The complexity of environmental solutions required by society transcends traditional academic boundaries and the environmental sciences have been shown to play a critical bridging role between natural and social disciplines. Interdisciplinary endeavours are being brought to the forefront of scientific research by governments and funding bodies, though with little critical reflection on the effectiveness of the resultant science.
In order to improve our scientific practice as a group, we are aiming to explore interdisciplinarity; seeking to understand what that means in practice, and how it can be fostered in research and training provision, to better deliver societally relevant environmental solutions.
Can interdisciplinarity be measured and assessed? How has it evolved over the last decades, in response to policy drivers? Does it have the potential to provide the answers required by society?
