Research
The TSS group studies and develops methodologies for transformational sustainability science as a research practice, including co-producing, implementing, evaluating, and scaling evidence-based solutions to sustainability problems, such as extreme heat or inequities in the food economy.
Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Applications
On one level, we are critically reviewing and synthesizing methodological contributions in sustainability science to develop practical guides aimed at early-career sustainability scholars and professionals.
At the same time, we are engaging in interdisciplinary collaborations to explore how these approaches can inform conceptual and methodological developments outside of sustainability science – for example in the engineering disciplines.
Finally, we engage in transdisciplinary collaborations to apply these approaches to real-word problems to conduct research on urban heat mitigation and food economy innovations.
Transdisciplinary Interface Management
Collaborations between researchers and societal actors – transdisciplinary collaborations – are essential for solving sustainability challenges. However, they are often harder than they look. Misaligned goals, conflicting work timelines, and different ways of working can hinder even the most promising transdisciplinary efforts. Without support, these partnerships risk producing fragmented knowledge or stalled progress on sustainability transformation.
The TSS group is currently exploring the role of Transdisciplinary Interface Managers (TI-Managers) to address these challenges. TI-Managers are professionals who facilitate collaboration between scientists and practitioners working on complex sustainability problems (see, e.g., Brundiers et al., 2013). Leveraging their competencies in cultivating relationships, managing projects, facilitating collaboration, and supporting sustainability transformations, TI-Managers have the potential to significantly improve the quality and impact of transdisciplinary research.
Our research program explores how to create paces for meaningful science-practice collaboration. Too often, transdisciplinary projects start from scratch, with little continuity or institutional support to link efforts, share lessons learned, or sustain momentum across initiatives. We ask:
- How can we create lasting structures, or “interfaces,” that make collaboration more effective from the outset? What kinds of interfaces and support systems help people work in transdisciplinary projects across boundaries and move toward shared impact?