One of the most valuable and impactful aspects of creative thinking and collaboration within (and outside) a community, is the innovation it breeds. On a smaller scale, we can see this dynamic within our own group projects and as well as in-class discussions: When collaborating with others, we are able to develop our own thoughts and ideas with the input of others’ knowledge and experiences, rather than relying solely on our own perspective. This allows us to “see” things that could not be seen before. On a larger scale, we can see this sort of progress in the scientific field. Oftentimes, we separate different disciplines into their own groups, without encouraging very much collaboration (societally at least). For example, it is much less common to see a research study that uses conceptual analysis from both a biologist and a sociologist, rather than just one or the other. Collaboration and creative thinking allow us to break out of rigid thinking and consider other perspectives that we may not have considered before. This is why collaboration is essential, not only to our societies but also in our individual lives.
One of the things I would really like to see more in the future is an increase in intersectionality between different institutions and careers. I feel that we could make a lot of positive changes in our society if we were able to encourage more of these discussions! On a smaller sale, we can apply this concept to our own university environment and in our own educational experiences.