Panelists
- Laurel Weldon, Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Director of the Purdue Policy Research Institute, Purdue University
- Tom Hickerson, Vice Provost for Libraries and Cultural Resources, University of Calgary
- Susan Morgan, Associate Provost for Research Development and Professor of Communication, University of Miami
- Kelly Miller, Associate Dean for Learning and Research Services, University of Miami Libraries
About the Panel
On March 9, 2018, University of Miami Libraries (UML) and the Office of the Provost co-sponsored an event featuring a panel of speakers with a broad and deep knowledge of interdisciplinary research approaches. Professor Laurel Weldon and Vice Provost Tom Hickerson each serve as principal investigators on projects funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation involving the formation of multidisciplinary research teams focused on a set of challenges or problems that have been selected as a point of focus at the institutional level. An aspect of the multidisciplinary work at Purdue and Calgary is the partnership between each research team and one or more library specialists. The background, impetus, current status, and findings of these initiatives is presented and discussed by the panel. Associate Vice Provost Susan Morgan and Associate Dean Kelly Miller present an overview of U-LINK at the University of Miami and explore its library engagement component.
About U-LINK
The University of Miami is embarking on a series of initiatives that comprise the Roadmap to Our New Century—a course for UM’s future across geographic, cultural, and intellectual borders. These initiatives will enhance the University’s passion for scholarly excellence, spirit of innovation, respect for including and elevating diverse voices, and commitment to tackling the challenges facing our world. The theme of “interdisciplinary inquiry” has unified teams of scholars from multiple disciplines in collaborative, problem-based research to address the complex challenges of society through two principles: geography and problems.
The UM Laboratory for INtegrative Knowledge (U-LINK) specifically addresses problems, and the unique points of view and tools that UM Libraries bring to these problems help provide ways of thinking that enhance the research teams’ productivity. UML is fostering this initiative by creating dedicated spaces in the Louis Calder Memorial Library, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science Library, and Otto G. Richter Library to facilitate the on-going work of U-LINK teams.
