Short answers, pulled from the story.
Interdisciplinarity is the combination of multiple academic disciplines into one activity, such as a research project, drawing knowledge from several fields to address problems that cannot be solved by a single discipline alone. It involves researchers, students, and teachers integrating perspectives from different academic schools of thought in pursuit of a common task.
The number of interdisciplinary bachelor's degrees awarded annually in the United States rose from 7,000 in 1973 to 30,000 by 2005, according to data from the National Center of Educational Statistics. Since 1998, there has been a recognized ascendancy in the value of interdisciplinary research and teaching.
Neuroscience, cybernetics, biochemistry, and biomedical engineering all began as interdisciplinary ventures before becoming established disciplines. Quantum information processing, combining quantum physics and computer science, and bioinformatics, combining molecular biology with computer science, are more recent examples.
Interdisciplinary researchers face difficulty securing grant funding because peer reviewers are typically drawn from traditional disciplines. Tenure and promotion decisions often rest with traditional departments, raising the risk of being denied tenure for pursuing interdisciplinary work. University budgets also flow through established disciplines, leaving interdisciplinary programs with fewer resources.
Arizona International (formerly part of the University of Arizona), the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Miami University, and the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies at Wayne State University were all closed despite healthy enrollment. George Mason University's New Century College and the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies at Appalachian State University were cut back.
The Center for the Study of Interdisciplinarity was a research institute at the University of North Texas devoted to the theory and practice of interdisciplinarity. It was founded in 2008 and closed on the 1st of September 2014 as the result of administrative decisions at the university.