-
4 interdisciplinary institutes
The backbone of our interdisciplinary network
-
Networking events
Regular workshops help interdisciplinary teams pilot new ideas
-
Funding calls
Regular project call-outs offer early-stage funding
-
On-demand advice
Interdisciplinary expertise and guidance whenever you need it
Our interdisciplinary institutes
At Southampton, we encourage and support interdisciplinary research in all areas of our academic community. Our institutes are the super connectors that bring together world-renowned teams and experts.
-
Institute for Life Sciences
Our expertise includes health and medicine, living systems, disruptive life technologies, and insights through data.
-
Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute
We create new collaborations, knowledge and ideas to help organisations develop solutions to ocean challenges.
-
Sustainability and Resilience Institute
We carry out research to understand how we will choose to manage our planet, for ourselves and future generations.java-code-angled-computer-screen.
-
Web Science Institute
We bring together expertise in web science, data science and artificial intelligence to tackle global challenges.
Research highlights
Delve into examples of our interdisciplinary approach with highlight stories. Learn about the real-world impact of our work, and the people behind the research.
-
Central Bank Digital Currency: Uncertainty and Attention Indices
Academics collaborate to create a series of news based cryptocurrency using a big data approach.
-
Turning the blight of sargassum seaweed into an economic boon
Blight to boon: encroaching seaweed. Researchers predict when and where the sea will dump vast amounts of sargassum – and find good ways to use it.
-
Rapid diagnosis of dementia
A new rapid laser-based test that could diagnose different types of dementia in just minutes has been developed by Southampton researchers.
-
Cutting international shipping carbon emissions
Researchers from Southampton have coordinated sea trials of a 20-metre high wing-sail that could be fitted to large cargo vessels, cutting carbon emissions by a third.
Working collaboratively in our research
Working across disciplines, collaboratively, is firmly rooted in our ethos for all our institutes, centres and groups. It helps us understand global challenges, facilitate social action and innovate in fields like artificial intelligence.
-
AI@Southampton
Led by the Web Science Institute, we accelerate research, education and knowledge exchange in the field of AI. Recent work includes a politics and computer science collaboration exploring online political disinformation.
-
Southampton Geospatial
From biological scientists to engineers, we work together to create datasets, spatial modelling and mapping tools. Our research brings societal impact in areas such as population health and disaster response.
-
Southampton Institute for Arts and Humanities
Culture is at the heart of our research. Using the creative resources of our disciplines, we respond to the latest challenges in areas including environment, health, place-making and technology.
-
Southampton Space Institute
We develop ground-breaking space-based technologies to address a range of real-world needs, to deliver scientific breakthroughs, and to drive domestic and international policy action.
Supporting researchers
Our research culture fosters interdisciplinary collaboration inside and outside our institutes, and through our tailored research support. This includes creative workshops to help new interdisciplinary teams set up pilots, support for early-stage projects and dedicated surgeries to discuss interdisciplinary work.
-
Interdisciplinary researcher support
Our Interdisciplinary Research Programme encourages and supports ideas from our across the academic community.
Our advocates
Associate Vice Presidents (Interdisciplinary Research), Professors Rebecca Hoyle and John Holloway, champion our work.
Interdisciplinary research brings different perspectives together to tackle complex challenges and stimulate innovation. It is often very creative, bringing curiosity, adventure and new connections for our research community. I feel excited and inspired to see new teams coming together and ideas sparking between them!
It is a privilege to be able to support our research community to undertake interdisciplinary research. Some of the most exciting and impactful research arises from the interfaces between disciplines and it is always inspiring to see the interdisciplinary research concepts developed by our colleagues.
Join us
Become part of our community and tackle some of the world's most complex societal and environmental challenges.
-
Explore current vacancies
We welcome applications from researchers and academics to build on our strengths in education, interdisciplinary research excellence and enterprise.
