CMS Interdisciplinary Spring School 2023

In October, CMS hosted its secondary interdisciplinary course – a one-week spring school focusing on Inter- and transdisciplinary approaches for sustainable marine futures.

The Spring School brought together 20 masters and PhD students, Post Doctoral Fellows, and other early career professionals from diverse backgrounds and disciplines (including socio-ecology, law, oceanography, art, ecology, health, and social sciences) to connect and learn about the theory and practice of undertaking inter- and transdisciplinary research. The aim of the course was to equip students with the skills necessary to understand and engage in interdisciplinary marine and climate change research.

Dr Rachel Kelly (CMS Knowledge Broker) hosted and co-ordinated the Spring School.

CMS welcomed visiting researcher Professor Natalie Ban as the Guest Chair of the Spring School. Natalie’s own research is highly inter- and transdisciplinary: spanning geography, resource management and environmental studies, amongst others. Her work is at the forefront of seeking solutions to contemporary challenges related to marine conservation and fisheries.

CMS affiliates, including CMS ECRs, delivered lectures and content across the week on topics including climate change adaptation, systems thinking, grant-writing, working across cultures, and pitching research ideas to stakeholders. In addition, the students worked with Tasmanian marine stakeholders to co-develop interdisciplinary project proposals that sought to address real life stakeholder issues and needs. The students pitched their creative proposals to the stakeholders and their cohort on the last day of the course and received constructive feedback on how to best build on their good ideas to strengthen them.

Thank you to all the CMS affiliates who gave their and energy to delivering content and supporting students over the week. We were thrilled to receive their positive feedback on the Spring School content and course overall. The students’ reflections highlight the value of these kinds of interdisciplinary course, and of the benefits (and fun!) of bringing together researchers and stakeholders to better understand one another and work together.

Special thanks to Dr Hannah Fogarty (CMS Exec Support) for organisation and support

Read more about the course description here: CMS Interdisciplinary Spring School 2023 | Centre for Marine Socioecology

Participant feedback

• CMS Spring School is definitely paving the path as an international renowned research opportunity – more of this please!

• I liked meeting and working with a diverse group of people, particularly on a tangible ‘real world’ problem. Was nice to stop and think for a week.

• The Spring School was engaging and useful – I highly recommend.

• The course was amazing, the talks, the discussions, everything was really rich and applicable for our contexts. A really good space to listen and share about our and others’ experiences. Love the diversity!

• It was a good opportunity to meet people in this space who have an interest in more interdisciplinary work. Something like this should be encouraged from undergraduate.

• I think courses like this are very necessary.

Dr Rachel Kelly, Prof Natalie Ban, and Prof Gretta Pecl with student cohort.