[MSc Thesis] Exploring successful experiences with multidisciplinary work through boundary crossing theory

Hein’s thesis research aimed to identify best practices in multi-and-transdisciplinary cooperation, and then in particular those cooperations that take place in the periphery of subjects relating to sustainability and environmental sciences. In order to achieve this, interviews were conducted with environmental experts about their experiences with multi-and-transdisciplinary cooperation.

The interviews were analysed, identifying and grouping the various experiences shared by the interviewees. These groupings were used to construct a toolbox of sorts (see table below), that environmental scientists can use in their work to increase the quality of their cooperation with others, focusing on the communicational barriers and assumptions that either increase or decrease the quality of the cooperation, and thus also the product. The theoretical framework used to analyse the interviewsis based on the four learning mechanisms and their characteristic processes as propsed by Akkerman & Bakker (2008).

In hindsight, the toolbox turned out to better than hoped. It provides concrete, simple and highly practical steps, and focus points, for improving the quality of one's multi-and-transdisciplinary cooperation. The research also showed that cooperation is improved by consciously focusing on the communicational challenges, and provided tools that can aid in precisely that.

Hein Hottentot was supervised by Karen Fortuin (Environmental Systems Analysis Group) and Judith Gulikers (Education and Learning Sciences Group). To find out more about Hein's research, please contact Hein at hein.hottentot@wur.nl.