The Future of Center-Based, Multidisciplinary Engineering Research

美国国家工程院（NAE）和国家研究委员会（NRC）之间的合作项目旨在研究美国国家科学基金会以中心为基础的多学科工程研究的未来。NSF的多学科、以中心为基础的工程研究项目解决了美国的各种关键研究、教育和创新需求。鉴于工程研究、教育和创新的全球背景不断变化，考虑新的指导原则，为国家的利益建设这样的中心的新愿景是很重要的。为了实现这一目标，本研究将考虑一系列问题，包括：1)考虑到物理科学、工程科学和生命科学的融合，哪些模型可能最有效地实现突破性的工程研究和发现，这些研究和发现需要中心规模的投资？2)什么样的以中心为基础的工程研究项目的教育模式最适合于创造一个更加多样化、具有国际意识和灵活的工程人才库，能够解决复杂的、现实世界的问题？3)什么样的产学研合作模式能最有效地促进基于应用的基础研究和转化研究的进步，加速技术商业化，并加强更广泛的创新生态系统？4)哪些指标可以用来定义这些中心项目的成功和风险？这项研究将告知NSF和其他利益相关者关于多学科、中心为基础的工程研究的未来方向。研究结果将潜在地影响一些联邦机构、州经济发展办公室、研究型大学、研发密集型产业以及对大规模、多学科工程研究的更有效和更有影响力的投资和管理感兴趣的非营利基金会的决策。这项研究将由一个专家委员会管理，该委员会由美国国家科学院和美国国家科学院院长任命。委员会将进行广泛的数据收集，并举办一次公共研讨会，以帮助阐明NSF未来10-20年多学科、以中心为基础的工程研究的新愿景。这项研究将确定当前方法的需要和差距，并为实施新愿景提供指导原则和可能的战略。委员会的结论将在一份同行评议的报告中发表。

This collaborative project between the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the National Research Council (NRC) aims to study the future of NSF's center-based, multidisciplinary engineering research. NSF's multidisciplinary, center-based, engineering research programs address a variety of key research, education, and innovation needs of the United States. Given the changing global context for engineering research, education and innovation, it is important to consider new guiding principles for constructing a new vision of such centers for the benefit of the nation. In addressing this goal, the proposed study will consider a variety of questions, including: 1) What models might most effectively enable breakthrough engineering research and discoveries that require center-scale investment considering the convergence of physical science, engineering and life science? 2) What educational models of center-based engineering research programs are best suited to creating a more diverse, internationally aware, and flexible engineering talent pool that is capable of addressing complex, real-world problems?; 3) What academic-industry partnership models might most effectively promote advances in use-inspired basic and translational research, accelerate technology commercialization, and strengthen the broader innovation ecosystem?; and 4) What metrics can be used to define successes and risks of such center programs? This study will inform NSF and other stakeholders about future directions of multidisciplinary, center-based, engineering research. The results will potentially influence decision making by several federal agencies, state economic development offices, research universities, R&D intensive industry, and non-profit foundations interested in more effective and impactful investment in and management of large-scale, multidisciplinary engineering research. The study will be managed by a committee of experts, appointed by the presidents of the NAE and the National Academy of Sciences. The committee will conduct extensive data gathering and host a public symposium to help it articulate a new vision for NSF's multidisciplinary, center-based, engineering research over the next 10-20 years. The study will identify needs and gaps of current approaches, and provide guiding principles and possible strategies for implementing the new vision. The committee's conclusions will be published in a peer-reviewed report.