Interdisciplinary Community-Based Research: A Sum of Disparate Parts

Authors

  • Nancy Watterson
  • David Dunbar
  • Melissa Terlecki
  • Caroline Nielsen
  • Lisa Ratmansky
  • Amy Persichetti
  • Kristen Travers
  • Susan Gill

Abstract

For faculty committed to socially responsible community engagement, the process of interdisciplinary course design and assessment can be charged and challenging. At Cabrini College, faculty are involved in precisely this kind of work as part of the College's new core curriculum, Justice Matters. Our study of two connected interdisciplinary courses marks a shift in conceptual models: how we developed from a service learning approach into a participatory, collective process that embeds CBR protocols more intentionally and explicitly. Additionally, the two linked courses illustrate how interdisciplinarity, when combined with CBR best practices, can offer powerful solutions to community issues which often cross disciplinary boundaries. For colleges and universities serious about their commitment to equitable and socially-just campus-community partnerships, our course development process may serve as a useful blueprint for undertaking similar transitions.

Author Biographies

Nancy Watterson

Dr. Nancy Watterson is an Assistant Professor of Social Justice and American Studies in the Department of History and Political Science at Cabrini College. She integrates interdisciplinary, community-based principles and protocols into her “Engagements with the Common Good†seminars, part of Cabrini College’s new core curriculum, known as Justice Matters.  She first began teaching community-based research courses in 2002 with graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania and then with undergraduates at Princeton University from 2003-2006 through the Community Based Learning Initiative (CBLI) and the Princeton Writing Program.

David Dunbar

Dr. David Dunbar is an Associate Professor in the Science Department at Cabrini College. Dr. Dunbar's main research interests include molecular genetics of salt-loving microbes, understanding the biodiversity of bacteriophages, animal DNA barcoding and macroinvertebrates as an indicator of stream health. Macroinvertebrate studies dovetail nicely with Dr. Dunbar's passion for fly fishing for trout.

Melissa Terlecki

Dr. Melissa Terlecki is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department at Cabrini College. Dr. Terlecki's area of expertise lies in psychometrics and studying gender similarities and differences in cognition, with a specialty in videogame research. Her new interest also includes environmental and conservation psychology.

Caroline Nielsen

Dr. Caroline Nielsen is an Assistant Professor of Biology in the Science Department at Cabrini College.  Dr. Nielsen’s research is focused on nitrogen biogeochemistry in terrestrial ecosystems, especially the effects of different land use regimes affect soil microbial nitrogen transformations and nitrate leaching potential.  Her other research focus is on methods for teaching fundamental ecological concepts to non-science students.  

Lisa Ratmansky

Lisa Ratmansky is the Director for the Center of Teaching & Learning at Cabrini College. Since founding the center in 2007, she has designed multiple types of faculty development including mini-grants to support faculty research and pedagogical explorations, summer academies to promote engaged pedagogies, monthly round tables for new faculty, and one-on-one work with faculty supporting their enhanced scholarship of teaching and learning. Her interest in community based research courses began taking shape while teaching social science writing seminars as part of Princeton University's Community Based Learning Initiative (CBLI). 

Amy Persichetti

Amy Persichetti has been teaching Community Based Research courses at Cabrini College since 2004.  In 2006, she secured a Learn and Serve subgrant through the National CBR Networking Initiative (housed through Princeton University's Community Based Learning Initiative and managed in partnership with the Bonner Foundation) to train faculty in the design and implementation of CBR courses.  She is a full time member of the English department. 

Kristen Travers

Kristen Travers is Associate Director of Education at the Stroud Water Research Center.  For the past 10-years she has assisted communities in developing and implementing volunteer based water quality monitoring programs.  Her other interest focuses on communicating science to non-scientists.

Susan Gill

Dr. Susan Gill is the Education Director at the Stroud Water Research Center. Dr. Gill’s interests are in watershed ecology, and ecosystem modeling to study the physical, chemical, and biological processes of streams and rivers, the life histories of individual organisms, and the ecology of watersheds. Dr. Gill also directs educational programs seek to disseminate the findings of the research projects, as well as serve as a resource for science teachers, and enhance the stewardship of watersheds.

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Published

06/30/2011

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2011)

Section

Insights, Case Studies, and Applications

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