Academics

Center for Integrative Research (CIR)

Mission

The mission of the Center for Integrative Research is to establish connections within and between art and science disciplines by examining complex current issues using multiple disciplinary perspectives.

Purpose

The School of Arts and Sciences is one of the most diverse schools in the University with programs ranging from performing arts and journalism to biological sciences and computing.  

The Center for Integrative Research is driven by the University’s strategic plan as well as by the need to federate researchers in arts and sciences disciplines by establishing a collaborative platform. The center also aims to establish technology transfer culture in the School and to affirm the School’s commitment for high-quality programs and research.

The center:

The CIR seeks to enhance research at the School of Arts and Sciences by providing students and faculty with the opportunity to perform innovative and cutting-edge research in a myriad of areas including digital humanities, biomedical, genetic, and earth sciences.

Finally, the CIR aims to install artificial intelligence at the heart of realizing the transformation towards value-based services including journalism, biological sciences, medicine, and healthcare.

Units

The CIR is composed of various multi-disciplinary units that aim to conduct research around a specific theme or topic. Units are expected to have good external funding in addition to an active research training program. The units strive to service the community through outreach and training activities. Currently, the center is composed of the following units (Figure 1):

The CIR units engage full-time faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows. They have autonomous operations and are led by the associate directors. The associate director is elected by full-time faculty in the units for a three-year term. Faculty maybe active in one or more units. 

The associate director:

A performance review of the activities of the unit occurs on a yearly basis to ensure that the unit is active and fiscally responsible. The associate director submits a comprehensive report detailing the unit’s activity and resulting publications and/or funding. The report should include the following:

  1. Major achievements including:
  1. Public service and outreach and contribution at the national and the international level;
  2. Contribution to fostering collaborative research at SoAS;
  3. Associate director effectiveness including leadership, accomplishments, and future goals.

Thumbnail image for CIR-Picture1.jpgScope

The Center for Integrative Research will be involved in the following areas (Figure 2):

  1. Artificial Intelligence for commercial real estate;
  2. Artificial Intelligence for co-Working space;
  3. Parking space optimization using IoT and analytics;

CIR-Picture2.jpg