Interdisciplinarity rewarded

[News brief] - Published on June 8, 2022 in Doctoral training and HDR

There were around forty candidates, but only six winners. The winners of the doctoral college's interdisciplinary thesis prize were announced on April 20 and 22. The prize rewards unique research projects that stand out for their scope beyond a single discipline, their originality, and often their societal dimension. The prize will be awarded on Monday, July 11, following the doctoral degree award ceremony.

"The world we live in is complex, and the issues we face are equally complex, whether they be climatic, political, sociological, or ecological. We therefore need approaches that combine several disciplines in order to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow," explains Gilles Subra. To highlight this interdisciplinary approach to research, the director of the UM doctoral college has decided to reward thesis work that has an impact beyond its own discipline. "Thisisalso because it is very difficult to compare theses from disciplines that are sometimes very different. We therefore decided to recognize a thesis in which the doctoral student went beyond his or her reference discipline," adds Gilles Subra.

A unique approach that is in line with the UM's ongoing efforts to promote interdisciplinarity: "We are joining forces with the IDIL master's program programs, in which students can learn about other disciplines, allowing us to establish a strong link between the master's and doctoral programs , " emphasizes the director of the doctoral college.

Call for applications

But how can these multidisciplinary theses be identified among all the theses produced at the university? "We issued a call for applications to PhD students graduating in 2020 and 2021, and a total of around 40 PhD students applied." Each application was then evaluated by all the doctoral schools associated with the UM doctoral college, which preselected them based on three criteria: the quality of the thesis, its interdisciplinary nature, and a short video made by the candidates.

For each promotion, six candidates were selected to participate in the finals. To decide between them,they gave a five-minute oral presentation to a jury of six people from different disciplines. "There was continuity in terms of transdisciplinarity, as the jury included guest researchers from the MAK'IT program MAK'IT program." These researchers come from different disciplines and geographical backgrounds and are in residence in Montpellier to carry out transdisciplinary work.

The jury's mission: "to evaluate the interdisciplinary nature of their thesis and determine the extent to which their research is innovative in this interdisciplinary field," comments Gilles Subra. "For example, one of the theses reviewed focuses on obtaining consent by combining cognitive science and law, which is something new."

Societal impact

Distinguished research projects are often transdisciplinary in nature and have a social purpose that transcends scientific disciplines. This type of research "brings universities and society closer together, giving meaning to the role of researchers among citizens who need to understand the purpose of research in order to better embrace it," which clearly appeals to candidates.

" I would like to congratulate all the participants, and especially the six winners. This competition helps to promote interdisciplinarity in all scientific fields supported by the University of Montpellier and its partners within the doctoral college. For the next edition, I strongly encourage potential candidates engaged in an interdisciplinary subject to participate," said Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier.

The interdisciplinary thesis prize awards each of these six winners €500. The award ceremony will take place alongside the 2021 doctoral graduation ceremony, which will be held at the Corum on Monday, July 11, 2022, at the Berlioz Opera House. The awards will be presented at 7:00 p.m. at the Jardin des Plantes, at the start of the festive evening that will follow the graduation ceremony.

Keywords: Students, Training, Research