As the scale and complexity of socio-environmental problems has grown, there is a renewed debate about the role that academic institutions should play in developing solutions. Further, the discussion asks how institutional structures should be redesigned to encourage greater interdisciplinarity. A paper published in Conservation Science and Practice (1) presents a graduate student perspective on this debate, (2) identifies challenges facing interdisciplinary graduate student researchers, (3) suggests ways for institutions to better prepare graduate students to be the next generation of leaders in this arena, and (4) outlines models for transformational change that will ensure research is focused on solving socio-environmental problems.
This work emerged from her participation in a Beyond the Academy workshop hosted at UCLA in January 2020. Conservation Innovation Lab member Olivia Davis was a co-author. This paper is part of her ongoing advocacy work. Olivia has also served as a student board member for the School of Life Sciences, worked as a service member of the Roots & Shoots chapter at ASU, hosted Coffee & Conversations (a venue for graduate students to discuss a variety of challenges and successes they face), and has taken on many additional service roles to better the lives and experiences of ASU students.