According to Perritt, as American education has matured, its graduates have become narrow specialists who understand less and less about other disciplines. Nevertheless, modern business practice requires team approaches to problem solving in which people from many different backgrounds are involved. Since most IPROs involve research, students learn how to organize research teams and how to communicate among themselves and to an external client. Interprofessional Projects teach these along with technical skills. Research strengthens links with industry.
Industry seeks out high-achieving faculty for research projects.
This benefits students as well as faculty. For one thing, funded research translates into support for students in the way of fellowships, research assistantships and hourly wages. For another, contact with industry paves the way for work placement after graduation. We solicit innovative ideas in which both organizations have a mutual interest and that can be carried out on a long-term basis. They encompass all of the above, from good teaching to preparation for an effective professional career.