Social Networking
van den Hazel et al. Environmental Health 2012, 11(Suppl 1):S15 http://www.ehjournal.net/content/11/S1/S15
REVIEW
Open Access
The challenge of social networking in the field of environment and health
Peter van den Hazel1*, Hans Keune2, Scott Randall3, Aileen Yang3, David Ludlow4, Alena Bartonova3 From HENVINET (Health and Environment Network) final conference Brussels, Belgium. 14 April 2010 - 15 April 2010
Abstract
Background: The fields of environment and health are both interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary, and until recently had little engagement in social networking designed to cross disciplinary boundaries. The EU FP6 project HENVINET aimed to establish integrated social network and networking facilities for multiple stakeholders in environment and health. The underlying assumption is that increased social networking across disciplines and sectors will enhance the quality of both problem knowledge and problem solving, by facilitating interactions. Interand trans-disciplinary networks are considered useful for this purpose. This does not mean that such networks are easily organized, as openness to such cooperation and exchange is often difficult to ascertain. Methods: Different methods may enhance network building. Using a mixed method approach, a diversity of actions were used in order to investigate the main research question: which kind of social networking activities and structures can best support the objective of enhanced inter- and trans-disciplinary cooperation and exchange in the fields of environment and health. HENVINET applied interviews, a role playing session, a personal response system, a stakeholder workshop and a social networking portal as part of the process of building an interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary network. Results: The interviews provided support for the specification of requirements for an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary network. The role playing session, the personal response system and the
REVIEW
Open Access
The challenge of social networking in the field of environment and health
Peter van den Hazel1*, Hans Keune2, Scott Randall3, Aileen Yang3, David Ludlow4, Alena Bartonova3 From HENVINET (Health and Environment Network) final conference Brussels, Belgium. 14 April 2010 - 15 April 2010
Abstract
Background: The fields of environment and health are both interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary, and until recently had little engagement in social networking designed to cross disciplinary boundaries. The EU FP6 project HENVINET aimed to establish integrated social network and networking facilities for multiple stakeholders in environment and health. The underlying assumption is that increased social networking across disciplines and sectors will enhance the quality of both problem knowledge and problem solving, by facilitating interactions. Interand trans-disciplinary networks are considered useful for this purpose. This does not mean that such networks are easily organized, as openness to such cooperation and exchange is often difficult to ascertain. Methods: Different methods may enhance network building. Using a mixed method approach, a diversity of actions were used in order to investigate the main research question: which kind of social networking activities and structures can best support the objective of enhanced inter- and trans-disciplinary cooperation and exchange in the fields of environment and health. HENVINET applied interviews, a role playing session, a personal response system, a stakeholder workshop and a social networking portal as part of the process of building an interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary network. Results: The interviews provided support for the specification of requirements for an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary network. The role playing session, the personal response system and the