EFTA02463819.pdf

From: jeffrey E. <jeevacation@gmail.com> Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2016 10:34 PM To: Joichi Ito Subject: Re: Antidisciplinary Science Fellows Proposal 011 331 441 70210 On Thu, May 12, 2016 at 11:28 PM, loichi Ito <mailto > wrote: The MIT Media Lab seeks support for a fellowship pro=ram in Antidisciplinary Science. The Lab is a leader in this area, which p=omises to fundamentally rethink research and practice around scientific in=uiry. We seek $12 million to fund and operate the first three years of thi= fellowship program. Today, we fa=e a crisis in science. Academic science is not leading to breakthrough inn=vations, and the disciplinary structures of the academy are largely to bla=e. Certain types of research are recognized and rewarded, and become defin=d as disciplines. As this happens, people begin talking only to a very sma=l peer group, often by publishing in a small number of very specific journ=ls. Meanwhile, we believe the most important scientific questions today re=ide in the spaces between disciplines. work. An antidisciplinary project isn =99t a sum of many disciplines but something entirely new—the word =efies easy definition. But what it means to the Media Lab is someone or so=ething that doesn't fit within a traditional academic discipline =94a field of study with its own particular words, frameworks, and methods.=Most academics are judged by how many times they have published in prestig=ous, peer-reviewed journals. This system often leads researchers to align =heir work to the dictates of peer review rather than risking the potential=repercussions of an unconventional approach. Indeed, the current peer revi=w system causes hyper-specialization where people in different fields have=a very difficult time collaborating—or even communicating—=ith people in other fields. When =oi thinks about the "space" the Lab has created, he likes =o imagine a huge piece of paper that represents "all science. =80 The disciplines, such as "chemistry," "genet=cs" or "design" are small black dots on this paper= The massive amounts of white space between the dots represent antidiscipl=nary space. Many people would like to play in this white space, but there =s very little funding available, and it's even harder to get a ten=red position without some sort of disciplinary anchor in one of the black =ots. Additionally, it appears inc=easingly difficult to tackle many of the interesting problems—as w=ll as the "wicked problems"—through a traditional =isciplinary approach. Unraveling the complexities of the human body is the=perfect example. Our best chance for rapid breakthroughs should come throu=h a collaborative "One Science." But instead, we seem unab=e to move beyond "many sciences" —a complex mosaic =f so many different disciplines that often we don't recognize when=we are looking at the same problem because our language is so different an= our microscopes are set so differently. EFTA_R1_01570958 EFTA02463819  So how do we find talent in as yet un-named fields? We h=pothesize that the regular academic processes of hiring and peer review wi=l not find these people. And current programs to find exceptional individu=ls are either too organized or not organized enough. There is a limit to h=w much the search for geniuses can and should be centrally planned and org=nized, as the best people tend to have their discussions outside of instit=tions. Events like O'Reilly's FOO Camp are a wonderful exa=ple of successful models of unstructured ways of discovering and engaging =uch talent. However, we are interested in exploring a different way that b=tter integrates with the academic research structure. Therefore the Media =ab is developing a new prize and fellowship program focused on finding ext=aordinary minds who are working beyond disciplinary bounds. The Antidisciplinary Science=Fellowship Program proposes to locate remarkable people working in antidis=iplinary white spaces by offering prizes to individuals from inside and ou=side academia, giving them access to the resources of the Media Lab and ea=h other, and bringing them to the attention of the world. We will work wit= a group of nominators and we will also utilize a novel Web-based nominati=n crowdsourcing platform, also offering prizes to people who identify such=exceptional talents. A small, distinguished selection committee will then =eview nominees and award prizes of $100,000 each to a maximum of ten indiv=duals each year. Each winner will select up to five other individuals work=ng on a related topic, forming an investigational cluster. Team members in=each cluster will receive a prize of $10,000. All Fellows and team members=will stay in their current locations, but will be brought together at an a=nual Fellows event at the Media Lab, and will also communicate regularly o=er the course of a year. Through this project the MIT Media Lab aims to trigger a shift =n the nature of scientific inquiry and nurture entire new areas of discove=y that could bring about beneficial impacts to humanity. We believe the La= can bring the right balance of institutional rigor and free-form creativi=y to this search and selection process. The Media Lab is a top research an= teaching program within one of the world's best universities, but=at the same time is also unique within MIT. And we have worked for 30 year= to ensure that our students and faculty have the freedom to explore the w=ldest and most compelling of ideas. Budget (over 3 years) Staff: =AO =C2 =AO =C2 $1,118,164 =span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-=lign:baseline;white-space:pre- wrap">Travel: =C2 =AO =C2 =AO =C2 $=90,000 Materials and Service=: =C2 $210,000 Convenings: =C2 =A0 =C2 =A0 $1,200,000 Overhead at 20%: =AO =C2 <=span> $1,998,633 Total: =AO =C2 =AO =C2 =11,991,797 2 EFTA_R1_01570959 EFTA02463820 =C2 please note The information co=tained in this communication is confidential, may be attorney-client pr=vileged, may constitute inside information, and is intended only for JEE Unauthorized use= disclosure or copying of this communication or any part thereof is str=ctly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this commu=ication in error, please notify us immediately by return e-mail or by e=mail to jeevaca=ion@gmail.com <mailto:jeevacation@gmail.com> , and destroy this communication and all copies thereo=, including all attachments. copyright -all rights reserved </=iv> 3 EFTA_R1_01570960 EFTA02463821