Actionable Research for the Sustainable Development Goals

Director Emerita, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science & Technology (EAWAG), Professor Emerita, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich & Lausanne

There are increasing calls for ‘mission oriented’ research that would serve the needs of society more effectively. At the same time, it has long been recognized that the ‘moon shot’ model fails miserably in addressing complex problems that lack clarity in both their aims and solutions. An alternative approach is provided by actionable research, which is intended to be useful in informing environmental policy and practice. Fulfilling this intention requires research design that incorporates several aspects. (1) Desired project outcomes should be explicitly included in project design and planning. Target outputs that would foster such desired outcomes should be identified and incorporated as goals for the project. (2) Integration and synthesis should be explicitly identified as necessary activities throughout the project and as a goal for the project. (3) Milestones that can be linked to eventual uptake of project results should be identified and tracked during the project and also after its completion. Designing effective actionable research requires serious attention to the needs and interests of potential implementation partners (and ideally direct involvement of their representatives) at formative stages of project development. Time and resources must also be budgeted for knowledge exchange, which may benefit from involvement of (non-academic) knowledge brokers. Equitable acknowledgment of contributions made by project participants with varying background and expertise can help to foster the partnerships needed for effective actionable research. Contact with non-academic project partners and stakeholders can also support early career researchers in identifying alternative career tracks. Finally, diversity in project teams should be fostered as a source of innovation.

Research and Education in Energy, Environment, and Water - Catalyzing Conversations