Dartmouth Marks Ambitious Academic Program’s First Decade

The Dartmouth community recently marked the first decade of the Academic Cluster Initiative with a research showcase presented by faculty to the greater Dartmouth community.

The 10 interdisciplinary academic clusters, launched during the administration of President Philip J. Hanlon in 2015 and funded through $150 million in philanthropic giving, were developed to recruit 30 new faculty members to Dartmouth and build on existing areas of strength and distinction. In addition to producing research with far-reaching impact, the cluster themes provide the foundation for new courses and curricula and give future scholars hands-on learning experiences that will prepare them for successful careers. 

“Our goal with the clusters was to take a leap forward—not a series of small steps—toward tackling many of the world’s great global challenges from a variety of perspectives,” says Hanlon. “Through the clusters, we sought to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and promote research and teaching excellence, all in academic research areas in which Dartmouth already had strengths.”

President Sian Leah Beilock says the clusters reflect Dartmouth’s dedication to its academic mission and belief in collaboration and dialogue. “We know the best ideas, the best research, and the ability to deploy, scale, and change the world are only possible when we work together and challenge each other.”

A capacity crowd of more than 200 faculty, staff, students, alumni, and area residents recently gathered at the Hanover Inn to hear 10 faculty members, representing each cluster, summarize their teams' work. 

“We've seen the results of this effort,” Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Dean Lacy told guests. “Dartmouth regained its Carnegie R1 status and joined the prestigious Association of American Universities. We’ve seen our undergraduates engage in new research projects and take courses that they wouldn't have been able to take a few years ago. And we’ve seen an increase in Dartmouth’s international reputation and footprint as a result of the efforts of these faculty and these clusters.” 

The clusters are an integral component of Dartmouth’s campuswide research ecosystem, which advances all stages of research, from early ideation to the delivery of products and services to market. Under the leadership of President Beilock and Provost Santiago Schnell, Dartmouth is launching a new phase of research activity—one that can accelerate research and reinvest revenue from past innovations to help fund the development of future discoveries. 

The Academic Cluster Initiative website provides more information about the initiative. You can sign up to receive more information about Dartmouth research, innovation, and impact. 

The 10 faculty presentations are available for viewing in their entirety: