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The diversity of researchers’ roles in sustainability science: the influence of project characteristics

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Sustainability Science
Authors:
Guillaume Pajot at University of Rennes
Guillaume Pajot
Benjamin Bergerot at University of Rennes
Benjamin Bergerot
Simon Dufour at University of Rennes 2
Simon Dufour
Valérie Viaud at French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE)
Valérie Viaud
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Despite recent studies of researchers’ roles in sustainability science, understanding the factors that influence them is a complex challenge. To address this lack of knowledge, we conducted a self-reflexive analysis involving 11 researchers from Rennes, France, who self-reflected on 12 projects conducted in north-western France over the past 15 years. This study investigates the roles of researchers in sustainability science projects by clustering these projects based on their characteristics and by evaluating the roles researchers assumed within each cluster. Four clusters were identified, ranging from academic research with minimal stakeholder involvement to highly interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects with significant stakeholder engagement. Researchers adopted multiple and dynamic roles, influenced by project characteristics but not deterministically. The role of transdisciplinary dialogue facilitator was frequently filled by intermediaries rather than researchers, highlighting a skills gap or a misalignment with traditional metrics of research performance. Self-reflection was significant in managing complex interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects, especially in clusters dealing with real-world problems and stakeholder interactions. The methodology, based on qualitative interviews and project clustering, proved effective and suggests that future research should include broader data collection and explore individual factors about mindset and motivation which influence researchers’ roles. These findings emphasise the need for better support and recognition of diverse roles in academic evaluation and suggest the potential benefits of specialised intermediaries in transdisciplinary research.
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Vol.:(0123456789)
Sustainability Science (2024) 19:1963–1977
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-024-01549-8
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
The diversity ofresearchers’ roles insustainability science:
theinfluence ofproject characteristics
GuillaumePajot1 · BenjaminBergerot2· SimonDufour3· ValérieViaud4· ChristopheCudennec4·
GérardGruau5· TassaditBouadi6· CyrilleHarpet7· Jean‑RaynalddeDreuzy5· NathalieHervé‑Fournereau8·
VéroniqueVanTilbeurgh9· LucAquilina10
Received: 12 January 2024 / Accepted: 16 July 2024 / Published online: 13 August 2024
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Japan KK 2024
Abstract
Despite recent studies of researchers’ roles in sustainability science, understanding the factors that influence them is a
complex challenge. To address this lack of knowledge, we conducted a self-reflexive analysis involving 11 researchers from
Rennes, France, who self-reflected on 12 projects conducted in north-western France over the past 15years. This study inves-
tigates the roles of researchers in sustainability science projects by clustering these projects based on their characteristics
and by evaluating the roles researchers assumed within each cluster. Four clusters were identified, ranging from academic
research with minimal stakeholder involvement to highly interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects with significant
stakeholder engagement. Researchers adopted multiple and dynamic roles, influenced by project characteristics but not deter-
ministically. The role of transdisciplinary dialogue facilitator was frequently filled by intermediaries rather than researchers,
highlighting a skills gap or a misalignment with traditional metrics of research performance. Self-reflection was significant
in managing complex interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects, especially in clusters dealing with real-world problems
and stakeholder interactions. The methodology, based on qualitative interviews and project clustering, proved effective and
suggests that future research should include broader data collection and explore individual factors about mindset and moti-
vation which influence researchers’ roles. These findings emphasise the need for better support and recognition of diverse
roles in academic evaluation and suggest the potential benefits of specialised intermediaries in transdisciplinary research.
Keywords Researchers’ roles· Facilitation· Knowledge integration· Sustainability science· Transdisciplinary research·
Interdisciplinary research
Introduction
In response to pressing environmental issues, environmental
researchers developed sustainability science, which became
a distinct field after the ground-breaking article of Kates
etal. (2001). They defined it as problem-focussed research
that promotes interdisciplinary collaboration between
social and natural sciences. It also emphasises communica-
tion between researchers and society, and thus is associated
with a larger change in the way of doing science (Gibbons
etal. 1994). Several authors have developed conceptual
frameworks that emphasise the need for an iterative co-con-
struction process that guides research and education (Brandt
etal. 2013; Clark and Harley 2019; Lang etal. 2012; Wiek
etal. 2011). Sustainability science also encourages transfor-
mations (Fang etal. 2018; Lang etal. 2012; Nagatsu etal.
2020).
Handled by Christian Pohl, Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule
Zurich, Switzerland.
* Guillaume Pajot
guillaume.pajot@univ-rennes.fr
1 Univ Rennes, OSUR, UAR 3343, 35000Rennes, France
2 Univ Rennes, Ecobio, 35000Rennes, France
3 Univ Rennes 2, LETG, 35000Rennes, France
4 INRAE, Institut Agro, UMR SAS, 35000Rennes, France
5 Univ Rennes, CNRS, UMR Géosciences, 35000Rennes,
France
6 Univ Rennes, IRISA, 35000Rennes, France
7 Univ Rennes, CNRS, ARENES, UMR 6118, 35000Rennes,
France
8 Univ Rennes, UMR IODE, 35000Rennes, France
9 Univ Rennes 2, UMR ESO, 35000Rennes, France
10 Univ Rennes, UMR Géosciences, 35000Rennes, France
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
... Tensions arise from 'three underlying sources: (1) researchers' self-perception and expectations, (2) expectations of transdisciplinary partners, funders and researchers' home institutions and (3) societal convictions about what scientific knowledge is and how it should be developed' (Bulten et al. 2021). In a similar way, Pajot et al. (2024) analysed how researchers adopt multiple and changing roles in sustainability science projects in France. They explore the influence of stakeholder engagement, the need for role flexibility and adaptability of researchers as well as a need to tailor roles to project characteristics. ...
... Third, this points to the willingness to adapt to unfamiliar roles. Several studies have highlighted personality as a potential driver of researchers' roles (Pajot et al. 2024, Miah et al. 2015. Each of the three aspects increases the risk of disengagement on the part of either academic or non-academic actors. ...
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