How many ways are there to measure a tree? – An experiment in cross-disciplinarity

This article takes a transdisciplinary approach to a relatively simple-sounding task – tree measuring. It asks the question, ‘How many ways are there to measure a tree?’, in order to provoke a discussion of our different ways of knowing. It attempts to engage a reader in thinking about disciplines and what they do. It does so by sharing insights from a project in which diverse scholars, practitioners and children came together for the common purpose of producing engaged knowledge. The experience of reading the article should prompt questions about whose knowledge counts and why, and the value of university research that is engaged and grounded. We conclude with a question of what kinds of measurements matter and why. The article takes the reader through different disciplinary perspectives, from science to social science to poetry, and, in that process, engages with the ‘how’ of disciplines in terms of real-world problems.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Research for All
Published
2025-03-13
DOI
https://doi.org/10.14324/rfa.09.1.04
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Climate Change Communication and Perception
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
8.40
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

How many ways are there to measure a tree? – An experiment in cross-disciplinarity

Jo Vergunst, Steve Pool, Peter Kraftl, Samyia Ambreen et al.
2 citations
Research for All
Climate Change Communication and Perception
8.40
article

How many ways are there to measure a tree? – An experiment in cross-disciplinarity

Jo Vergunst, Steve Pool, Peter Kraftl, Samyia Ambreen, Johan Siebers, Abigail Hackett, Jennifer K. Rowntree, Khawla Badwan, I. J. Davenport, Kate Pahl, David Cooper, Emily R. Lines, Caitlin Nunn, Simon Carr, Peter Lawrence, Elizabeth Curtis, David Cường Nguyễn, Ed Schofield
article en
2 citations

Abstract

This article takes a transdisciplinary approach to a relatively simple-sounding task – tree measuring. It asks the question, ‘How many ways are there to measure a tree?’, in order to provoke a discussion of our different ways of knowing. It attempts to engage a reader in thinking about disciplines and what they do. It does so by sharing insights from a project in which diverse scholars, practitioners and children came together for the common purpose of producing engaged knowledge. The experience of reading the article should prompt questions about whose knowledge counts and why, and the value of university research that is engaged and grounded. We conclude with a question of what kinds of measurements matter and why. The article takes the reader through different disciplinary perspectives, from science to social science to poetry, and, in that process, engages with the ‘how’ of disciplines in terms of real-world problems.

Research for AllVol. 9(1)
Manchester Metropolitan University (GB), University of Aberdeen (GB), University of Cambridge (GB), Middlesex University London (GB), Sheffield Hallam University (GB), University of Birmingham (GB), University of Plymouth (GB), University of Cumbria (GB)
Openalex Percentile: Top 4%
Climate Change Communication and Perception
8.40
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.