National Academy of Sciences Call for Evidence

March 27, 2017

Dear Colleagues,

The letter below serves as a request from The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for input on their study examining evidence behind the assertion that educational experiences integrating the humanities and arts with science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine lead to improved educational and career outcomes for undergraduate and graduate students. We hope that your presidents and other academic leaders who have information, and importantly, evidence and data to share on the impact of integrated higher educational experiences on students will consider participating. Please submit your best evidence for curricular integration using this link. Submissions are being accepted through May 1, 2017.

Questions about this request may be directed to Laurie Baefsky, executive director of a2ru, or Dr. Ashley Bear, program officer, Board of Higher Education and Workforce, Policy and Global Affairs Division, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

We would like to thank you personally and on behalf of the committee for your assistance in this effort.

Dear Colleague,

We are seeking your input on a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine study that is examining the evidence behind the assertion that educational experiences that integrate the humanities and arts with science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine lead to improved educational and career outcomes for undergraduate and graduate students. The committee undertaking this study began its work in July of 2016 and the final product of our deliberations will be the publication of a detailed, evidence-based report in the spring of 2018 that will describe the known impact of integrative approaches to teaching and learning in higher education on students’ academic performance and career readiness. More details on the study can be found here. We are currently in the information gathering stage of the study process and we would like to ask whether you, or others at your institution, have data and information to share that could inform this study.

Are there programs or courses at your institution that integrate the arts and humanities with science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or medicine? If so, what is known about the impact of these educational experiences on the students at your institution?

Has your institution ever evaluated or assessed these educational experiences formally or informally? If so, what data can you share?

Are there factors at your institutions that make integration across disciplines difficult to achieve? If so, what are they? Have any educational experiences or programs at your institution that integrated the arts and humanities with sciences, technology, engineering, math, and/or medicine ended or been discontinued? If so, why did the experience or program end?

We would greatly appreciate your input as we work to meet the charge of this study. The data and information you share will not only contribute to the evidence base the committee will examine, but will also aid us in our effort to gather sufficiently broad input to ensure that we consider all important perspectives and information pertinent to this topic. In addition to your input, please also forward this request for content to those colleagues and thought leaders, as well as affiliated partners in higher education, who you think might make a unique contribution to this study. Please note that any information you or your colleagues share with the committee will be made public, consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

If you have information to share, please submit it using This Link. It would be very helpful to us if you could contribute your input by May 1, 2017 to allow ample time for the committee to consider your contribution before the drafting and publication of the report. If we have follow-up questions regarding your letter, we may contact you by phone or e-mail, or we may request that you present more details directly to our committee at a future meeting. For further information on the study, you may email Ashley Bear.

Your efforts and input will be greatly appreciated.

On Behalf of the Committee,
David Skorton
Secretary, Smithsonian Institution