School of Environment and Society
Institute of Science Tokyo
Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Japan
Title
Toward Bidirectional STEAM Operation: Investigating Intersemiotic Translation at the Intersection of Science, Technology, and Creative Practices
Synopsis
This study explores the potential of art thinking as a creative and cognitive approach applicable beyond the boundaries of the arts, particularly in interdisciplinary science and technology contexts. Art thinking is here understood as a process-driven mode of inquiry that enables individuals to navigate complex, real-world challenges with agility and interdisciplinary engagement. Drawing on Wesseling’s (2011) view of artistic practice as thought-in-action and Bourriaud’s (1998) theory of boundary-crossing creativity, the authors position art thinking as a valuable tool in addressing multifaceted problems.
Focusing on the international biosensor competition SensUs, the study analyzes collaboration between students from the Institute of Science Tokyo and RWTH Aachen University. Based on semi-structured interviews and communication records, examined through a translation studies framework, the research addresses two core questions: how art thinking influences knowledge exchange and communication in interdisciplinary development projects; and (2) how participants experience transformation through such engagement.
Preliminary findings from 2023 and 2024 reveal that: empathetic facilitation is key to team cohesion; disciplinary preconceptions persist even among youth; zones of loss and gain foster innovation; and early handling of misalignments might improve outcomes. The study tentatively suggests that while some disruptions can be managed through preparation and intersemiotic translation, some productive disruption and creative friction are essential for innovation. A structured yet flexible process can support interdisciplinary creativity without eliminating its disruptive potential, offering important implications for STEAM education and collaborative research activities.