The Planetary Science Group

Abstract

The first group that I have studied empirically through observation and interviewing is the planetary science group, which is a small but long-standing interdisciplinary collaboration among senior researchers and their graduate and post-graduate students. The group examines extra-terrestrial surface processes and combines expertise from geology, physics, chemistry and microbiology. Having searched for interdisciplinary collaborations at Danish universities online, I contacted the group in 2010 and soon began to observe their weekly meetings on Tuesday mornings. Later I shadowed individual group members, following them through their professional days. When I had familiarized myself with the group, I set out to interview the five scientists that formed the group’s core at the time of my investigation.

The strength of our group is that we’re experts in particular fields and all come together with our own expertise and we try not to step on each others’ toes. Adam, interview, group1