Interdisciplinary research and inquiry is the ability to research, engage with, and present

information from multiple fields and perspectives. In doing so, individuals learn to base research off of
current research and methods of inquiry and connecting it to appropriate conversations and various
social situations. To properly achieve this, one must critically and creatively think to establish research
questions, support claims with suitable sources and methods, and relay important information and the
purpose of this information to their target audience.

The first artifact I chose is a PowerPoint from the class Ecology and the Environment. This was
our final presentation where a partner and I conducted research on a biome of our choosing, the
California Chaparral. In this research project we gathered information on climate conditions, plant and
animal biodiversity, insects, geography, ecosystem services, threats, conservation efforts and natural
history and then presented it to the class in a presentation under ten minutes. To gather all of this
information, we referenced scientific journals, wildlife organizations, colleges, and government
agencies. We ensured our references were reliable by making sure the information was peer reviewed,
on a government website, or from a reputable college organization. We then compiled this information
to give a presentation that was informational, to the point, and enjoyable for our audience.

The second artifact I chose is my final research proposal for the class Approaches to Cultural
Research. In this research proposal, I discuss the injustices that indigenous peoples of southeast Asia
face due to the exploitive oil palm industry. I examine how indigenous peoples are fighting back against
government and corporations in extremely courageous ways. I also discuss how I would research this
topic further to bring to light how the acts of the oil palm industry are degrading resources, traditions,
and culture and also the success some villages have had fighting against these injustices. My hope in
researching villages that have been successful in fighting against this industry is to bring understanding
to other communities about what their rights are and a plan to protect these rights against the
exploitive oil palm industry. Initially, in this proposal I used interdisciplinary research to examine how
the oil palm industry has negatively affected indigenous peoples of southeast Asia physical and mental
health, culture and traditions, homes and property, human rights, and the health of their natural
environments in which they have previously gathered their resources sustainably. Upon further research
and examination, I realized most of the sources highlighted the injustices against these people but
simply skimmed over the true resilience and courage that they are showing while protecting their land,
resources, traditions, and cultures. After doing research on this alternative discourse, I then researched
the appropriate cultural research methods I would use to understand what was working for certain
villages and groups of people. The sources I used for this were made up of non-governmental
organizations, research journals, and books. My goal for this research was to educate other villages and
groups that are facing the same life-altering issues on how they can get help and protect themselves
from development and corporations involved with the oil palm industry. I also hoped to shed light to
consumers on how personal choices and purchases can have an effect on the lives of others.

In providing these two artifacts and my definition of interdisciplinary research and inquiry, I
hope to supplement evidence of my ability to research topics with, both, a narrow and broad scope. My
first artifact shows the narrow scope which still can be looked at as interdisciplinary considering its
natural history and wide-range of environmental topics including the anthropogenic effects on the
biome. The second artifact shows my ability to research a topic with a broad scope involving all of the
topics previously listed and how these topics all tie together. The world is far too interconnected for
topics and issues to not spill into one another which is why interdisciplinary research and inquiry is vital.