New Brunswick Strategic Planning Proposal. Proposal Title: Innovation in Interdisciplinary Graduate Education--Nano-scale Materials Science

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1 New Brunswick Strategic Planning Proposal Proposal Title: Innovation in Interdisciplinary Graduate Education--Nano-scale Materials Science Proposal Initiators: R. Bartynski (SAS-Physics), L C Feldman (IAMDN/SAS/SoE), J. Kukor (Grad Sch.), R. Lehman(SoE-MSE) Primary Contact Name and Phone Number: Leonard C. Feldman, Primary Contact Address: L.C.FELDMAN@RUTGERS.EDU Primary Strategic Priority/Foundational Element/Integrating Theme Addressed (Select one) _X_ Envision Tomorrow s University Build Faculty Excellence _ Transform the Student Experience Enhance Our Public Prominence Strong Core of Sciences and Humanities Inclusive, Diverse, and Cohesive Culture Effective and Efficient Infrastructure and Staff Financial Resources Sufficient to Fund Our Aspirations Robust Shared Governance, Academic Freedom, and Effective Communication Cultures, Diversity, and Inequality Local and Global Improving the Health and Wellness of Individuals and Populations Creating a Sustainable World through Innovation, Engineering, and Technology Educating Involved Citizens and Effective Leaders for a Dynamic World Creative Expression and the Human Experience Measuring Progress and Defining Success Abstract: A Strategic Plan for the New Rutgers, sub-section Envision Tomorrow s University, notes that the forces reshaping high education will require an assessment of the relationship between our traditional academic structures and demands for tomorrow s scholarship.academic structures perpetuate the past and that universities need to evaluate if traditional structures are consistent with increasingly interdisciplinary scholarship. For Rutgers such reshaping needs vehicles and test cases to implement such changes in a traditional decanal system. New ideas need to be tried in prototype formats to be tested and honed. This contribution to the strategic plan proposes an innovative graduate education experiment to implement a new approach to graduate level interdisciplinary research. It uses interdisciplinary materials science, a topic of organizational breadth and research strength, as a vehicle to implement this experiment. As such the proposal not only tests a new approach to graduate education but also enhances the materials research area. The basic idea is the formation of a Field concept, described in detail below. The activity is envisioned as a prototype. It tests a new approach to interdisciplinary education and provides a test vehicle to have such activities fit into the new organization. Briefly it proposes an individualized approach to interdisciplinary education, with a student chosen committee from various disciplines, a program determined entirely by this committee, and the opportunity for unprecedented interdisciplinary research. 1

2 Full Proposal Description What is being proposed: This proposal is an experiment to create a new mode of graduate education that allows the greatest individualized approach to interdisciplinary research and education. As described below the experiment envisions a Fields approach to the problem. As a specific test case we develop the concept through the creation of a Field around the nano and materials sciences. The topic is already interdisciplinary. Current research spans Rutgers schools, campuses and even other Rutgers locations (Newark). Nevertheless the actual practice is awkward and not easily implemented in the current educational, organizational, administrative or financial structure. That is the challenge the creation of true graduate level interdisciplinary education adapted within the traditional university. Our proposal provides the forerunner of a new mode of Rutgers graduate level education that will allow the University to stand out and be prepared for the future. Graduate education and research go hand in hand! For Rutgers, and any great university, the challenge is how to construct the graduate program that produces the next generation of scientists and engineers specifically trained in interdisciplinary materials science. This strategic plan proposes a specific path to create a genuine multi-disciplinary, research-focused endeavor and an experimental approach to multi-disciplinary graduate education. The lynchpin of the educational aspect is the concept of a graduate field. -Graduate Fields We propose the formation of the Field of Materials Science within Rutgers. The goal is to implement a scholarly and educational system that embraces the interdisciplinary nature of Nanoscale Materials Science. The Field would be comprised of interdisciplinary graduate (and eventually undergraduate) education integrated with collaborative Modern Materials Science research. This creation of an interdisciplinary program is a model for a new direction in the organization of graduate programs at Rutgers, similar to the Fields concept at Cornell. The Cornell approach: For research degrees, most fields of study have no core course requirements. Instead, students pick a group of faculty members to work with during their coursework and research. These faculty members comprise the Special Committee and will guide students throughout their graduate study. The advisor, also known as the committee chair, works closely with students to make sure they meet their academic objectives. The main idea is very individualized and unique graduate education. The Rutgers approach can be suitably altered, as we see fit. But the proposal initiates a new approach to graduate education. In fact, a move towards this Field concept aligns well with discussions that have been ongoing among the New Brunswick Ph.D. faculty to move away from the unit-count concept of a degree (i.e., that a Ph.D. requires accumulation of a fixed number of credithours) and towards an acknowledgement that the Ph.D. is a research degree not awarded solely for the fulfillment of technical requirements, but rather awarded upon demonstration of the student s academic excellence and research capability (cf. University of California San Diego and University of California Santa Barbara graduate catalogs). This model for Ph.D. education is well established within the University of California AAU universities, and it has more recently been adopted by Penn State. 2

3 At Rutgers, the Faculty of the Field will decide on Ph. D. requirements, department connections, etc. Present Faculty in the field are members of the Departments of: Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics and Astronomy and include strong representation from Newark Chemistry. Research and innovative education in this area is well-aligned with national priorities, such as the President s Materials Genome Initiative, the Grand Challenges identified by the Department of Energy, and the Manufacturing Initiatives. The area, and the graduates we produce, will help revitalize the industrial base of New Jersey. Alignment with the Strategic Plan: The proposal aligns with the strategic plan in particular the section: Envision Tomorrow s University. That section highlights the need to restructure the University for the increasing development of interdisciplinary endeavors. These come to the fore in the most obvious way in graduate research and education. Our proposal describes a specific implementation of such a new structure. It is formulated to use interdisciplinary materials science as a vehicle for this test. Interdisciplinary materials science is currently underway at Rutgers, but is not recognized in the format described here. Nevertheless because the intellectual roots are already established it becomes a good test vehicle. The plan then tests the ability of Rutgers to implement such new modes of education, as envisioned in the SP. Adaptability of all fronts administrative, organizational and financial will need to be addressed. Success can be a forerunner of an entirely new approach to graduate education. This proposal fulfills all the criteria required of these proposals: align with one or more of the strategic priorities, foundational elements, and integrating themes of the University Strategic Plan; be cross-cutting for New Brunswick, not simply housed in or enhancing a single unit; have the potential for significant impact and benefit for New Brunswick and Rutgers; leverage existing strengths or resources; require limited, or phased-in, financial resources. Additional themes: -Materials Science at Rutgers: Materials science is one of the great strengths at Rutgers. It is a highlight of our physical sciences and engineering and a differentiator that has us standout from our peer universities. The backbone of this strength starts with a world-famous group of materials theorists, primarily but not exclusively, homed in the Department of Physics. Recent years have seen an emphasis on the experimental nano-scale material sciences spanning physics, chemistry and all engineering departments. New programs, new results and the establishment of one in the world facilities will propel Rutgers to even greater recognition in this interdisciplinary field. This contribution to the strategic plan expands these strengths and proposes an innovative graduate educational experiment enabling today s emphasis on interdisciplinary research. -Definition of the Materials Science Field Materials science is an interdisciplinary field applying the properties of matter in essentially all areas of science and engineering. The field investigates the relationship between the structure of materials at atomic or molecular scales and their macroscopic properties. The field spans the most fundamental aspects of atomic matter to Edisonian style discovery. Elements of physics, applied physics, chemistry, biology and all engineering fields provide the base. With the onset of nano-science and nano-technology, materials science has been propelled to the forefront at many universities. It is an underpinning discipline that connects science and technology fields in different departments and schools. Researchers are connected by a common intellectual base, by a need for collaboration 3

4 by the hands-on/know-how expertise of others, and by a need for common and extensive facilities. 21st century s central challenges, from energy to disease to communications to security, require new materials used in novel applications. Addressing such challenges requires a sophisticated and broadly trained workforce of creative young scientists and engineers. The Materials Field constitutes a complete research endeavor at Rutgers, spanning the continuum from basic materials to applied devices. Underpinning this vision are the essential tenets of materials research: atomic control of matter, combined with fundamental understanding, permits the creation of new materials able to address the significant issues of our time. Who Will Be Involved: At Rutgers, the Faculty of the Field will decide on Ph. D. requirements, department connections, etc. Present Faculty in the field are members of the Departments of: Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics and include strong representation from Newark Chemistry. It is an ideal vehicle to test the fields concept at Rutgers. The experiment will be overseen by a committee of the proposers of this document which includes representatives from the Graduate School, the SoE, SAS and IAMDN (Institute of Advanced Materials Devices and Nanotechnology) Desired Outcomes: The desired outcomes are basically twofold: 1: To provide a new approach to Rutgers graduate education suitable to the future role of interdisciplinary education and the need for such education to be individualized. The desired outcome is nothing less than a new Rutgers-based mode of graduate education suitable in many fields and disciplines. The outcome also includes a policy and plan on how to include such programs within the Rutgers administrative structure. 2: A second outcome is the enhancement of the existing interdisciplinary field of materials science. The goal is to place such a broad interdisciplinary activity in a manageable format that allows the field to thrive. -Educational program-the graduate level educational process would involve the student formation of a (traditional) graduate committee of Faculty from the Field. Each program would be individualized and be represented by the broad expertise that exists. The Field spans departments, disciplines and campuses. It is possible for a student within chemistry, working on solar energy, to include faculty on his or special committee from chemistry, chemical engineering, physics, civil and environmental engineering and economics and sociology. Anticipated Resources Because elements of the test bed already exist (interested and involved faculty, infrastructure, facilities) the initiation of the prosed program can proceed with relatively minimal resources. The Field could be jump started with resources for about 10 graduate Fellowships/yr. for 5 years. Such fellowships would undoubtedly attract the best and the brightest. The Fellows would have a specific designation and be chosen to be in tune with the goals of the program. Initial funds can be extended through the use of these Fellowships as shared with existing research grants and other sources. Secondly, to expand the approach across a broader span of Rutgers than currently exists, we anticipate a future request for Rutgers Henry Professor on nano scale materials and the creation of this new interdisciplinary approach between the biological sciences and the physical and engineering sciences. 4

5 In the future the program can be enhanced with a Cluster Hire of 3-5 faculty members in a specific area of the physical sciences and materials engineering fields. These would be independent investigators but in connected areas. Each faculty member would have a home department, but be mostly aligned with the Field. The new Faculty would constitute a core, enabling both excellent research and an appreciation of innovative education. Many topics are possible with existing Rutgers strengths nano-scale imaging, bio-sensors, organic electronics, catalysis, etc. This Faculty sub-group (cluster faculty) would represent the initial core of a Field, with numerous additions from existing Faculty. Initiation of a graduate program or concentration in this Field Graduate fellowships to support research in these target areas Faculty positions Proposed Measures to Mark Progress or Determine Success Criteria for success will include: 1) all the rigorous standards currently associated with a traditional Rutgers graduate degree; 2) significant elements of an interdisciplinary educational component as recently described by Larson et al ( and given below. Major Area Conducting research Communication Interacting with others Competencies Use theories and methods of multiple disciplines in developing integrated theoretical and research frameworks. Integrate concepts and methods from multiple disciplines in designing interdisciplinary research protocols. Investigate hypotheses through interdisciplinary research. Draft funding proposals for interdisciplinary research programs in partnership with scholars from other disciplines. Disseminate interdisciplinary research results both within and outside his or her discipline. Author publications with scholars from other disciplines. Advocate interdisciplinary research in developing initiatives within a substantive area of study. Express respect for the perspectives of other disciplines. Read journals outside of his or her discipline. Communicate regularly with scholars from multiple disciplines. Share research from his or her discipline in language meaningful to an interdisciplinary team. Modify his or her own work or research agenda as a result of interactions with colleagues from fields other than his or her own. Present interdisciplinary research at venues representing more than one discipline. Engage colleagues from other disciplines to gain their perspectives on research problems. Interact in training exercises with scholars from other disciplines. Attend scholarly presentations by members of other disciplines. Collaborate respectfully and equitably with scholars from other disciplines to develop interdisciplinary research frameworks. This plan was assembled by L. C Feldman (IAMDN/SoE/SAS), R. A Bartynski (Physics SAS), R; Lehman (MSE/SoE ), J. Kukor(Graduate School) 5