Key Insights:
- Societal issues are complex and there is a need for dynamic research and solutions through interdisciplinary research.
- Challenges to interdisciplinary research include communication barriers, and the need for institutional support.
- The Moritz Center for Societal Impact’s mission is to foster interdisciplinary partnerships for greater societal impact.
Many of the major issues we face as a society (i.e., homelessness, physical and mental illness, substance use) are connected. For example, poor housing conditions can lead to health problems (Palacios et al., 2021), and medical expenses can contribute to homelessness (Cutshaw et al., 2016). Additionally, homelessness exacerbates mental health issues, which can lead to self-medication with drugs or alcohol (Anombem et al., 2023). Addiction-related health problems can also prevent individuals from maintaining stable housing (Aubry et al., 2016).
Interdisciplinary research is increasingly recognized as crucial for addressing complex societal challenges (OECD, 2020). It involves integrating knowledge, methods, and perspectives from multiple disciplines to tackle issues that cannot be adequately addressed by single disciplines alone. While interdisciplinary collaboration offers significant potential for innovation and problem-solving, it also faces challenges such as communication barriers around how researchers define problems and the need for institutional support (Johnston & van de Lindt, 2022). Despite these obstacles, interdisciplinary research is essential for developing holistic solutions to pressing societal issues.
The Moritz Center’s mission is to cultivate interdisciplinary research partnerships at UT for greater societal impact. The Center is most interested in supporting research partners looking at the intersection between two or more of these areas: housing, behavioral health, health needs of children and families, aging concerns, and support for individuals with disabilities. The Center is also interested in research that addresses ethics, digital health applications, and global health and technology. Check out our website to view how you can contribute to our efforts to work collaboratively across disciplines to solve critical issues that impact our communities.
References:
Anombem, O. M., Arisoyin, A., Okereke, O. P., Okobi, O. E., Mamman, A., Salawu, M. A., & Oaikhena, I. O. (2023). A review of the impact of homelessness on mental health.
Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research, 35(17), 11–18. https://doi.org/10.9734/jammr/2023/v35i175099
Aubry, T., Duhoux, A., Klodawsky, F., Ecker, J., & Hay, E. (2016). A longitudinal study of predictors of housing stability, housing quality, and mental health functioning among single homeless individuals staying in emergency shelters. American journal of community psychology, 58(1-2), 123–135. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12067
Cutshaw, C. A., Woolhandler, S., Himmelstein, D. U., & Robertson, C. (2016). Medical causes and consequences of home foreclosures. International Journal of Health Services, 46(1), 36–47. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020731415614249
Johnston, B., & van de Lindt, J. W. (2022). Barriers and possibilities for interdisciplinary disaster science research: Critical appraisal of the literature. Natural Hazards Review, 23(1), 04021053. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)NH.1527-6996.0000520
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). (2020). Addressing societal challenges using transdisciplinary research. OECD. https://doi.org/10.1787/0ca0ca45-en
Palacios, J., Eichholtz, P., Kok, N., & Aydin, E. (2021). The impact of housing conditions on health outcomes. Real Estate Economics, 49(4), 1172–1200. https://doi.org/10.1111/1540-6229.12317
