Researchers Team Up to Address Societal Challenges
How can we reduce our need for oil? Will we ever find a cure for cancer? How can we help young people learn so they can solve tomorrow’s problems? How can we better understand the complexities of the human brain?
Researchers at the UO and around the world are tackling these challenges with gusto by teaming together. At the UO, we realize that the bigger the problem, the more resources and the more perspectives we will need to find the best solutions. The UO has a 50-year history of interdisciplinary research, which means we are now poised to dive into collaborative research in a way many other institutions cannot. The UO’s Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies launched an Integrative Science Initiative several years ago to fuel the collaborations that will make a difference, not just to students and faculty at the UO, but to the state of Oregon, and indeed the world.
This initiative is initially focused on building innovative facilities that will bring researchers together in novel configurations to promote cross-disciplinary teams. First, we built Lorry I. Lokey Laboratories (completed in 2008), a world-class facility accessible to both UO researchers and private industry. This has spawned new relationships within the university and between the university and other research organizations and businesses. This summer, we will begin construction on the Lewis Integrative Science Building, slated for completion in 2012.
The Lewis Integrative Science Building will bring together some of the best minds in neuroscience and molecular biology as well as nanotechnology and solar energy research. These researchers are tackling cancer, alternative sources of energy, green product design, brain dysfunctions, and more. The new facility will enable scientists to spark new discoveries and collaborative research in ways that are truly unpredictable.
“I’m extremely optimistic regarding the UO’s new directions in integrative science,” said Rich Linton, the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies. “We have begun to reap the benefits of this integrative approach (which spans many disciplines and includes basic and applied science) to address societal challenges critical to a sustainable future.”
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