Interdisciplinary Student Group Outline

My name is Qifeng Cheng, and I’m a first-year Ph.D. student in Physics. Welcome to my proposal for a new Duke student group that serves as an idea incubator, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation at Duke. This group welcomes students with specific project ideas needing interdisciplinary collaborations, as well as those interested in exploring interdisciplinary possibilities. The group connects students with specific project ideas to the necessary resources and expertise, while providing mentorship and a platform for those seeking to explore and engage with diverse disciplines.

This initiative is proudly affiliated with the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies, with wonderful staff members as our advisors, providing us with resources and guidance.

If you're interested or know someone who might be, please email me at qifeng.cheng[at]duke.edu. We're scheduling our first planning meeting in the Spring (2024), in the week of Apr.15th. Send me an email to be part of it.

The goal/mission of the student group: node of a network

Our group serves as a platform for connections and resources, providing a starting point for those seeking solutions to complex questions requiring skills and expertise from various fields. When individuals are in search of interdisciplinary answers, we offer the initial step in their exploratory journey.

The community vibe:

Open-minded, collaborative, and supportive, our members deeply care about their endeavors and are committed to leveraging their influence.

What you can get from the club

Students joining this group can be divided into two categories:

1. Those who don't have a specific idea but are interested in exploring interdisciplinary opportunities, and want to explore the potential of their unique skills.
   • The exposure to various ideas/talks will help you explore a blend of disciplines and generate ideas. You can attend our mentorship program or bi-weekly meetings to learn about what others in this interdisciplinary group are doing and build their professional skills (e.g., discussing research in different fields).
   • You can showcase their unique skills and passions within our platform. When people with ideas come to our group, they can discover how your skills might be the perfect fit for their project, unleashing your potential.
2. Those who have a specific idea or project that requires interdisciplinary collaborations and resources.
   • You will find collaborators with diverse skill sets within our club that fit your project, helping you turn your vision into reality.
   • We will serve as a connection hub to provide resources. Initially, we will build our network and influence by working on specific cases. For example, if someone wants to create an exhibition about black holes but lacks experience in art, our group will reach out to the art department and build connections to help realize this idea. Over time, our group will gain experience/resources in various types of interdisciplinary projects. Besides, as we attract more members, we’ll get more resources in different disciplines as well.

What does the club do

• Core activities (brainstorm):

  1. Bi-weekly Meetings: Host regular sessions for students to present their research or share experiences related to leadership, project management, and more, with feedback from professional communicators.
  2. Research Talks: Organize events like a Grad appreciation week, where students can give 15-minute talks on their research, promoting communication across fields. (Duke GRADx Talks 2023 | The Graduate School)
  3. Mentorship Program: Propose establishing a mentorship program that pairs students with peers/seniors, or further with faculty or professionals who have experience in interdisciplinary work, to provide guidance and support for student projects. Build connection outside their original unit.
  4. Resource Sharing Platform: Offer to work on developing a digital platform or forum where students and faculty can share resources, opportunities, and challenges that could benefit from interdisciplinary approaches.

• Other events (brainstorm):

  1. Seed Projects: Seeking for seed projects and collaborate on campus-wide initiatives, engaging with vice provosts, deans, and other key figures to drive meaningful change. (sustaining ELI projects)
  2. Collaborative Events: Propose the organization of a kickoff event or series that would serve as a platform for students from different disciplines to meet and share ideas. This could be in the form of a symposium, workshop, or hackathon.
  3. Interdisciplinary Project Showcase: Suggest the creation of an annual showcase where students can present projects that were developed through interdisciplinary collaboration, possibly offering awards or recognitions to encourage participation.
  4. Workshop Series: Suggest organizing a series of workshops that focus on skills and knowledge relevant to interdisciplinary studies, such as research methodologies, collaboration techniques, and communication across disciplines.
  5. Interdisciplinary Research Grants: Recommend the institution consider creating small grants that students could apply for to support interdisciplinary research projects or initiatives
  6. Open Discussion Events: Host sessions where individuals can present questions to a diverse audience, sparking dialogues that transcend disciplinary boundaries.
  7. Open idea brainstorming event: (maybe monthly), a meeting/activity to discuss everyone's wild ideas on someone's baby idea. (Yi wants to have black hole exhibition, then members from different disciplines can share their ideas about how it could look like)

Next steps:

• Spring Planning Meetings: Brainstorm mission, goals, structure, and initial events. (By the end of the week of Apr.15th)
• Fall Student Group Registration and Events Launch: Officially register and kick off inaugural events.

For future collaborators:

What we're looking for:

• Passionate collaborators ready to brainstorm, plan, and execute.
• Diverse skills in outreach, marketing, event facilitation, social media, etc.
• Visionaries who understand the value of interdisciplinary collaboration.

What you'll gain:

• Leadership experience
• Diverse network and community
• Impact on fostering interdisciplinary collaboration

What is needed for starting a student group (based on application details) .

Mission
Members (faculty members interested in this project)
Advisor
* Meetings
* Officers

Other important questions/future steps

• Spring meetings for clarify goals, mission, regular meetings.
• Talk to other vice provost, deans, about their seed projects
• Talk to some relevant student groups (ask how do you start).
• New student orientation events to advertise, talk to the cohort about group, ideas.

Related notes:

Check List for Starting a Student Group