Interdisciplinary Collaboration

How Temple is advancing interdisciplinary collaboration

Areas of Focus

Academic Programs and Curriculum Development

A coordinated approach to interdisciplinary programs to provide students with an enhanced learning experience

Inter-college program facilitator

Provide assistance to schools and colleges to facilitate the development and coordination of undergraduate inter-college programs

Home for interdisciplinary graduate programs

Establish the Graduate School as the incubator for new interdisciplinary graduate programs.

Coordinate similar programs

Implement shared advising, curriculum, and marketing for similar programs.

Promote interdisciplinary education

Include interdisciplinary education as a core part of recruiting, admissions, and orientation events.

Interdisciplinary Research Development

A flexible structure for scholars across disciplines, schools, and colleges to organize around interdisciplinary topics of research

GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Research support services

Establish a tiered system of support services for interdisciplinary groups of researchers to connect, conduct preliminary work, and target major proposals and funding opportunities.

Information and communications management

Deploy a customizable platform for sharing research announcements and opportunities.

Revisit University research policies

Develop approval processes for interdisciplinary research institutes and investigate opportunities for shared research facilities.

Events and programming

Host events to highlight interdisciplinary research and practice and provide opportunities for the university community to gather around topics of broad interest.

Financial

Support and incentivize interdisciplinary collaboration

GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Faculty Interdisciplinary Scholarship

Encourage faculty engagement in interdisciplinary collaboration by celebrating interdisciplinary scholarship

GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Accessible faculty information

Implement a university-wide Faculty Information System (FIS) to catalog Temple’s research expertise and facility discovery.

Tenure, promotion, and merit

Review how interdisciplinary efforts in teaching and research can be incorporated into tenure, promotion, and merit review.

Faculty Awards

Establish University-level awards to reward interdisciplinary research and creative achievements, teaching, practice, and service.

Measuring Our Impact

Committee Members (2023–2024)

Mike Autieri, Professor, Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Julie Booth, Deputy Dean, College of Education and Human Development
Sharmayne Burns, Vice Provost for Finance
Josh Gladden, Vice President for Research
Kevin Glass, Senior Vice Dean, College of Liberal Arts
Jennifer Ibrahim, Dean, College of Public Health and School of Social Work
Mike Lawlor, Associate Vice Provost, Undergraduate Studies
Vicki McGarvey, Vice Provost for University College
Jim Napolitano, Professor of Physics, College of Science and Technology; Science, Technology and Society at Temple
Erin Palmer, Associate Vice Provost, Faculty Affairs
Richard Souvenir, Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives (Chair)
Robert Stroker, Dean and Vice Provost for the Arts, Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts

Interdisciplinary Collaboration