The Future of Center-Based, Multidisciplinary Engineering Research

这项由美国国家工程院(NAE)和国家研究委员会(NRC)合作的项目旨在研究NSF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计划满足了美国各种关键的研究、教育和创新需求。鉴于工程研究、教育和创新的全球环境不断变化，重要的是考虑新的指导原则，以构建此类中心的新愿景，以造福国家。在实现这一目标时，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，什么样的模式可能最有效地实现突破性的工程研究和需要中心规模投资的发现？2)什么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多样化、更具国际意识和更灵活的工程人才库，能够解决复杂的现实世界问题？3)什么样的学术-行业合作模式可能最有效地促进受使用启发的基础和翻译研究的进步，加速技术商业化，并加强更广泛的创新生态系统？以及4)哪些指标可以用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、以中心为基础的工程学研究的未来方向。这一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、研发密集型行业和非营利性基金会的决策，这些机构对更有效、更有影响力地投资和管理大规模、多学科的工程研究感兴趣。这项研究将由一个专家委员会管理，该委员会由NAE和国家科学院院长任命。该委员会将进行广泛的数据收集，并主办一次公开研讨会，以帮助它阐明NSF在未来10-20年内多学科、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，并为实施新的远景提供指导原则和可能的战略。该委员会的结论将在一份同行评议报告中公布。

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.