Office of Research and DevelopmentNational Exposure Research Laboratory

Integrated MultidisciplinaryIntegrated MultidisciplinaryResearch – It’s ORD’s FutureResearch – It’s ORD’s Future

Lawrence Reiter, Ph.D.Lawrence Reiter, Ph.D.Director NERLDirector NERLNovember 6, 2008 November 6, 2008

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Disciplinary ScienceDisciplinary Science

Knowledge, skills, Knowledge, skills, methods within the methods within the boundary of a discipline boundary of a discipline

Singular efforts within a Singular efforts within a well-defined well-defined specializationspecialization

The goal is a deep The goal is a deep understanding of a single understanding of a single problem or a single problem or a single aspect of a problemaspect of a problem

May involve many scientists, and scope of May involve many scientists, and scope of analysis may be broad, but still employs the analysis may be broad, but still employs the methods and theories of a single disciplinemethods and theories of a single discipline

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Multidisciplinary ScienceMultidisciplinary Science

• Using the knowledge, understanding of more than one Using the knowledge, understanding of more than one disciplinediscipline

• An An additiveadditive approach that combines efforts of more than one approach that combines efforts of more than one disciplinediscipline

• Efforts seek to combine the results of specialized , Efforts seek to combine the results of specialized , disciplinary approaches for a broader understanding of a disciplinary approaches for a broader understanding of a problem or questionproblem or question

• CooperationCooperation among contributors is necessary among contributors is necessary

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Integrated Multidisciplinary ScienceIntegrated Multidisciplinary Science

• Using the methods, knowledge of more than one Using the methods, knowledge of more than one discipline concurrentlydiscipline concurrently• A A cumulativecumulative approach that approach that synthesizessynthesizes the the

perspectives of the individual disciplines and perspectives of the individual disciplines and integrates during all phases of the approach to a integrates during all phases of the approach to a question or problem. question or problem. • True True collaborationcollaboration, beyond mere cooperation, is , beyond mere cooperation, is

essentialessential

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Benefits or Payoffs to Integrated Benefits or Payoffs to Integrated Multidisciplinary ResearchMultidisciplinary Research

• Its what ORD can excel at!!Its what ORD can excel at!!

• Able to tackle bigger, more challenging problemsAble to tackle bigger, more challenging problems– Real world problems don’t align with a single disciplineReal world problems don’t align with a single discipline– Facilitates the development of a user perspective, allowing Facilitates the development of a user perspective, allowing

researchers to be more aware of processes and their researchers to be more aware of processes and their consequences for researchconsequences for research

• Uses a systems approach to framing problem/setting Uses a systems approach to framing problem/setting boundariesboundaries– Affects how problem gets framedAffects how problem gets framed– Researchers are more aware of the problem, particularly how Researchers are more aware of the problem, particularly how

the different components of the problem interrelate in the larger the different components of the problem interrelate in the larger environmental/technical contextenvironmental/technical context

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Put another way…..Put another way…..

Do we want to addressDo we want to addressthe problem???the problem???

Or solve it???Or solve it???