We are starting a new thread here on the blog focusing on education and training in microBEnet related topics (metagenomics, microbiology, the built environment, etc). And I discovered a very interesting program at the University of Texas. There they have what is called an “IGERT.” The IGERT program is ” the National Science Foundation’s flagship interdisciplinary training program, educating U.S. Ph.D. scientists and engineers by building on the foundations of their disciplinary knowledge with interdisciplinary training.” It is a truly wonderful program and there are an enormous diversity of interesting IGERT programs around the country.
I was browsing through the list of IGERTs because we are applying for one at UC Davis. And I discovered this one at Texas: IGERT – Indoor Environmental Science and Engineering. It is run by Rich Corsi, who I have gotten to know recently because we are working with him on organizing a session for the Indoor Air meeting in Austin in June. Their IGERT seems fascinating and truly important. They are spanning a huge number of fields to try and train interdisciplinary researchers of the future. They even have a “test house” for research, teaching and outreach.
Anyway, if you are interested in the built environment in any way it is worth checking out their IGERT. And if you are interesting in interdisciplinary training in general, you really really should check out the IGERT program at NSF. It is one of the best education and training programs out there, anywhere.