Draft:Transdisciplinary Oceanography

Transdisciplinary oceanography is an emerging paradigm of coastal and ocean science that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries, drawing on a range of scientific, social, and humanities-based disciplines to develop holistic understandings of complex ocean systems. Unlike multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary approaches, which often maintain distinct disciplinary perspectives, transdisciplinary research seeks to create new, integrated modes of thinking that synthesize knowledge from various domains. This transformational shift in research and pedagogy within coastal and ocean science is being developed by Dr. Kris Lewis, Assistant Professor of Oceanography, and her research group at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography.

Background on Transdisciplinarity

Transdisciplinarity is a holistic research approach that generates and relies on community building and the co-production of knowledge across academic disciplines and societal actors to solve complex human and natural challenges. Discourse surrounding cross-disciplinary methodologies to address linked human and environmental problems gained traction in the 1950s, and the term "transdisciplinarity" was coined by Jean Piaget, a Swiss psychologist, in 1970. The approach gained popularity as a key conceptual element of post-normal science in the early 1990s and received international recognition in 1994 with the "Charter of Transdisciplinarity" adopted at the First World Congress of Transdisciplinarity. At this time, ecological economics applied transdisciplinarity as a theoretical and methodological framework to guide research practices. Transdisciplinary research continues to be a growing field that has permeated STEM disciplines and the humanities, particularly in human health science, marine science, and the social sciences.

Despite broad applications of transdisciplinarity, there remains an absence of any unifying definition. In an effort to cohere some of the practice's accepted tenets, Lawrence et al. (2022) identify seven fundamental principles of transdisciplinarity: (i) focus on the theoretical unity of knowledge beyond disciplinary boundaries, (ii) inclusion of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research, (iii) active involvement of societal actors, (iv) focus on real-world problems, (v) working toward transformative action, (vi) centering the common good, and (vii) reflexivity. These concepts lay a path forward to ethically and effectively confront science and society's wicked problems.

A Transdisciplinary Approach to Oceanography

The dynamic and interconnected systems of the marine environment uniquely situate the coastal and ocean sciences to advance transdisciplinary research approaches. The physical, geological, chemical, and biological oceanographies are the pillars that support the inherent interdisciplinarity of oceanography as a whole. Transdisciplinary oceanography goes beyond the integration of these sub-disciplines in academic and scientific settings to engage individuals and communities as participants throughout the research life cycle to co-produce knowledge that addresses socio-ecological challenges along our coasts.

Conceptual distinction between disciplinary, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary research related to actors involved. (Grünhagen et al., 2022).

Recognition of the historical and contemporary influence science has on societal issues and its role in a learning process that involves practitioners and non-scientific actors is a key aspect of transdisciplinary oceanography that distinguishes it from other interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches. This participatory dimension makes transdisciplinary oceanography an applied branch of oceanography that transforms the interdisciplinary nature of the field to help solve wicked problems that threaten the livelihoods of people who reside, work, and play in and near the coastal ocean.

Transdisciplinary oceanography empowers coastal communities for whom the science is in service of by ensuring their direct involvement in the identification and solutioning of societal and environmental problems based on their needs. A core component of this process is valuing and leveraging the lived experiences of people and groups from various backgrounds and the diverse ways of knowing that exist beyond Western science. These information systems are often derived from an intimate connection with a people's ancestral lands that can take the form of local or traditional ecological knowledge, which are preserved through oral tradition, cultural practices, and observations. The affirmation of these knowledge sources and experiences as expertise promotes a more holistic and robust research framework and bridges the gap between science and society. In doing so, scientists must be cognizant of the various perceptions different participatory groups may hold and how this could influence the co-production and dissemination of culturally sensitive knowledge. Such efforts of equity and inclusion throughout the research process demand action toward resolving systemic barriers within a coastal community to foster dialogue and assess how embedded inequalities that persist across different groups shape the needs of the community and the socio-ecological changes required to meet these needs. When these perspectives are considered, the involvement of practitioners and societal actors in scientific projects elevates the social relevancy and robustness of the research, ensuring reflexivity to the dynamic needs of changing coastal communities. Furthermore, the work becomes more welcomed and understood by a diversity of community groups, strengthening the bond of science and society.