ECR programme: Conversations about Conservation

Conversations about Conservation

Are we just getting in each other's way? Rethinking collaboration between natural and social scientists 

Everybody agrees that tackling conservation challenges requires work across disciplines. The Conservation Research Institute (CRI) is designed with this in mind, bringing together staff and students from multiple different departments, many in a shared space within the David Attenborough Building. However, working in a shared space does not guarantee that interdisciplinarity is taking place. It is easy to slip into the habit of talking about research only with colleagues from the same group or discipline - particularly when conversations across disciplines can be challenging because of different terminology, framings and underlying values. 

To address some of these issues, we have relaunched a series of informal Conversations about Conservation as part of the CRI Early Career Researcher programme this year. These are designed to bring people together in a spirit of open enquiry to explore issues that bridge our different disciplinary perspectives. The approach builds on a model first tested in Cambridge over 15 years ago. 

Our first of the relaunced Conversations about Conservation took place in November 2025. For this second conversation, will be be joined by Dr Catherine Wait (Department of Plant Sciences and CRI) and Dr Sam Reynolds (Department of Zoology and CRI).

Are we just getting in each other's way? Rethinking collaboration between natural and social scientists 

Session summary

Let's stop gatekeeping the biodiversity crisis. We believe that it's important to be able to engage with new and unfamiliar ideas without fear of being shot down or criticised. In order to achieve this, we think that humility, a willingness to be naïve, and permission to be vulnerable are important skills. To this end, we (Catherine and Sam) are sticking our heads above the parapet.

First, we will share our personal journeys into conservation. We then hope to facilitate an exchange of experiences, anecdotes, and learning. Starting with ourselves,  we reflect on moments where interdisciplinary collaboration has succeeded and where it has faltered. We will then invite you to share your own experiences, challenges, and successes, and to explore how we can work together more openly and productively. 

Disclaimer: This session will not solve the natural science/social science ‘divide’, but we need to start somewhere.

Photo credit: Birendra Padmaperuma on Unsplash