Big Interdisciplinarity

The project will develop a workshop with assembled leaders of large, interdisciplinary projects involving natural and social scientists to address complex and dynamic human–natural systems associated with agriculture, forestry, and other managed natural resources. The workshop activities will draw on experiences, lessons learned, and emerging visions for best practices for execution of these practices to meet policy imperatives and the needs of stakeholders, and to impart concepts and skills to scientists and practitioners required for ongoing success in addressing these critical of issues. The leaders of three large, USDA–NIFA funded Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAP) will work with SESYNC personnel to design the curriculum, activities, and paths to outcomes for this workshop, which will be convened in late spring or summer of 2016, with workshop findings synthesized during the remainder of 2016. The principal output will be a best-practices manual for large projects for current and future directors of large-scale integrated projects involving natural and social sciences. This manual can then form the basis for additional training workshops delivered by SESYNC.