CHNG Hui Ting, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Faculty of Science (FOS), and
Maiya MURPHY, Department of English, Literature, and Theatre Studies,
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)
Hui Ting and Maiya take us through their journey of designing and teaching an interdisciplinary course, particularly the ways in which they, as trained specialists in their respective fields, managed to bridge the perceived schism between the sciences and the humanities.
Photo collage of Maiya and Hui Ting during their HS2912 class this semester. (Photo provided by the authors)
Chng, H. T., & Murphy, M. (2024, October 22). From two cultures to one: Embracing interdisciplinarity. Teaching Connections.
https://blog.nus.edu.sg/teachingconnections/2024/10/22/from-two-cultures-to-one-embracing-interdisciplinarity/
In his 1959 lecture on the “Two Cultures,” C.P. Snow highlighted the schism between the sciences and humanities, urging increased dialogue in a potential “third” culture (Snow, 1959). Today, universities worldwide are witnessing a notable shift towards interdisciplinary collaboration, exemplified by the recent introduction of compulsory interdisciplinary courses (IDCs) at the National University of Singapore’s College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS). Yet, can deeply-trained specialists bridge this gap? Snow’s question persists: are scientists and humanists fundamentally distinct?
In this blogpost, we reflect on our interdisciplinary working experience which culminated in designing and teaching the IDC, HS2912 “Polymaths: Innovating Between Art and Science”.
Reflection 1: Platforms to facilitate interdisciplinary conversations are important.
We met August 2021 at the “Inter-D Conversation: Making First Connections” event organised by the NUS Teaching Academy to connect colleagues from the Faculty of Science (FOS) and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) interested in designing IDCs. Given how “distant” pharmacy and theatre studies were in locality and academic discourse, we would not have been able to connect with one another if not for this platform.
Reflection 2: Developing thinkers cognisant of but unfettered by disciplinary boundaries begins with an openness to learn from different disciplines.
Our process to identify a theme for integrating pharmacy and theatre studies involved conversations to learn more about what we each do in our respective teaching, practice, and research. We reflected that had either of us been closed off to each other’s disciplinary practices and ways of thinking, we would never have established an ongoing interdisciplinary dialogue.
Reflection 3: Scientists and artists are “different, but also same, same”.
Looking at a nearby tree during one coffee chat, we asked each other how each of our disciplines would approach it. This simple episode sparked a profound realisation—that we both conducted an iterative cycle of making observations, asking questions, experimenting, and reflecting on our results. Our long-held assumptions that scientists and artists worked differently were challenged and we began to see parallels between our seemingly disparate fields. In fact, Root-Bernstein and Root-Bernstein (2004) have found that “the processes used by artists and scientists…are extremely similar” and they possess similar psychological profiles which are collectively distinct from other professionals.
Reflection 4: Identifying skills common to disciplines is the first step to interdisciplinarity.
Our readings and conversations led to our appreciation of polymaths—figures like Leonardo da Vinci who effortlessly traversed between art and science. In other words, a polymath is an interdisciplinary individual. Polymaths use skills common to both scientists and artists such as observing, imaging, abstracting, and pattern recognition, to name a few (Root-Bernstein & Root-Bernstein, 2004). As we uncovered these shared skills and thinking frameworks, we gained a newfound perspective that enabled us to appreciate each other’s viewpoints. Maiya’s concept of “practice-as-research” resonated with Hui Ting’s understanding of “action research.” While disciplinary practices resulted in different terminologies, identifying commonalities formed the bedrock for breaking down our “two cultures” divide and initiating successful interdisciplinary collaboration.
Reflection 5: The modern-day polymath can be a team of disciplinary experts equipped with polymathic thinking skills.
In today’s fast-paced world, characterised by an explosion of knowledge and constant distraction, the modern-day polymath may not be a solitary genius but rather, a collaborative team of experts. What is crucial is that team members should possess polymathic thinking skills so that they are able to see through the lenses of different disciplines. HS2912 was our polymathic team project. The final product was not a multidisciplinary course, but one that was enriching and synergistic. A student said, “I enjoyed the enthusiasm of both Prof Maiya and Prof Hui Ting, and seeing their interactions enhances the learning experience in a course that is about interdisciplinary learning”.
In conclusion, our journey designing and teaching HS2912 marks the beginning of bridging the gap between our “two cultures”. By leveraging platforms that foster dialogue, embracing the diversity of disciplines, and recognising shared skills and frameworks, we advocate for a vision where the modern-day polymath comprises a collaborative team of disciplinary experts with polymathic thinking skills.
References
Root-Bernstein, R., & Root-Bernstein, M. (2004). Artistic scientists and scientific artists: The link between polymathy and creativity. In Creativity: From potential to realization. (pp. 127-151). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/10692-008
Snow, C. P. (1959). The two cultures and the scientific revolution. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from https://search.library.wisc.edu/catalog/999469899802121
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CHNG Hui Ting is a Senior Lecturer with the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She is a dynamic and passionate educator, with the expertise to integrate pharmacy practice and pharmaceutical sciences, and the arts and sciences. In class, she is a proponent of active and collaborative learning. Outside of class, she is actively engaged in mentoring student co-curricular activities. Hui Ting can be reached at phacht@nus.edu.sg |
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Maiya MURPHY is an Associate Professor in the Department of English, Literature, and Theatre Studies. She is a practitioner-researcher working at the confluence of performer training, movement, devising, and cognitive approaches to understanding theatre. Maiya is the author of Enacting Lecoq: Movement in Theatre, Cognition, and Life (2019) and makes theatre with her collective, Autopoetics. Maiya can be reached at maiyamurphy@nus.edu.sg |
