Ohio State’s Office of Knowledge Enterprise wants to help you overcome traditional research silos through BIIG Connections!
Are you a researcher at Ohio State looking for collaborators on campus? Are you seeking an exciting next level for your research? Are you interested in contributing to an interdisciplinary team but don’t know where to start?
Building Innovative Interdisciplinary Groups and Collaborations (BIIG Collaborations) is here to help! This multi-phase program is designed to CONNECT interdisciplinary faculty with common research interests, DEVELOP shared concepts for innovative team research, and ADVANCE newly emerging teams to future funding and research success. Focusing on one interdisciplinary research topic each semester, the goal is to provide Ohio State researchers and scholars with the resources and support you need to address the innovative research questions that can only be examined when diverse talents are brought together and think BIIG!
CONNECT: Our program kicks off each semester with BIIG Connections, an in-person networking event featuring lightning introductions of attendees that allow researchers to explore colleagues’ expertise, interests, and research challenges around an interdisciplinary topic of shared interest. Focused (and fun!) engagement activities further build connections and help researchers begin to forge collaborative interdisciplinary teams to innovate around common research interests.
BIIG Connections – AI + X for Good BIIG Connections – AI + X for Good is an in-person interdisciplinary networking event for researchers and scholars interested in these questions and more. AI + X represents the many fields that do and could interface with AI – whether your interests are in climate, health, agriculture, education, or beyond, all are welcome to explore the intersection of AI and various domains. Presented by the Office of Knowledge Enterprise in collaboration with the Translational Data Analytics Institute, BIIG Connections helps researchers break down traditional research silos, make new connections, and find support for their next BIIG idea. |
DEVELOP: Don’t let your new connections fade away! In part two of our program, BIIG Ideas, faculty are invited to join a series of facilitated ideation workshops focused on identifying and refining interdisciplinary concepts, strengthening collaborations, and drafting action plans to help make your BIIG Idea a reality. Working with faculty in common interest areas, participants will develop shared concepts for interdisciplinary research, resulting in a 1-2 page concept outline for potential partners or funders. This will include a 3-6 month action plan for continued advancement and progress.
ADVANCE: Teams that engage in BIIG Ideas will have access to support from the Office of Knowledge Enterprise to advance their interdisciplinary research concepts towards extramural funding. Through the BIIG Start Award, groups can apply for up to $10,000 to pursue a strategic activity that will further define and refine their collaboration. Funds can be used to support planning meetings, hosting workshops or seminars, pilot data collection or analysis, continued team science training and coaching, or other activities necessary to help the team further coalesce around their BIIG Idea.
