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Hermanns Lecture Series participants decide interdisciplinary communication good for environment

Written by Lataisha Jackson, The Shorthorn staff

Monday, 19 October 2009 06:09 PM

The Hermanns Lecture Series themed Greening English ended with a roundtable discussion that determined that interdisciplinary communication would solve environmental problems locally and abroad. Faculty and lecturers who participated in the series, which included workshops, a film and five lectures, presented their viewpoints before opening the discussion to the students and other guests. Biology professor Jim Grover said collaboration between fields should be initiated by asking specialized questions. A university urban ecology study was used as an example. The group had specialized questions which allowed collaboration between natural and social scientists to study the Dallas-Fort Worth ecosystem, Grover said. Jeff Howard, School of Urban and Public Affairs assistant professor, brought up environmental problems, which he said are a result of the lack of collaboration between areas. “To address [environmental] problems aggressively and coherently we have to think about them interdisciplinary,” Howard said. If engineers looked at what they were doing from an interdisciplinary viewpoint the world would not have the same problems with climate control, Howard said. The population is only beginning to ask questions they should have asked decades ago, he said. English graduate student Dyane Fowler said the discussion was informative. “It’s interesting that we have a faction that believes we should have had an interdisciplinary approach to environmental problems and that we are 50 years behind because of that,” Fowler said. Opening research discussions between disciplines is uncomfortable because each discipline searches for different outcomes, said lecturer Karen Raber, University of Mississippi English professor. Raber’s work outside English includes animal studies and working with animal rescuers. “There are difficulties translating from one discipline to another,” she said. “Someone who works with animals all day looks at us and thinks we are ridiculous.” Several agreed it is easier to start discussion from the English discipline. “English is more receptive to the notion of interdisciplinary [discussion],” Fowler said. Questions about ethics, systems in power and values are discussed from different perspectives in interdisciplinary academic, said Greening English coordinator Stacy Alaimo. “In an academic discussion we ask the bigger questions,” she said. “We ask the question what are we trying to accomplish by looking at the broader frame work.” Vinodh Valluri, environmental science graduate student, said the arts and sciences began as one subject, noting the work of Leonardo da Vinci, but over time the two have separated. “We have compartmentalized education,” Valluri said. “And now we are trying to grow roots through those concrete walls.” Views: 332 | E-mail   Be first to comment this article Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6 AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com All right reserved

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 27 January 2010 03:35 PM )

 

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