Promoting Transdisciplinarity: Linking Anthropology and Engineering on Community

Promoting Transdisciplinarity: Linking Anthropology and Engineering on Community 

 

CHAIR: NOLAN, Riall (Purdue U) 

Session Participants: NOLAN, Riall (Purdue U); Working across Disciplines as an Integral Part of Anthropological Practice; 

DARE, Anne (Purdue U); Facilitating Collaboration between Anthropology and Engineering Students; 

GATTUSO, Anna (U Memphis); Complementary Styles: Engineering and Anthropology at the University of Memphis;

BRIODY, Elizabeth (Cultural Keys LLC)

 

ABSTRACT:

NOLAN, Riall (Purdue U) Promoting Transdisciplinarity: Linking Anthropology and Engineering on Community.  Most practitioners work across disciplines, but few students are trained to do this. This panel examines how two universities are bringing anthropology and engineering students together on community development projects, and what they learn by working together. Nolan will discuss transdisciplinary work in the context of anthropological practice. Dare and Gattuso will present specific examples from Purdue and Memphis. Briody, as a discussant, will highlight comparisons and contrasts between the two university programs, and will relate lessons learned to contemporary issues of practitioner training. There will be ample time for audience discussion and debate.

 

Session took place in Albuquerque, NM at the 74th Annual Meeting of the Society for Applied Anthropology in March 2014.