Calibrating collaboration: Interdisciplinarity in security research

Interdisciplinary collaboration and mixed-methods research is gaining recognition as a necessary design for advancing security and privacy research and is increasingly encouraged by publishing venues and funding bodies. Yet the execution of interdisciplinary partnerships and research presents a number of fundamental challenges that have implications for its success, impact, and sustainability. Drawing on literature around interdisciplinary science research as well as original research interviews with experts outside of computing who have successfully partnered with security and privacy researchers, this paper examines and expands upon four themes unique to interdisciplinary research teams: 1) the need to identify, elaborate, and document a shared vocabulary; 2) the need to unpack and reconcile the epistemological assumptions and methodological requirements within the participating fields; 3) the importance of naming and balancing the distinct ‘currencies’ – that is, the outputs that are allocated value – of different disciplines and communities; and 4) differences in resource expectations, availability, and allocation. Through a review of the literature and interviews with practitioners, this research aims to bring visibility and concreteness to the practical challenges of working in cross-disciplinary research teams and identify the approaches and supports that can help increase the sustainability and impact of these efforts.