The Cognition and Learning in Interdisciplinary Cultures research group investigates cognitive and learning practices in research laboratories and instructional settings. We address a range of issues that lie at the interface of cognitive science, science studies, and learning sciences. These include the nature and role of physical and computational models in research, learning modeling practices, the co-evolution of researchers and technologies in these complex cognitive-cultural systems, and the nature of creativity and innovation in their experimental designs. We are in the early stages of a study that will more closely examine the technologies in the research labs in order to inform the design of new computing systems that can support innovation and creativity.

We are presently studying engineers, computer scientists, students, and the technologies that are incorporated into their daily practice in the interdisciplinary bio-science, bio-engineering, and bio-robotics fields. By drawing on findings about learning in the laboratory settings we are developing new ways of educating the next generation of scientists and engineers. We have been developing Problem-Based Learning classes and instructional laboratories in Biomedical Engineering (BME) to assist undergraduate students in learning model-based reasoning skills.

Our investigations are primarily based on ethnographic observations and interviews and cognitive-historical analyses of the evolving practices and technologies. Our group is itself an interdisciplinary culture, comprising expertise in philosophy and history of science, linguistics, ethnography, cognitive psychology, theoretical psychology, human-centered computing, intelligent systems, and design cognition.

The CLIC research group appreciates the support of grants from the National Science Foundation DRL0106773 and DRL0411825 to Nancy J. Nersessian and Wendy C. Newstetter, from the Spencer Foundation to Kareen Malone, and from the National Endowment for the Humanities to Nancy J. Nersessian.