Meeting the 4th Industrial Revolution Head-On
The mission of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4) is to build capacity in interdisciplinary sciences, informatics and emerging technologies as we increase students’ readiness for the 4th Industrial Revolution.
The institute is an educational and professional framework that fosters cross-sector partnerships and interdisciplinary collaborations. To this end, the Institute:
- Coordinates on-campus interdisciplinary events that challenge us to explore complicated problems with cross-disciplinary approaches. Organizes cross-sector cooperative agreements with public and private entities around the Austin, Texas, area and beyond.
- Exposes STEM majors to the postgraduate landscape by networking them with employers and graduate programs through guaranteed internships.
- Funds faculty and student professional development by offering awards to faculty and micro-credentialing tuition awards to students.
- Catalyzes faculty advancement, interdisciplinary collaborations, and innovative research through the presentation of research opportunity awards.
Together, these activities prepare students for the 4th Industrial Revolution, which is a recently embarked era where biological, digital and physical systems coalesce to connect people, objects and disciplines.
The consensus among world leaders and prominent academics is that interdisciplinary education, industry-academia cross-talks, data science and informatics, and the development of adaptive STEM graduates who can innovate in a climate of change are pivotal for success in the 4th Industrial Revolution.
i4 Latest News
16 Students Awarded Internships
Congratulations to our 16 NSCI students who were awarded an i4 internship opportunity at 7 industry partners during Summer 2024. We cannot wait to hear back about your experience.
Keynote
Watch the i4 keynote speech at the NSCI Senior Symposium by Kurtis Minder about "Cybersecurity: More than a Career, a Purpose". Available here, also available in 360 view here.
i4 Summer Internships
i4 interns, Saray AlSaffar ’23 (Bioinformatics), Jacob Brandis ’23 (Computer Science), and Madison Pierre ’23 (Computer Science), were featured in a St. Edward’s University online news article sharing their internship experience during Summer 2022: Launching Students into STEM Careers.
i4 Internship Leads to Job Offer
i4 student Sabur Khan ’22 featured in the St. Edward's University Magazine talks about his experience interning at VMware, an opportunity made available through i4. The internship ultimately led to a full-time job offer with VMware. Congratulations Sabur. Read the full story: A Day at St. Edward's with Sabur Khan
We Prepare Next-Level STEM Graduates
STEM graduates who can adapt and innovate in a climate of change are pivotal for success in the 4th Industrial Revolution. Our National Science Foundation-funded Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4) focuses on preparing students for this global revolution brought on by smart technology. Students can tap into paid summer research internships, tuition awards for STEM courses not offered at St. Edward’s; events and keynote speakers; and more.
What is the 4th Industrial Revolution?
| Listen to our SEU to You podcast as Associate Professor of Computer Science Bilal Shebaro shares opportunities for internships, micro-certifications and events offered by the Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4 Institute) to prepare students for this very exciting time in which we live |
Explore i4 Opportunities, Events and Funding
Bilal Shebaro, PhD
Director of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences (i4) and Associate Professor of Computer Science
bshebaro@stedwards.edu
512-428-1256
John Brooks Williams South 275
Claire Edwards, PhD
i4 Leadership Team and Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
medward9@stedwards.edu
512-637-1995
John Brooks Williams North 129
Charles Hauser, PhD
i4 Leadership Team and Associate Professor of Bioinformatics
charlesh@stedwards.edu
512-233-1671
John Brooks Williams South 277
Paul Walter, PhD
i4 Leadership Team and Associate Professor of Physics
pauljw@stedwards.edu
512-637-5636
John Brooks Williams South 274
Rebecca Thompson, PhD
i4 Leadership Team and Assistant Professor of Chemistry
rthomps7@stedwards.edu
512-637-1985
John Brooks Williams North 113
For more information about i4 programs and initiatives, please contact us at i4_institute@stedwards.edu
OVERVIEW
The Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4) is currently coordinating PAID summer internships for NSCI students interested in working at nonprofit or for-profit partner sites. These 10-week in-workplace or "remote" training opportunities are designed to expand the preparation of STEM students as they engage in research and development (R&D) projects in a high-paced and competitive setting. Additionally, these experiences allow students to learn about the professional expectations from an employer regarding job responsibilities, firm deadlines, budgetary constraints and technical knowledge needed for a particular R&D project.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
For participation in the Summer 2024 program applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are currently enrolled at St. Edward’s University in the School of Natural Sciences and will be entering their junior or senior year in Fall 2024. At this time i4 cannot accept applications from graduating seniors (May 2024).
INTERNSHIP INFORMATION
- Pay: Interns will be paid a $6,500 award for their full time (40 hours/week) 10 weeks long internship.
- Internship Period: 10 weeks of full time internship (40 hours/week) during Summer 2024.
- Application Deadline: All applications must be received by Feb. 29, 2024.
Summer 2024 Call for Industry Partners, see: Call for Industry Partners.
Summer 2024 Internship Guidelines, see: Internship guidelines.
Summer 2024 Internship Industry Partners and Projects, see: Partners and Projects.
Internship Application for Summer 2024 is now CLOSED.
OVERVIEW
The Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4) is currently offering tuition awards for specialized training and micro-credentialing to NSCI undergraduates. These tuition awards will aid in the transition to the 4th industrial revolution workplace, allow Edward’s students to stay on pace with emerging technologies, and train future employees for the sophisticated STEM labor market.
TUITION AWARD INFORMATION
This tuition award program provides three classes of tuition awards for certificates or micro-credentialing:
- Up to $250
- $251 to $1,000
- $1,001 to $2,000
Applications for tuition awards for certifications and micro-credentials are accepted throughout the year. While multiple applications may be submitted, we will prioritize impacting as many students as possible during any single grant year. There is a cap of $2000 per academic year per student. Students typically receive feedback on their applications within two weeks.
All tuition award submissions must be associated with courses that grant certificates or micro-credentials and prepare students for the 4th Industrial Revolution. This tuition award is to be used for courses not offered at St. Edward’s University.
Tuition Award application is now closed.
OVERVIEW
The Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4) supports a funding mechanism for the distribution of Research Opportunity Awards (ROAs). These awards provide opportunities to facilitate the incorporation of emerging technologies and interdisciplinary science in faculty research and co-curricular undergraduate experiences.
ROA Application for new proposals is now closed.
OVERVIEW
The Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4) supports a funding mechanism for the distribution of Professional Development Grants (PDGs). The PDGs provide opportunities for faculty to expand or develop competencies recognized as key to success in educating the 21st century STEM workforce while preparing students for the 4th industrial revolution.
PDG Application for new proposals is now closed.
NSCI Senior Symposium 2024 – Keynote Speaker Address
Friday, March 1, 2024, 1–2 p.m. (Carter Auditorium – JBWS 186)
Speaker: Kurtis Minder, CEO and co-founder of GroupSense
Talk Title: Cybersecurity: More than a Career, a Purpose”
Watch Kurtis Minder's keynote speech here, also available in 360 view.
Lucian Symposium 2023 (co-sponsored by i4) – 3 Keynote Speeches
Keynote Talk 1: “Optimizing pediatric cancer treatment and survivorship” – Dr. Joya Chandra
Keynote Talk 2: “Youth-onset type 2 diabetes: Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and implications for health” – Dr. Elizabeth Jensen
Keynote Talk 3: “Using immunotherapeutic strategies to combat tumors” – Dr. Todd Triplett
NSCI Senior Symposium 2023 – Keynote Speaker Address
Speaker: Dr. Brad Hayes, Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, Director of the Collaborative AI and Robotics Lab, and the CTO of the Circadence Corporation
Talk Title: “Making Our Future with Artificial Intelligence into One We Want”
Watch Dr. Hayes's keynote speech here, also available in 360 view.
Documentary Screening: “Coded Bias”
Watch Trailer
Lucian Symposium 2022 (co-sponsored by i4) – 3 Keynote Speeches
Keynote Talk 1: “The Art of Making Vaccines” by Dr. Alfredo G. Torres. Check out the video in 360 View.
Keynote Talk 2: “Vaccine Hesitancy: it doesn’t matter if the vaccine works if nobody gets it” by Dr. Julie Bettinger. Check out the video in 360 View.
Keynote Talk 3: “Mapping global and local trends in vaccine confidence” by Dr. Alex Dr. De Figueiredo.
NSCI Senior Symposium 2022 – Keynote Speaker Address
Speaker: Dr. Ilya J. Finkelstein, Associate Professor of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin
Talk Title: “COVID-19: Viruses, Vaccines, and Variants”
Watch Dr. Finkelstein's keynote speech here, also available in 360 view.
NSCI Senior Symposium 2021 – Keynote Speaker Address
Speaker: Dr. France A. Córdova, former NSF Director
Talk Title: “One Woman's Response to Challenges in Science Leadership”
Watch Dr. Córdova's keynote speech
Documentary Screening: “Picture a Scientist”
Watch Trailer
Watch Movie (SEU credentials required)
You can also scan this QR code with your mobile device’s camera to watch it on your smartphone or tablet.
Global Health Challenges Symposium 2020
Speaker: Juliano Calil, MESM, PhD., Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Virtual Planet Technologies
Talk Title: “Using Virtual Reality in Climate Adaptation”
NSCI Senior Symposium 2020 – Keynote Speaker Address
Speaker: Thong Nguyen, Tech Entrepreneur, Business Leader and TEDxMinneapolis Curator
Talk Title: “Out of Our Minds: Creating Futures That Don't Exist Yet
Watch event in 360 View (for best results, watch with VR Goggles)
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Documentary Screening and Panel Discussion: “Human Nature”
INFO SESSIONS
Want to know more about i4?
The i4 Team is available to speak to faculty and students regarding upcoming i4 funding opportunities. These include Tuition Awards, Internships, and Faculty Research Opportunity Awards (ROAs), and Professional Development Grants (PDGs) for tenured and tenure-track NSCI faculty. Please email us at i4_institute@stedwards.edu to schedule a meeting or presentation with us.
i4 interns, Saraya AlSaffar (Bioinformatics ’23), Jacob Brandis (Computer Science ’23), and Madison Pierre (Computer Science ’23), were featured in the St. Edward's news article sharing their internship experience during Summer 2022.
Launching Students into STEM Careers
i4 student Sabur Khan ’22 featured in the St. Edward's magazine who talked about his experience interning at VMware, an opportunity made available through i4. The internship ultimately led to a full-time job offer with VMware. Congratulations Sabur.
A Day at St. Edward's with Sabur Khan
i4 student Ruvi Jaimes '22 representing St. Edward's University at an HSI Roundtable with Texas Senator John Cornyn
Central Texas universities highlight federal support for Hispanic students
i4 leadership team member Dr. Andrea Holgado and i4 student Ruvi Jaimes interviewed by CBS Austin: Hispanic Heritage Month: Latinas in tech community grows in Austin
Hispanic Heritage Month: Latinas in tech community grows in Austin
The Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4) is among the Top 10 Reasons for Hilltop Pride
St. Edward’s Is Ranked a Top 10 University in the Western Region, again
Summer 2021 Intern Student Highlights:
Interns’ highlight videos sorted by industry partner:
VMware | TCEQ | USDA-GTAC NEON | Macromoltek | The Nature Conservancy
Summer 2020 Intern Student Highlights:
Interns Interview Video (2020)
Summer 2019 Intern Student Highlights:
Interns Interview Video (2019)
Hilltop Views - "Human Nature" November 2019:
Professionals, students talk upsides and downfalls of DNA editing through CRISPr