Doing Interdisciplinary Research

Dr Sawsan Khuri (SHFEA, FRSA) is an educator and entrepreneur. She runs Collaborative Capacities, working with research organisations and funding agencies to facilitate impactful mission-driven cross-sector collaborations and inclusive training. Their recent work with clients both nationally and internationally has focused on strategy development for specific project themes and ethical leadership.Passionate about powering entrepreneurship in young people, Sawsan is the Founding CEO of Volt Entrepreneurs Limited. She is featured in the Super Cool Scientists Coloring Book (Sara MacSorely, 2017), and won the Girls to Women Award at the Diversity Business Incubator Gala 2024. Her contribution to science education continues as a part time Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Exeter Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. Sawsan plays a leadership role in several international organisations, and serves on a number of Boards.

With vivid case studies, deep expertise, and genuine authenticity, this book weaves together the many strands of interdisciplinary research into something both intellectually rich and deeply human. The author brings clarity and skill to complex questions, offering not only a thoughtful guide to interdisciplinary work, but also an inspiring window into how such work can be approached with rigor, curiosity, and care.What makes the book especially compelling is its blend of personal journey, strong scholarship, and practical insight. Through rich examples and a clear commitment to identity, equity, and cultural competence, the author shows that interdisciplinary research is not just about combining fields, but about building meaningful connections across perspectives in ways that are both rigorous and impactful.

• Chapter 1: Introduction: The need for interdisciplinarity and the interdisciplinary mindsetPart I. What is (Inter)Disciplinary Research?Chapter 2: Disciplines, cultures and interdisciplinarityChapter 3: Understanding where to start with interdisciplinary researchChapter 4: Developing skills for interdisciplinary workPart II. Team and Task Integration Processes in Interdisciplinary ResearchChapter 5: Defining your interdisciplinary research problemChapter 6: Forming your interdisciplinary research project teamChapter 7: Integrating your interdisciplinary research teamChapter 8: Maintaining productivity in your interdisciplinary research projectChapter 9: Evolving your interdisciplinary research projectPart III. An introduction to leadership and evaluation in interdisciplinary researchChapter 10: Leading interdisciplinary researchChapter 11: Evaluating interdisciplinary research