Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Research Articles

Research on the Method to Assure the Quality of Interdisciplinary Graduate Education

Research on the Method to Assure the Quality of Interdisciplinary Graduate Education

An integrated model for interdisciplinary graduate education: Computation and mathematics for biological networks.

The current challenges at the forefront of data-enabled science and engineering require interdisciplinary solutions. Yet most traditional doctoral programs are not structured to support successful interdisciplinary research. Here we describe the design of and students’ experiences in the COMBINE (Computation and Mathematics for Biological Networks) interdisciplinary graduate program at the University of Maryland. COMBINE focuses on the development and application of network science methods to biological systems for students from three primary domains: life sciences, computational/engineering sciences, and mathematical/physical sciences. The program integrates three established models (T-shaped, pi-shaped and shield-shaped) for interdisciplinary training. The program components largely fall into three categories: (1) core coursework that provides content expertise, communication, and technical skills, (2) discipline-bridging elective courses in the two COMBINE domains that complement the student’s home domain, (3) broadening activities such as workshops, symposiums, and formal peer-mentoring groups. Beyond these components, the program builds community through both formal and informal networking and social events. In addition to the interactions with other program participants, students engage with faculty in several ways beyond the conventional adviser framework, such as the requirement to select a second out-of-field advisor, listening to guest speakers, and networking with faculty through workshops. We collected data through post-program surveys, interviews and focus groups with students, alumni and faculty advisors. Overall, COMBINE students and alumni reported feeling that the program components supported their growth in the three program objectives of Network Science & Interdisciplinarity, Communication, and Career Preparation, but also recommended ways to improve the program. The value of the program can be seen not only through the student reports, but also through the students’ research products in network science which include multiple publications and presentations. We believe that COMBINE offers an effective model for integrated interdisciplinary training that can be readily applied in other fields.

Cyborgs Unbound: Feminist STS, Interdisciplinarity, and Graduate Education

This Lab Meeting took place as a roundtable titled Cyborg Manifestations. Hosted at MIT in February 2020, it was part of the Boston-area Consortium for Graduate Studies in Gender, Culture, Women, and Sexuality’s (GCWS) series Feminisms Unbound. The introduction maps the history and structure of the GCWS series and highlights how its rigorous commitment to interdisciplinary graduate education fosters feminist science and technology studies (STS) in the Boston area. The introduction also frames the remarks of the roundtable participants, who speak to drag queens, artificial intelligence, plant life, gender and environmental conservation, and objecthood. Five transcripts or “lab reports” highlight how the figure of the cyborg animates and reinvigorates feminist, queer, and trans approaches to technoscience.

Fostering collisions in interdisciplinary graduate education

PurposeUsing the lens of social physics, this study aims to examine how, if at all, one graduate training program fostered collisions or meaningful interactions, between students and faculty from different disciplinary backgrounds.Design/methodology/approachQualitative, ethnographic case study methods.FindingsThe University of Maryland’s National Research Traineeship program fostered collisions between students and faculty from different disciplinary backgrounds by facilitating exploration, idea flow and engagement within an interdisciplinary scholarly community. These collisions generated productive opportunities for student learning, development and collaborations, but at times also produced non-generative outcomes.Practical implicationsThis study names specific, strategic activities (e.g. regular research talks, physical space) that graduate programs can use to facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations among students and faculty and considers the extent to which such activities contribute to organizational change.Originality/valueThis paper applies new theories (collisions and social physics) to understanding interdisciplinary collaboration and identifies aspects of graduate training programs that may be replicable in other institutional settings.

Intellectual Community as a Bridge of Interdisciplinary Graduate Education in Materials Data Science

AbstractRecognizing materials development was advancing slower than technological needs, the 2011 the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) advocated interdisciplinary approaches employing an informatics framework in materials discovery and development. In response, an interdisciplinary graduate program, funded by the National Science Foundation, was designed at the intersection of materials science, materials informatics, and engineering design, aiming to equip the next generation of scientists and engineers with Material Data Science. Based on the 4- year implementation experience, this report demonstrates how intellectual communities bridge students interdisciplinary learning processes and support a transition from disciplinary grounding to interdisciplinary learning and research. We hope this training model can benefit other interdisciplinary graduate programs, and produce a more productive and interdisciplinary materials workforce.

Fasting and Postprandial Trimethylamine N‐oxide in Sedentary and Endurance Trained Males

BackgroundGut bacteria release trimethylamine (TMA) from dietary substrates, e.g., choline, phosphatidylcholine, and L‐carnitine. TMA is absorbed and subsequently oxidized in the liver to produce trimethylamine N‐oxide (TMAO). TMAO is associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Consumption of a high fat diet (HFD) is associated with increase in TMAO in sedentary individuals. However, whether the increase in TMAO with consumption in a HFD is observed in endurance trained individuals is unknown.MethodsHealthy, sedentary (n=17) and endurance trained (n=7) males consumed a 10‐day isocaloric lead‐in diet comprised of 55% carbohydrate, 30% total fat, <10% saturated fat prior to baseline testing. Blood samples were obtained in the fasting state and every hour during a 4‐hour high fat challenge (HFC) meal (820 kcal; 25% carbohydrate, 63% fat [21% saturated fat]) at baseline and following 5‐day HFD (30% carbohydrate, 55% total fat, 25% saturated fat). Plasma TMAO and TMA‐moieties (choline, betaine, L‐carnitine) were measured using isocratic ultraperformance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry.ResultsAge (23±3 vs. 22±2.1 yrs) and body mass index (23.4± 3.0 vs. 23.5±2.1 kg/m2) were similar (both P>0.05) in the sedentary and endurance trained group, respectively. As expected, VO2max was significantly higher in the endurance trained compared with sedentary individuals (56.7±8.2 vs. 39.3±5.8 ml/kg/min). There were no significant differences in fasting (1.92 ± 0.8 μM vs. 2.09 ± 1.1 μM, P>0.05) or postprandial TMAO between sedentary or trained individuals, respectively, at baseline. Neither fasting (1.49± 1.2 μM vs. 2.25 ± 1.4 μM, P>0.05) or postprandial TMAO changed significantly with the HFD in the sedentary and endurance training individuals.ConclusionsNeither fasting nor postprandial TMAO changed significantly following the HFD in the endurance trained compared to sedentary individuals in the present study. Future studies are needed to identify effective interventions that target TMA‐releasing bacteria and reduce TMAO.Support or Funding InformationAmerican Diabetes Association and Translation Obesity Research Interdisciplinary Graduate Education ProgramThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Facilitating Interdisciplinary Graduate Education: Barriers, Solutions, and Needed Innovations

• Organizational hierarchies, policies, and budgetary models often disadvantage interdisciplinary programs and their students and faculty.• Examples exist across the country of improvements that ca...

Innovations in Biotechnology Graduate Education

Today's graduate students in biotechnology have a range of career options in the public and private sectors, including academia, industry, government and non‐profit organizations. It is not enough to be excellent researchers and university classroom teachers in today's job market; graduate students must develop a suite of transferrable professional skills that transcend STEM disciplines and academic norms.The trend toward interdisciplinary graduate education and public‐private research collaborations roughly 30 years prompted the formation of the UC Davis Biotechnology Program in 1986, and the subsequent launch of a formal doctoral degree program, the Designated Emphasis in Biotechnology (DEB) in 1997. Since that time the DEB has grown into the largest interdisciplinary degree program on campus, with a “steady‐state” of over 200 students from 29 different disciplines.Doctoral students see value in the DEB training model, which includes exposure to the “business of biotech”, including bioethics, intellectual property, regulatory affairs, project management and entrepreneurship. Through coursework, seminars, one‐on‐one career mentoring and industrial internships, DEB students gain a thorough understanding of non‐academic STEM career paths and an appreciation for the importance of interdisciplinary “team science” in developing new technologies.An overarching theme of DEB training is the development of strong communication and professional networking skills. DEB participants are presented with numerous opportunities to hone science communication skills for non‐specialist audiences (e.g. business plan competitions, K‐14 stem outreach, policy brief workshops, etc.), which is key for success in all STEM fields. This talk will elaborate on the mentoring tools and strategies we employ to help DEB doctoral students successfully transition from students to professional colleagues across a range of career paths.

Development of “Research Design” Class in Interdisciplinary Graduate Education

Development of “Research Design” Class in Interdisciplinary Graduate Education

Essential components of a successful doctoral program in nanomedicine.

The Nanomedicine program at Northeastern University provides a unique interdisciplinary graduate education that combines experiential research, didactic learning, networking, and outreach. Students are taught how to apply nanoscience and nanotechnology to problems in medicine, translate basic research to the development of marketable products, negotiate ethical and social issues related to nanomedicine, and develop a strong sense of community involvement within a global perspective. Since 2006, the program has recruited 50 doctoral students from ten traditional science, technology, and engineering disciplines to participate in the 2-year specialization program. Each trainee received mentoring from two or more individuals, including faculty members outside the student’s home department and faculty members at other academic institutions, and/or clinicians. Both students and faculty members reported a significant increase in interdisciplinary scholarly activities, including publications, presentations, and funded research proposals, as a direct result of the program. Nearly 90% of students graduating with a specialization in nanomedicine have continued on to careers in the health care sector. Currently, 43% of graduates are performing research or developing products that directly involve nanomedicine. This article identifies some key elements of the Nanomedicine program, describes how they were implemented, and reports on the metrics of success.

Sustained Change: Institutionalizing Interdisciplinary Graduate Education

We employ Scott's three pillars of institutions (regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive) to investigate how higher education organizations change to support interdisciplinary graduate education. Using document analysis and case study approaches, we illustrate how strategies which address both policies and cultural norms are most successful.

Sustained Change: Institutionalizing Interdisciplinary Graduate Education

We employ Scott’s three pillars of institutions (regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive) to investigate how higher education organizations change to support interdisciplinary graduate education. Using document analysis and case study approaches, we illustrate how strategies which address both policies and cultural norms are most successful.

The Paradox of Transformative Learning Among Mid-Career Professionals

Royal Roads University (RRU) is a special purpose university in British Columbia, Canada. Since 1995, this university has focused primarily on multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary graduate education for working professionals. Most programs are offered in a blended online and face-to-face format, which enables adult learners to continue in their professions while they pursue their studies. While one might not expect a primarily distance education degree to be transformative, feedback from learners consistently points to the experience of transformative learning. This article explores the Master's of Arts in Leadership Studies (MA-L) program. It is proposed that there are at least three elements of the design of this program that contribute to experiences of transformation. First, the RRU Learning and Teaching Model creates a framework that can allow many learners to learn how to learn in a new way. Second, the MA-L program itself has its own competency framework that begins by priming learners to look inward before they seek to lead others. Third and finally, the first year two-week residency, completed after one month of online preparation, provides an embodied experience in what, for many, is a new way of being. This embodied experience creates an awareness of what is possible for human relationship and communication, not only in the context of their particular graduate learning cohort, but also with colleagues, family members, and friends. Taken together, these create an often unexpectedly, and somewhat paradoxically, transformative experience for mid-career professionals.

(Inter)disciplinary Trouble: Intersectionality, Narrative Analysis, and the Making of a New Political Science

Interdisciplinarity, like other words, such as neoliberalism or globalization, has wide but seemingly endlessly varied use. Indeed, it is often used indiscriminately to apply to everything from a change of focus that is outside the substantive content of a discipline to the radical reorientation of methods and methodology to the call to escape disciplinary confines altogether. As someone who had the good fortune to receive an interdisciplinary graduate education at Rutgers (Women and Politics, Public Law, and Africana Studies as subfields) and begin her career in an “interdisciplinary” unit (what eventually became, in fact, a Department of Interdisciplinary Studies), I am well acquainted with the many debates surrounding the much-touted, but also still too infrequent, trek of not only boundary crossers per se, but also those who live in borderland spaces that merge and, at times, blur disciplinary lines. As a radical Black feminist political scientist and lawyer, interdisciplinarity has been a vital necessity for both theory and practice. Rutgers provided an intellectual space in which interdisciplinary approaches were deemed critical to mapping a feminist political science. In this essay, I briefly share some of the possibilities opened up by interdisciplinary investigation and its central role in ushering in a new political science.

Experiments in Collaboration: Interdisciplinary Graduate Education in Science and Justice

Experiments in Collaboration: Interdisciplinary Graduate Education in Science and Justice

Constructive Alignment of Interdisciplinary Graduate Curriculum in Engineering and Science: An Analysis of Successful IGERT Proposals

BackgroundInterdisciplinary approaches are critical to solving the most pressing technological challenges. Despite the proliferation of graduate programs to fill this need, there is little archival literature identifying learning outcomes, learning experiences, or benchmarks for evaluating interdisciplinary graduate student learning.Purpose (Hypothesis)The purpose of this study is to understand how engineering and science academics conceptualize interdisciplinary graduate education in order to identify common practices and recommend improvements. Questions generated by an instructional design framework guided the analysis: what desired outcomes, evidence, and learning experiences are currently associated with interdisciplinary graduate education? To what extent are these components constructively aligned with each other?Design/MethodContent analysis was performed on 130 funded proposals from the U.S. National Science Foundation's Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program.ResultsFour desired student learning outcomes were identified: contributions to the technical area, broad perspective, teamwork, and interdisciplinary communication skills. Student requirements (educational plans) addressed these outcomes to some extent, but assessment/evidence sections generally targeted program level goals—as opposed to student learning. This lack of constructive alignment between components is a major weakness of graduate curriculum.ConclusionsCurrent practices are promising. Further clarification of interdisciplinary learning outcomes, coupled with closer alignment of outcomes, evidence, and learning experiences will continue to improve interdisciplinary graduate education in engineering and science. Specific recommendations for engineering and science faculty members are: define clear learning objectives, enlist assessment/evaluation expertise, and constructively align all aspects of the curriculum.

Definitions of Interdisciplinary Research: Toward Graduate-Level Interdisciplinary Learning Outcomes

Combining the interdisciplinary studies (primarily humanities) literature with the content analysis of 129 successful National Science Foundation proposals written predominantly by science and engineering faculty members, the authors identify five categories of learning outcomes for interdisciplinary graduate education: disciplinary grounding, integration, teamwork, communication, and critical awareness. They identify important parallels between humanities-based descriptions of interdisciplinary integration and implicit graduate learning outcomes hinted at by engineering and science faculty who more frequently work in teams. Applying the lens of interdisciplinary studies (humanities) to science and engineering provides important depth and focus to engineering and science interdisciplinary learning outcomes, particularly in detailing integration processes.

Comment on “Meeting Ph.D. Graduates' needs in a changing global environment”] Challenges to fostering interdisciplinary graduate education

C. Susan Weiler's article (“Meeting Ph.D. graduates' needs in a changing global environment,” Eos, 55(13), 149, 151) calling for more care and attention to interdisciplinary graduate education illuminated an important and neglected issue. Weiler makes the excellent point that for society to manage complex natural systems effectively, it is imperative that we establish stronger connections between science and public policy. However, as a nation, the United States lacks the institutional research culture to foster this. Nor are we training sufficient numbers of professionals with the skills to make these connections; and when the small number of truly interdisciplinary scientists emerge annually into the workforce, there are few positions that fit them.I echo Weiler's call for increased interdisciplinary collaboration, and the necessary training to support this increase. However, there are some fundamental obstacles her article does not explore.

The Impact of Policy on Interdisciplinary Graduate Education at Iowa State University

The Impact of Policy on Interdisciplinary Graduate Education at Iowa State University

A Note on the Use of Simulation Games in Interdisciplinary Graduate Education

The faculty member who organizes and conducts graduate seminars is likely to regard the above title as misguided if not ludicrous, because the serious and rigorous format of the graduate seminar is regarded by both students and faculty as necessary for the preparation of mature scholars. Hence, the idea of utilizing games as a motivating or learning device in graduate training is regarded as unnecessary and inappropriate, and a misallocation of scarce educational resources.' The purpose of this note is to suggest that some experimentation with the use of games may be warranted in the context of interdisciplinary graduate education. Although this suggestion is based on casual empiricism rather than a carefully controlled experiment, the results observed in an interdisciplinary experiment seemed exciting enough to suggest further investigation. An effort is made here to present as briefly as possible the nature of the experiment conducted and some of the results which illustrate the potential returns from the use of games in an interdisciplinary context. Each year I offer as part of the university's Ph.D. program in economics a graduate seminar on Investments in Man which examines the use of capital theory in evaluating investments in man in, for example, health, education, on-the-job training, information and migration. In the last several years, the nature of the most recent literature has made it both convenient and exciting to focus on these investments as antipoverty and antidiscrimination measures. Because the course description in the university catalog has the (fortunate or unfortunate) characteristic of appearing relevant, the seminar has consistently attracted graduate students from outside the Economics Department. These students come predominantly from sociology, public administration, community planning and political science, and while usually bright they experience some difficulty in assimilating the economist's framework. Last year I proposed that the group of students who were not Ph.D. candidates in economics might consider evaluating the socioeconomic characteristics of the game