This site is an archive for the Center for the Integrative Study of Work in Living Systems (CISW), founded in 2000.  Current programmatic information on the integrative study of work in living systems may be found at .

Project Examples

  • Developing a computer-based system, coupled with an interview protocol, to identify areas of expertise and fruitful areas for collaboration in key disciplines related to environmental sciences, including chemistry, biochemistry, geology, engineering, and physics.
  • Developing a series of events over five years, bringing university researchers to evaluate the technical foundations of high-tech/biotech startups, to help improve technology and secure funding.
  • Developing two international “working conferences,” on studying work processes in biological systems, one at the University of Colorado and one at the University of Cambridge.
  • Developing a volume from these working conferences, both developing and summarizing research from nine different research groups on aspects of understanding work in living systems.
  • Developing research topics from each of these nine topics for future research and funding development.
  • Creating a refereed, award-winning proposal for a funded international symposium on Energy and Resource Allocation in Neural Systems, which will be brought to Boulder for a broader scientific audience.
  • Developing a long-term cooperative group, combining academic researchers with business and industry members, on increasing independent research opportunities for doctoral students—and funding those opportunities.
  • Creating a cross-disciplinary proposal for industry cooperation and funding on the effect of physical activity during work on cognitive work performance, work outcomes, and health.
  • Creating a research and funding opportunity for effects of controllability on neural function, cellular stress markers, and response time in emergency dispatch centers.
  • Developing new collaborations between mathematicians and biologists on complex biological problems, including mathematical approaches for identifying biologically active molecules.
  • Developing with primary researchers a white paper on biologial resilience under stress at the cellular level, including recommendations for fruitful research area, and a manuscript suitable for publication.