“To harness the benefits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we should not view emerging technologies as mere tools that are completely under our conscious control, nor as external forces that cannot be guided. Instead, we should seek to understand how and where human values are embedded within new technologies, and how these can be shaped to enhance the common good, environmental stewardship and human dignity.”
Klaus Schwab, Shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution, World Economic Forum.
The mission of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4) is to build capacity in interdisciplinary sciences, informatics, and emerging technologies as we increase students’ readiness for the 4th Industrial Revolution. The Institute is an educational and professional framework that fosters cross-sector partnerships and interdisciplinary collaborations. To this end, the Institute (i) coordinates on-campus interdisciplinary events that challenge us to explore complicated problems with cross-disciplinary approaches; (ii) organizes cross-sector cooperative agreements with public and private entities around the Austin, TX area and beyond; (iii) exposes STEM majors to the postgraduate landscape by networking them with employers and graduate programs through guaranteed internships; (iv) funds faculty and student professional development by offering awards to faculty and micro-credentialing tuition awards to students; and (v) catalyzes faculty advancement, interdisciplinary collaborations, and innovative research through the presentation of research opportunity awards.
Together, these activities facilitate the preparation of students for the 4th Industrial Revolution, which is a recently embarked era where biological, digital, and physical systems coalesce to connect people, objects, and disciplines. The consensus among world leaders and prominent academics is that interdisciplinary education, industry-academia cross-talks, data science and informatics, and the development of adaptive STEM graduates who can innovate in a climate of change are pivotal for success in the 4th Industrial Revolution.
Staff
Bilal Shebaro, PhD
Director of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences (i4) and Associate Professor of Computer Science
bshebaro@stedwards.edu
512-428-1256
John Brooks Williams South 275
Andrea Holgado, PhD
i4 Leadership Team and Professor of Biological Sciences
aholgado@stedwards.edu
512-448-1415
John Brooks Williams North 219
Charles Hauser, PhD
i4 Leadership Team and Associate Professor of Bioinformatics
charlesh@stedwards.edu
512-233-1671
John Brooks Williams South 277
Paul Walter, PhD
i4 Leadership Team and Associate Professor of Physics
pauljw@stedwards.edu
512-637-5636
John Brooks Williams South 274
Rebecca Thompson, PhD
i4 Leadership Team and Assistant Professor of Chemistry
rthomps7@stedwards.edu
512-637-1985
John Brooks Williams North 113
For more information about i4 programs please email i4_institute@stedwards.edu
Internship Opportunities for Students
OVERVIEW
The Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4) is currently coordinating PAID summer internships for NSCI students interested in working at non-profit or for-profit partners sites. These 8 week in-workplace or "remote" training opportunities are designed to expand the preparation of STEM students as they engage in research and development (R&D) projects in a high-paced and competitive setting. Additionally, these experiences allow students to learn about the professional expectations from an employer regarding job responsibilities, firm deadlines, budgetary constraints, and technical knowledge needed for a particular R&D project.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
For participation in the Summer 2021 program applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are currently enrolled at St. Edward’s University in the School of Natural Sciences and will be entering their junior or senior year in Fall 2021. At this time i4 cannot accept applications from graduating seniors (May 2021).
INTERNSHIP INFORMATION
- Pay: $5,000 total (for 320 hours of work over an 8 week period at 40 hrs per week, subject to applicable taxes based upon your employment status with St. Edward's University )
- Travel and Lodging will be provided for non-local internships and lodging on a limited basis for local internships.
- Internship Dates: 8 weeks during Summer 2021 (May 17 - July 9 or May 31 - July 23 or June 14 - August 6)
- Application Deadline: The application process has not started for Summer 2021
Summer 2021 Internship Partners and Projects (coming soon in February)
Internship Application (Coming Soon in February)
Schedule for Summer 2021 Employer On-Campus or Remote Visits (Coming Soon)
Tuition Awards for Extramural Certifications and Micro-Credentialing
OVERVIEW
The Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4) is currently offering tuition awards for specialized training and micro-credentialing to NSCI undergraduates. These tuition awards will aid in the transition to the 4th industrial revolution workplace, allow St. Edward’s students to stay on pace with emerging technologies, and train future employees for the sophisticated STEM labor market.
TUITION AWARD INFORMATION
This tuition award program provides three classes of tuition awards for certificates or micro-credentialing:
- Up to $250
- $251 to $1,000
- $1,001 to $2,000
Applications for tuition awards for certifications and micro-credentials are accepted throughout the year. While multiple applications may be submitted, we will prioritize impacting as many students as possible during any single grant year. There is a cap of $2000 per academic year per student. Students typically receive feedback on their applications within two weeks.
All tuition award submissions must be associated to courses that grant certificates or micro-credentials and prepare students for the 4th Industrial Revolution. This tuition award is to be used for courses not offered at St. Edward’s University. Examples of aligned fields and courses are:
For tuition award categories and examples, see: CATEGORIES AND EXAMPLES
For tuition award applications and instructions, see: CALL FOR TUITION AWARDS
APPLY HERE to submit a tuition award application. Please allow the i4 Review Team at least two weeks to review, prior to the start date of the training)
Research Opportunity Awards (ROA) for Faculty
OVERVIEW
The Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4) supports a funding mechanism for the distribution of Research Opportunity Awards (ROAs). The i4 Institute is excited to announce that it is now accepting Research Opportunity Award (ROA) applications for this academic year 2020-2021 with award amounts up to $15K. Our next round of proposal reviews will consider applications received up to January 31, 2021, and funds for accepted applications will become available for expenditures from the day of approval until August 15, 2021.
The ROAs provide opportunities to facilitate the incorporation of emerging technologies and interdisciplinary science in faculty research and co-curricular undergraduate experiences.
For ROA application and instructions, see: ROA REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS
For ROA frequently asked questions, see: ROA FAQs
APPLY HERE to submit an ROA application
Professional Development Grants (PDG) for Faculty
OVERVIEW
The Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4) supports a funding mechanism for the distribution of Professional Development Grants (PDGs). The i4 Institute is excited to announce that it is now accepting Professional Development Grant (PDG) applications for this academic year 2020-2021 with award amounts up to $15K. Our next round of proposal reviews will consider applications received up to January 31, 2021, and funds for accepted applications will become available for expenditures from the day of approval until August 15, 2021.
The PDGs provide opportunities for faculty to expand or develop competencies recognized as key to success in educating the 21st century STEM workforce while preparing students for the 4th industrial revolution.
For PDG application and instructions, see: PDG REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS
For PDG frequently asked questions, see: PDG FAQs
APPLY HERE to submit a PDG application
Sponsored Events
LECTURE SERIES
Global Health Challenges Symposium
September 25, 2020: 8:50am - 12 Noon, St. Edward's University
Speaker: Juliano Calil, MESM, PhD., Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Virtual Planet Technologies
Talk Title: Using Virtual Reality in Climate Adaptation
Senior Symposium 2020 - Keynote Speaker Address
Friday, February 28, 2020 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm in Jones Auditorium
Speaker: Thong Nguyen, Tech Entrepreneur, Business Leader and TEDxMinneapolis Curator
Talk Title: Out of Our Minds: Creating Futures That Don't Exist Yet
Watch event in 360 View (for best results, watch with VR Goggles)
Documentary Screening and Panel Discussion: "Human Nature"
Thursday, November 7, 2019 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm in Jones Auditorium, St. Edward's University
INFO SESSIONS
Want to know more about i4?
The i4 Team is available to speak to faculty and students regarding upcoming i4 funding opportunities. These include Tuition Awards, Internships, and faculty Research Opportunity Awards (ROAs) and Professional Development Grants (PDGs) for tenured and tenure-track NSCI faculty. Please email us at i4_institute@stedwards.edu to schedule a meeting or presentation with us.
News Center and Highlights
Summer 2020 Intern Student Highlights:
Interns Interview Video (2020)
Summer 2019 Intern Student Highlights:
Interns Interview Video (2019)
Hilltop Views - "Human Nature" November 2019:
Professionals, students talk upsides and downfalls of DNA editing through CRISPr
St. Edward’s University Receives $1.5 Million STEM Grant from the National Science Foundation
Acknowledgement:
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1832282