Proposal open date: June 1
Proposal close date: August 2
Project timeline: September-December
Project duration: 15 weeks
Number of projects needed: 12

Description

In SI 500, graduate students learn and apply interdisciplinary problem-solving to identify and investigate information problems and design potential solutions. This course seeks organizational or societal-level problems in relation to the annual UMSI Theme Year. This could be framed as a problem, a challenge, a set of insights that require further investigation. Ideally, this is not a small issue, but is a challenge or situation that is at an organizational, population-type or societal level and can be investigated from more than one perspective.

We are seeking organizations who can provide a well-defined information problem statement related to the Theme Year and connect students to contacts with domain expertise for interviews as part of students’ qualitative research. Problem statements related to any of the following Future of Work topics would be well suited for this course, though options are certainly not limited to this list: 

Increased Flexibility and Remote Work

• Investigating the impact of remote work, flexible hours and freelancing opportunities on work-life balance and productivity.
• Addressing challenges such as feelings of isolation, cybersecurity risks and maintaining work-life boundaries in remote work settings.

Skill Development and Mismatch

• Exploring lifelong learning and upskilling opportunities through online education platforms and employer-sponsored training programs.
• Examining the gap between skills demanded by employers and those possessed by workers, and finding solutions to mitigate unemployment and income inequality.

Global Talent Pool and Inequality

• Assessing the benefits and challenges of accessing a larger talent pool through remote work and its effects on workforce diversity and inclusivity.
• Analyzing the uneven distribution of technological advancements and globalization benefits, and developing strategies to address income inequality and disparities in access to opportunities.

Improved Productivity and Automation

• Studying how technology tools and automation can streamline processes, increase efficiency and enhance productivity across various industries.
• Investigating the impact of automation, AI and robotics on job displacement, and finding ways to mitigate unemployment or underemployment.

Entrepreneurship, Innovation and New Work Models

• Assessing the influence of the gig economy and remote work culture on entrepreneurship, innovation and economic growth.
• Exploring the challenges related to job security, benefits and labor rights in emerging work models like the gig economy.

Enhanced Environmental Sustainability

• Analyzing the environmental benefits of remote work, such as reduced carbon emissions, and promoting sustainable business practices in the workplace.

Health, Well-being and Workplace Mental Health

• Evaluating the effectiveness of wellness programs, work-life balance initiatives and supportive work environments in promoting employee health and well-being.
• Addressing workplace mental health issues such as stress, anxiety and burnout due to increased workloads and job insecurity.

Digital Divide and Access to Technology

• Investigating disparities in access to technology and digital skills, and promoting equitable access to technology and digital literacy programs.

Redefining Leadership and Management

• Developing new approaches to leadership and management in remote work environments, focusing on effective communication, trust-building and remote team management skills.

Ethical Considerations in Technology Integration

• Addressing ethical concerns regarding data privacy, algorithmic bias and responsible use of AI and automation tools, and prioritizing ethical decision-making and transparency in organizations.

Workplace Diversity and Inclusion

• Fostering innovation, creativity and resilience by embracing diversity and inclusion in the workforce, and addressing biases to create inclusive environments.

Deliverables

Each organizational partner will work with one section of SI 500 (about 30 students). Students will work in small teams to investigate the problem statement, resulting in five to seven sets of deliverables, including: 

• Final reports with recommendations
• Final presentations

Client Requirements

Level of engagement for course/program:

• One to three hours of problem statement development prior to class
• One hour presentation to the class in early September on the problem statement
• One hour in-class consultation in October on student teams’ problem definition
• The identification of stakeholders and constituencies that can be contacted for interviews
• Recommendations of subject matter experts to provide deeper context to students on the problem statement topic
• Attendance to final presentations in early December
• Complete project evaluation in January

Contact Us

Engaged Learning Office | [email protected] | (734)- 763- 1251

Please complete this form to submit a project proposal for one of our client-based courses or other programs, or to receive information about these opportunities throughout the year.