Synthesis Centres

Alison SpechtMay 2014, ACEAS Grand Workshop

The information deluge

Mackinnon, P.J., Rifkin, W., Hine, D. & Barnard, R. (2010). Complexity and mastery in shaping interdisciplinarity. In: Interdisciplinary higher education: perspectives and practicalities Martin Davies, Marcia Devlin and Malcolm Tight (Eds). Emerald Press.

Increasing integration of disciplines

Increasing complexity

Mackinnon, P.J., Rifkin, W., Hine, D. & Barnard, R. (2010). Complexity and mastery in shaping interdisciplinarity. In: Interdisciplinary higher education: perspectives and practicalities Martin Davies, Marcia Devlin and Malcolm Tight (Eds). Emerald Press.

intra-disciplinarity

Increasing integration of disciplines

Increasing complexity

Mackinnon, P.J., Rifkin, W., Hine, D. & Barnard, R. (2010). Complexity and mastery in shaping interdisciplinarity. In: Interdisciplinary higher education: perspectives and practicalities Martin Davies, Marcia Devlin and Malcolm Tight (Eds). Emerald Press.

intra-disciplinarity

Increasing integration of disciplines

0% 100%

Increasing complexity

Mackinnon, P.J., Rifkin, W., Hine, D. & Barnard, R. (2010). Complexity and mastery in shaping interdisciplinarity. In: Interdisciplinary higher education: perspectives and practicalities Martin Davies, Marcia Devlin and Malcolm Tight (Eds). Emerald Press.

intra-disciplinarity

multi-disciplinarity

Increasing integration of disciplines

0% 100%

Increasing complexity

Mackinnon, P.J., Rifkin, W., Hine, D. & Barnard, R. (2010). Complexity and mastery in shaping interdisciplinarity. In: Interdisciplinary higher education: perspectives and practicalities Martin Davies, Marcia Devlin and Malcolm Tight (Eds). Emerald Press.

intra-disciplinarity

multi-disciplinarity

cross-disciplinarity

Increasing integration of disciplines

0% 100%

Increasing complexity

Mackinnon, P.J., Rifkin, W., Hine, D. & Barnard, R. (2010). Complexity and mastery in shaping interdisciplinarity. In: Interdisciplinary higher education: perspectives and practicalities Martin Davies, Marcia Devlin and Malcolm Tight (Eds). Emerald Press.

inter-disciplinarity

intra-disciplinarity

multi-disciplinarity

cross-disciplinarity

Increasing integration of disciplines

0% 100%

Increasing complexity

Mackinnon, P.J., Rifkin, W., Hine, D. & Barnard, R. (2010). Complexity and mastery in shaping interdisciplinarity. In: Interdisciplinary higher education: perspectives and practicalities Martin Davies, Marcia Devlin and Malcolm Tight (Eds). Emerald Press.

trans-disciplinarity

inter-disciplinarity

intra-disciplinarity

multi-disciplinarity

cross-disciplinarity

Increasing integration of disciplines

0% 100%

Increasing complexity

Logo

We are drowning in information while starvingfor wisdom. The world henceforth will be run by synthesizers, people able to put together the right information at the right time, think critically about it, and make important choices wisely.

—Edward O. Wilson (1998) Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge

Paradoxically, the research infrastructure that may be the most effective in helping society tackle the most complex questions may be the simplest of all: physical and virtual meeting spaces with tailored specialised and logistical support for experts to come together for uncluttered, distraction-free, highly productive thinking time.

the synthesis centre…

Paradoxically, the research infrastructure that may be the most effective in helping society tackle the most complex questions may be the simplest of all: physical and virtual meeting spaces with tailored specialised and logistical support for experts to come together for uncluttered, distraction-free, highly productive thinking time.

Synthesis centres

http://synthesis-consortium.org/

ACEAS characteristics• Ecosystem science

ACEAS characteristics• Ecosystem science

• Linked to an infrastructure facility (TERN)

ACEAS characteristics• Ecosystem science

• Linked to an infrastructure facility (TERN)

• Applied focus

ACEAS characteristics• Ecosystem science

• Linked to an infrastructure facility (TERN)

• Applied focus

• No postdocs, short term funding (< 3 meetings)

ACEAS characteristics• Ecosystem science

• Linked to an infrastructure facility (TERN)

• Applied focus

• No postdocs, short term funding (< 3 meetings)

• Strong development of virtual interface

ACEAS characteristics• Ecosystem science

• Linked to an infrastructure facility (TERN)

• Applied focus

• No postdocs, short term funding (< 3 meetings)

• Strong development of virtual interface

• Delivery products supported:

• Report cards (summary of outcome)

• Data delivery visualisation

Some questions• What is the added value of the science conducted

in syntheses centres?

Some questions• What is the added value of the science conducted

in syntheses centres?• What are the challenges?

Some questions• What is the added value of the science conducted

in syntheses centres?• What are the challenges?• Where should synthesis sit in the research

landscape?

Some questions• What is the added value of the science conducted

in syntheses centres?• What are the challenges?• Where should synthesis sit in the research

landscape?• What is the role of technical (informatics and

other) support in the synthesis process?

Some questions• What is the added value of the science conducted

in syntheses centres?• What are the challenges?• Where should synthesis sit in the research

landscape?• What is the role of technical (informatics and

other) support in the synthesis process? • Is one of the important benefits the provision of

crystallised data to resource managers and policy makers?