The Toolbox Initiative: An Approach to Facilitating Discussion Among Interdisciplinary Teams

Resource: Learning Materials
description of toolbox initiative

Dr. Sanford Eigenbrode, a Distinguished Professor at the University of Idaho, discusses "The Toolbox Initiative" that he and Dr. Michael O'Rourke of Michigan State University developed. It is a method to facilitate discussion among interdisciplinary teams that may give you ideas on how to do such with your own interdisciplinary teams. Like SESYNC's use of conceptual diagramming to stimulate discussion to help new teams move forward productively, the goal is to prompt an open and honest discussion of values, beliefs, and methods relevant to the research task and team work. Evidence is growing that such activities enhance the success of diverse research teams as measured in multiple ways such as novelty and impact of the research as well as team member satisfaction.

  • About the Presenters
    A headshot of Sanford Eigenbrode

    Sanford Eigenbrode

    Dr. Sanford Eigenbrode is Professor and Chair of the Division of Entomology at the University of Idaho. He received degrees in Natural Resources (MS, 1986) and Entomology (PhD, 1990) from Cornell University. Sanford conducts research on chemical ecology of insect-plant and multi-trophic interactions. This has included an emphasis on the chemical ecology, landscape ecology, and management of insect-vectored viruses of wheat, potatoes, and legumes in the Pacific Northwest. The regional scope of this work has led to substantial interdisciplinary effort addressing the sustainability of...

    Read more.
    A headshot of Sanford Eigenbrode

    Sanford Eigenbrode

    Dr. Sanford Eigenbrode is Professor and Chair of the Division of Entomology at the University of Idaho. He received degrees in Natural Resources (MS, 1986) and Entomology (PhD, 1990) from Cornell University. Sanford conducts research on chemical ecology of insect-plant and multi-trophic interactions. This has included an emphasis on the chemical ecology, landscape ecology, and management of insect-vectored viruses of wheat, potatoes, and legumes in the Pacific Northwest. The regional scope of this work has led to substantial interdisciplinary effort addressing the sustainability of agricultural systems. He is project director for a $20M NIFA Coordinated Agricultural Project on Regional Approaches to Climate Change in Pacific Northwest Agriculture. He has been a co-PI on two NSF-IGERT projects, one ongoing, studying resilience of ecological and social systems in changing landscapes, which includes extensive collaboration with the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center in Costa Rica. Sanford is engaged in research with philosophers and sociologists focused on improving the process of collaborative science. In 2013, he was named University Distinguished Professor at the University of Idaho.

Presenters
Sanford Eigenbrode, University of Idaho
Date
Share

Related Content