Postdoc in Communicating Values in Interdisciplinary Science

Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
University of Copenhagen

The University of Copenhagen is seeking a highly motivated and talented Postdoc fellow to commence on February 1, 2025, or after agreement in the Whiteley Group at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR) and Medical Museion (www.museion.ku.dk), University of Copenhagen.

The Postdoc fellowship is part of the CBMR International PhD & Postdoc Program.

About Us
Medical Museion
The Postdoc position is based at Medical Museion, which houses CBMR’s Program 4: Cardiometabolic Research in Society and Culture. Medical Museion is a university museum in the Department of Public Health, hosting an interdisciplinary research group that looks at health and medical sciences in their cultural, historical, and philosophical context. CBMR’s scientific research invokes fundamental questions about the relationship between medical science, clinical medicine and human experience. Medical Museion’s starting point is that cardiometabolic research is an integral part of culture and history. We produce exhibitions, events, collection projects, and online communication, all informed by both biomedical science and our research program covering science communication studies, philosophy and history of science, medical humanities, Science & Technology Studies (STS), museology, and anthropology.

Department of Public Health
The Department of Public Health’s focus is to improve the health of the population and the connection between health and society. The Department provides the scientific foundation for efforts that aims to improve public health, both nationally and globally, and to create greater insight into the links between health, the individual and society as well as the ethical, equity and political implications. This is achieved through research, education and engagement with stakeholders and the public at large with a wide-ranging multidisciplinary research agenda covering most aspects of public health at a high international level. You may read more about the Department of Public Health here.

CBMR
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR) is an academic research Center that pioneer’s groundbreaking research towards better cardiometabolic health. Through collaborative interdisciplinary research from single-cell genomics to whole-body systems, CBMR aims to transform the basic understanding of cardiometabolic health and accelerate its translation into prevention and treatment strategies. The Center’s uniquely multi- and interdisciplinary approach combines research in genetics, physiology and pharma­cology, to better understand the complex interplay of the many factors that drive cardiometabolic disease. You can learn more in the Executive Summary of CBMR's Strategy 2024–2028.

CBMR was established in 2010 at the Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences and has been in the Maersk Tower at PANUM since 2017. The around 260 employees create an international, highly collaborative research environment across disciplines, from genetics and physiology to philosophy of science and curatorial research.

Our Research
The Whiteley group focuses on science communication and research culture. Members of the group collaborate across Program 4 and with scientists from the CBMR to conduct interdisciplinary research that then feeds into museum-based public engagement. This project is part of a theme investigating the internal ‘research culture’ of contemporary biomedicine, and the postdoc will ask how communicating the values and goals that drive research can help scientists from different backgrounds work together. The team at Medical Museion is highly interdisciplinary and aims to be a welcoming and inclusive environment – where people from academic, museum, administrative, and other backgrounds collaborate on shared projects whilst also respecting each other’s professional expertise.

Job Description
The project ‘Becoming an interdisciplinary scientist: Communicating values and valuing difference’ will ask:

(a) what role does communication of disciplinary values and goals play in interdisciplinary collaboration?

(b) what kinds of training can support early career researchers (ECRs) and interdisciplinary research groups in talking about disciplinary values and goals, and how can this fruitfully intersect with training for public communication?

The proposition underlying the project is that discussions about interdisciplinary communication have been overly focused on technical accuracy and conceptual translation – on the cognitive level. There has been less focus on the communication of disciplinary values and goals – on the affective and motivational levels. We suggest the latter is a key element of interdisciplinary collaboration and requires an ability to tolerate difference: collaborators’ disciplinary values and goals may never be perfectly aligned, but by being made explicit they can be combined in pragmatic and even creative ways (Monteiro & Keating, 2009). The project won’t aim to argue against the search for ‘common language’, but to suggest critical reflection on what needs to be ‘in common’. Developing common concepts can be crucial but aiming to understand each other perfectly can be a barrier to collaboration, and finding a common language for talking about differing values is just as important (Bracken & Oughton, 2006). Neither do we argue for saying everything – sometimes values need to be left (at least temporarily) unspoken (Fitzgerald et al., 2014; Mellor & Webster, 2020). Analysis of what needs to be shared or ‘in common’ will be informed by literature such as Star & Griesemer’s (1989) classic concept of ‘boundary objects’ – shared concepts ambiguous enough that different disciplines can maintain different definitions while still feeling - facilitating “cooperation without consensus” (Star, 2005).

Cardiometabolic science is an ideal case for this project, as it is interdisciplinary with high translational potential, and often motivated by complex disciplinary values concerning the clinical and societal treatment of disease, in dialogue with fundamental scientific curiosity.

The project outlines five work packages, but the details will be developed in dialogue with your interests and expertise. You will lead a novel cross-disciplinary literature review (WP1) and an interview study of mid-career scientists’ perspectives on the project theme (WP2), with WP1&2 together answering research question (a). Your research will then inform the development of an ECR training course and half-day workshop format for research groups led by the PI Louise Whiteley and co-PI Marianne Achiam, translating the outputs of WP1&2 into practical activities to improve scientists’ ability to communicate disciplinary values and goals within interdisciplinary and public settings (WP3). We will work together to convene an international conference and special issue proposal (WP4), submitted by the end of the project along with a commission for an accessible publication for young interdisciplinary scientists (WP5). WP3-5 thus combine to answer research question (b) in pedagogical, academic, and literary settings respectively, drawing on our expertise in using creative and object-based communication methods – where we hope you will bring new ideas to the team.

References:

Monteiro, M., & Keating, E. (2009). Science Communication, 31(1), 6-28.

Bracken, L.J., & Oughton, E. A. (2006). Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 31(3), 371–382.

Fitzgerald, D., et al. (2014). Social Studies of Science, 44(5), 701-21.

Mellor, F., & Webster, S. (2017). Silences of Science.

Star, S., & Griesemer, J. (1989). Social Studies of Science, 19(3), 387–420.

Star, S.L. (2005). In Derry et al. (Eds.). Interdisciplinary Collaboration.

Profile
The Postdoc fellowship is aimed at early-career researchers with a background in science communication studies; STS or science studies; science education; or other relevant disciplines. We are particularly interested in candidates who have experience talking with scientists about their research, and who combine a critical perspective with enthusiasm for working collaboratively to better understand research culture.

Required qualifications:

• PhD in a relevant humanities or social science discipline, e.g., science communication, STS, science education, cultural studies, participatory methods, or organisational research.
• Excellent track record in relation to career stage.
• Confidence designing own research methodologies and exploring links between research and practice.
• Enthusiasm for collaborating across disciplines and practices.
• Some experience with running communication activities or teaching is an advantage.
• Excellent English communication skills, both written and oral.

Eligibility
The Postdoc fellowships within the CBMR International PhD & Postdoc Program are open for applicants that hold a PhD degree awarded from a university outside of Denmark. The program is also open for applicants with a Danish PhD degree who can document at least 12 months of full-time research experience from outside Denmark during or after the PhD studies. The PhD degree has to be obtained before February 1, 2025. You are not eligible to apply for the program if you have been employed in a postdoctoral position for more than one year at the University of Copenhagen prior to the commencement of the fellowship.

Terms of Employment
The employment as Postdoc is a full-time position for 3 years. Starting date is February 1, 2025, or after agreement.

Salary, pension and terms of employment will be in accordance with the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated.

Non-Danish and Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions if they hold a PhD degree and have not been tax liable to Denmark for the last 10 years.

The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2020.

Questions
For further information about the position, please contact Dr Louise Whiteley at [email protected]. Questions regarding the CBMR International PhD & Postdoc Program must be directed to [email protected]. For questions regarding the recruitment procedure, please contact HR at [email protected].

The University of Copenhagen International Staff Mobility office offers support and assistance to all international researchers on all issues related to moving to and settling in Denmark.

Application Procedure
Your online application must be submitted in English via the ‘Apply now’ link below. Furthermore, your application must include the following documents/attachments – all in PDF format:

• Cover letter expressing the motivation and previous research experience of the applicant (max. one page)
• Curriculum vitae
• Copy of the PhD degree certificate and the master’s degree certificate. In case the PhD has not yet been completed, a written statement from the supervisor is acceptable, confirming it will be obtained before February 1, 2025.
• List of publications
• References (name and contact details of at least two references)

Application Deadline: September 20, 2024, 23.59pm CET.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The Further Process
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor. Once the assessment work has been completed, each applicant can comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.

You may read about the recruitment process at www.employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process.

The applicant will be assessed according to Ministerial Order No. 242 of March 13, 2012, on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their personal backgrounds.