B
Charge to the Committee
The committee conducting this study will examine the scope of interdisciplinary research and provide findings, conclusions, and recommendations as to how such research can be facilitated by funding organizations and academic institutions. The committee will recognize in its deliberations that the organization of research in academic institutions is driven by teaching and other considerations
Specifically, the committee will address the following tasks:
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Review proposed definitions of interdisciplinary research including similarities and differences from research characterized as cross-disciplinary, intradisciplinary, and multi-disciplinary and develop measures to determine whether research is interdisciplinary or not.
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Identify and analyze current structural models of interdisciplinary research.
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Identify and analyze the policies and procedures of Congress, funding organizations, and institutions that encourage or discourage interdisciplinary research.
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Compare and contrast current structural models and policies and procedures in academic and non-academic settings as well as traditional and non-traditional academic settings that encourage or discourage interdisciplinary research.
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Identify measures that can be used to evaluate the impact on research, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, and researchers ex-
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pected from their engagement in greater interdisciplinary research and cross-professional opportunities.
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Develop findings and conclusions as to the current state of interdisciplinary research and the factors that encourage (or discourage) it in academic, industry, and federal laboratory settings.
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Provide recommendations to academic institutions and public and private sponsors of research as to how to better stimulate and support interdisciplinary research.