Interdisciplinary Committee

■      Darlene Kertes (Chair) University of Florida

■      Sarah Lindstrom Johnson (Co-Chair) Arizona State University

■      Ryan Broll (Member) University of Guelph

■      Alyssa LaBerge (Member) University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

■      Samantha LeBouef (Member) University of Minnesota

■      Yang Qu (Member) Northwestern University

■      Johari Harris (Member) Kennesaw State University

■      Christy Rogers (Member) Texas Tech University

■      Gail Ferguson (Board Representative) University of Minnesota


Current Committee Initiatives

To gather new information regarding possible strategies for enhancing efforts to further interdisciplinary research, collaboration, and representation within the organization and within the field of research related to adolescence.
  1. Refine nomination and review processes for interdisciplinary award.
  2. Work with staff and Media & Communications to improve interdisciplinary resources on the SRA webpage.
  3. Develop strategies to increase membership from disciplines outside of psychology and human development.

Exploring Interdisciplinary Work in Adolescent Research
Interdisciplinarity is woven into the mission of the Society for Research on Adolescence, which seeks to “promote high-quality research that considers the biological, psychological, and sociocultural aspects of development in context.” 

What is interdisciplinarity? 
As defined by the SRA Interdisciplinary Committee, interdisciplinary research integrates two or more disciplines in its theoretical, conceptual, methodological, and/or analytical approach, to solve questions and/or problems in ways that transcend what is possible from a single discipline. Interdisciplinary research can be conducted by an individual or a team.

The Outstanding Interdisciplinary Contribution Award

Nomination Requirements

  • A nomination letter detailing how the contribution integrates two or more disciplines in its theoretical, conceptual, methodological, and/or analytical approach, to solve questions and/or problems in ways that transcend what is possible from a single discipline. The letter should also articulate the impact of this work on our understanding of adolescence.
  • One letter of support which highlights the impact of this work on our understanding of adolescence
  • A copy of the article or product being nominated (or if nomination is based on a contribution derived from a set, up to 3 articles or products may be included)

 
2022 Winner: Patti Valkenburg
Project Adolescents Well-being & Social Media (AWeSome)

Previous Award Winners

 

■      2024 Award Winner

 

  • Patti Valkenberg 

 

■      2023 Award Winner

 

  • Christy Rodgers

 

■      2022 Award Winners

 

  •  Jolien Trekels, Maria T. Maza, and Kara Fox 

 

 

SRA’s Work on Interdisciplinarity 
Learn more about SRA's Interdisciplinary Committee.

■      ARTICLES FROM THE SPECIAL ISSUE:

■      NON-SPECIAL ISSUE ARTICLES:

○      Special issue- LINK

Not due to the popularity of the musical and movie, but as a reflection of the challenges that adolescents in the 21st Century face, a discussion of “wicked problems” is reemerging. First coined in 1973, a wicked problem, among other characteristics, is defined as a social or cultural problem in which the solution depends on its framing and benefits from diverse perspectives.

The Journal of Research on Adolescence’s latest collection of articles, Breaking down silos and echo chambers: Adolescence through an interdisciplinary lens, presents a collection of work from scientists intentionally representative of at least two disciplines that seeks to solve these complex challenges. Kertes, Han, Roche, and McBride Murray (https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.70004) define interdisciplinary science as “research that integrates two or more disciplines in its theoretical, conceptual, methodological, and/or analytical approach, to solve questions and/or problems in ways that transcend what is possible from a single discipline.”

The ten articles in the special collection meet this criterion and elucidate the potential of interdisciplinary research to generate broader conversations among scientists, practitioners, and policy makers. The papers in this special collection exemplify the use of interdisciplinary work to enhance models of social justice, adolescent adjustment, and presentation of behavioral health problems. Additionally, measures and methods from multiple disciplines are leveraged to provide more complete information about the biological and social environmental factors that influence development.

Hopefully, this collection of articles is the call-to-action Dr. Murray gave in her 2022 Presidential Address, echoed in her article in this collection, and provides a starting place for treating “wicked problems” with the urgency of a pandemic.

 

Webinar and Blog
Working across disciplines is critical to advance research on adolescent development, but many people do not know how to start. 

In February 2021, the SRA Interdisciplinary Committee organized a webinar on “Interdisciplinarity and the Advancement of Research on Adolescents” to discuss the benefits, challenges, and nuances of working at the intersection of multiple fields. The discussion was moderated by Rob Crosnoe (UT Austin), and included expert panelists: Mary Helen Immordino-Yang (University of Southern California), Aerika Brittian Loyd (University of California, Riverside), Darlene Kertes (University of Florida), and Andrew Fuligni (University of California, LA). A resulting blog reviewed some of the key take-aways from that conversation introduced a new award for interdisciplinary work among SRA members. 

Resources to Support Interdisciplinary Work  
Guidance for Researchers: Terms, How to Guides, Handbooks
Shared Resources
Feel free to contribute training opportunities, grants, webinars, and other relevant information using the Google doc below.