“We are here to envision not only what we hope science can accomplish but how we can transform the very way science is done.”
That was the clear message from Schmidt Science Fellows Executive Director Megan Kenna to more than 250 international researchers, university and business leaders, policymakers, and funders at a special event to mark the launch of the first Interdisciplinary Science Rankings.
In conjunction with Times Higher Education, the Interdisciplinary Science Forum in Washington DC. brought together influential international figures to discuss the “how” of interdisciplinary science.
Expert International Panels
On the day we launched the inaugural Interdisciplinary Science Rankings, expert panels explored key issues, including interdisciplinary leadership, measurement and metrics, career paths, and institutional models.
The event culminated with a Gala Dinner at the inspiring Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery, and we were delighted that our co-founder, Wendy Schmidt, could join us.
Dr. Kenna said the Rankings were more than a list, they were a statement of values “declaring that the future of science is collaborative, inclusive, and unafraid of complexity”.
She said: “The universities honored tonight are leading the way in this, demonstrating what becomes possible when disciplinary boundaries are dismantled, scientific collaboration is prioritized, and creativity fuels discovery.
“But let’s be clear, a revolution in how science is done will not happen by the mere publishing of this ranking,” Dr Kenna added.
“This ranking is an important building block. But true change will be driven by leaders, visionaries, and institutions willing to invest in bold ideas. By funders who prioritize impact over convention. By educators training the next generation to think across disciplines and act with urgency.”
Earlier in the evening guests had toured a special “Portrait of a Scientist” exhibition featuring nine Schmidt Science Fellows.
The portraits were crafted by digital artists using expert techniques in a range of new AI generative art modules, creating works that reflected the research and inspiration of each individual.
A Pivotal Moment
Accepting the accolade of top-ranked university, Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Vice-President for Research Ian Waitz described the inaugural Rankings as an “audacious and impressive” project that would drive progress at scale across the research sector.
Phil Baty, Times Higher Education’s Chief Global Engagement Officer told guests the inaugural Rankings, the largest Rankings debut in Times Higher’s history, represented a pivotal moment: “It demonstrates a clear, worldwide readiness, a passion, to embrace the awesome power of interdisciplinary science to push the boundaries of knowledge and to make the scientific breakthroughs needed to really make a difference to the world.”
Data collection for the 2026 Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Ranking, in association with Schmidt Science Fellows, commences on Monday 13 January 2025. New participants can register here.
