It started more than 30 years ago with a bold idea.
Bring researchers from different disciplines together under one roof (the Beckman Institute) and see what happens.
Since then, we’ve set the standard for interdisciplinary research that addresses global challenges. Now, ten campuswide institutes transcend college, school, and departmental boundaries to elevate ideas, drive discovery, and push the limits of our knowledge.
Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
A better world through interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. The Beckman Institute is a community of scholars and a physical space to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, inspire bold scientific risk-taking, and nurture new ideas and discoveries. The institute was founded to reduce barriers between traditional science and technology disciplines in order to yield research advances that otherwise would not occur. Beckman community members accomplish this mission by adhering to our core values.
C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute
The C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute is a research consortium dedicated to accelerating the benefits of artificial intelligence for business, government, and society. The institute engages the world’s leading scientists to conduct research and train practitioners in the science of digital transformation, which operates at the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, the internet of things, big data analytics, organizational behavior, public policy, and ethics.
Cancer Center at Illinois
The Cancer Center at Illinois unites world-class faculty who uncover fundamental knowledge, innovate new technologies, and enable cancer-free lives. Their interdisciplinary expertise in science and engineering, exceptional facilities, and novel educational experiences are changing the way we take on cancer.
Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
The Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology is where science meets society—an interdisciplinary institute dedicated to transformative research and technology in life sciences using team-based strategies to tackle grand societal challenges.
Center for Social and Behavioral Science
The Center for Social & Behavioral Science (CSBS) brings together the breadth of expertise in social and behavioral science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to address some of society’s most pressing challenges. CSBS is committed to supporting innovative social and behavioral science on our campus as well as collaborating with the public to optimize such science and its societal impact.
Humanities Research Institute
The Humanities Research Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was established in 1997 to promote interdisciplinary study in the humanities, arts, and social sciences. HRI strives to cultivate disciplinary depth and rigor in the traditional humanities disciplines, and support thoughtful and innovative scholarly inquiry. HRI also promotes interdisciplinary collaboration with partners in the sciences, the arts, and local communities.
Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment
The Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment was created to lead an interdisciplinary approach to research solutions for the world’s pressing sustainability, energy, and environmental needs today and tomorrow. This results in “actionable research”—scientific progress with the emphasis on finding real-world, immediately usable answers to these problems.
Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute
IHSI’s mission is to grow the health sciences research and innovation portfolio and increase Illinois’ impact in health. IHSI makes it possible for researchers and students across campus to engage in clinical and translational research and innovation, and for the university to provide a coordinated response to health challenges. IHSI leads cores and programs that support research development, education, and innovation, facilitates clinical and community partnerships, drives new initiatives, and engages in campus-community efforts to improve health.
National Center for Supercomputing Applications
The National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) is a hub of transdisciplinary research and digital scholarship where UIUC faculty, staff, and students, and collaborators from around the globe, unite to address research grand challenges for the benefit of science and society. Current research focus areas include digital agriculture, bio and health sciences, earth and environment, astronomy, plus many more.
Prairie Research Institute
The Prairie Research Institute benefits the people, economy, and environment of Illinois, delivering impact to every corner of the state. Their staff applies scientific knowledge and data in geology, ecology and biodiversity, archaeology, water, weather and climate, pollution prevention, hazardous waste management, and sustainable energy to develop sustainable energy solutions, keep drinking water safe, identify geologic and mineral resources used by industry, provide critical weather and climate data to the agriculture industry, and more.