i2S projects aim to:
- refine the conceptualisation of Integration and Implementation Sciences (i2S)
- gather and organise tools for application by i2S specialists
- bring together different disciplinary and practitioner perspectives on major components of i2S that are spread across various disciplines and practice areas, especially on unknowns and on change
- build bridges between related approaches, such as interdisciplinarity, transdisciplinarity, systemic intervention, action research, complex systems science, implementation science, participatory system dynamics, etc
- foster networks and alliances to increase the influence of i2S and its component approaches on research funding, as well as research and education policy.
Integration and Implementation Insights (i2Insights)
The main project undertaken by i2S is the production of Integration and Implementation Insights (i2Insights), which is a repository of blog posts about theory, methods and other tools for understanding and acting on complex societal and environmental problems (problems such as global climate change, effective health care and inequalities). Anyone with relevant expertise and experience is invited to contribute. Established in late 2015, i2Insights attracts readers from 190 of the 193 nations that are members of the United Nations. To the end of December 2022 there were 449 contributions by 565 authors from 47 countries. The median lifetime views of contributions was 800, with the upper end of the range at more than 300,000 views. As well as building a repository, i2Insights is also building a global community of researchers involved in improving ways of tackling complex real world problems, by facilitating connections across countries, problems tackled and approaches used.
Two associated projects are:
- developing primers to introduce key aspects of i2S. The first two primers cover stakeholder engagement and understanding diversity. There is also a video primer on understanding diversity on the i2S YouTube channel, i2S-Talks.
- developing a comprehensive index of key terms used in the i2Insights contributions, along with definitions of how those terms are used in Integration and Implementation Sciences (i2S). The index is included on BioPortal, under Integration and Implementation Sciences Vocabulary. BioPortal is “the world’s most comprehensive repository of biomedical ontologies.” This index is pivotal in refining the conceptualisation of i2S.
Other activities
Additional resource repositories
In addition to i2Insights, two other repositories are supported as part of i2S activities:
- i2S-Talks, the Integration and Implementation Sciences YouTube channel
- a special article collection in the journal Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (formerly Palgrave Communications): https://www.nature.com/collections/ahbhdghcda
Connecting (and connecting with) like-minded researchers through social media and i2S News
Connections are also built with others interested in research integration and implementation via:
- Twitter @GabrieleBammer and #I2Sresources
- the LinkedIn group Global Network for Research Integration and Implementation and #i2Sresources
- i2S News
Supporting the ITD Alliance as a membership organisation
i2S is not a traditional membership organisation. We have therefore supported the formation of the ITD-Alliance (Global Alliance for Inter- and Transdisciplinarity) and are active in many of its activities, including:
- transferring resources compiled between 2002 and 2021 on conferences, journals and professional associations and networks from this i2S website to the ITD-Alliance website
- participating in working groups on toolkits and methods and on integration experts and expertise.
Supporting NITRO-Oceania to inform funding and policy decisions
The i2S team was active in the formation of NITRO-Oceania, the Network of Leaders of Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Research Organisations in the Oceania region, specifically as an organisation to inform funding and research policy decisions. Both of the i2S team are active in maintaining the website and Gabriele Bammer is active in many of its activities, including membership of the Executive (stepping down as inaugural President in 2022) and seeking opportunities to inform research policy and funding in order to support interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary and related approaches.
Supporting transdisciplinary education and research at the Australian National University (ANU)
This is being undertaken by:
- supporting the ANU's curriculum reform process, especially the implementation of the graduate attribute "Capability to employ discipline-based knowledge in transdisciplinary problem solving"
- supporting the strengthening of transdisciplinary research in the ANU College of Health and Medicine.
Completed projects
Please visit our archive to see information about completed projects.