New Club at ISU Promotes Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration

Idaho State University has launched an Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG). Founded by graduate student J.D. Wardell, the club aims to create a collaborative and innovative research environment that bridges traditional academic boundaries.

Under the guidance of faculty advisor Dr. Matthew Levay, a professor in the Department of English, the IRG is set to foster a dynamic research community at ISU. The club’s mission is to unite students and faculty from various disciplines, encouraging the exchange of ideas and enhancing the overall quality of research on campus.

Wardell was inspired to create this club based on his own experiences as a student.

“My interdisciplinary thinking and work as an undergraduate in communications, like my time in Dr. Michele Brumley’s research lab, made my experience as an undergraduate so much more rich than it would have been otherwise,” he says. “My introduction to research also was part of what inspired me to want to go on to graduate school and get involved with research.”

Wardell says that as a graduate student now, he hopes to create a place where students can learn more about the research process, and have an open forum for students to discuss research with other students and faculty members from a diverse range of backgrounds and colleges. 

“My main goals are to have strong representation from each college on campus this year,” he says. “We also want to hold an Interdisciplinary Research Showcase at the end of the year to show off all the amazing interdisciplinary research happening on campus. My goal is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for people to experience and learn about research.”

Dr. Levay emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing research.

“Students and faculty benefit enormously from interdisciplinary collaboration," he says. "Whenever you talk about your research with someone from another field, you have to explain it accurately and precisely, in a way that communicates your central claims and methods to a nonspecialist. This forces you to think about the essential components of what you’re doing, and makes you a better communicator to a wider public. Also, and equally importantly, when you hear your colleagues and peers in other fields talk about their research, you get an immediate sense of why it matters, how it can connect with your own work, and where the methods and findings of other disciplines can actually help you answer those pesky but necessary questions that always pop up in any research project. Interdisciplinary conversations can broaden your perspectives while also revealing possible approaches and projects you might never have considered otherwise.”

The IRG has outlined several key objectives, including offering a centralized source of information on research processes, cultivating a community of dedicated researchers, and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration. Members will have access to resources such as workshops on literature reviews, data analysis, and academic writing.

Monthly meetings will feature guest speakers and collaborative roundtable discussions, allowing students to present their research ideas and network with peers and faculty. The club will also support participation in significant research events like the annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition and ISU’s Research and Creative Works Symposium.

Wardell emphasizes that the goal of the club is not to have students going off on their own doing research without proper theory, supervision, or process, but to emphasize the importance of proper research methods and to encourage students to seek out their advisors regarding research ideas. 

Levay says that the IRG will provide students with an opportunity to learn from one another across all disciplines and fields by sharing their experiences in the classroom, in the lab, and in their own research projects with a larger, engaged audience. 

“This group will foster a supportive environment for student researchers at all levels, providing feedback, advice, and encouragement to anyone passionate about research, broadly defined,” Levay says. “Students at ISU are already conducting groundbreaking research; this club will provide an even bigger audience for that work.”

The IRG is currently pending approval from ASISU, with plans to announce membership and future activities once finalized. Students interested in joining can learn more and sign up through the club’s website:  linktr.ee/irgisu.

Wardell says that the biggest challenge he’s faced thus far in the creation of this club is believing in his idea enough to put himself out there to do it. 

“I think that is my message to anyone reading this,” he says. “If you have an idea that might seem out of the box, find someone and talk it out!”