1. Emerging Information Technologies I
Session 2: CONVERGENCE RESEARCH and innovation
FALL EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA

2. Convergence Research and Innovation
We will discuss the importance of “Convergence Research” in the innovation process.
Please review the following material prior to Class Meeting 2 on Saturday Sept 29th
Be prepared to discuss how Convergence may be relevant to your dissertation work.
FALL EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA

3. Review material for “Convergence”
Brief video
Meeting global challenges: Discovery and innovation through convergence By Phillip A. Sharp. “Integrate biology, physics, engineering, and social science to innovate”
research/cancerscience-research30.pdf
OPTIONAL “Convergence: Facilitating Transdisciplinary Integration of Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Engineering, and beyond” National Academy of Sciences Press.(Copy and paste) age/pga_ pdf
FALL EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA

4. FALL 2018 EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA
Innovation
- The National Innovation Initiative that led to the America Competes Act defines innovation as: “the intersection of discovery, invention and insight leading to the creation of social and economic value.”
- It is widely accepted that innovation is at the heart of economic growth, accounting for approximately half of its expansion over the past 50 years.
- The “classical” view in the process of translating science and technology for society is that scientists “discover,” engineers “invent,” and entrepreneurs “innovate.”
Meeting global challenges: Discovery and innovation through convergence By Phillip A. Sharp. “Integrate biology, physics, engineering, and social science to innovate”
FALL EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA

5. Two Modalities of Convergence for Innovation
1. Convergence between science and implementation - tight linkage between discovery, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
2. Convergence across sciences - Deep integration of knowledge, tools, and ways of thinking from life and health sciences, physical, mathematical, and computational sciences, engineering disciplines, and social, behavioral and economic Sciences
Meeting global challenges: Discovery and innovation through convergence By Phillip A. Sharp. “Integrate biology, physics, engineering, and social science to innovate”
FALL EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA

6. FALL 2018 EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA
Representation of the process of integration represented by convergence
In order to take advantage of new opportunities, a merger of expertise from life and physical sciences and synergy across academic, industry, and government sectors is needed.
SOURCE: The figure is found in the Executive Summary of ARISE II, Advancing Research in Science and Engineering: Unleashing America’s Research & Innovation
Enterprise, available at
ARISEII_ExecutiveSummary.pdf).
FALL EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA

7. Convergence between Science and Implementation
FALL EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA

8. Convergence across Sciences – Convergence Research
Deep integration across disciplines.
As experts from different disciplines pursue common research challenges, their knowledge, theories, methods, data, research communities and languages become increasingly intermingled or integrated. New frameworks, paradigms or even disciplines can form sustained interactions across multiple communities.
Research driven by a specific and compelling problem.
Convergence Research is generally inspired by the need to address a specific challenge or opportunity, whether it arises from deep scientific questions or pressing societal needs.
FALL EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA

9. Research Convergence – The New Biology
The New Biology, which focuses on the life sciences, draws on integration of multiple scientific fields in the creation of biology-based solutions to societal challenges.
FALL EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA

10. FALL 2018 EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA
NSF Examplar
FALL EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA

11. FALL 2018 EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA
NSF Examplar
FALL EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA

12. NSF “Quantum Leap” Big Idea
The 23 newly awarded projects will foster Convergence to address grand challenges in the context of five of NSF's "10 Big Ideas for Future NSF Investments," a set of cutting-edge research agendas uniquely suited for NSF's broad portfolio of investments.
Those five ideas are: Harnessing the Data Revolution; Navigating the New Arctic; The Quantum Leap: Leading the Next Quantum Revolution; Work at the Human-Technology Frontier: Shaping the Future; and Understanding the Rules of Life: Predicting Phenotype.
The new Convergence awards include support for a Quantum Science Summer School that will bring together students from materials research, physics, engineering, mathematics, computer sciences, chemistry and the social sciences. These summer schools will prepare transdisciplinary students to meet the challenges of the quantum revolution.
FALL EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA

13. Convergence and your Dissertation?
New way of addressing problem or improving existing solution?
Problem Domain?
Disciplines? …
FALL EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA

14. Convergence and your Dissertation?
New way of addressing problem or improving existing solution?
Problem Domain?
e.g. Healthcare -> Autism -> Early Self-Awareness
Disciplines?
e.g. IoT (Computer Science, Computer Systems, Electrical Engg - sensors, Networking) Psychology, …
FALL EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA

15. Convergence and your Dissertation?
New way of addressing problem or improving existing solution?
Problem Domain?
Cybersecurity ->
Detection of Pattern
Disciplines?
Computer Sciences, Applied Math, Social Sciences, Computer Architecture…
FALL EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES I - AGERWALA