Research leadership today means not just nurturing specialized areas of expertise but integrating them to tackle difficult scientific questions or address major societal needs. Research clusters are one of several approaches universities are trying to usher in a new era of collaborative, cross-disciplinary initiatives.

The eight research clusters UMass Boston identified after a rigorous and collaborative approach are a mechanism for diverse teams to come together to explore opportunities, exchange information and collaborate more effectively. Faculty-led committees in four of the areas have spent a year creating plans, now awaiting action by university leadership.

UMass Boston followed the advice of the faculty-led Research and Graduate Studies Committee which stated: “The identification of research clusters…will permit teams of faculty members and students to be engaged in world-class interdisciplinary, multi-departmental and multi-institutional projects of national and international significance.”

Other universities have also begun to use the “cluster” approach to organize leading edge research involving multi-disciplinary efforts. Oregon State University, New Mexico State University, Colorado State University, University of Houston and the University of Washington are recent examples.