Each year the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies sponsors a series investigating a theme from an interdisciplinary perspective. The aim of the Investigations series is to encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration, and to engage the public in interdisciplinary research and creative activities taking place at USM. Current and upcoming series are described below.

2017-2018: Degrees of Inequality

"Education lies at the center of the American Dream. Many Americans believe it provides the foundation for success. Research on education in the U.S., however, documents that mobility from education may be more elusive than many Americans believe. Not only do many Americans lack access to quality education, the institution may also serve to perpetuate inequalities. This series will explore the national and state level policies as well as interactions between students and teachers that have created a number of problems in our systems of education.

The team coordinating the series is led by Katie James in the Department of Sociology, and will include Kimberly Goodwin (Finance, Real Estate, & Business Law), Karen (Kari) Phelan Kozlowski (Sociology), Tom O'brien (Educational Research & Administration), Julie White (Dance). All events will be open to the general public as well as the University community at large.