and recommendations as to how such research can b

1
Building Effective Interdisciplinary Teams in
Health Promotion Research
Sharon A. Brown, PhD, RN, FAAN colloquium
sponsored by the Center for Health Promotion
Disease Prevention Research in Underserved
Populations May 1, 2006
2
Overview

Case for interdisciplinary research

Known challenges in conducting
interdisciplinary research
Learned experiences AVP RGV
3
Reference

examine scope of IDR and provide findings,
conclusions, and recommendations as to how such
research can be facilitated by funding
organizations and academic institutions.
National Academies

Committee on Facilitating Interdisciplinary
Research
sponsored by the Keck Foundation
Committee report released on November 19, 2004
httpwww7.nationalacademies.org/interdisciplinary/
4
Definition

IDR is a mode of research by teams or
individuals that integrates information, data,
techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts, and/or
theories from two or more disciplines or bodies
of specialized knowledge to advance fundamental
understanding or to solve problems whose
solutions are beyond the scope of a single
discipline or area of research practice.
National Academies

Committee on Facilitating Interdisciplinary
Research
sponsored by the Keck Foundation
httpwww7.nationalacademies.org/interdisciplinary/
5

Reference The National Academies. (2004).
Facilitating Interdisciplinary Research.

• Complexity of nature and society
• Desire to explore problems and questions that are
  not confined to a single discipline
• Need to solve societal problems
• Power of new technologies

DRIVERS
6
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
NEW PATHWAYS TO DISCOVERY Building Blocks,
Biological Pathways, and Networks Molecular
Libraries and Imaging Structural
Biology Bioinformatics and Computational
Biology Nanomedicine RESEARCH TEAMS OF THE
FUTURE High-Risk Research Interdisciplinary
Research Public-Private Partnerships RE-ENGINEERI
NG THE CLINICAL RESEARCH ENTERPRISE
NIH Roadmap
http//nihroadmap.nih.gov/index.asp
7


National Science Foundation
Crossing Boundaries Interdisciplinary Science
(February 2003) www.itrd.gov/pubs/blue04/crossing
_boundaries.pdf
NSF Directorates Directorate for Biological
Sciences Interdisciplinary Training for
Undergraduates in Biological and Mathematical
Sciences Crosscutting Programs Division of
Physics Education and Interdisciplinary Research
8
ChallengesSocial science research could help
understand the IDR challenges

• Research Leader
• clear vision
• effective communication
• team building skills

9
Challenges

• Time required to
• build consensus
• Language and culture of
• another discipline

10
Challenges

• Institutions
• traditions and policies involving hiring,
  promotion, tenure and resource allocation
• collaborative partnerships among universities,
• industry, and government
• (industry and national labs. have history
• of interdisciplinary collaboration)

11
Challenges

• Journals
• publication policies of professional journals
• Funding agencies
• peer review process
• NIH now allows more than one PI on a grant

12

Challenges

• Indirect Costs
• Internal link IDC
• External subcontract

13

LESSONS LEARNED a personal perspective
14
The University of Texas at AustinInterdisciplinar
y Research Initiative2000 - 2002
Foveated Visual Search From Humans to
Machines Psychology Computer and Electrical
Engineering

• Cycle 1
• 55 applications - funded 4
• Cycle 2
• 50 applications - funded 4
• Peer Review Committee
• Convincing argument that project is
  interdisciplinary

15
Interdisciplinary Research Initiative

Michael Becker, CoE Desiderio Kovar, CoE John
Keto, Physics, CNS James Brock, CoE
Aerosol-Jet Deposited Nanoparticle Films for
Piezoelectric Micro Electro Mechanical Actuators
NSF Interntl. Programs NSF NIRT THECB - ARP
ATP 1,237,409
16

Interdisciplinary Research Initiative
Michael Krische, CNS John McDevitt, CNS Dean
Neikirk, CoE
Size Selective Nanoparticle Synthesis Toward
the Design of Multi-Spectral Detector Arrays
NSF CAREER Award Sloan Foundation Fellow Dreyfus
Teacher Scholar NIH NSF-NIRT, NSF-NER Funding
1.5 million
17

Interdisciplinary Research Initiative
Yolanda Padilla, SW Robert Hummer, LA Nancy
Reichman, Princeton, Child Wellbeing
A Demographic Approach to the Study of Child
Health and Development in the Mexican American
Population
NIH (NICHD) 750,000 (pending Minority
Supplement 134,000)
18

Promoting the Health of Mexican Americans with
Type 2 Diabetes
The Starr County Border Health Initiative 1988-200
5

• Sharon A. Brown, PhD, RN, FAAN
• The University of Texas at Austin
• Craig L. Hanis, PhD
• The University of Texas HSC-Houston

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RESEARCH TEAM

• Craig L. Hanis, PhD, Co-PI (Houston PI)
• (geneticist)
• Alexandra García, RN, PhD, co-investigator
• (previous graduate student)
• Kamiar Kouzekanani, PhD, statistician,
  co-investigator
• Philip Orlander, MD, clinical expert
• Maria Winchell, MS, Research Associate
• Project Directors
• Nancy MacNaughton, MPH
• Sara Barton, MS

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Rio Grande Valley Staff

• Professional Staff
• Evangelina Villagomez, MSN, RN
• Mario Segura, MSN, RN
• Lilia Fuentes, MSN, RN
• Lita Silva, MSN, RN, CDE
• Nora Morín Siller, RD, LD
• Maria Olivia Garza, RD, LD
• Ana Gonzalez, MS, RD, CDE
• Norma Cottrell, RD
• Mila Villareal, MSN, RN
• Juan Jesús Treviño, LD
• Patricia Ramírez, RD, LD
• Rogelio Contreras, BSN, RN
• Celia Zuñiga, BSN, RN

• Community Workers
• Hilda Guerra, Manager
• Sylvia Hinojosa
• Marie López
• Imelda Martínez
• Alma Martínez
• Jesusa L. Salmon
• Maricela Garza
• Maria Coder
• Umbelina Reyna
• Minerva Margo
• Elva Yolanda Morado
• Maria Garza
• Clara Treviño

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50 Attendance

Overcoming a Genetic Predisposition for Diabetes
Multi-disciplinary Test interventions to promote
sustained, and perhaps enhanced, health
improvements Interdisciplinary Examine the
influence of genetic variation on responses to
behavioral interventions
STUDY OUTCOME HbA1c
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Challenges from a personal perspective

• Differing Cultures and Perspectives
• Language
• Publications
• Authorship
• Logistics and project management
• Roles PI vs. co-PI vs. co-I
• Decisions
• Meetings
• Graduate students
• Long-term plans
• Budgets
• Subcontract

23

Recommendations

• Review Specific Aims -- what expertise is needed?
• Acknowledge your limitations
• Carefully seek experts to fill the needs
• Obtain input from experienced researchers
• Consider the long-term research trajectory
• Be frank about the budget limits
• Pilot studies can be used as trials of working
  together
• establish a pre-agreement