Introduction

Climate change presents interrelated ecological, social, economic, and political challenges. Successful adaptation and resiliency efforts require convergent research: an integrative approach that transcends disciplinary boundaries and brings together expertise from across diverse disciplines, nations, cultures, and knowledge systems [1]. Convergent research has emerged as an avenue to facilitate holistic insight into the rapid environmental changes in the Arctic, their ramifications on socio-ecological systems, and the formulation of sustainable mitigation strategies [2]. Given the emerging interest in convergent research approaches that include Indigenous communities by funding agencies [3], there is a need to identify necessary support required for Early Career Researchers (ECRs) to use these approaches. We, a collective of Arctic Early Career natural scientists, shed light on challenges inherent in this evolving landscape. Drawing from our diverse experiences of working in distinct cultural and disciplinary contexts, we explore the challenges posed by funding structures, institutional support, and disciplinary boundaries in fostering the next generation of convergent scientists.

Reimagining graduate and postgraduate funding

Current funding structures dictate the research topics, practices, and methods applied. This funding often aligns closely with the scientific research priorities or “novel research” of interest to the funding agency and not the communities. Though stable and well-established, this system limits the novelty and innovation possible in studies that deviate from the western, time-bound, and disciplinary-siloed scientific method [4].

Indigenous Peoples’ have been the stewards of Arctic regions for millennia, the spirit, history, meaning, balance, and care for these lands are embedded in their cultural codes and stories [5,6]. Failure to acknowledge this wealth of knowledge overlooks the socio-ecological changes in a broader temporal and environmental context. Many solutions can be drawn from Indigenous traditions [7]. Long-term relationship development between researchers and Indigenous communities is essential for the establishment of research projects that address community research priorities and facilitate two-way knowledge transfer [8]. This requires time spent in communities (Fig 1) which often conflicts with the time-bound deliverables required by funding agencies and academic programs. Students who are expected to undertake cross-cultural collaborative work must be provided with adequate financial support and training (Fig 1) to build relationships on a foundation of trust and reciprocity and sustain partnerships beyond project timescales.

Download:

• PPT
  PowerPoint slide
• PNG
  larger image
• TIFF
  original image

Fig 1. Sufficient and targeted funding, dedicated time, and comprehensive training are needed to support the next generation of convergence climate scientists who will keep collaborative partnerships at the core of their research.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000330.g001

Both political and disciplinary boundaries limit convergent research essential for incorporating diverse ways of knowing into research outcomes. A critical aspect of successful international convergence collaboration is the provision of funding mechanisms that support the mobility of researchers, particularly ECRs, enabling them to extend their stays at partner institutions or within communities where they work [9]. Supporting convergence research requires innovative funding sources that transcend cultural, disciplinary, and political boundaries.

Transforming higher education and community engagement

Institutions must continue to increase representation of Indigenous students and faculty. The creation of welcoming spaces to retain and promote Indigenous scholars requires changes to university policies to acknowledge and promote diverse ways of Knowing and teaching. Learning from many movements aimed to engage Black scholars, recruiting is a simple first step, but fostering an environment that promotes growth and a sense of belonging is an entirely different matter [10].

Including Indigenous research partners requires universities to shift from promotion and tenure systems that predominantly value disciplinary outputs to acknowledge the temporal demands and societal benefits inherent in convergent research [11]. For successful training in community partnership, students require opportunities to design and implement research plans collaboratively with communities. During graduate and postgraduate projects, time spent listening and learning from communities can result in concerns surrounding project progress and ethical guidelines. Overcoming these obstacles necessitates intentional integration of ECRs into advisors’ networks in Indigenous communities from the onset of programs. In practice this could include repeated community visits that last more than a few days to help facilitate lasting relationships (Fig 1).

Developing boundary-spanning skills for impactful convergence research

Graduate and postgraduate curricula successfully train students with conventional scientific skills necessary for completing scientific research, while the soft skills necessary for participating in boundary-spanning projects are neglected [12]. Our collective experiences, rooted in physical science backgrounds with varying degrees of social science, underscore the scarcity of intentional teaching of these vital soft skills. Topics such as cultural awareness, community relationship building, policy-oriented writing, and interdisciplinary collaboration hardly receive attention. ECRs need to be adequately equipped with the necessary tools for effective convergence research [13], including the development of these soft skills, as well as an improved understanding of the histories that divide cultures [14].

A focus on socio-ecological impacts of climate change in the Arctic requires understanding the historical dynamics between Indigenous Peoples’ and Western scientists. While some universities offer training to support basic understanding of the social and political context in which Arctic research is situated, graduate students rarely have opportunities for comprehensive training. Training should empower ECRs to navigate the intricate socio-ecological landscape of the Arctic and communicate their findings effectively across disciplines and broader audiences. With sufficient training, ECR’s will be placed in a position to improve cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural collaboration feeding into convergent research processes (Fig 1).

Conclusion

Convergent research is poised to disentangle the intricacies of Arctic climate change and provide solutions with global resonance. As ECRs working in the Arctic, we raise a collective call to action, urging transformative changes to research funding, institutional support, and training to better support convergent research approaches. In a world where the boundaries between disciplines are fluid and global challenges require multifaceted solutions that draw from diverse knowledge systems, universities and funding organizations have a pivotal role to play in nurturing the growth of convergent scientists. Fostering a culture of cross-cultural/disciplinary collaboration, providing training in soft skills, and adapting promotion and tenure systems to recognize the value of convergent research are just some of the crucial steps forward. Together we can make the transformative changes needed to address climate change and create a more sustainable and equitable future.