Paper short abstract:

This paper argues that paleoceanographers and paleo-modellers, experts who have distinct skill-sets, have managed to collaborate and communicate effectively through the acquisition of parts of each other´s technical language. I illustrate how this process took place with interview and observational data.

Paper long abstract:

Paleoceanographers use archives found in the oceans, such as marine sediments and corals, to reconstruct past oceans and past climate. They are empirically-oriented scientists and spend most of their time collecting samples in the field, analysing them in the lab, and interpreting the results. Paleo-modellers, on the other hand, are not involved with data production. They seek to model past climates on computer models. Their research activities include writing models' codes, developing equations that synthesise climatic processes, running their models, and debugging them. These two groups of scientists have very different skills sets but have been increasingly collaborating and producing knowledge together.

This paper argues that paleoceanographers and paleo-modellers have managed to collaborate and communicate effectively through the acquisition of parts of each other´s technical language. Although there are still some misunderstandings in their interactions, they have successfully worked together in a large number of projects. These communities have made deliberate efforts to bridge the communicative gaps between them by promoting Summer Schools, joint Masters Courses, and shared PhD supervisions. Individual members of these domains have also made efforts to learn each other´s technical languages through attending conferences and through informal conversations. I illustrate how this process took place with interview and observational data.