Seduced by interdisciplinary research

Vivienne Parry talks to Dr Seth Bullock about his interdisciplinary research and discovers that those who "inhabit the cracks between disciplines" are seduced by ideas and potential.

The seduction of interdisciplinary research

Dr Seth Bullock is a hard man to categorise. Not a computer scientist, not a biologist, not a neuroscientist. Forced to put himself into a box, he might eventually agree to one labelled evolutionary simulation modeller. What's certain, is that if you cut him in half, seaside rock style, you'd find interdisciplinary written right through him.

His field is an extraordinary one: applying information from self-organising complex biological systems to the solution of a wide range of problems in totally different areas, from the economics of markets, to the mammoth computer systems used in government.

The advice given most often given to those who want to pursue interdisciplinary research is steer well clear. Those who do work in it are seduced by its ideas and its potential.

A foundation in cognitive science

You could say that Seth Bullock was born to interdisciplinary research. He studied cognitive science at Sussex University at a time when it was organised into multi-disciplinary schools, rather than departments.

Many disciplines were represented within the cognitive science school, which included psychologists, linguists, philosophers and computer scientists. Seth assumed everyone worked like that. "I only realised how uncommon that was when I left."

He now works at the School of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS) at Southampton. He is principal investigator on a £1.5 million EPSRC-funded project, exploring spatially embedded complex systems engineering (SECSE) where the research certainly lives up to its acronym.

Information flows

He explains it with an analogy to the NHS. Someone drawing up a map of information flows as a prelude to designing a national computer system, might capture all the logical relationships in hospitals, such as those from doctor to doctor, very well.

However, although the ability of consultants to discuss a case at a local meeting, might improve care, the importance of this geographical proximity in terms of information flows would not be included.

"Normal representations of information systems wash away the gel – the spatial embedding - which binds professional practice." This has implications for the development of complex, very large computer systems such as those used in government.

The drawbacks

Bullock admits that life for scientists who inhabit the cracks between disciplines is not always easy. There are many pitfalls. Some are basic, like language.

"The word 'model' means something different to a geographer, a computer scientist and an economist." Even teaching an interdisciplinary subject is challenging. He has recently set up an MSc in complexity science, which will train scientists to work in the organisation of large-scale technology.

Those on his course come from a wide range of backgrounds. "Its tricky to teach without being patronising to some or leaving others behind. The point is that they should end up learning as much from each other as from the lecturer."

Funding is another gripe. Even though the research councils and most Vice Chancellors espouse the interdisciplinary cause, the structures to support it are not yet in place. For instance, the RAE has tended to work within strict disciplinary boxes.

Stepping out on a limb

There is no doubt that a safer career option would be to single out a recognised discipline of promise and pursue it, and Bullock is aware that students following interdisciplinary research are taking a risk.

"Career progression can be a problem, which is one reason why we introduced the MSc". But Bullock is clear what the advantages are. "The intellectual horizons are amazing."

And the value of such research to ordinary Britons is equally dazzling.

Dr Seth Bullock will be a guest speaker at our first Crucible 2007 Lab for interdisciplinary researchers, in June.