The Malcolm M. Renfrew Interdisciplinary Colloquium is a series of lectures by distinguished members of the University of Idaho faculty and staff who present and describe their approaches to teaching and/or research in their respective disciplines. These lectures explore the specific subjects and methodologies that define the disciplines within which the speakers work. Substantive interdisciplinary work requires an appreciation for the nature of the disciplines involved.

To obtain this appreciation, one must understand what problems motivate work in a discipline and what methods count as acceptable approaches to those problems. In learning these, one must also master a new vocabulary of technical terms and acquire a new way of looking at the world.

The lectures expose the university community to a variety of disciplines on campus and initiate conversations about those disciplines, conversations that could encourage interdisciplinary cooperation. In 2015, the colloquium received the university's award for excellence in interdisciplinary and collaborative efforts.

The Malcolm M. Renfrew Interdisciplinary Colloquium is sponsored by:

• Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President