Framework: 3-Cs of Boundary Spanning

Boundary spanning will be operationalized in the 3-Cs DBER-E Fellows Program through the “3-Cs”, communication, collaboration, and coordination. The 3-Cs enable effective interaction, alignment, and synergy across diverse domains or entities as project work unfolds. The research, teaching, and service activities that fellows will engage in, particularly within the engineering departments, will call on skills with one or more of the 3-Cs. 

• Communication is defined as the exchange of information, ideas, and messages between individuals or groups to convey meaning and understanding. Fellows can improve their communication across disciplines by giving seminars in engineering disciplines and interacting regularly with engineering faculty.

• Collaboration is defined as working together cooperatively and synergistically to identify shared goals, often involving negotiating shared responsibilities, decision-making, and resources. Fellows can improve their collaboration across disciplines by enacting DBER-E research partnerships and teaching or co-teaching within engineering.

• Coordination is defined as organizing and aligning activities, resources, and managing shared goals and responsibilities. Fellows can improve their coordination across disciplines by managing DBER-E research projects and working with engineering and engineering education research partners.