Impact of Transformative Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education on Academic Institutions. Workshop Report

National Science Foundation. 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22230. Tel: 703-292-7000; e-mail: NSBoffice@nsf.gov; Web site: http://www.nsf.gov

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Graduate Study; Institutions; Interdisciplinary Approach; Organizational Change; Workshops; Teamwork; Grants; Research; STEM Education; Higher Education

In May 2008, a two-day workshop was held in Arlington, Virginia with the goal of defining the progress of interdisciplinary research and graduate education and their impacts on academic institutions. The workshop was sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate of Education and Human Resources, Division of Graduate Education, Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Program. The workshop was convened because of the growing acknowledgment of the importance of discoveries and outcomes of interdisciplinary, cutting-edge science and technology for economic and societal growth and vitality. Recognizing the many impacts of interdisciplinary research can catalyze a change in the landscape of U.S. universities to value and increase interdisciplinary graduate education. Eight working groups addressed questions focused on four critical impact areas of interdisciplinary institutional change: (1) Research; (2) Faculty; (3) Graduate Education; and (4) Academic Institutions. Each of the working groups, four comprising PIs and co-PIs of active IGERT projects and four comprising leading administrators at IGERT institutions, was asked to consider and summarize central questions on the four impact areas that addressed the following topics: (1) Progress and impacts made to date; (2) What works and what does not; (3) Opportunities and challenges going forward; and (4) Metrics for success of interdisciplinary research and graduate education. Discussion of the theme of interdisciplinarity for each topic frequently touched upon one or more of the other topics. Therefore, the summaries of the workshop themes in this report present key thoughts, contributions, and recommendations derived from both the working groups who specifically chose to focus on that topic and from other discussions on that topic that occurred during the two-day workshop. Appended are: (1) List of Workshop Participants Organized by Working Groups; (2) Workshop Agenda; (3) Question Templates for Working Groups; and (4) Overview of Work Process. [Funding for this paper was provided by the Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Program.]

ERIC

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2012

ED530821