Exploiting the multidisciplinary environment in Oulu Riitta Kamula 17th March, 2017

Exploiting the multidisciplinary environment in Oulu HUMANS TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT

Remember this thing called ”mobility” ?

Mobility should be encouraged Salzburg Principles for Doctoral Training (2005) Increasing mobility Doctoral programmes should seek to offer geographical as well as interdisciplinary and intersectoral mobility and international collaboration within an integrated framework of cooperation between universities and other partners. Seven Principles for Innovative Doctoral Training (2011) Interdisciplinary Research Options Open research environment and culture to ensure that any appropriate opportunities for cross-fertilisation between disciplines can foster the necessary breadth and interdisciplinary approach. Exposure to industry and other relevant employment sectors In the widest sense. International networking Collaborative research, cosupervision (cotutelle), dual and joint degrees.

Mobility should be encouraged But encouraging mobility is not enough ! Mobility must also be enabled !

Multidisciplinarity Fuding Why go with multidisciplinarity? ENVIRONMENT HUMANS TECHNOLOGY Why go with multidisciplinarity? Innovation interface New findings arise from collisions at the boundaries of disciplines An old question in one field may require a new angle from other field’s approach to answer it

Keys for multidiciplinarity: forgetting pride and being open-minded Too many projects are dropped, or not started, due to the absence of expertise in the research unit Help might be found by undertaking a collaborative project with the unit, or institute, next door. Keys for multidiciplinarity: forgetting pride and being open-minded

Multidisciplinarity Fuding What’s in it for me? Career development ENVIRONMENT HUMANS TECHNOLOGY What’s in it for me? Career development Broader experience Greater diversity of skills More comprehensive view New employment possibilities More funding sources available

Research profile with five focus areas (4.02.2016) Science with Arctic attitude Creating sustainability through materials and systems Molecular and environmental basis of life-long health Digital solutions in sensing and interactions Earth and near-space system and environmental change Understanding humans in change https://notio.oulu.fi/en/news/Documents/Strategia_Esitys_9_2_2016_ENG.pdf

University of Oulu : your internal playground 3.1.2018 University of Oulu : your internal playground Multidisciplinary since the very beginning at 1958 10 FACULTIES Faculty of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine Faculty of Education Faculty of Humanities Faculty of Information Technology & Electrical Engineering Faculty of Medicine Faculty of Science Faculty of Technology Oulu Business School Oulu Mining School Oulu School of Architecture UNIVERSITY OF OULU GRADUATE SCHOOL 4 Doctoral programmes (from 1.1.2017) Health & Biosciences Human Sciences Technology & Natural Sciences Information Technology & Electrical Engineering MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH CENTRES (Umbrella organizations) Thule Institute Biocenter Oulu Eudaimonia Infotech HUMANS TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT Research Units 6 SEPARATE DEPARTMENTS Tellus Arena Center for Microscopy & Nanotechnology Kajaani University Consortium Laboratory Animal Centre Library Oulu Southern Institute 5 COOPERATION CENTRES & PROGRAMMES Center for Energy & Environment Centre for Health & Technology Centre for Measurement & Information Systems Center for Printed Intelligence Martti Ahtisaari Institute

… and don’t forget your fellow doctoral students

University of Oulu : your external playground; some examples 3.1.2018 University of Oulu : your external playground; some examples Regional cooperation Business Oulu / City of Oulu … National cooperation Finnish Institute of Occupational Health National Institute for Health and Welfare LYNET - Finnish Partnership for Research on Natural Resources and the Environment Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira Finnish Environment Institute SYKE Finnish Meteological Institute Geological Survey Finland of GTK National Land Survey of Finland Natural Resources Institute Finland LUKE VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland International cooperation Scandinavian universities NorDoc Hokkaido University University of the Arctic HUMANS TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT

Discussion with your neighbour 5 minutes Multidisciplinarity Discussion with your neighbour 5 minutes Your research: What discipline(s) is it based on ? What other field(s) in Oulu could be interested in, or make use of your results ?

Common challenges encountered in multidisciplinarity? Communication: No common understanding Different disciplines have ”different languages” The terminology has to be opened again and again Perspectives can be drawn in different directions

Common challenges encountered in multidisciplinarity? Communication: No common understanding Solution? Consistent definitions and terminology Good will Humour …

The challenges encountered in multidisciplinarity? Career development The down-side of the personal benefits defined by broader experience and greater diversity of skills: Unclear / confusing professional identity Difficulty for the employers to categorize your competence

What are the challenges in multidisciplinarity? 2. Career development Solution? Clarify to yourself what skills and competence you have, or may need, to be employable Core Transferable AND LEARN TO COMMUNICATE THEM!

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” -Charles Darwin