Advancing Interdisciplinary and Convergent Science for Communities: Lessons Learned through the NCAR Early-Career Faculty Innovator Program

The authors introduce the National Center for Atmospheric Research’s Early-Career Faculty Innovator Program and present lessons learned about advancing interdisciplinary and convergent science with and for society. The Innovator Program brings together faculty and students from the social sciences with NCAR researchers to conduct interdisciplinary and convergent research on problems motivated by societal challenges in the face of climate change and environmental hazards. This article discusses aspects of program structure and the research being conducted. The article also emphasizes the challenges and successes of the research collaborations within the Innovator Program, along with lessons learned about engaging in highly interdisciplinary, potentially convergent work, particularly from the early-career perspective. Many projects involve faculty PIs from racially, ethnically, or otherwise minoritized groups, and minority serving institutions (MSIs), or those who engage with marginalized communities. Hence, the Innovator Program is contributing to the development of a growing research community pursuing science with and for society that also broadens participation in research related to the atmospheric sciences.