IIASA Deputy Director General Karen Lips delivered a keynote at the University of Vienna's recent Environment and Climate Research Hub (ECH) Research Frontiers Workshop in Bad Vöslau, Austria, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing complex environmental and climate challenges.
In her keynote titled, Interdisciplinary research with impact – a personal perspective, Lips drew on her experience as an ecologist studying the impacts of global environmental change on biodiversity and ecosystems to explore the opportunities and challenges of conducting interdisciplinary research with meaningful scientific, societal, and policy impact.
She was also a central contributor to The Grand Conversation, a new retreat format designed to encourage open dialogue across disciplines. Bringing together perspectives from the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities, the discussions extended beyond the formal sessions, creating space to explore different approaches to environmental research, exchange ideas, and identify opportunities for collaboration.
The retreat also brought together international fellows from the Vienna Centre for Advanced Studies (ViCAS) based at the University of Vienna, and researchers from across the ECH community, who enthusiastically exchanged ideas through workshops, discussions, and informal walk-and-talk conversations. Presentations on seed-funded projects also illustrated how exchanges across disciplines can develop into concrete research collaborations.
Reflecting on the experience, Lips emphasized the value of creating spaces where researchers can challenge established ways of thinking and explore new possibilities together.
"The most important questions facing environment and climate research do not fit neatly within disciplinary boundaries. They require natural and social sciences, new collaborations, different ways of thinking, and the willingness to listen, learn, and imagine together. I left the retreat with new ideas, new connections, and fresh inspiration for developing new models of education and research collaboration," she said.
The retreat emphasized how curiosity, open dialogue, and a shared commitment to tackling environmental challenges can inspire new ways of thinking and working together. This spirit is also at the heart of IIASA's work, where interdisciplinary research and international cooperation help turn scientific knowledge into meaningful solutions for a more sustainable future.
Read more about the ECH retreat on the University of Vienna's website.
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