The concept of interdisciplinarity encompasses not only the production of new knowledge through collaboration across disciplines, but new ways of putting that knowledge to use for the benefit of others. Interdisciplinary education lays the foundation for personal and professional success for members of academia and the students under their purview.<\/span><\/p>\n
The <\/span>Pathway to the Future: NC State’s 2011-2020 Strategic Plan<\/span><\/a>, moved the university further toward accomplishing interdisciplinary excellence in many areas of scholarship.\u00a0 <\/span>Now, a new strategic plan has been put in motion to further that progress.<\/span><\/p>\n
NC State\u2019s <\/span>new strategic plan<\/span><\/a> came together through a University Strategic Planning Executive Steering Committee and task forces composed of faculty, staff, students and university leadership from all areas of campus. The plan emphasizes the power of interdisciplinarity to positively impact the entire university community and change the way teaching, learning, research and service happen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
To date, more than 500 interdisciplinary faculty have been hired since the debut of <\/span>The Pathway to the Future, NC State\u2019s 2011-2020 Strategic Plan. This includes more than 70 faculty members of the <\/span>Chancellor\u2019s Faculty Excellence Program<\/span><\/a> (CFEP), which is part of NC State\u2019s ongoing effort to encourage and enhance a culture of interdisciplinary exploration at NC State.<\/span><\/p>\n
To further the university\u2019s mission and build upon previous interdisciplinary efforts, the Provost\u2019s Office will be undergoing <\/span>several organizational changes<\/span><\/a>. Senior Vice Provost for Academic Strategy and Resource Management and Chief of Staff Duane Larick <\/span>retired effective January 1, 2022<\/span><\/a>, and Senior Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship Tom Miller <\/span>will be retiring effective July 1, 2022<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
In light of these retirements,<\/span> Provost Arden created the <\/span>Office of University Interdisciplinary Programs<\/span><\/a> to provide leadership, direction and oversight for the programmatic planning and implementation of universitywide interdisciplinary programs and initiatives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
This newly-created office builds on successful interdisciplinary efforts that were begun as part of NC State\u2019s previous strategic plan. The office also brings key Provost\u2019s Office units and initiatives that cross disciplinary boundaries together in one place. It fosters and supports partnerships with university-level interdisciplinary programs and oversees the following: the Chancellor\u2019s Faculty Excellence Program, academies, the Biotechnology Program, the Coastal Resilience and Sustainability Initiative, NC State Entrepreneurship, the Integrative Sciences Initiative and Building and the Shelton Leadership Center. The office\u2019s work is closely aligned with <\/span>Wolfpack 2030: Powering the Extraordinary<\/span><\/a>, NC State\u2019s 2021-2030 Strategic Plan, and will advance all three pillars of the university\u2019s land-grant mission: excellent teaching, research and engagement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Additionally, an open search for the senior vice provost for university interdisciplinary programs is <\/span>now underway<\/span><\/a>. Finalist candidate interviews and open forums will be held in late spring 2022. All updates on the search are available on the <\/span>search page<\/span><\/a> on the Provost\u2019s Office website or at <\/span>go.ncsu.edu\/svp-uip-search<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
In addition to the Chancellor\u2019s Faculty Excellence Program, NC State has embraced interdisciplinary teaching, research and service through a variety of programs, units and initiatives connected to the new Office of University Interdisciplinary Programs.<\/span><\/p>\n
At NC State, an academy is a strategically-focused university-level interdisciplinary unit with the potential to and goal of working with all 10 colleges. Academies provide a common ground for faculty, staff and students of colleges, centers, institutes and other initiatives to connect and contribute to NC State\u2019s key areas of interdisciplinary strength, providing leadership for North Carolina, the nation and the world. The work of the academies will address all three pillars of the university\u2019s land-grant mission: excellent teaching, the creation and application of knowledge, and engagement with public and private partners.<\/span><\/p>\n
In 2021, NC State launched two new academies: the <\/span>Data Science Academy<\/span><\/a> and the <\/span>Genetics and Genomics Academy<\/span><\/a>. Both academies will enhance NC State\u2019s historic strengths and meet the growing needs for research, education and expertise in North Carolina and beyond in their respective fields.<\/span><\/p>\n
The Data Science Academy (DSA) continues NC State\u2019s leadership in the field of data science, building upon the success of the<\/span> Institute for Advanced Analytics<\/span><\/a>; the <\/span>Laboratory for Analytic Sciences<\/span><\/a>; the <\/span>Data-Driven Science cluster<\/span><\/a> and the Data Science Initiative (DSI). All current DSI activities will be transferred to the Data Science Academy or will be continued through NC State\u2019s Office of Research and Innovation. In Fall 2021, the DSA ran research think tanks and piloted a set of new one-credit project-based courses that are designed to be both accessible and challenging for students from all majors. The DSA is also organizing an all-campus data science career fair each semester open to all students.<\/span><\/p>\n
The <\/span>Genetics and Genomics Academy<\/span><\/a> will enhance <\/span>graduate-level education and research initiatives and add undergraduate courses and other opportunities for campuswide engagement in genetics and genomics. The academy is also constructing courses and seminars <\/span>on related interdisciplinary topics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Both The Princeton Review and <\/span>Entrepreneur<\/span><\/i> magazine have ranked NC State No. 1 in the Southeast and No. 15 nationally for undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurship programs for 2022, and for good reason. The university works to engage students in entrepreneurship initiatives across disciplines, equipping them with the ability to take ideas and turn them into reality with courses, infrastructure, mentors, investors and more.<\/span><\/p>\n
Entrepreneurship at NC State<\/span><\/a> is embedded with interdisciplinary efforts, including a certificate in interdisciplinary entrepreneurship, and programs that encompass diverse fields such as agribusiness, the arts, computer science and engineering. Co-curricular offerings also include the Albright Entrepreneurs Village, located on Centennial Campus, and the Entrepreneurship Garage, which all students may access.<\/span><\/p>\n
The Integrative Sciences Initiative (ISI) will change the way science is done at NC State by facilitating new and impactful synergies in research and education. This includes tackling challenges posed by infectious diseases and cancer, and efforts will continue to elevate NC State\u2019s reputation as an outstanding R1 university. <\/span>To meet these challenges, three thematic areas have been identified to collaboratively study, synthesize, and screen molecules and molecular pathways in the context of human and animal disease. Those are: molecular <\/span>mechanisms of metabolism and disease; molecular synthesis and characterization; and molecular therapeutics and drug discovery.<\/span><\/p>\n
Research and teaching across these themes will embrace cutting edge technologies in shared spaces and core facilities provided by the ISI. Synergy within and across themes will infuse the training and research environment for undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff, in a manner that is unprecedented at NC State.<\/span><\/p>\n
As NC State has outgrown its currently available space for lab-based science programs, the <\/span>$160 million <\/span>Integrative Sciences Building<\/span><\/a> (ISB) \u2014 the heart of the ISI \u2014<\/span>\u00a0 will be built in the location of the former Harrelson Hall. The ISB will provide much-needed STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) teaching and research space and will inspire academic and research creativity focused on collaboration, discovery and transfer of knowledge.<\/span><\/p>\n
The <\/span>Biotechnology Program<\/span><\/a> is a minor-only program for undergraduate, graduate and non-thesis graduate students at NC State; non-thesis graduate students may choose to complete a graduate certificate in biotechnology. The program provides excellent laboratory-based education to students and involves faculty, staff, and life science professionals in the region.<\/span><\/p>\n
The <\/span>Plant Sciences Initiative<\/span><\/a> (PSI) represents a partnership between NC State and the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. PSI\u2019s vision is \u201cto be the world\u2019s premier plant sciences enterprise accelerating discovery, talent development and applied solutions that solve agricultural challenges through interdisciplinary, team-based science.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
The mission of the <\/span>Shelton Leadership Center<\/span><\/a> is to inspire, educate and develop values-based leaders committed to personal integrity, professional ethics and selfless service. Founded in 2002 by General H. Hugh Shelton, USA (R), former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the center serves the campus community and beyond through experiential education and service opportunities for high schoolers, college students and adults.<\/span><\/p>\n
The <\/span>Coastal Resiliency and Sustainability Initiative<\/span><\/a> (CRSI) <\/span>will serve as a catalyst for the creation of a more resilient and sustainable future for coastal communities across the state, nation and world. In alignment with the university\u2019s strategic planning efforts, director Mary Watzin\u2019s efforts crafted a deliberately interdisciplinary initiative that builds on NC State\u2019s expertise in natural and social sciences, engineering and technology, and community outreach.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
The Provost\u2019s Office is currently in the process of developing the first implementation plan for Wolfpack 2030: Powering the Extraordinar<\/span>y. This implementation plan will provide a roadmap for work on strategic initiatives over a three-year period, and will be available for public review in early 2022. Anyone interested in learning about the new strategic plan and its components can visit the <\/span>strategic planning website<\/span><\/a> for more information.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
NC State strives to build a culture of comprehensive academic excellence by demonstrating how to successfully ingrain interdisciplinarity into campus culture. Through each activity, initiative and unit, the university moves closer to accomplishing its strategic goals and equipping its faculty, staff and students to lead the way in solving pressing societal issues and improving lives in the state and around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"The concept of interdisciplinarity encompasses not only the production of new knowledge through collaboration across disciplines, but new ways of putting that knowledge to use for the benefit of others. Interdisciplinary education lays the foundation for personal and professional success for members of academia and the students under their purview.<\/span>\r\n\r\nIn a <\/span>July 2021 article<\/span><\/a> for <\/span>Forbes<\/span><\/i> magazine, \u201cThe Need for Interdisciplinarity in Higher Education,\u201d <\/span>Irma Becerra, president of Marymount University, states that \u201cThe goal of interdisciplinarity remains elusive at most higher ed institutions.\u201d NC State, however, <\/span>utilizes interdisciplinarity as a means of supporting outstanding faculty members and creating well-rounded students ready to tackle society\u2019s grand challenges.<\/span>\r\n\r\nResearch 1 universities like NC State benefit from interdisciplinary initiatives as a way to bring bright minds together and attract grants that fund innovative scholarship and service. Federal funding agencies expect grants to propose a team approach to research projects, and students must be trained to work in teams, as that is what will be expected of them when they leave NC State. The university\u2019s embrace of interdisciplinarity over the past decade reaps benefits for the entire university community, and undergirds NC State\u2019s mission and vision through integration of strategic planning efforts.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cWe take the idea of interdisciplinarity and turn it into something tangible that benefits our faculty, staff, students and community in ways that break down traditional academic barriers,\u201d said Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Warwick Arden. \u201cEach strategic activity or initiative we undertake advances NC State\u2019s mission and vision and sets an example for how to successfully approach interdisciplinary work in higher education.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe <\/span>Pathway to the Future: NC State's 2011-2020 Strategic Plan<\/span><\/a>, moved the university further toward accomplishing interdisciplinary excellence in many areas of scholarship.\u00a0 <\/span>Now, a new strategic plan has been put in motion to further that progress.<\/span>\r\n
The concept of interdisciplinarity encompasses not only the production of new knowledge through collaboration across disciplines, but new ways of putting that knowledge to use for the benefit of others. Interdisciplinary education lays the foundation for personal and professional success for members of academia and the students under their purview.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":17970,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[292,285,7,18,25,6,8],"tags":[315,165,293],"class_list":["post-17966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academies","category-coastal-resilience","category-faculty-and-staff","category-homepage","category-newswire","category-strategic-actions","category-students","tag-academies","tag-interdisciplinarity","tag-office-of-university-interdisciplinary-programs"],"displayCategory":null,"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/provost.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/provost.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/provost.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/provost.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/provost.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17966"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/provost.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17966\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17971,"href":"https:\/\/provost.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17966\/revisions\/17971"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/provost.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17970"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/provost.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/provost.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/provost.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}