Lessons Learned From an Inter‐Institutional Graduate Course on Interdisciplinary Modeling for Water‐Related Issues and Changing Climate

Abstract

Computer modeling is a useful tool for integrating approaches from different disciplines to address complex water and climate issues, but because academic training is typically disciplinary, many scientists and practitioners are not aware of modeling techniques in other disciplines or ways that different models can be integrated to address complex questions. Since 2005, we have conducted a course on interdisciplinary modeling that provides lectures and laboratory exercises from different disciplines as well as topics related to interdisciplinary modeling such as issues of scale and uncertainty. Students work in interdisciplinary teams to integrate modeling approaches from different disciplines to address issues related to water and climate. In this paper, we provide a description of course development and implementation, results of course evaluations of course content, lessons learned, and future needs for educating students about interdisciplinary approaches. We also provide results of surveys of course participants regarding course effectiveness and sustainability.

Bringing the Elephant into the Room: Integrating Risk into Interdisciplinary Water Programs

“…In a similar effort to increase skill sets of students working on water and climate issues, a group of academics and professionals created an inter‐institutional interdisciplinary modeling course with two objectives: expose students to a range of modeling techniques from different disciplines and train students in developing teamwork skills. The course was developed by University of Nevada Reno (UNR), the Desert Research Institute (DRI), and University of California at Davis (UCD) and was offered in various formats in 2008, 2010, and 2012 (Saito et al 2013). McIntosh and Taylor (2013) present a “T‐Shaped Water Professional” concept to articulate how training programs can balance disciplinary depth with interest in a broader range of issues and describe how this concept has been applied in post‐graduate education programs run by the International Water Centre and UNESCO‐IHE.…”