JEFF GILL

Gehlert, Sarah, Bobbi J. Carothers, Jung Ae Lee, Jeff Gill, Douglas Luke, and Graham Colditz. “A Social Network Analysis Approach to Diagnosing and Improving the Functioning of Transdisciplinary Teams in Public Health”. Transdisciplinary Journal of Engineering & Science 6 (2015): 11-22

Background: The National Cancer Institute’s Transdisciplinary Research in Energetics and Cancer initiative is in its second round of funding. Despite increasing agreement that trans-disciplinary team-based research is valuable in addressing complex problems like energy balance and cancer, methods for constructing and maintaining transdisciplinary teams is lacking. Purpose: We articulate a method for assessing trans-disciplinary teams that relies on social network analysis and using this knowledge to improve their functioning. Methods: Using data from the Washington University TREC site in 2011 and 2013, we demonstrate the use of social network analysis to assess and provide feedback on team functioning. Results: We portray broker functioning in both years. By 2013, the director and co-director had begun to share broker functions with other members. Some brokers fostered communication with less central network members. Conclusions: The information obtained can help to train a new generation of investigators to optimally participate on transdisciplinary research teams.A Social Network Analysis Approach to… (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279790188_A_Social_Network_Analysis_Approach_to_Diagnosing_and_Improving_the_Functioning_of_Transdisciplinary_Teams_in_Public_Health