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Actions for Renewing U.S. Mathematical Sciences Departments (1990)

Chapter: 'Altering the Reward System'

« Previous: 'Realizing Goals'
Suggested Citation:"'Altering the Reward System'." National Research Council. 1990. Actions for Renewing U.S. Mathematical Sciences Departments. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21257.
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Page 20
Suggested Citation:"'Altering the Reward System'." National Research Council. 1990. Actions for Renewing U.S. Mathematical Sciences Departments. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21257.
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Page 19

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Actions for Renewing U.S. Mathematical Sciences Departments Conducting interdisciplinary research can be very risky for a junior faculty member. Unless a department has a tradition of valuing such research, a problematical tenuredecisionmayresult Traditional mathematics department faculties do not recognize research papers published in non-mathematics journals to be as valuable as those published in mathematics journals. Joint appointments can also present problems A department initiating a well-conceived plan of interdisciplinary research is a can- didate for seed money from its administra- tion for joint seminars, outside speakers, and release time for faculty. for faculty at all levels, especially if their extra-departmental activities are not valued by their colleagues. Finally, funding of interdisciplinary research projects is not always easy to secure. Even though some federal agencies encourage such activity, the review process is often conducted in an orthodox disciplinary fashion that undervalues inter- disciplinary proposals deemed not essential to the core discipline. To counter these potential problems, a department chair might take the following steps: • Develop the support of the senior faculty for any interdisciplinary research plan. Ideally, one or more members of the senior faculty will participate in the program and play a mentoring role for junior faculty. Of course, a substantial core of the faculty must be enthusiastic about these research directions. A simple starting place might be to establish a periodic interdisciplinary research luncheon open to all mathematical scientists. In such a seminar non-mathematical scientists could present problems to which mathematicians can contribute, and collaborative avenues could be developed. One model for this is the series of Thursday luncheons organized by the Center for Pure and Applied Mathematics at the University of California at Berkeley.11 • Recognize that interdisciplinary participants will have some publications in non-mathematics journals, and insist that standards be established 19

Actions for Rert6Wing U.S. Mathematical SCiences Departments Interdisciplinary Research Interdisciplinary research has been of great importance in the devel- opment and broadening of the mathematical sciences. For example, interdisciplinary research promoted the development of statistics, a major component of the mathematical sciences that continues to thrive on problems in fields as diverse as medicine, industrial quality control, and economic forecasting. Problems in computer science have sparked a rebirth of activity in discrete mathematics and logic. Problems in physics have stimulated research in string theory, particle systems, and chaos. Global change and environmental issues provoke work in differential equations and numerical analysis, and molecular biology is beginning to pose new mathematical questions. One important thesis of the 1984 and 1990 David reports is that a healthy mathematics profession is critical to the solution of many of the problems arising in the sciences and in engineering. Beyond its role in stimulating growth in the mathematical sciences, interdisciplinary research can provide a number of short-term benefits. For example, mathematical scientists engaging in interdisciplinary research can attract funding from new sources. Increased interdisci- plinary research has the potential for attracting a larger and more diverse group of talented graduate students to mathematics and for increasing the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of the profession. Publication of interdisciplinary research papers, especially in journals whose readership consists primarily of non-mathematicians, can bring about a deeper appreciation for mathematics in those fields. Interdis- ciplinary activity is generally highly valued by university administrators, who are likely to support initiation of interdisciplinary activities (including course offerings). Involvement in interdisciplinary research can revitalize faculty members whose research careers have stalled and can give all participants a sense of contributing to solving problems of scientific and national importance. A likely corollary of increased interdisciplinary activity is expan- sion of a department's teaching into a wider range of subjects that will appeal to a more diverse audience. A department initiating a well- conceived plan of interdisciplinary research is a candidate for seed money from its administration for joint seminars, outside speakers, and release time for faculty (in anticipation of increased external support as the program matures). Successful interdisciplinary projects can lead to closer ties with industry, with the possibility of placement oppor- tunities for graduates and internships for continuing students. 18

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