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The Training in InterDisciplinary and Ethnoecological Studies of Reef Passages (TIDES) summer school, held at The University of the South Pacific, Fiji, introduced early career researchers (ECRs) from diverse backgrounds to inter- and transdisciplinary research methodologies such as participatory mapping and talanoa (story sharing). Fourteen ECRs participated from three Pacific Island institutions, representing five countries and four disciplines. The methodologies in the TIDES summer school contrasted with previous, often siloed training the ECRs experienced. ECRs trained in laboratory-based research and those who specialized in theoretical policy analysis found common ground in interdisciplinary collaboration. For marine scientists, the program highlighted the importance of integrating local and Indigenous knowledge to contextualize ecological data. For social scientists, mapping emerged both as a spatial method and a medium for informing evidence-based policy, revealing hidden narratives—such as customary closures and traditional fishing grounds—that standard interviews often miss. A defining lesson was the transition from individual academic performance to collective responsibility. Participants recognized that meaningful inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration requires attentive listening, mutual respect, and humility regarding the limitations of their own disciplinary perspectives while contributing their specialized expertise. Informal exchanges over shared meals and mapping sessions proved equally valuable as formal instruction, helping dismantle hierarchies among experts, students, and community members. Participants left the TIDES summer school with strengthened technical skills, broader perspectives, and a commitment to inclusive, bottom–up research that values diverse knowledge systems and supports local engagement.