Interdisciplinarity in practice: reflections from early-career researchers developing a risk-informed decision support environment for Tomorrow's cities

The concept of disaster risk is cross-disciplinary by nature and reducing disaster risk has become of interest for various disciplines. Yet, moving from a collection of multiple disciplinary perspectives to integrated interdisciplinary disaster risk approaches remains a fundamental challenge. This paper reflects on the experience of a group of early-career researchers spanning physical scientists, engineers and social scientists from different organisations across the global North and global South who came together to lead the refinement, operationalisation and testing of a risk-informed decision support environment for Tomorrow's Cities (TCDSE). Drawing on the notions of subjects and boundary objects, members of the group reflect on their individual and collective journey of transgressing disciplinary boundaries across three case studies between June–December 2021: operationalisation process of the TCDSE; development of a virtual urban testbed as a demonstration case for the implementation of the TCDSE; and consolidation of frequently asked questions about the TCDSE for communication purposes. The paper argues that (1) the production of boundary objects in interdisciplinary research nurtures relations of reciprocal recognition and the emergence of interdisciplinary subjects; (2) the intrinsic characteristics of boundary objects define the norms of engagement between disciplinary subjects and constrain the expression of interdisciplinary contradictions; and (3) affects and operations of power explain the contingent settlement of interdisciplinary disagreements and the emergence of new knowledge. Activating the interdisciplinary capacities of early-career researchers across disciplines and geographies is a fundamental step towards transforming siloed research practices to reduce disaster risk

MEASURING POLITICAL-PARTICIPATION - A CROSS-CULTURAL APPLICATION

As an area which lends itself to empirical analysis, political participation has been subject to rigorous attempts at operationalization. In this article, an extension of these efforts is intended. Employing data collected in Kenya, Korea, and Turkey, a ten-item, three-dimensional scale of political participation is developed. The overall structure of the scale closely resembles the findings of Verba, Nie, and Kim—a fact which also lends support to the validity of the scale of political participation developed here. Easy to administer, valid, and reliable, the three-dimensional, ten-item scale provides a potential for cumulative analysis in the subfield of political participation. </jats:p

Electroinitiated polymerization of 2-chloroethylvinyl ether

The electroinitiated polymerization of 2-chloroethylvinyl ether via controlled potential conditions has been achieved. The kinetics of the polymerization were determined by cyclic voltammetry at different temperatures in dichloromethane (DM) and acetonitrile (AN). The post-polymerization kinetics were followed with a similar technique. It was found that polymerization was twice as fast in DM as in AN. In DM, both the polymerization and the post-polymerization rates increased with decreasing temperature, whereas in AN the reverse behavior was observed

Synthesis of conducting graft copolymers of 2-(N-pyrrolyl)ethylvinyl ether with pyrrole

2-(N-pyrrolyl)ethylvinyl ether (2-NEVE) was synthesized from 2-chloroethylvinyl ether (2-CEVE) via a phase catalysis reaction. Cyclic voltammetric studies were carried out to check for the electroactivity of 2-NEVE. Poly(2-(N-pyrrolyl)ethylvinyl ether) [poly(2-NEVE)] was synthesized via chemical methods. Graft copolymers of pyrrole and 2-NEVE were synthesized by electrochemical methods. The chemical structures of 2-NEVE and poly(2-NEVE) were investigated by several spectroscopic methods. Graft copolymers were characterized by means of FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM). differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The conductivities of the graft copolymers were measured via a four-probe technique

Synthesis and characterization of graft copolymers of poly(2-(N-pyrrolyl)ethylvinylether) and polypyrrole

Poly(2-(N-pyrrolyl)ethylvinylether) (poly(2-NEVE)) was synthesized from poly(2-chloroethylvinylether) (poly(2-CEVE)) via phase catalysis reaction. Graft copolymers of PPy/poly(2-NEVE) were synthesized by electrochemical methods. The chemical structure of poly(2-NEVE) was investigated by several spectroscopic and thermal methods. Graft copolymers were characterized by means of FTIR, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermal Gravimetry Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Conductivities of graft copolymers were measured via four-probe technique. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved

Conducting composites of polypyrrole with polytetramethylbisphenol A carbonate

A new conducting composite of polypyrrole (PPy) has been prepared electrochemically where polytetramethylbisphenol. A carbonate is used as the insulating matrix polymer. Characterization of the freestanding films of the composites were based on scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier transform infrared studies as well as electrical conductivity measurements and solubility. Electrical conductivities were measured by a four-probe technique. Spectroscopic methods, together with conductivity and solubility studies, indicate that the synthesized composite is a homogeneous blend of the two polymers. No evidence of hydrogen bonding in the composite or grafting of the two polymers has been found, contrary to the PPy-polybisphenol A carbonate case. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc