Leonardo da Vinci was my childhood hero. He was a mystical figure equally renowned for being a painter, a sculptor, an engineer, an architect and an inventor. When there was time to be spared, he delved into the study of human anatomy, botany, astronomy, history, mathematics and cartography.  His knowledge was not confined to any one domain, nor was his fame limited to any one art. But as I grew up, I learned that it was a bad thing to be a jack of all trades and more important to be a master of one.

Fast-forward to today and the world is in awe of Elon Musk, fondly referred to as the “real-life Tony Stark.” Like da Vinci, Musk’s interests know no bounds. From space travel to solar power, his touch seems to turn everything to gold. While the workings of his mind are the subject of much speculation and awe, his success is largely credited to his interdisciplinary knowledge and his ability to integrate the principles of diverse domains. 

This leads us to the realization that we are at the brink of a change in the way science is perceived. The age of integration is coming fast where all-rounders with working knowledge of multiple fields are gaining edge and are much in demand. For instance, a friend of mine, who is a software engineer, is collaborating on a project on processing weather radar data. Although he is a coder, he is expected to have knowledge of the local weather, geographical conditions and phenomenon like the Doppler Effect.

Similarly, there are various medical projects underway at NC State that seek the knowledge and skills of mechanical engineers, chemical engineers and computer engineers in order to develop materials that mimic bio-materials and their properties and to digitally simulate biological processes for study, tests and investigations. To drive the point home, it would be worth mentioning that there is an ongoing research at NC State for understanding the benefits of interdisciplinary research. The purpose of this research is to understand the implications of interdisciplinary approach on the science and engineering sectors to expand technological frontiers.

Which brings us to the philosophical conclusion that the way forward is the way together. In the age of integration, being a jack of all trades won’t be such a bad thing after all. And 15 years down the line, if you happen to ask your children what they want to be when they grow up, “everything” may be an apt answer.