RTTA 4/1: Annual Interviews

Assessing the reach and impact of CNS-ASU activities is a critical part of guiding our development as a research center. RTTA 4/1's interviews are an attempt to document and assess the influence of CNS-ASU activities on the faculty and researchers with whom CNS-ASU collaborates.

To accomplish this, a series of interviews is conducted annually. This protocol has focused on the knowledge, identity, and practices of our collaborating scientists, particularly around their understanding of the societal aspects of their work. We conducted baseline research in Spring 2006 and annually in 2007-2009. The team began adding Fall rounds as well in 2010 and 2011.

The annual interviews ask several questions that center around interdisciplinarity. Interviews in 2010-2011 found that, in almost all cases, participants agree that there is value and benefits gained from working an interdisciplinary environment, but this is reported to be the case only after initial language and/or cultural barriers were somehow transformed or transcended.