The Centripetals luncheon lecture series continues with a presentation by Louis Gross on “Fostering Interdisciplinarity in Research and Education: NIMBioS and Beyond,” noon Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the Toyota Auditorium of the Baker Center.
The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) is a major initiative that exemplifies the university’s ability to foster new collaborations that connect diverse disciplines to address national needs. While higher education is constrained by disciplinary divisions, programs that reach out to connect departmental “silos” have been successful here at UT Knoxville. Gross will discuss the methods employed to connect numerous units at UT and collaborate in developing new externally-funded projects. A methodology to encourage interdisciplinary approaches in undergraduate education, the CPAR Approach, will be presented in a mini-workshop format.
Gross is the director of NIMBioS, a National Science Foundation-funded center to foster research and education at the interface between math and biology. He is also a James R. Cox Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Mathematics and Director of The Institute for Environmental Modeling at UT. His research focuses on applications of mathematics and computational methods in many areas of ecology, including disease ecology, landscape ecology, spatial control for natural resource management, photosynthetic dynamics, and the development of quantitative curricula for life science undergraduates.
The cost for lunch, which begins at noon, is $8, and is payable at the door by check or cash (in the exact amount). Cancellation of a reservation requires 72 hours’ notice.
For more info on the Centripetals program, call the University Studies Program office at 974-8177 or visit their Web site at http://web.utk.edu/~unistudy/.