Strategic Plan for the Institute of Behavioral Science (IBS)

Within five years, IBS will increase its contributions to the core mission of the University of Colorado through enhanced interdisciplinary teaching, research, and service, and find new ways to engage with the individuals and entities that make up the University.

Rationale: As a leading institute at the University of Colorado Boulder and a powerful force in interdisciplinary research, IBS holds a prominent profile on campus and a reputation for collegiality. Drawing on its highly trained researchers, IBS will also increase its role in teaching and mentoring both graduate and undergraduate students. It will provide new incentives for interdisciplinary work, and promote qualitative and quantitative methodology and training. While remaining firmly grounded in the social and behavioral sciences, IBS will also seek to engage the broader campus scientific community in new interdisciplinary projects, lowering barriers to participation.

Strategies:

1. IBS will intentionally expand its role in the CU-Boulder teaching mission, increasing the role of IBS faculty, students, and staff in interdisciplinary graduate and undergraduate teaching, mentoring, and training.
2. IBS will reach out to members of the broader CU-Boulder community, and increase opportunities for interaction and participation in activities that cut across boundaries.
3. IBS will work with other CU-Boulder units (departments, colleges, institutes) to develop new ways to collaborate and share resources.
4. IBS will continue to work with CU-Boulder leadership to ensure that the necessary resources and incentives are available to support teaching and instruction, for example, by adding faculty lines in IBS or related units.