Interdisciplinary Research and Education at USC

1. Interdisciplinary Research and Education at USC Focus: New areas of science and technology that require research teams Ari Requicha requicha@usc.edu http:www-lmr.usc.edu/~requicha

2. Why Bother? • Real-world problems do not fall neatly within disciplinary boundaries – industry knows this. • Team work is essential in the real world and discouraged in universities. • Exciting areas of big impact, where major advances are taking place – where the action is. • Big, visible grants – where the dollars are.

3. New Areas • Is it for real or a fad? • Wait and see (timid administration). Then if OK play catch up. • Take an informed risk. Maybe use internal and external advisory groups. • Who are the peers? • Merit/quality judgements. • Tenure decisions. • Should junior people be discouraged from doing this work?

4. New Interdisciplinary Areas • Grass roots: must be simultaneously recognized as important by several departments (and the administration). • Top down: aggressive administration. • Hiring: in which department(s)? Administration controls the slots.

5. Depth vs. Breadth • Can’t be an expert in everything. • Must have depth in something. • Goal: Depth in one discipline and knowledge of others to understand problems and to be able to interact with specialists. • Who judges depth/quality? Departments.

6. Educational Implications • Students should not be “penalized” for choosing interdisciplinary work. • Fulfilling requirements in several disciplines is prohibitive. • Students do not have the pre-requisites for in-depth courses in other disciplines. • Team work is usually discouraged. • University has to accept the goal and • Teach both depth and breadth courses. • To increase breadth need to reduce depth (or increase course length).

7. University Organization • Areas may come and go; faculty stay. • Matrix organization (used by many in industry). • Degrees: in departments but mention “programs”. Departments “Programs”

8. Centers/Institutes • Outside visibility. • Fund raising. • Recruiting. • Infrastructure support • Equipment. • Technical and administrative personnel. (Career paths?) • Facilitate interaction • Seminars and other events. • Contiguous space. • Powerful teleconferencing (IMSC; Medical School).

9. USC Issues (1) • Budgeting for proposals – Wide diversity among schools • RA tuition. • Academic year release. • Overhead rates. • Need for multiple approvals. • Lengthy cost share discussions. • Authority over accounts – split vs. undivided accounts. • Teaching • New courses across departments. • “Breadth” courses are service courses. • Teaching credit. • Tuition credit.

10. USC Issues (2) • Lack of space • Labs. • “Mingling” areas. • Seminar rooms. • Contiguous space for “program” faculty and students. • Quality of space, e.g. CS building. • Living in the past • Some faculty continue to work on areas that no longer have impact. • Departments tend to keep building up in existing areas. • Reward flexibility. • Who’s addressing all these issues? • The senate is a poor representative of the faculty involved in interdiscipinary activities in science and technology. • Strategic planning ignores science and technology trends.