The workshop brought together engineers and natural, physical, and social scientists to address central questions relating to the role of NSF-funded centers and institutes in science and innovation policy. This workshop differed from previous workshops in two ways. First, it built on the knowledge base derived from studies of other organizations to develop social-scientific models, tools, and data with which to study new organizational entities that contribute to innovation, with particular attention to federally funded centers and institutes. Second, it directly engaged the focal units of analysis – the centers and institutes and some other related organizational entities (such as research parks and start-up firms) – in developing appropriate models, data, and tools for analysis.
