The background of these two major challenges, both ‘what to solve’ and ‘how to solve,’ is not yet clear enough to assemble various disciplines into SS. Moreover, we recognize that there has been no consensus on the underlying question of “What is structuring knowledge in SS?” in the first place. In other words, SS researchers are neither sure of what they want to look for by structuring knowledge in SS, nor do they share a common understanding of what is required in order to achieve the structuring of knowledge. Sharing explicitly structured knowledge about SS among scientists from various disciplines is crucial to facilitating collaboration for interdisciplinary SS. However, we

cannot meet the challenges of ‘what to solve’ and ‘how to solve’ only by structuring knowledge. Knowledge Adavosertib cell line structuring must include the support of thinking processes.

Existing SS systems are inadequate for meeting these SS needs because those systems are mainly static structures GDC 0068 representing SS and have no link to tools for supporting problem finding and solving. In addition, existing systems target knowledge in specific domains or consist of contents divided into respective research CP673451 in vivo fields. As a result, when we use those systems, we are compelled to collaborate within a specific domain. In order to remedy this situation, we need to design a new conceptual framework to structure knowledge for facilitating collaboration in SS, to develop a knowledge system for SS as an implementation of the framework, and to verify and validate the system. If researchers from different fields use such a knowledge system in the process of interdisciplinary research in SS, and if the system can support their thinking by structuring

knowledge, then this support would facilitate collaboration and the establishment of partnerships between them. As an initial step to meeting these needs, this paper focuses Selleckchem Staurosporine on articulating in the form of a reference model a set of required elements, functions, and actions for structuring SS knowledge and on realizing a part of that reference model by developing a prototype knowledge system for mapping relevant concepts and their linkages in SS. In “Reference model for knowledge structuring in sustainability science”, we identify the requirements and establish a five-layer reference model as a development roadmap for structuring knowledge in SS. In “Structuring sustainability science with ontology engineering technology”, we develop an ontology-based knowledge system and mapping tool to illuminate multi-perspective conceptual chains. In “Conformity examination of an ontology-based sustainability science mapping tool”, we examine the tool’s conformity to the proposed reference model and discuss its usability, effectiveness, and constraints.