In a traditional scientific research model, the success of a research program often heavily depends on the in-depth expertise, insights and creativity of one principal investigator and/or a team of researchers in a particular discipline. The explosion of scientific discovery and new technologies in the 21st century, however, is turning this model on its head because of the increased complexity of the problems that are left unaddressed and the sheer scale of the challenges mankind is now facing collectively in areas such as energy, water and sustainability. As a result, there has been a large movement toward cross-disciplinary collaboration in scientific research transcending the boundaries of organizations, institutions and even nations.
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