As Jane Menken steps down from her role as Institute of Behavioral Science (IBS)听director, we sat down with her and asked her to reflect on her tenure and the role and importance of IBS.
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What do you view as your biggest accomplishment as director of IBS?
I鈥檇 say my biggest accomplishment has been continuing and sustaining the upward trajectory of IBS since its founding in 1957 in terms of outstanding research, both basic and socially relevant, extramural grant success, the recruiting of remarkable young scholars as IBS faculty and faculty associates, enhancement of interdisciplinary collaboration, and engagement of students in interdisciplinary research.听
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How has IBS changed during your tenure as director?
IBS has changed or grown in several important ways. New research programs have been undertaken and existing programs have been notably strengthened during my tenure. These include the programs on Health and Society, on Environment and Society, on Population, on Problem Behavior and Positive Youth Development, and on Institutions.听
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There has been a marked increase in interdisciplinary or, indeed, transdisciplinary collaboration in research on problems of societal importance. The programs, in cooperation with cognate departments, have been successful in recruiting new young faculty and faculty associates as enthusiastic collaborators. A further change has been the increased involvement of IBS researchers in the international arena, including projects on conflict in the states of the former Soviet Union, deforestation in Brazil, decentralization of health services in Honduras, HIV/AIDS and population and environmental change in sub-Saharan Africa, the rise of pastoralism among the Maasai in Tanzania, resilience among youth in the slums of Nairobi, and health and development in rural Bangladesh, among others.听
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Another important change has been the initiatives in translation research represented by the work of the Natural Hazards Center and the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, especially its Blueprints Project on evidence-based intervention programs in schools and communities.
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Finally, and influential on all of the above, has been the construction and occupancy of our wonderful new building. The building, by bringing together our faculty, staff and students previously scattered across nine buildings, has created a remarkable environment dedicated to and suited for the enhancement of collaborative cross-disciplinary inquiry on problems of societal concern, IBS鈥� overriding mission. 听听
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What do you see in the future for IBS?
The future of IBS is bright and secure. The successful recruitment of Myron Gutmann as the new IBS director is a guarantee that its accomplishments will be safeguarded while new and promising initiatives reflecting his interests and contributions can be expected. Myron has a broad perspective on science-making in general and behavioral science in particular. His roots in history enable IBS to strengthen its connections with the humanities, a salutary expansion of IBS collaborations. His long experience with policy development nationally and internationally will support IBS in harvesting the implications of its research for policymaking at both state and national levels.
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Why is IBS important?
As you know, Flagship 2030 emphasized 鈥渢ranscending traditional academic boundaries鈥� on the Boulder campus. IBS, established over a half century ago as the second institute at CU-Boulder, has had as its key mission, ever since, the promotion of interdisciplinary inquiry across the social and behavioral sciences. In that respect, it has served as a key locus for 鈥渢ranscending traditional academic boundaries鈥� in order to advance understanding of social process and human behavior. The presence of IBS has contributed to attracting outstanding new scholars to campus and thereby to strengthening CU鈥檚 social science departments. It has also generated the kind of research on societal problems that informs and provides evidence for efforts to enhance human well-being.听
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Is there a particular research project you have been involved with that is especially meaningful for you?
I鈥檝e worked on issues of health and population change in rural Bangladesh for over three decades. A team of researchers -- senior investigators and graduate students - at IBS and other U.S. and Bangladesh institutions -- is just completing data collection that will allow us to study long-term effects of health and development interventions that began in a rural area in the late 1970s. They include a maternal and child health and family planning program, micro-credit aimed at improving women鈥檚 economic empowerment, and an economic intervention intended to improve agricultural productivity. We know there were short-term positive effects including improved child survival and smaller families. The issue we are investigating now is whether these changes carry over to adulthood as lasting influences on the lives of participating children, their parents and even the next generation.
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What are you going to be doing next?
I am not going off into the sunset! I have a large agenda that I am looking forward to having more time for than was possible up to now. A lot of analysis and writing for the Bangladesh project and continuing research on HIV/AIDS in South Africa is in my future. While I will be retiring from my regular faculty position at the end of this semester, I will be continuing to work on my research in IBS as a research professor. I also look forward to more time for family activities, international biking adventures, and enjoying all that the wonderful community of Boulder has to offer. I have had my best job ever as IBS director and am grateful to all of my colleagues, IBS staff and students for making it such an enduring pleasure.听
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