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Departments, Schools, CollegesGRADUATE INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMSContact Information:
Excellence through Intellectual Fusion Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs (GIDPs) transcend departmental boundaries by facilitating cutting edge teaching and research where traditional disciplines interface. Because there are no clear demarcations between the areas of research in a given GIDP, the fusion of ideas, techniques, and expertise provide an essential foundation to a wide spectrum of endeavors by academia, the private sector, and especially by the high technology industry. The 15 Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs are an integral part of the Mission Statement of the University of Arizona, and student enthusiasm for the programs is one of their strongest characteristics. There is now universal acceptance by academia, as well as in the private sector, that scientific innovation takes place through the synthesis of ideas that cross disciplinary boundaries. This leads to the accepted high value of interdisciplinarity, which has fueled the interests of top notch applicants. In 2003, GIDPs produced 14% of all Ph.D. degrees at the University of Arizona. Interdisciplinary excellence among faculty is enhanced through GIDPs. Faculty members join interdisciplinary programs because GIDPs provide a formal mechanism for campus-wide collaborations in both teaching and research. Faculty participating in GIDPs develop strong partnerships with academic and research institutes campus-wide, state-wide and nationally. Indeed, faculty are attracted to the University of Arizona because of interdisciplinary ventures. Currently, 611 faculty from 14 colleges and 84 departments are actively involved in GIDPs at the University of Arizona. This strong network of cooperative relationships signifies the Intellectual Fusion put into practice through The University of Arizona’s Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs. GIDP AdministrationGraduate Interdisciplinary Programs fall under the umbrella of the Director of GIDPs and the Vice President for Research, Graduate Studies and Economic Development. GIDPs receive consistent support from the college deans and department heads whose faculty are involved in GIDP activities. In addition, the programs receive funding from the central administration. The GIDP Administrative Office advocates for program leadership, faculty, and students, by addressing issues related to the individual program administration and funding. The Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs Advisory Council (GIDPAC) addresses issues relating to the success of the Programs, including student support and developing new initiatives to promote the GIDPs as a university-wide system for graduate education. GIDPAC meets regularly with Central Administration, participating Deans and Department Heads, and also with GIDP Chairs and Coordinators. The Future is Already Present; Crossing Scientific Boundaries The ever increasing need for highly trained educators and researchers is optimally met by individuals who have been educated in an interdisciplinary environment, and who are able to promote the exchange of ideas among a wide range of paradigms and areas of specialization. The Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs provide an environment that fosters independent thinking and conceptual creativity. The ultimate goal of GIDPs is to provide a cadre of scientists and educators who, through interdisciplinary training, are able to develop new and imaginative methods of teaching and research, and create new fields of endeavors. GIDP students develop independent technical and intellectual skills and are encouraged to broaden their abilities and experiences. Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs produce competitive investigators who are successful in both academia and in private enterprise. As news-breaking research advances, so does the focus of GIDPs.Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs:
For more information contact the college or program office listed above. |
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