Lessons so far from the PLuS Alliance International Interdisciplinary Researchers Program

As part of the program I attended a week-long workshop at King’s College London in January 2019. Our morning sessions were led by Professor Barry Bozeman, in which we explored the common challenges of research collaboration, including authorship (discuss early, always). Professor Bozeman also covered styles of research collaboration, with ‘consultative collaboration’ argued to be the most effective. Consultative collaboration is a high-energy but high-reward approach that involves whole team communication, a high level of trust between collaborators, a commitment to open and transparent disagreement, and recognition of diverse values and objectives.

We also participated in a four-day ‘ideas lab’ facilitated by Toby Scott from ‘KnowInnovation’.

Toby skillfully led us through dynamic group-based exercises with the end goal of developing new and innovative research ideas. The value of the workshop went beyond the skills taught by Toby; the process of the workshop illuminated, in real-time, the challenges of working in groups to develop new ideas.
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It was particularly interesting to see how the human brain is wired to dislike novelty and the unexpected. It is extremely challenging to inhibit judgement and ‘let the ideas flow’.

Several interesting project ideas emerged throughout the workshop, across the fields of global health, psychology, sociology, climate science, and medicine. I look forward to seeing what develops over the next six months as the teams tackle the inevitable challenges of global collaboration.

Brittany McGill is a clinical psychologist and PhD candidate in the Behavioural Sciences Unit.