Interdisciplinary Research

1. Interdisciplinary Research Frances Lawrenz Associate Vice President for Research and Wallace Professor of Teaching and Learning, Department of Educational Psychology, College of Education and Human Development

2. Interdisciplinary research • Background • Recent Activities • Interdisciplinary team approach • New programs and services

3. Background • Strategic positioning goal • Sponsors interdisciplinary direction • NIH Roadmaphttp://nihroadmap.nih.gov/roadmap15update.asp • 2020 Vision for the NSFhttp://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2006/nsb05142/nsb05142.pdf • University strengths • Breadth and depth of disciplines • Multiple campuses • History of collaboration

4. Colleges • Several colleges are interdisciplinary • IT – Math, Physical Sciences and Engineering • CLA – Humanities, Social Sciences • Humphrey Institute – Policy across disciplines • CEHD – Social Work, Family Social Science, Education, Kinesiology

5. Centers • Academic & Corporate Relations Center (ACRC) estimates 300+ centers at U supporting interdisciplinary activitieshttp://www.research.umn.edu/cip/index.htm • Examples of well established, large centers: • Materials Research Science and Engineering Center MRSEC –http://www.mrsec.umn.edu/ an innovative program that fosters a creative, interdisciplinary approach to materials research, interlocking faculty and students from seven departments • Masonic Cancer Centerhttp://www.cancer.umn.edu/ One of only 39 comprehensive cancer centers in US designed by NCI for cancer research, treatment and education • Center for Transportation Studies (CTS)http://www.cts.umn.edu/ works with more than 75 faculty from 25 different departments in seven colleges to develop new knowledge about transportation and then helping share that knowledge with professionals and policymakers. • Institute for Engineering in Medicinehttp://www.iem.umn.edu/ formerly the Biomedical Engineering Institute (BMEI), fosters interdisciplinary research among faculty in the health science and engineering fields, as well as developing mechanisms to engage these groups toward success.

6. Interdisciplinary Initiatives • Institute of Advanced Studyhttp://ias.umn.edu/ Seeks to ignite creative, innovative, and profound research and discovery in the sciences, humanities & the arts. • Institute on the Environmenthttp://environment.umn.edu/ As the gateway to and the link between “all things environmental”, the Institute is discovering solutions and delivering results to the region, the nation and the world. • Minnesota Population Centerhttp://www.pop.umn.edu/ Fosters connections among population researchers across disciplines and opens new opportunities for large-scale collaborative externally funded research projects. • Initiative on Law and Values in Health, Environment, and the Life Sciences http://www.interdisciplinary.umn.edu/background/law_values.html This Initiative deepened the University's commitment to the Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences which was founded in 2000 to respond to the most challenging legal and ethical questions of the 21st century, questions posed by biomedicine and the life sciences.

7. Interdisciplinary Initiatives • Institute for the Advancement of Science & Engineeringhttp://academic.umn.edu/provost/interdisc/sci_tech/ Will be a system-wide, premier research institute dedicated to contributing knowledge and providing solutions to great challenges that require multidisciplinary approaches across the sciences and engineering. • Institute for Translational Neuroscience (ITN) http://www.itn.umn.edu/ Charged to enhance basic science discovery with the new knowledge leading to subsequent clinical trials and establishment of new therapeutic principles or tools. • UM Informatics Initiative (UMII) http://www.informatics.umn.edu/ Program encompasses health informatics, computational biology, systems biology, bioinformatics, and physical and computational sciences, as well as emerging fields. • Interdisciplinary Program in Collaborative Arts (IPCA)http://collaborativearts.umn.edu/ To explore, practice, and further develop a wide range of interdisciplinary creativity and research among students and faculty within the arts and between the arts, humanities, and sciences.

8. Recent Activities • ICR sharing • Changes to the promotion & tenure code (more info at session on Thur 8/21 from 2:15-4:15) • 2007 code revision to section 7.11 requires: “…evaluation of interdisciplinary work, public engagement, international activity and initiatives, attention to questions of diversity, and technology transfer where applicable.” • New 7.12’s by departments will occur this academic year: Departments must write statements that specify the standards they will use for evaluating tenure. Most departments have incorporated interdisciplinary work into these statements. For example, the 7.12 statement for the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics states that to receive tenure, the faculty member must conduct research that is “original, and include cooperative and interdisciplinary investigation.”  The 7.12 statement for the Department of Applied Economics states “Faculty are encouraged to demonstrate creativity, attention to questions of diversity, and innovation through interdisciplinary and intercultural scholarship and teaching. Collaboration, interaction and education across a wide range of diverse ethnic and cultural perspectives contributes to the breadth and quality of academic work and represents a core value of the University of Minnesota.”

9. Interdisciplinary team approach • Members • Office of the Vice President for Research • Office of Academic Affairs and Provost • The Graduate School • Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education • Activities • Model of collaborative behavior • Multi-university Consortium on Fostering Interdisciplinary Inquiry http://www.interdisciplinary.umn.edu/ • Leadership development • Review organizational practices to reduce barriers

10. New programs & services OVPR • Collaborative Research Services http://www.collaborate.umn.edu • Administrative support for large proposals • Single point for information on resources • Facilitating faculty interaction • MN Futures program http://www.research.umn.edu/opportunities/intramural/MNFutures.html

11. New Programs & Services The Graduate School • Network of Interdisciplinary Initiatives http://www.grad.umn.edu/oii/nii/ • Fall Assembly 10/27/08, 3-5pm, Mississippi Rm, Coffman • Spring Assembly 4/20/09, 3-5pm, Mississippi Rm, Coffman • Team Leader for Consortium • Expanded interdisciplinary graduate programs (19) • Interdisciplinary workshops on issues • Intellectual Community, 9/23/08, 3-5:30pm, Mississippi Rm, Coffman • Designing ID Curriculum, 10/7/08, 3-5:30pm, Presidents’ Rm, Coffman • Developing a Sustainable Resource Base, 2/4/09, 3-5:30pm, Mississippi Rm, Coffman

12. Websites • Strategic Positioninghttp://www1.umn.edu/systemwide/strategic_positioning/ The University has established the goal of becoming one of the top three public research universities in the next decade. This site tracks the U’s progress toward meeting that goal. • Academic Affairs & Provost Interdisciplinary Initiativeshttp://www.academic.umn.edu/provost/interdisc/ The University is building on its tradition of focused investment in interdisciplinary activity with a new round of major initiatives as well as new efforts to transform policies and practices that impede faculty and student mobility across the disciplines. • Consortium on Fostering Interdisciplinary Inquiry https://www.myu.umn.edu/metadot/index.pl?id=1562406 The multi-institutional Consortium on Fostering Interdisciplinary Inquiry was formed in spring 2007 under the auspices of the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost to transform the capacity of the participating universities to successfully engage in interdisciplinary research, education and training, and creative activity.

13. Questions