The PLATFORM FOR THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY FORMATION AND RESEARCH „NICHOLAS GEORGESCU – ROEGEN” / PLATFORMA DE FORMARE ȘI CERCETARE MULTIDISCIPLINARĂ „NICHOLAS GEORGESCU – ROEGEN”
Aim and objectives
The main purpose of „Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen” Interdisciplinary Platform (NGRP) is the establishment of a connection between the fundamental research and the empirical one within West University of Timisoara, based on the analytical efficiency principle. In these terms, a national western regional development can be achieved, within the usage of top technology from the competitive fields of NGRP, according to the European concepts of the knowledge based economy. The methodology used in interdisciplinary research is the roegenian one.
Objectives
(1) The increase of the international transparence of West University of Timisoara (UVT) in interdisciplinary research fields;
(2) The implementation of an homogeneous research framework within UVT, with the achievement of some public-public and public-private partnerships;
(3) The achievement of some outstanding interdisciplinary researches in the field of resource saving and of pollution reduction;
(4) The support of the regional development of Romania ’s western part by creating experts with high adequate knowledge in these fields.
Training
Within the Platform there are 3 interdisciplinary master degree specializations: (1) The Transdisciplinary Study of Environmental Protection, (2) The Economy of Regional Development and (3) Training-Research-Innovation in Knowledge Society.
Research
Within the NGRP there have been created teams of chemists, biologists, geologists, physicists, economists that design and implement projects using interdisciplinary research methods. Research activities since NGRP creation in 2006 consist in over 25 research grants, over 30 ISI published articles.
Description of interdisciplinary character
NGRP brings together researchers and students from the chemistry, biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, economics, business administration social sciences, and humanities to research how society can best move forward in a time where the earth’s natural, social, and economic resources are being threatened. The essential challenge of “sustainability” is to outline ways in which individuals and societies can live within the limits of our physical and natural world to protect our planet’s life support system. NGRP encourage the development of specialized research units as a means of development and promoting research knowledge and competences while also providing a platform for trans-disciplinary research. These units facilitate the formation of unique and creative research and teaching partnerships inside and outside of the university. They serve as a vehicle to attract alternate funding for research, teaching and training for undergraduate and graduate students.
Research infrastructure
For the achievement of assumed objectives in NGRP’s activity plans the organization of research laboratories has always been the main proprietary. When NGRP has been founded in 2006, the research activities have been based on the existence of some laboratories within the Faculty of Chemistry – Biology – Geography and the Faculty of Economic Sciences. These laboratories were relatively old and unsuitable for the requirements of NGRP goals. After several attempts to locate a proper place for the activities of NGRP, the UVT senate approved in 2010 the modernization of two old buildings located in Oituz street. Both buildings went through an advanced modernization and consolidation process. By receiving the spaces on Oituz street NGRP laboratories’ surface has doubled. In one of these buildings there were created 16 laboratories for chemistry and biology research activities that collectively bear the name of Advanced Environmental Research Laboratories (AERL). The other building hosts an antreprenorial simulation laboratory and a stocking market area. These facilities allows the development of some training and research multi-, inter – and trans-disciplinary activities.
Use and access
The access to the laboratories of AERL is especially granted for master degree students and young researchers (PhD students and teaching staff) whom are members of the NGRP. In these facilities will have access researchers and teaching stuff from other institutional departments of WUT, as well as from other regional universities and research institutes. Simultaneously, within the public-private partnerships access within the existent collaborations is encouraged for analysis and simulation activities made by private firms.
The sustainable development
NGRP has been conceived as an independent unit dedicated for interdisciplinary formation and research activities, based on self-financing. Research grants implemented since its creation in 2006 has allowed to modernize and equip the NGRP buildings. A permanent task for its members is the attraction of new financing sources – research grants, services, analyses, expertise, consultancy services and so on. A permanent concern of its managers and members will be NGRP’s integration in the European education and research area of bi- and multilateral research and interdisciplinary training international partnerships.