Finding Solutions to Society's Most Difficult Problems

Graduate School Seminar Series: Collaborative Leadership & Grand Challenges Research

Finding Solutions to Society's Most Difficult Problems: A conversation with faculty engaged in Grand Challenges research

Join six faculty in a conversation about research that is highly collaborative, discipline spanning, innovative and engaged—and intended to address the critical challenges of our communities, our nation and the world. What inspired these faculty to choose their particular research question? Why get involved in multidisciplinary research on a big, challenging project? What’s “in it” for researchers—and what are the costs? How did these researchers find collaborators? Decide team roles? Identify community partners? Accommodate multiple disciplinary “languages” and perspectives in advancing their work? Hear from a panel of U of M faculty who are tackling complex questions to generate solutions that will make a difference.

Ample time will be provided for Q&A. An informal reception and networking opportunity will follow the panel.

Panelists:

Project: Innovations at the nexus of food, energy, and water: Reclaiming wastewater from local food industries to produce energy and high-value urban crops

William Arnold, Distinguished McKnight University and Joseph T. and Rose S. Ling Professor, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering; College of Science and Engineering

Mary Rogers, Assistant Professor, Department of Horticultural Science; College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences

Project: Minnesota Precision Medicine Collaborative: Transforming health and advancing equality

Ellen W. Demerath, Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health

Pamala Jacobson, Professor, Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy

Project: Shared leadership lab: Analyzing success factors to address complex societal challenges

Vanessa Laird, Graduate Faculty, Humphrey School of Public Affairs; Affiliate Faculty, Law School; Executive Director, Center for Integrative Leadership

Myles Shaver, Professor, Pond Family Chair in the Teaching and Advancement of Free Enterprise Principles, Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship Department, Carlson School of Management

Moderator:

Raymond Duvall, University Distinguished Teaching Professor, Political Science, College of Liberal Arts; Special Assistant to the Provost for Grand Challenges Research