This research aims to investigate the decision-making processes of scientists and fieldworkers involved in primarily climate change and biodiversity expeditions and field studies. It focuses on how these groups navigate uncertainty through expert heuristics and specialised knowledge (Kahneman, 2021; Gigerenzer, 2019; Klein, 2005).
Research aim: To describe how expedition scientists and field researchers navigate uncertain decisions in the field and in the lab?
Research Question 1: What uncertainties affect decisions of science expeditions and field studies teams?
STATUS: Data collection from expert expedition planners
Research Question 2: Do emerging technologies affect the need for science expeditions and field studies?
STATUS: AI prototype to support being tested in an Amazon expedition March 2026
Research Question 3: Can learning from experience in the field be replaced by studies in the lab?
STATUS: Planning to create a course and amend prototype to work for those in labs and non-experts
This research program is broken into 3 phases:
Phase 1: In-depth interviews to understand the decisions under uncertainty the context of scientific expeditions and field studies.
Phase 2: Theoretical sampling of expedition teams willing to participate in further study during an expedition or field study.
Phase 3: Extending the theory and to see if it could be applied to other contexts of high uncertainty.
Ultimately, this research will clarify how false dichotomies such as rationality and intuition, human and technology, the field and the lab are being hybridised in interesting ways in the context of scientific expeditions and field work.
More Details:
Distinguishing risk, uncertainty and ambiguities in expedition research.
Publishing about the distinctive skill to be comfortable with "ritual discomfort" with Dr. Connor Heffernan.
Prototyping a full journey of an AI prototype and testing it in an Amazon expedition.
Next phases: Exploring contexts where novices can benefit from the tools being designed
To participate in phase 2 use the consent form or email good@adaptinc.co.uk