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Report from the UW Committee on the Organization of Colleges and Schools that makes recommendations on supporting interdisciplinary activities at UW.

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Network Goals

Provost's Meeting with Grad School
ID Programs and IGERTS, 24 April, 2007

Network Activities

GPE Week Interdisciplinary Student Session: 1 March, 2007

 

Winter Meeting: 17 January, 2006

 

Year-end Meeting: June 1, 2005

 

NII Working Group

 

Student and Faculty Focus Groups

Inaugural Meeting--February 15, 2005

Reports and Documents

Graduate School Interdisciplinary Programs

Upcoming Events

About Us

Welcome to the Network of Interdisciplinary Initiatives (NII).  The NII brings together UW faculty, students, and staff who advocate for interdisciplinary (ID) teaching, research, and training activities across the University.  We welcome active participation from all those interested in joining the NII.

Launched in 2004 by then Associate Dean Gail Dubrow and Postdoctoral Researcher Jennifer Harris, the NII arose out of findings from meetings, focus groups, and surveys with interdisciplinary program directors, faculty, students, and administrators.  A report, "Seeding, Supporting, and Sustaining Interdisciplinary Initiatives at the University of Washington: Findings, Recommendations and Strategies,”  details findings about the successes and challenges of interdisciplinary work at the University, makes recommendations regarding interdisciplinary activities, and outlines strategies for implementation of the recommendations.

A subsequent NII milestone was a workshop in November, 2005, at which NII participants refined three core Recommendations for Action that the NII Working Group had identified.  

During the 2006-2007 year, the NII co-sponsored a series of events in autumn with Dr. Julie Thompson Klein, Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Wayne State University and a scholar of interdisciplinary research and graduate education.  The NII Working Group met to discuss initiatives in support of interdisciplinary activities on campus, and a group of interdisciplinary students led a panel discussion during Graduate and Professional Education Week (GPE Week): "Interacting on Interdisciplinarity: Opportunities and Successes."  One outcome was the creation of an email distribution list as a student discussion forum.  We invite any interested students to join the discussion forum.

Please contact the Office of Academic Programs with any ideas you may have about supporting interdisciplinary activities at UW.  We also welcome you to join the Network of Interdisciplinary Initiatives distribution list to receive news and announcements of upcoming events.