Today marks a significant step forward in fostering groundbreaking interdisciplinary collaborations within the computing research community. The Computing Research Association (CRA) and CRA’s Computing Community Consortium (CCC) are proud to announce the release of a crucial new document: Catalyzing Interdisciplinary Computing Research: Best Practices for Organizational Leadership.

For years, it has been widely acknowledged that computing research holds immense potential to address society’s most complex challenges. However, unlocking this potential through large-scale societal impact hinges on effective interdisciplinary collaborations. Despite decades of research into optimal interdisciplinary practices, researchers continue to face significant hurdles. This new document directly confronts these challenges, offering actionable recommendations for leaders across research sectors.

“This document is the culmination of extensive dialogue and analysis, reflecting the collective wisdom of experts dedicated to breaking down silos in computing,” says Katie Siek, professor at Indiana University Bloomington and co-author. “We believe it will serve as a vital guide for organizational leaders committed to fostering an environment where truly transformative interdisciplinary research can flourish.”

The journey to this publication began with six insightful roundtable discussions facilitated by the CCC. These discussions brought together ~40 subject matter experts from diverse backgrounds – academia, industry, and government – all with a shared commitment to advancing interdisciplinary computing practices. Through a rigorous thematic analysis of these discussions, paired with established evidence-based practices from relevant literature, the authors identified key challenges and needs within the computing community. The authors outlined these recommendations in a series of three best practices documents targeting different stakeholders: academic researchers, funders, and finally, organizational leadership.

“Our goal was to provide concrete, practical advice,” explains Pamela Wisniewski, Director of the Socio-Technical Interaction Research (STIR) Lab, and co-author. “From promoting respect across disciplines to examining reward structures, each recommendation is designed to help leaders enact meaningful organizational change and support the unique needs of interdisciplinary researchers.”

This comprehensive document is specifically tailored to provide best practices for leadership in various settings:

• Academia: Deans and chairs of computing colleges and departments, and directors of research labs and centers.
• Industry: Managers and directors of sectors with computing research responsibilities.
• Government: Program managers and division directors.

“Interdisciplinary research isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a different way of working that requires specific support and understanding,” notes Divesh Srivastava, Director of Database Research at AT&T and co-author. “This document sheds light on the inherent differences between inter and intradisciplinary research projects, such as in timelines and review structures, and offers solutions to ensure this vital work is properly nurtured and evaluated.”

The release of this best practices document is a testament to the ongoing commitment of the CRA and CCC to advance computing research for the benefit of society. We encourage all leaders in academia, industry, and government to explore this invaluable resource and consider how its recommendations can be implemented within their organizations.

Download the full document here

Check out the other best practices documents in this series as well:

Catalyzing Interdisciplinary Computing Research: Best Practices for Researchers

Catalyzing Interdisciplinary Computing Research: Best Practices for Funders