How to survive as an interdisciplinary being
- 1. Hiroki Sayama Binghamton University, State University of New York sayama@binghamton.edu
- 3. 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 Report 3
- 4. Una chimera by Jacopo Ligozzi (15471627) 4
- 5. Interdisciplinary sounds cool! (At least to students, university admins and funding agencies) There is a societal demand for them (?) New academic programs are often produced by mixing faculty from multiple disciplines You simply cant find a classic disciplinary job 5 Image:https://bit.ly/2Ch0ez9
- 6. B.Sc., M.Sc. & D.Sc., all in Information Science (= Computer Science) at the University of Tokyo Doctoral dissertation on constructing evolutionary systems in deterministic cellular automata Postdoc at NECSI, working with physicists, ecologists, biologists, engineers, mathematicians, chemists, etc. First position: Dept. of Human Communication at UEC Second position: Dept. of Bioengineering, Binghamton Third position: Dept. of Systems Science and Industrial Engineering, Binghamton Additional position: School of Commerce,Waseda University 6
- 7. Artificial Life (10) Complexity (5) Physical Review E (5) Physical Review Letters (3) Scientific Reports (2) PLOS ONE (2) Journal of Complex Networks (2) Leadership Quarterly (2) Complicity: An International of Complexity and Education (2) New Journal of Physics Brazilian Journal of Physics Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation Applied Network Science Computers and Mathematics with Applications Natural Computing BioSystems Journal of Theoretical Biology Expert Systems with Applications IEEE Intelligent Systems IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation IEEE Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems Communications of the ACM IPSJ Transactions IPSJ Transactions SIG-TOM Transactions of the JSAI Organizational Research Methods Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory Organizational Psychology Review Current Research in Social Psychology Journal of Mathematical Psychology Group Decision and Negotiation Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation Discrete Applied Mathematics Conservation Biology NeuroImage Brain Informatics Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience Psychological Medicine Clinical Psychological Science Schizophrenia Bulletin Complex Adaptive Systems Modeling Complex & Intelligent Systems International Journal of Parallel, Emergent and Distributed Systems Concurrent Engineering Journal of the Society for Art and Science PLOS Currents: Outbreaks PeerJ FORMA Journal of Three Dimensional Images http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~sayama/pub.html?Type 7
- 10. Who you are What you do Why it is important (to them) 10
- 11. A QUESTION I RECEIVED AT ALIFE 2018 I obtained my PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies.When I applied to a faculty position at XXX University,they asked me at the interview,Can you teach Operating Systems? Although I am good at computers and computer programming,I am not a computer scientist.How should I have answered that question? 11
- 12. Reaching the right venue/audience is extremely difficult Cultural/methodological differences Jargon Never-ending literature review Rejection, rejection, rejection 12
- 13. EXAMPLE A paper first written and submitted to a journal in 2009; rejected (2010) Resubmit & reject (2012) Resubmit (2012) -> Revise & Resubmit (2013) -> sucked into an editorial black hole for 12 months -> eventually withdrawn (2014) Resubmits & Rejects (2015, 2016, 2018, 2018) We snapped and fought back to the editor/reviewer Currently under review 13
- 14. Reaching the right funding program is (again) extremely difficult Proposals may be reviewed by panels who know NOTHING about what you do E.g.Bioengineering in my case Need to satisfy ALL of those domain experts Need to give reasons for funding to ALL divisions involved All $$$s have strings attached 14
- 15. 15
- 16. EXAMPLE ONR MURI 2007 rejected ONR MURI 2008 rejected LM 2008 rejected ONR MURI 2009 rejected NSF RI 2009 rejected ONR 2009 rejected NSF RI 2010 rejected NSF BECS 2010 rejected NSF CAREER 2010 rejected NSF CAREER 2011 rejected JSMF 2012 rejected (and perhaps more) NSF RI 2013 accepted 16
- 19. People just want simple labeling I am a computer scientist (by training). Department of Bioengineering -> Collective Dynamics of Complex Systems Research Group People dont give a f--- who you are or what you do It is your job to make them pay attention and support you; practice it! 19
- 20. Being different gives you values Focus on and highlight your uniqueness Dont try to hide or blend in Develop good narratives of how you are unique, how it can be useful, and for what/whom 20
- 21. Stuff you learned at college (even for PhD) will be useless in no time Changing your identity and brand is perfectly fine Continuous change and adaptation can also be part of your identity 21
- 22. Find the right people Take time to learn Respect each other Give (and take will come later -- be patient) (But collaboration shouldnt take up 100% of your time) 22
- 23. 23 Satisfy people who have power to influence your life/career Dissertation committee Editors, reviewers Program officers, grant panels Tenure committee, Department Chairs, Dean, University admins Satisfy your own desire and curiosity This is why you are who you are Evenings and weekends are for this!
- 24. For the academic homeless, the whole world is their home Yes, I can do that Do new stuff and you will always gain something 24
- 25. Your family and friends Your collaborators Your students & staff Your audience (Even your reviewers, maybe) They will be of your help when needed Cherish your home even if you think you are academically homeless 25
- 26. 8. ENJOY INTERDISCIPLINARY LIFE Freedom! Fun to learn you things and gain a big picture Benefit from cross-fertilization of ideas Can have access to low-hanging fruits Can lead to more diverse career directions It is a natural way of being, after all 26
- 27. By Graham Moore https://youtu.be/xbNJq90t0Wk 27
- 28. 28 @hirokisayama