Interdisciplinary Research Funding: Reaching Outside the Boundaries of Kinesiology

Abstract

Interdisciplinary research requires that experts from multiple disciplines work together to combine methods and ideas in an integrative fashion to generate new knowledge. In many respects, the field of kinesiology is ideally positioned to take advantage of its inherent multidisciplinary design. Because of the multidisciplinary structure of kinesiology, we can develop research programs that draw on multiple disciplines within our departments. This kind of work is ongoing in fields such as biomechanics and motor control—working together in an integrative manner to produce new knowledge. We must also extend our work outside the boundaries of kinesiology and draw on expertise in such fields as engineering, biology, public health, and psychology and other disciplines to develop research programs that are competitive in federal funding initiatives. We must maintain our identity as a field of study and emphasize the fundamental importance of movement and physical activity for health and well-being.