IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v5y2013i11p4614-4636d30032.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Role of Transacademic Interface Managers in Transformational Sustainability Research and Education

Author

Listed:
  • Katja Brundiers

    (School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, PO Box, 875402, Tempe, AZ 85287-5402, USA)

  • Arnim Wiek

    (School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, PO Box, 875402, Tempe, AZ 85287-5402, USA)

  • Braden Kay

    (School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, PO Box, 875402, Tempe, AZ 85287-5402, USA)

Abstract

Working towards sustainable solutions requires involving professionals and stakeholders from all sectors of society into research and teaching. This often presents a challenge to scholars at universities, as they lack capacity and time needed for negotiating different agendas, languages, competencies, and cultures among faculty, students, and stakeholders. Management approaches and quality criteria have been developed to cope with this challenge, including concepts of boundary organizations, transdisciplinary research, transition management, and interface management. However, few of these concepts present comprehensive proposals how to facilitate research with stakeholder participation while creating educational opportunities along the lifecycle of a project. The article focuses on the position of a transacademic interface manager (TIM) supporting participatory sustainability research and education efforts. We conceptualize the task portfolio of a TIM; outline the capacities a TIM needs to possess in order to successfully operate; and propose an educational approach for how to train students in becoming a TIM. For this, we review the existing literature on TIMs and present insights from empirical sustainability research and educational projects that involved TIMs in different functions. The article provides practical guidance to universities on how to organize these critical endeavors more effectively and to offer students an additional career perspective.

Suggested Citation

  • Katja Brundiers & Arnim Wiek & Braden Kay, 2013. "The Role of Transacademic Interface Managers in Transformational Sustainability Research and Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(11), pages 1-23, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:5:y:2013:i:11:p:4614-4636:d:30032
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/5/11/4614/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/5/11/4614/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Luks, Fred & Siebenhuner, Bernd, 2007. "Transdisciplinarity for social learning? The contribution of the German socio-ecological research initiative to sustainability governance," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(2-3), pages 418-426, August.
    2. Blackstock, K.L. & Kelly, G.J. & Horsey, B.L., 2007. "Developing and applying a framework to evaluate participatory research for sustainability," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(4), pages 726-742, February.
    3. Katja Brundiers & Arnim Wiek, 2013. "Do We Teach What We Preach? An International Comparison of Problem- and Project-Based Learning Courses in Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-22, April.
    4. Sonia Talwar & Arnim Wiek & John Robinson, 2011. "User engagement in sustainability research," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 38(5), pages 379-390, June.
    5. John Robinson & James Tansey, 2006. "Co-production, emergent properties and strong interactive social research: the Georgia Basin Futures Project," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 33(2), pages 151-160, March.
    6. Timothy Lant & Clea Senneville, 2010. "Credibility, salience, and legitimacy of boundary objects: water managers' assessment of a simulation model in an immersive decision theater," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 37(3), pages 219-232, April.
    7. Failing, L. & Gregory, R. & Harstone, M., 2007. "Integrating science and local knowledge in environmental risk management: A decision-focused approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 47-60, October.
    8. Potvin, Louise & Cargo, Margaret & McComber, Alex M. & Delormier, Treena & Macaulay, Ann C., 2003. "Implementing participatory intervention and research in communities: lessons from the Kahnawake Schools Diabetes Prevention Project in Canada," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(6), pages 1295-1305, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Gianluca Stefani & Mario Biggeri & Lucia Ferrone, 2022. "Sustainable Transitions Narratives: An Analysis of the Literature through Topic Modelling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-25, February.
    2. Boakye-Danquah, John & Reed, Maureen G., 2019. "The participation of non-industrial private forest owners in forest certification programs: The role and effectiveness of intermediary organisations," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 154-163.
    3. Daniel Culotta & Arnim Wiek & Nigel Forrest, 2016. "Selecting and coordinating local and regional climate change interventions," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 34(7), pages 1241-1266, November.
    4. Joaquín Paredes-Labra & Ivana-Mariel Siri & Alessandro Oliveira, 2018. "Preparing Public Pedagogies with ICT: The Case of Pesticides and Popular Education in Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-12, September.
    5. Laurens K. Hessels & Stefan P.L. De Jong & Stijn Brouwer, 2018. "Collaboration between Heterogeneous Practitioners in Sustainability Research: A Comparative Analysis of Three Transdisciplinary Programmes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-16, December.
    6. Shirley Vincent & Katelyn Dutton, 2017. "Integration of interdisciplinary environmental and sustainability education and research and urban sustainability," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 7(1), pages 112-120, March.
    7. Ian Thomas, 2014. "Special Issue—Pedagogy for Education for Sustainability in Higher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-4, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Stina Hansson & Merritt Polk, 2018. "Assessing the impact of transdisciplinary research: The usefulness of relevance, credibility, and legitimacy for understanding the link between process and impact," Research Evaluation, Oxford University Press, vol. 27(2), pages 132-144.
    2. Clara-Jane Blye & Elizabeth A. Halpenny & Glen T. Hvenegaard & Dee Patriquin, 2020. "Knowledge Mobilization in the Beaver Hills Biosphere, Alberta, Canada," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-23, October.
    3. Livia Fritz & Claudia R. Binder, 2018. "Participation as Relational Space: A Critical Approach to Analysing Participation in Sustainability Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-29, August.
    4. Katja Brundiers & Arnim Wiek, 2013. "Do We Teach What We Preach? An International Comparison of Problem- and Project-Based Learning Courses in Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-22, April.
    5. Carmen, Esther & Watt, Allan & Carvalho, Laurence & Dick, Jan & Fazey, Ioan & Garcia-Blanco, Gemma & Grizzetti, Bruna & Hauck, Jennifer & Izakovicova, Zita & Kopperoinen, Leena & Liquete, Camino & Ode, 2018. "Knowledge needs for the operationalisation of the concept of ecosystem services," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 29(PC), pages 441-451.
    6. Claudia Musekamp & Tobias Gerhartsreiter & Emmanuelle Quillérou & Nicola Favretto & Thomas Falk & Ali Salha & Laura Schmidt & Mark Reed & Sarah Buckmaster, 2015. "ELD Initiative: Practitioner’s Guide," Working Papers hal-01954818, HAL.
    7. Allison Bridges, 2016. "The role of institutions in sustainable urban governance," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 40(4), pages 169-179, November.
    8. Jung Eon Kwon & Hyung Rok Woo, 2017. "The Impact of Flipped Learning on Cooperative and Competitive Mindsets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-15, December.
    9. Paul Stock & Rob J.F. Burton, 2011. "Defining Terms for Integrated (Multi-Inter-Trans-Disciplinary) Sustainability Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 3(8), pages 1-24, July.
    10. Hardy, Derrylea J. & Patterson, Murray G., 2012. "Cross-cultural environmental research in New Zealand: Insights for ecological economics research practice," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 75-85.
    11. Xiaodan Zhou & Ling-Hsiu Chen & Chin-Ling Chen, 2019. "Collaborative Learning by Teaching: A Pedagogy between Learner-Centered and Learner-Driven," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-14, February.
    12. Bach Quang Ho & Yuki Inoue, 2020. "Driving Network Externalities in Education for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-16, October.
    13. Fielden, Sarah J. & Rusch, Melanie L. & Masinda, Mambo Tabu & Sands, Jim & Frankish, Jim & Evoy, Brian, 2007. "Key considerations for logic model development in research partnerships: A Canadian case study," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 115-124, May.
    14. Markus Dressel, 2022. "Models of science and society: transcending the antagonism," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-15, December.
    15. Vandermeulen, V. & Van Huylenbroeck, G., 2008. "Designing trans-disciplinary research to support policy formulation for sustainable agricultural development," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(3), pages 352-361, October.
    16. Shuang Liu & David Cook, 2016. "Eradicate, contain, or live with it? Collaborating with stakeholders to evaluate responses to invasive species," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 8(1), pages 49-59, February.
    17. David Wittstruck & Frank Teuteberg, 2012. "Understanding the Success Factors of Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Empirical Evidence from the Electrics and Electronics Industry," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(3), pages 141-158, May.
    18. de Jong, Stefan P.L. & Wardenaar, Tjerk & Horlings, Edwin, 2016. "Exploring the promises of transdisciplinary research: A quantitative study of two climate research programmes," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(7), pages 1397-1409.
    19. Natalie A Jones & Pascal Perez & Thomas G Measham & Gail J Kelly & Patrick D’Aquino & Katherine Daniell & Anne Dray & Nils Ferrand, 2008. "Evaluating Participatory Modeling: Developing a Framework for Cross-case Analysis," Socio-Economics and the Environment in Discussion (SEED) Working Paper Series 2008-11, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems.
    20. Sandra Ricart & Anna Ribas & David Pavón, 2016. "Qualifying irrigation system sustainability by means of stakeholder perceptions and concerns: lessons from the Segarra‐Garrigues Canal, Spain," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 40(1-2), pages 77-90, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:5:y:2013:i:11:p:4614-4636:d:30032. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.