborations with CMS, as well as with the World Maritime University in Sweden, Future Oceans and Coastal Infrastructures (FOCI) Consortium in Canada, iDiv in Germany, NESP Climate Systems Hub, Australian National University, and other international interdisciplinary groups.