A Message from the Vice President and Associate Provost for Research
What sets Boston University apart as a research university is the breadth and depth of its research and the uniquely entrepreneurial spirit of its faculty. Researchers at BU aren’t afraid to cross disciplinary boundaries, as can be seen by strategic efforts to support interdisciplinary research and education in neuroscience, religion and world affairs, integrative biology, clean energy, sustainability and the environment, health care delivery, and global health, to name a few. In each case, the emphasis is not on interdisciplinarity for its own sake, but on using a multifaceted approach to solve the important and complex problems facing society today.
These initiatives are creating a new generation of scholars able to combine a broad appreciation of the “big” problems with a deep understanding of at least one traditional discipline. One of my principal goals as Vice President and Associate Provost for Research is to facilitate conversations and collaboration among faculty across BU’s two campuses and seventeen schools and colleges, while ensuring that traditional departments are kept strong and vibrant, as “there is no interdisciplinarity without the disciplines!”
To do this, I will need your input. The recently formed University Research Council (URC), which is broadly representative of the faculty as a whole, will help engage faculty members on the Charles River and Medical campuses in a continuous dialogue regarding issues related to scholarly and research activities. The URC is meant to be an inclusive and transparent sounding board—one that ensures that academic decisions are made with faculty concerns in mind, and in a manner consistent with the University’s administrative and legal practices. I encourage BU faculty to visit their website to view the full URC membership list, see meeting agendas and minutes (accessible to BU faculty with a Kerberos password), and share your views on the URC blog.
I would also like to extend an invitation to faculty members to join me at a new series of quarterly “VP/AP open houses,” which will begin in Spring 2009. A separate series of “Admin open houses” will give faculty the chance to meet key administrative staff from the Office of the Provost, Sponsored Programs, Research Administration, and Technology Development. Details about upcoming open houses will be published on this site soon.
Ultimately, our faculty and students are the key to Boston University’s success. I look forward to engaging faculty members, undergraduate and graduate students, and other members of the BU community as we transform Boston University into one of the leading research institutions in the world.
Best regards,
Andrei E. Ruckenstein
Vice President and Associate Provost for Research