The Evolutionary Characteristics and Interaction of Interdisciplinarity and Scientific Collaboration under the Convergence Paradigm: Analysis in the Field of Materials Genome Engineering

Abstract

Convergence has been proposed as a revolutionary innovation paradigm that advocates the integration of multidisciplinary knowledge through collaboration to solve complex real-world challenges. From a knowledge perspective, this study examined the evolutionary characteristics and interactions between interdisciplinarity and scientific collaboration in the context of the convergence paradigm using complex networks and bibliometric methods for publications (n = 35,227) in the materials genome engineering (MGE) field in China from 2000 to 2021. The findings are as follows: (1) Under the convergence paradigm, knowledge from five core disciplines forms the skeleton of the multidisciplinary knowledge system in the MGE field. The goal of interdisciplinarity gradually evolves from theoretical exploration to applied research, and the knowledge from various disciplines is increasingly integrated. (2) The development of the scientific collaboration network has gone through three phases: 2000–2009, 2005–2014, and 2015–2021, and its core-periphery structure has been gradually optimized. (3) The evolution of interdisciplinarity is nearly synchronized with the evolution of the scientific collaboration network. (4) The promotion of interdisciplinarity through collaboration is becoming increasingly evident. The proportion of interdisciplinary partnerships increased from 0.66 to 0.87, with the proportion of partnerships involving more than two disciplines increasing from 0.24 to 0.59. (5) Institutions from core and periphery disciplines have diverse partner selection preferences, and disciplinary characteristics related to knowledge similarity and complementarity are important factors influencing scientific collaboration behavior. This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the convergence paradigm and provides insights for better incubating convergence research projects and advancing top-down innovation management in convergence fields.