The Future of Center-Based, Multidisciplinary Engineering Research

美国国家工程院（NAE）和国家研究理事会（NRC）之间的这个合作项目旨在研究NSF基于中心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计划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，为国家利益构建此类中心的新愿景是很重要的。 为了实现这一目标，拟议的研究将考虑各种问题，包括：1）考虑到物理科学，工程和生命科学的融合，什么模型可能最有效地实现需要中心规模投资的突破性工程研究和发现？2)以中心为基础的工程研究计划的什么教育模式最适合于创造一个更多样化、国际意识和灵活的工程人才库，能够解决复杂的现实问题？ 3)什么样的学术-产业伙伴关系模式可以最有效地促进以使用为灵感的基础和转化研究的进步，加速技术商业化，并加强更广泛的创新生态系统？ 以及4）可以使用什么度量标准来定义此类中心项目的成功和风险？这项研究将向NSF和其他利益相关者通报多学科、基于中心的工程研究的未来方向。研究结果可能会影响几个联邦机构、州经济发展办公室、研究型大学、研发密集型行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。 该研究将由NAE和国家科学院院长任命的专家委员会管理。 该委员会将进行广泛的数据收集，并举办一个公共研讨会，以帮助它阐明NSF的多学科，中心为基础的工程研究在未来10-20年的新愿景。 这项研究将查明目前做法的需要和差距，并为实施新的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.