Here is an opportunity, therefore, where engineers and scientists at UCM, in coordination with each other and with LLNL scientists and engineers, could create a huge competitive advantage. Many more such examples could be mentioned. Choosing among the many opportunities on the horizon will be a major opportunity for the founding Deans and the first faculty members they recruit. Existing UC organizational tools will be useful in establishing exciting cross-disciplinary ties. Organized Research Units and Graduate Degree Groups can be centered on particular themes to bring together faculty and students from diverse discipline-oriented departments.
Libraries constitute an essential element of the academic support structure.
It is anticipated that a Chief Campus Librarian will be appointed in the same time frame as the three Deans. This will allow for the interactions needed to determine the required holdings and the forms in which they can be accessed most effectively to support science and mathematics education and research. An essential issue that can not be overstated needs to be part of any discussion and planning surrounding the future of the Natural Sciences at UC Merced, and that is the issue of The Infrastructure . This infrastructure of course has to be developed with time, and the founding Dean and faculty will play an enormously important role in this process. It is of course imperative these days of enormously costly instrumentation to develop and take advantage of shared facilities among large groups and even with other institutions.