|
Undergraduate education
in the Earth and Environmental Sciences is fundamentally interdisciplinary.
A major challenge therefore is to clarify the relationship among the core
disciplines participating in order to create an educational experience
that will prepare students for careers in interdisciplinary fields. The
students have to learn a discipline and at some point use and integrate
their knowledge and skills. Research is the logical place for this integration
to occur because it brings together scholars from different disciplines
to address a common problem. One model that faculty in Earth and Environmental
Sciences at Stony Brook have experimented with is based on the concept
of a vertically integrated research team made up of undergraduates, graduate
students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty. This model is relatively
young, however, so it is hard to assess its effectiveness. Some undergraduates,
for example, may be intimidated by having to work with senior researchers.
This session was
organized around several key questions:
- How do you integrate
multidisciplinary research into a discipline-based curriculum?
- How can students
learn to communicate across disciplines and educational levels?
- There is a consensus
among scientists and educators that science is becoming an increasingly
multi-disciplinary endeavor. Our educational structure, however, is
not geared to respond to this trend. What kind of educational models
do we need to address this paradox? Why are research-related experiences
critical?
Main
Points
The multi-disciplinary
nature of Earth and Environmental Sciences is an advantage in attempts
to promote research in the early stages of the undergraduate curriculum.
The basic research problems that form the core of Earth and Environmental
Sciences encompass a range of subjects, such as the working of various
geophysical systems on earth, the effects of urbanization on ecosystem
balance, the use and exploitation of natural resources, and conservation.
Thus the scope for fundamental, interdisciplinary research is vast. Indeed,
collaboration with the pure sciences such as Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics
is a given. The connections to other disciplines such as history, linguistics,
law and social sciences, however, make the research interesting and intellectually
stimulating.
This need for multiple
perspectives and areas of expertise means that the Earth and Environmental
Sciences lend themselves to the formation of small collaborative teams
composed of students and faculty originating from different disciplines.
These teams offer an effective way to involve undergraduates in research,
and they provide a golden opportunity for the students to learn the essential
skill of understanding disparate approaches to problem solving in a collaborative
environment. Such training is important in a world that is becoming more
and more interdisciplinary in nature.
Teamwork represents
the key to bringing different areas of expertise to bear on problems.
One way of learning to work well within a team context is to work collaboratively
on a product, which should be the final objective of an undergraduate
research project. The product can be a presentation, a final report written
as part of a team or a joint paper for publication.
Challenges
and Opportunities
Departmental
structure:
Greater undergraduate involvement in interdisciplinary research requires
a supportive departmental structure. Often a student is assigned to one
advisor, limiting the opportunity for interaction and appreciation of
other viewpoints. Research programs need to identify ways of bringing
together multidisciplinary teams. Breaking down the existing disciplinary
structure requires a concerted effort. Offering interdisciplinary courses
and encouraging students to seek research topics outside their core disciplines
or intended majors can help promote the formation of these teams. Exposure
to interdisciplinary research in the freshman year can give students meaningful
ways of exploring potential majors. In addition, field studies are often
an effective way of creatively involving students across disciplines.
A multi-tiered
system:
It is often a challenge to engage large numbers of students in research
projects. In addition, students have different needs and the existence
of a research infrastructure in the university may not serve all students
equally. One way of addressing their differences is through a multi-tiered
system that offers different levels of experiences. In order to give all
students some exposure, introductory classes should be infused with problem-solving
or inquiry-based activities. Students who want greater involvement should
be able to go on to research courses or join project teams. A multi-tiered
system helps provide some research exposure to all undergraduates, yet
it also allows the most academically competitive and motivated students
to take up challenging projects. An individual student's level can be
based on grades. This kind of system can potentially allow advanced and
motivated students to take advantage of research opportunities in disciplines
other than their majors.
Awarding credit
for interdisciplinary research:
The major obstacle to a multi-tiered approach is determining how to award
a student credits for interdisciplinary research. In some cases offering
a minor can help address this problem (e.g., Penn State has an Astrobiology
minor made up of courses and research opportunities from several disciplines
program that attracts lot of enthusiasm).
Attitudes and
the Reward system:
Another hurdle in running a good interdisciplinary undergraduate research
program derives from current attitudes across all the disciplines regarding
the effectiveness of such a program. Undergraduates are often considered
a burden whose participation in a project slows down the ongoing research
and taxes resources. This perception can in part be attributed to the
existing reward system, which does not provide adequate incentives to
the faculty involved in undergraduate research. Faculty and departmental
attitudes clearly need to change. Positive evaluations during tenure and
promotion reviews can encourage faculty to become more seriously involved.
Funding:
Funding agencies can play a major role in promoting undergraduate research
by providing more financial support. NSF grant proposals already stress
the inclusion of undergraduate research criteria; the "Broader Impact"
category of the proposed research now must have some teaching and undergraduate
research components.
New
Models and Emerging Ideas
Answers to the challenges
are often found in successful programs undertaken at different universities,
which can be projected as models for such future efforts. The scattered
successes may not be enough, but sharing ideas and experiences can serve
as a step in the right direction. Some effective models for undergraduate
research initiatives with strong interdisciplinary links were described
in the discussion.
- Fieldwork involving
undergraduates can substitute for some lab-based or classroom courses.
It has also been successful in integrating different disciplines and
may therefore serve as a model for interdisciplinary programs.
- Some universities
have successfully experimented with having graduate students teach new
research courses for undergraduates. This system can sometimes face
resistance from parents who would prefer that faculty teach the course.
- Universities are
experimenting with vertically-integrated research teams made up of undergraduates,
graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty.
- Offering minors
and interesting interdisciplinary courses has proven useful in motivating
students.
- The University
at Buffalo has come up with some innovative ideas for breaking down
the disciplinary structure in Chemistry, Geosciences and Social Sciences.
The Hewlett Foundation provided funding for community-linked interdisciplinary
research (CLIR) for undergraduates. One example is a study of land use
in Buffalo Park, in which contributions from students in the social
sciences had a major impact on the outcome of the project.
Recommendations
- General education
can be used as a starting point for a meaningful research curriculum.
- Generating Interest:
Research topics for beginners should not be intimidating. It is important
to define the objective of the research beforehand, keeping the students'
level of expertise in mind.
- Exposure to
the opportunities: Students need to be prepared for undertaking research
in cross-disciplinary fields by being introduced to existing opportunities.
- Cross-disciplinary
connections need to be recognized as a means of making research interesting
and less traditional.
- Awarding credits:
Research initiatives need to award credits at the cross-disciplinary
level to encourage more such courses and research activities.
- Resource problems:
Departments need to deal with infrastructure constraints effectively.
o The time and
effort of the graduate students involved needs to be utilized more
effectively.
o Better utilization of existing resources can help departments
overcome lack of real funding and other constraints.
o Interdisciplinary research is also a way of sharing the resources
among departments with common objectives.
- University mission
statement: The flow of the research culture needs to start from the
top; institutional forces driving grass-roots efforts achieve maximum
results.
- Tenure evaluations:
Inclusion of active undergraduate research initiatives during tenure
evaluations can encourage new faculty to increase their effort.
- Encouraging
senior faculty: A university-wide performance-ranking scheme that
includes both research and teaching can boost the effort at all levels.
- Funding agencies:
The recent NSF push to include undergraduate research in the evaluation
of proposals under the "Broader Impact" category can act
as a real incentive linked to the core funding and activities of research
labs.
- REU: More encouragement
of cross-disciplinary participation and exchange between institutions
would be helpful.
Resources
Web site:
SUNY Buffalo CLIR Web Site: http://www.clir.buffalo.edu/
|
