Integration through Collaboration: Models for Multi- and Inter- Disciplinary Work Donna M. Riley

Overview Every institutional context is different Three models designed within Smith’s constraints, leveraging Smith’s synergies –Parallel Courses –Independent Group Projects –Advanced multidisciplinary courses with a community of scholars approach

Model 1: Parallel courses Engineering+Women’s Studies = Fine Art Parallel Courses, shared project Site: Mass MoCA – modern art in former Sprague capacitor factory in North Adams Artists: subRosa –women’s labor in cultures of production vs. production of culture, North Adams vs. Juarez Youth Culture and Gender: Ethnographies of North Adams Mass and Energy Balances: Life Cycle Assessment of capacitors: ecological impact of globalized production

Model 1: Lessons Learned Multi-disciplinary & differentiated –Met challenges related to team teaching, disciplinarity –Points of connection/respect: (electronics, art, shop, environment) –Context for sustainability, ethics Challenges –“Two Cultures” –Disillusionment –Open-endedness –Irreproducible

Model 2: Project-based, international, cross-institutional Designing for Economic Empowerment in Nicaragua Innovation by and for Nicaraguans, creation of product chains that withstand neoliberal contexts, build educational capacities Institutions: Public/private, Nica/US, tech/comp/liberal arts Disciplines: Engineering, Economics/Business, Latin-American Studies, Development Studies, Spanish/English Faculty collaboration, short course in Nicaragua, parallel courses

Model 2: Strengths leveraged (from outside engineering) Latin Americanist with country knowledge Development economist taught importance of product chains, import replacement Fluent students with international experience helped with communication Role of disciplinary translators Fostering women’s leadership Special studies structure

Model 3: Community of Scholars Advanced Elective in Science, Technology and Ethics –Solicited by Philosophy, input from Study of Women and Gender Broadens engineering ethics –In context, in action: beyond individual professional STS, post-colonial and feminist science studies, ethics, engineering, engineering education –Technology and control, science and social inequality, materialism, new visions Prerequisites –Engineers bring professional ethics woven throughout curriculum but lack practice with critical reading, discussion, term paper, other epistemic frames –Non-engineers bring the latter but do not know engineering ethics or technical content

Model 3: Lessons Learned Meets curricular needs in Ethics, possibly also the study of Women and Gender –300 level engineering courses are intimidating Course questions challenge foundational assumptions of engineering –requires active involvement of professionals AND citizens… a course for both Pedagogy synergistic with course material –Shifts responsibility –Critical thinking –Praxis