Beyond Interdisciplinary
A few weeks ago, I reached out to the 2022-2023 UA ARCS Scholars and asked them how interdisciplinary collaboration played into their STEM-focused academic careers. They had some interesting things to say, but before we get to that, we should talk about the ARCS Foundation.
“The ARCS foundation is a woman-lead organization dedicated to advancing science and supporting engineers and scientists in their research,” explains Carly Cabel, PhD in the Cancer Biology GIDP. “The program provides additional funding for scholars as well as travel funds for conferences or research outside of your home school. The donors are passionate about science and research and want to help their scholars succeed.”
And a lot of that science is interdisciplinary. But why is that important? Danielle Sawyer, an MD-PhD candidate working in Dr. Joann Sweasy’s research lab at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, had this to say:
“The field of cancer biology, like most areas of research, is interdisciplinary. Cancer biology research is broad reaching and can be anything from the formation of cancer to treatment resistance or evasion of the immune response. There are also multiple ways to approach the field of cancer biology, such as with bioinformatics or medical imaging research, biochemical research and drug development, or cell and animal-based research.”
So even within one STEM field, the range of modalities and problems is too broad for a single specialist to tackle alone. You need help, and that entails more than some people realize.
“Interdisciplinary is almost the wrong way to think,” states Matthew Schmidt, a Neuroscience PhD Student, “If I need to understand something new about the brain, it’s not like I go out and talk to a physicist once, right? You have to go reach out and find the people who can help you with it and collaborate with them for a long time.”
And while that might sound like a big investment in something that isn’t directly in your line, you might find that stepping outside of your discipline helps you see things more clearly than staying rigidly within it.
“Meeting other scholars from different fields of research allows us to expand our connections and collaborations,” notes Sawyer, “And to think about our research questions from a fresh new perspective.”
Which brings us back to the ARCS Foundation, which is a great example of how STEM students can network, create connections, and contribute to the future of science—all while interacting with people outside of their fields. ARCS isn’t the only way to talk to people outside of your discipline, but it’s a good model, and it’s the one this article can help you apply to, so for students interested in applying, here’s what you need to know:
“[E]ach department puts out calls for applications based on the number of nominations they have to fill,” says Sawyer. “Students interested should contact their department and/or look for emails in the fall asking for applications.”
The application itself is a mix of grant proposal and personal statement. You’ll have an opportunity to talk about your previous work, your goals, and any awards you may have received, but you also shouldn’t forget to be yourself. Reviewers want to know that there’s a person on the other side of the page, so feel free to let your personality shine through while you’re writing. Also, make sure you’re communicating your research as you would to a non-specialist audience, as not all your reviewers may have expertise is your area of focus.
For more information, students can visit the ARCS Foundation’s website, ask their departments for information, and attend the Graduate Center’s writing workshops to learn how to write a compelling and professional application. We’ll see you there!