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Stanford Observed
Antarctica, and then a team of people in chemistry,
biology, mineralogy, paleontology and physics to conduct studies. And,
as the debate about the meaning of the rock rages on, more and more
contributions across disciplinary lines keep the dialogue moving in a
healthy manner.
Support structures for such multidisciplinary efforts are just being
built. The National Science Foundation recognizes that many exciting
advances in science cross disciplinary boundaries. Although the
foundation is organized around disciplines, much as universities are,
several new programs cross those lines and greatly benefit science.
Two examples of multidisciplinary efforts are the creation of an
Astrobiology Institute by NASA and the announcement by NSF of a program
called Life in Extreme Environments, which touches upon the origins of
life and under what conditions life can be sustained. Born in the
excitement following the discovery of possible life on Mars, these
initiatives include biology, chemistry, physics and astronomy, and
researchers studying such diverse areas as the oceans or polar regions
of our Earth as well as other planets. The multidisciplinary study of
microbial life forms and the extreme environments in which they exist on
Earth tells us about the very nature of life itself. Discovering how
life can sustain itself in extreme conditions and while under stress can
tell us how the Earth's ecosystems can adapt and adjust to the influence
of people. All this has surprisingly practical applications - from
discovering or engineering bacteria that can clean up hazardous spills
to creating life forms that can advance farming and increase crop
yields.
A key to the success of such efforts is vision and leadership: Someone
must be in charge and take ownership, even if many others are involved.
To look back at my early faculty days, had it been determined from the
start that I belonged to one of the departments, though the input from
the other department was vital, I would not have been quite so
"homeless" when the time came for the tenure decision.
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