While a growing body of literature speaks to the benefits, best practices, and methodologies of undergraduate research, relatively little guidance exists for faculty mentoring research outside their disciplines. We tend to supervise projects that advance our own research areas or, at a minimum, pertain to those subjects we teach, and most students gravitate toward mentors who are experts in their proposed field of research. Given a natural inclination to build upon our core expertise, what cause is there to deviate from a well-established formula for mentor-mentee relationships? This researcher proposes three reasons, based on firsthand experience, to consider deviating from the standard path: meeting student need, facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration, and uncovering exciting new opportunities for mentor and student growth.

My ongoing role in advising research beyond my discipline began with two students seeking a mentor who could help them investigate incentives and barriers to cybersecurity education. These undergraduate researchers recognized the potential for a professor outside cybersecurity to lend fresh perspective on their topic and needed someone willing to engage with sometimes unfamiliar terminology, concepts, and issues. The ensuing partnership has illuminated how much good communication, strong research methodology, and equal amounts of humility and curiosity can transcend topical divides.

Crossing subject matter borders is not without its challenges. When faculty from disparate fields team up to co-mentor interdisciplinary projects, they benefit from a safety net of both resources and knowledge, supporting each other in times of need. Navigating this process alone whilst guiding research outside your area of expertise can be uniquely taxing, yet also provides opportunities for mentor resourcefulness and academic enrichment. Additionally, students may feel more empowered to contribute in areas that draw primarily from their major focus. This research aims to further an exploration of the limitations, benefits, and different approaches to interdisciplinary mentoring partnerships.