Schiller Reports
The Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society is actively engaged in promoting and supporting interdisciplinary research both at Boston College and beyond.
Academic Year 2023 Annual Report (June 1, 2022 - May 31, 2023)
Building on the success of the previous year, the Schiller Institute continued its programming to develop capacity for interdisciplinary work; create new connections for faculty and students to collaborate on important research in the areas of energy, the environement, and health; and share new knowledge through symposia and more informal settings. Over the course of this year, Schiller unveiled new courses and began establishing partnerships to deepen the institute's impact on the BC campus and beyond.
This report captures the multitude of faculty seed grants, student programming, new coursework, and the deeper impact of the Schiller Institute on the BC community and beyond in academic year 2023.
Academic Year 2022 Annual Report (June 1, 2021 - May 31, 2022)
When 245 Beacon Street opened in January 2022, the Schiller Institute kicked off the new year with a series of programs for students, faculty, and staff aimed at developing interdisciplinary capacity through innovative research and learning opportunities. Focusing on the Institute’s key areas of environment, energy, and health, the Institute offered a wide range of activities to support student initiatives, develop research collaborations, and build community across the units of 245 Beacon Street, realizing the building's potential as a collaborative community for all at Boston College.
This report chronicles the breadth of research support, capacity-building programming, connector events, and overall depth of impact the Schiller Institute had on the BC community and beyond in academic year 2022.
Faculty Convenings
During the 2020-2021 academic year, the Schiller team engaged in a series of faculty convenings, which gathered input from over 170 Boston College faculty from 30+ departments across campus. These sessions provided rich insight to the Institute in the intervening months.
This report summarizes the characteristics, key insights, and areas of interest of faculty who contributed to the convenings.
This summary addresses scholarly and pedagogical interests as determined from the faculty interest surveys filled out during the convening sessions.
Faculty convenings, held in Spring 2021, resulted in key takeaways and inquiries of over 200 BC faculty in seven areas. These takeaways are summarized in this document.
Leading Interdisciplinary Buildings
The Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society, in collaboration with the Vice Provost for Research and Academic Planning, sponsored the first biannual Interdisciplinary Research Buildings Workshop, held on June 3, 2021. This workshop included participants from 11 colleges and universities, including Boston College, Amherst College, Boston University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Michigan State University, Northeastern University, Tufts University, University of California Irvine, University of California Riverside, University of Delaware, and Yale University.
Drawing from the insights of leaders of interdisciplinary research buildings, this report compiles 12 emerging best practices for interdisciplinary research buildings in four domains: 1) designing for success, 2) fostering a collaborative culture, 3) managing buildings thoughtfully, and 4) clarifying expectations.