College of Arts and Sciences faculty and students will explore solutions in three
grand challenge areas that were identified through
self-studies and the collaborative work of CAS chairs. The objective of the working
groups is for each to develop an iterative strategy (what we are calling a “road map”)
for how to move these three grand challenge areas forward within CAS, across SBU,
and with external partners, through convergence in different strands of research and
education. In addition to emerging from the core strengths within departments, these
three grand challenge areas form a shared vision for CAS.
Global Processes, Connections, and Flows
Our graduates and future generations will face the consequences of environmental disruption
on a global scale that is already creating health disparities, economic and power
inequalities, stresses on our natural resources, and migration crises. To address
the causes of disruption and to deal with its devastating ethical and logistical consequences,
students of the twenty-first century need to be educated as global citizens with the
intellectual and experiential wherewithal to understand the interconnectedness of
political, ecological, and social systems, to compete successfully in the global marketplace,
and to engage as responsible citizens of the world. Stony Brook faculty and students
will converge across disparate disciplines to provide technological and social solutions
to these complex problems.
Four working groups will address this challenge.
Digital Revolution & Beyond
Digital literacy is essential for every student and faculty member. New computational
tools have the potential to answer fundamental questions in the disciplines as well
as in transdisciplinary areas, and quantum information and quantum materials will
drive the next revolution in technology. Cross-disciplinary convergence is crucial
not only for moving fundamental computational discoveries into applications that allow
fresh approaches to problems but also for understanding the ethical, political, economic,
and societal issues surrounding the technologies at hand.
Two working groups will address this challenge.
Scholarly Creativity & Exploration
A critical task of the college is to teach and communicate complicated ideas. We need
to educate students on what it means to engage with problems within a discipline as
well as what it means to transfer knowledge from one domain to the other. This initiative
respects the individuality of every discipline while identifying themes that run across
disciplines which students can use as a navigational aid for education and career
preparation.
Four working groups will address this challenge.
last update: 3-22-19