{"id":333,"date":"2017-01-31T12:35:31","date_gmt":"2017-01-31T17:35:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sciences.ncsu.edu\/news\/the-proximity-principle\/"},"modified":"2023-01-15T18:31:05","modified_gmt":"2023-01-15T23:31:05","slug":"the-proximity-principle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/","title":{"rendered":"The Proximity Principle"},"content":{"rendered":"

W<\/span>hen toxicologist David Reif needs a fresh perspective on his work, he doesn\u2019t have to walk across campus. Or join a Skype call. Or even send an email.<\/p>\n

Since he\u2019s part of NC State\u2019s Bioinformatics faculty cluster, he can just walk down the hall. \u201cThe barrier to asking questions is essentially zero,\u201d Reif said.<\/p>\n

Like others in this interdisciplinary field, Reif studies biological problems through data. The cluster is made up of four faculty \u2014 Fred Wright, Denis Fourches, Dahlia Nielsen and Reif \u2014 who work alongside other professors, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and support staff in diverse scientific fields such as genetics, statistics, chemistry and biology.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/oembed.tarheelcode.io\/modules\/2
\nThey\u2019re solving problems that affect everyone, like toxic chemicals\u2019 effects on our bodies and how genetics influences our bodies\u2019 response to these effects. These problems span traditional academic department boundaries, so pooling expertise means more answers for all.<\/p>\n

The Bioinformatics cluster is part of NC State\u2019s groundbreaking Chancellor\u2019s Faculty Excellence Program<\/a>, which aims to put faculty together, both physically and intellectually, to combine ideas and experience in ways that solve big problems. These researchers are showing that when you put brilliant minds from different areas of science in one place, new partnerships that lead to groundbreaking discoveries are forged around shared conference tables, in chance hallway encounters, over cookie breaks or even during movie nights.<\/p>\n

Bridging the Gaps<\/h2>\n

F<\/span>aculty clusters and interdisciplinary work have become hot topics in higher education around the world, but this\u201cnew\u201d interdisciplinary approach has actually permeated science for centuries. Ancient Greek philosophers sought to understand the world by amassing knowledge in many different areas, including metaphysics, logic and biology. The cluster model mimics groups like the Royal Society, established in London in the 17th century by astronomer and architect Sir Christopher Wren to bring together sharp minds from across the scientific spectrum.<\/p>\n

NC State\u2019s program, focusing on assembling groups of faculty with complementary areas of expertise to study interdisciplinary research challenges, was one of the first major initiatives Chancellor Randy Woodson announced after coming to the university in 2010. Since the program\u2019s launch in 2011, NC State has hired nearly 60 faculty in 20 cluster areas<\/a>. The College of Sciences has the largest number of cluster faculty of any college, with 14.<\/p>\n

The graduate students\u2019 work area is located across the hall from faculty offices, which makes it easy for faculty like Denis Fourches to pop in to discuss projects and look at data.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The well-regarded program has spurred development of new graduate academic programs and generated partnerships with government and industry. It\u2019s also a key tool for recruiting top graduate students and faculty \u2014 especially those with research interests and backgrounds that don\u2019t align with traditional academic departments.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe cluster program was a way for me to see a fit for myself here,\u201d said Reif, who came to NC State from the Environmental Protection Agency. \u201cIt was exciting that they wanted people who are good at different things to bridge across disciplines and come together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Getting Closer<\/h2>\n

T<\/span>he Bioinformatics cluster grew out of the university\u2019s Bioinformatics Research Center, which was one of the first centers in the nation to embrace bioinformatics as its own discipline.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The conference room on the Bioinformatics hall is where faculty and students a place to gather for both formal presentations and informal brainstorming sessions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As cluster faculty were hired and the center grew, it needed a new home where faculty could work alongside one another and have access to the academic heart of campus. So the university worked with the faculty to renovate the third floor of Ricks Hall, a stately yellow brick building adjacent to Hillsborough Street. The goal was to create a mix of open and private spaces where faculty and students could work separately or together.<\/p>\n

\u201cTeam science is very important here,\u201d said Wright. \u201cSo we needed a layout to foster that kind of work.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the heart of the floor are two large collaborative spaces: a conference room and a lounge. These are places to gather for everything from formal presentations to brainstorming meetings to movie nights.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, offices and smaller shared workspaces give individuals or small groups some separation, while keeping them close enough to others to allow easy exchange of questions and ideas. The proximity to College of Sciences buildings, D.H. Hill Library and the creative culture of Hillsborough Street adds to the space\u2019s appeal.<\/p>\n

“Because we were able to fully participate in the design phase, we could create a work space best suited to the cluster’s needs,”\u00a0said David Bird, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, and the cluster’s coordinator.\u00a0“It’s an atmosphere that encourages collaboration and enables our best work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Answers Across the Hall<\/h2>\n

http:\/\/oembed.tarheelcode.io\/modules\/4
\nW<\/span>hy, in this age of near-instant electronic communication, is being able to easily pop into someone\u2019s office still important? Recent research<\/a> has shown that when low-cost airfares are available in pairs of cities where scientific collaborators are located, they collaborate almost 50 percent more often. And it\u2019s even easier to collaborate when you don\u2019t have to leave your building. A walk to the bathroom or refrigerator can mean you run into a colleague who can help you think about your work in a new way.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing together in the same building has been a game changer for this cluster,\u201d Fourches said. \u201cSince we are not spread out all over campus, we can have collaborations that are quicker and more successful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nielsen\u2019s office is directly across the hall from Reif\u2019s, which makes it especially easy for them to interact frequently and mesh their different, but complementary, areas of expertise. That could mean consulting on a journal article or brainstorming experiments over a cup of coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had a grant proposal he had to turn in, and he asked me to read over it,\u201d Nielsen said. \u201cThe people in his field\u00a0know his research very well, whereas I know what he does, but I don\u2019t know the details of it. So I can read through it and point out places where he needs to explain things better to people who don\u2019t have an inside perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

This proximity and easy access to other perspectives also benefits the students, who gain knowledge and experience that inform their current work and boost their r\u00e9sum\u00e9s for the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you go to the graduate student area, you see a chemist next to a toxicologist working on the same data set with two different perspectives,\u201d Fourches said. \u201cThat is unique. I haven\u2019t seen it anywhere else in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chemicals, Cells and Cookies<\/h2>\n

B<\/span>eing able to regularly share ideas with other researchers in the cluster setting has both shaped the Bioinformatics team\u2019s existing work and inspired new projects.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had ideas beforehand about how genetic variation might affect how individuals respond to chemicals,\u201d Reif said. \u201cBut being here around statistical geneticists has helped me add some rigorous science to those ideas, so now I can test them to see if those hypotheses are true.\u201d<\/p>\n

One project Reif has worked on with Wright, a statistical geneticist, is an Environmental Protection Agency-funded study of the effects of toxic environmental substances on human health, and particularly the heart. This work could open up future research possibilities for testing individuals\u2019 responses to toxicity.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The whiteboards in Dahlia Nielsen\u2019s office display the fruit of many brainstorming sessions, like this one with research scholar Dereje Jima.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Both Reif and Fourches have also individually studied nanomaterials<\/a>, with Reif focusing on their biological impact and Fourches researching them from a chemical angle. Now the two are bringing together their individual perspectives to develop new methods for determining how properties like size and reactivity affect these tiny materials\u2019 potential impacts on human health and the environment.<\/p>\n

The cluster also engages in research that is a bit less serious, though no less scientifically rigorous. A whiteboard in one of the small conference rooms displays a grid where faculty and students list their numerical ratings for various cookies provided for sampling. Their statistical bent comes out in ratings with decimal points and controls for the \u201ccoffee x cookie interaction effect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Students and faculty sample and rate cookies to determine the statistical winners.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The cookie rating is just one way that the cluster builds community, which is key to creating an atmosphere where people feel comfortable openly exchanging ideas \u2014 and also one in which they enjoy coming to work. Whiteboards in the hallway display hand-drawn cartoons and event announcements, and a jigsaw puzzle of donuts sits on the coffee table in the lounge, where graduate students often gather on evenings or weekends to watch sports or movies. An espresso machine in Reif\u2019s office attracts those in need of a caffeine fix, and Nielsen frequently holds meetings at the table in her office that result in controlled chaos on her two large whiteboards.<\/p>\n

\u201cI learn so much from my colleagues every day, and I also really enjoy being around them,\u201d Nielsen said. \u201cIt\u2019s a great place to work.\u201d<\/p>\n

This post was originally published<\/a> in College of Sciences News.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false,"raw":"

W<\/span>hen toxicologist David Reif needs a fresh perspective on his work, he doesn\u2019t have to walk across campus. Or join a Skype call. Or even send an email.<\/p>\r\nSince he\u2019s part of NC State\u2019s Bioinformatics faculty cluster, he can just walk down the hall. \u201cThe barrier to asking questions is essentially zero,\u201d Reif said.\r\n\r\nLike others in this interdisciplinary field, Reif studies biological problems through data. The cluster is made up of four faculty \u2014 Fred Wright, Denis Fourches, Dahlia Nielsen and Reif \u2014 who work alongside other professors, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and support staff in diverse scientific fields such as genetics, statistics, chemistry and biology.\r\n\r\nhttp:\/\/oembed.tarheelcode.io\/modules\/2\r\nThey\u2019re solving problems that affect everyone, like toxic chemicals\u2019 effects on our bodies and how genetics influences our bodies\u2019 response to these effects. These problems span traditional academic department boundaries, so pooling expertise means more answers for all.\r\n\r\nThe Bioinformatics cluster is part of NC State\u2019s groundbreaking Chancellor\u2019s Faculty Excellence Program<\/a>, which aims to put faculty together, both physically and intellectually, to combine ideas and experience in ways that solve big problems. These researchers are showing that when you put brilliant minds from different areas of science in one place, new partnerships that lead to groundbreaking discoveries are forged around shared conference tables, in chance hallway encounters, over cookie breaks or even during movie nights.\r\n

Bridging the Gaps<\/h2>\r\nF<\/span>aculty clusters and interdisciplinary work have become hot topics in higher education around the world, but this\u201cnew\u201d interdisciplinary approach has actually permeated science for centuries. Ancient Greek philosophers sought to understand the world by amassing knowledge in many different areas, including metaphysics, logic and biology. The cluster model mimics groups like the Royal Society, established in London in the 17th century by astronomer and architect Sir Christopher Wren to bring together sharp minds from across the scientific spectrum.\r\n\r\nNC State\u2019s program, focusing on assembling groups of faculty with complementary areas of expertise to study interdisciplinary research challenges, was one of the first major initiatives Chancellor Randy Woodson announced after coming to the university in 2010. Since the program\u2019s launch in 2011, NC State has hired nearly 60 faculty in 20 cluster areas<\/a>. The College of Sciences has the largest number of cluster faculty of any college, with 14.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_10509\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1500\"] The graduate students\u2019 work area is located across the hall from faculty offices, which makes it easy for faculty like Denis Fourches to pop in to discuss projects and look at data.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe well-regarded program has spurred development of new graduate academic programs and generated partnerships with government and industry. It\u2019s also a key tool for recruiting top graduate students and faculty \u2014 especially those with research interests and backgrounds that don\u2019t align with traditional academic departments.\r\n\r\n\u201cThe cluster program was a way for me to see a fit for myself here,\u201d said Reif, who came to NC State from the Environmental Protection Agency. \u201cIt was exciting that they wanted people who are good at different things to bridge across disciplines and come together.\u201d\r\n\r\n\r\n

Getting Closer<\/h2>\r\nT<\/span>he Bioinformatics cluster grew out of the university\u2019s Bioinformatics Research Center, which was one of the first centers in the nation to embrace bioinformatics as its own discipline.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_10507\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"1500\"]\"\" The conference room on the Bioinformatics hall is where faculty and students a place to gather for both formal presentations and informal brainstorming sessions.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nAs cluster faculty were hired and the center grew, it needed a new home where faculty could work alongside one another and have access to the academic heart of campus. So the university worked with the faculty to renovate the third floor of Ricks Hall, a stately yellow brick building adjacent to Hillsborough Street. The goal was to create a mix of open and private spaces where faculty and students could work separately or together.\r\n\r\n\u201cTeam science is very important here,\u201d said Wright. \u201cSo we needed a layout to foster that kind of work.\u201d\r\n\r\nAt the heart of the floor are two large collaborative spaces: a conference room and a lounge. These are places to gather for everything from formal presentations to brainstorming meetings to movie nights.\r\n\r\nElsewhere, offices and smaller shared workspaces give individuals or small groups some separation, while keeping them close enough to others to allow easy exchange of questions and ideas. The proximity to College of Sciences buildings, D.H. Hill Library and the creative culture of Hillsborough Street adds to the space\u2019s appeal.\r\n\r\n\"Because we were able to fully participate in the design phase, we could create a work space best suited to the cluster's needs,\"\u00a0said David Bird, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, and the cluster's coordinator.\u00a0\"It's an atmosphere that encourages collaboration and enables our best work.\u201d\r\n\r\n\r\n

Answers Across the Hall<\/h2>\r\nhttp:\/\/oembed.tarheelcode.io\/modules\/4\r\nW<\/span>hy, in this age of near-instant electronic communication, is being able to easily pop into someone\u2019s office still important? Recent research<\/a> has shown that when low-cost airfares are available in pairs of cities where scientific collaborators are located, they collaborate almost 50 percent more often. And it\u2019s even easier to collaborate when you don\u2019t have to leave your building. A walk to the bathroom or refrigerator can mean you run into a colleague who can help you think about your work in a new way.\r\n\r\n\u201cBeing together in the same building has been a game changer for this cluster,\u201d Fourches said. \u201cSince we are not spread out all over campus, we can have collaborations that are quicker and more successful.\u201d\r\n\r\nNielsen\u2019s office is directly across the hall from Reif\u2019s, which makes it especially easy for them to interact frequently and mesh their different, but complementary, areas of expertise. That could mean consulting on a journal article or brainstorming experiments over a cup of coffee.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u201cHe had a grant proposal he had to turn in, and he asked me to read over it,\u201d Nielsen said. \u201cThe people in his field\u00a0know his research very well, whereas I know what he does, but I don\u2019t know the details of it. So I can read through it and point out places where he needs to explain things better to people who don\u2019t have an inside perspective.\u201d\r\n\r\nThis proximity and easy access to other perspectives also benefits the students, who gain knowledge and experience that inform their current work and boost their r\u00e9sum\u00e9s for the future.\r\n\r\n\u201cWhen you go to the graduate student area, you see a chemist next to a toxicologist working on the same data set with two different perspectives,\u201d Fourches said. \u201cThat is unique. I haven\u2019t seen it anywhere else in the country.\u201d\r\n

Chemicals, Cells and Cookies<\/h2>\r\nB<\/span>eing able to regularly share ideas with other researchers in the cluster setting has both shaped the Bioinformatics team\u2019s existing work and inspired new projects.\r\n\r\n\u201cI had ideas beforehand about how genetic variation might affect how individuals respond to chemicals,\u201d Reif said. \u201cBut being here around statistical geneticists has helped me add some rigorous science to those ideas, so now I can test them to see if those hypotheses are true.\u201d\r\n\r\nOne project Reif has worked on with Wright, a statistical geneticist, is an Environmental Protection Agency-funded study of the effects of toxic environmental substances on human health, and particularly the heart. This work could open up future research possibilities for testing individuals\u2019 responses to toxicity.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_10511\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"1500\"]\"\" The whiteboards in Dahlia Nielsen\u2019s office display the fruit of many brainstorming sessions, like this one with research scholar Dereje Jima.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nBoth Reif and Fourches have also individually studied nanomaterials<\/a>, with Reif focusing on their biological impact and Fourches researching them from a chemical angle. Now the two are bringing together their individual perspectives to develop new methods for determining how properties like size and reactivity affect these tiny materials\u2019 potential impacts on human health and the environment.\r\n\r\nThe cluster also engages in research that is a bit less serious, though no less scientifically rigorous. A whiteboard in one of the small conference rooms displays a grid where faculty and students list their numerical ratings for various cookies provided for sampling. Their statistical bent comes out in ratings with decimal points and controls for the \u201ccoffee x cookie interaction effect.\u201d\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_10508\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1500\"] Students and faculty sample and rate cookies to determine the statistical winners.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe cookie rating is just one way that the cluster builds community, which is key to creating an atmosphere where people feel comfortable openly exchanging ideas \u2014 and also one in which they enjoy coming to work. Whiteboards in the hallway display hand-drawn cartoons and event announcements, and a jigsaw puzzle of donuts sits on the coffee table in the lounge, where graduate students often gather on evenings or weekends to watch sports or movies. An espresso machine in Reif\u2019s office attracts those in need of a caffeine fix, and Nielsen frequently holds meetings at the table in her office that result in controlled chaos on her two large whiteboards.\r\n\r\n\u201cI learn so much from my colleagues every day, and I also really enjoy being around them,\u201d Nielsen said. \u201cIt\u2019s a great place to work.\u201d"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Researchers in the Bioinformatics faculty cluster at NC State are showing the value of putting brilliant minds from different areas of science in one place.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":336,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"ncstate_wire","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[21],"_ncst_magazine_issue":[],"class_list":["post-333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-_from-newswire-collection-350"],"displayCategory":null,"acf":{"ncst_posts_meta_modified_date":null},"yoast_head":"\nThe Proximity Principle - Amassian Research Lab<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Proximity Principle - Amassian Research Lab\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Researchers in the Bioinformatics faculty cluster at NC State are showing the value of putting brilliant minds from different areas of science in one place.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Amassian Research Lab\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-01-31T17:35:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-01-15T23:31:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2017\/01\/bioinformaticsfeaturedimage.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1978\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1113\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/news\\\/2017\\\/the-proximity-principle\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/news\\\/2017\\\/the-proximity-principle\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"\",\"@id\":\"\"},\"headline\":\"The Proximity Principle\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-01-31T17:35:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-01-15T23:31:05+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/news\\\/2017\\\/the-proximity-principle\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1557,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/news\\\/2017\\\/the-proximity-principle\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/539\\\/2017\\\/01\\\/bioinformaticsfeaturedimage.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"_from-newswire-collection-350\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/news\\\/2017\\\/the-proximity-principle\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/news\\\/2017\\\/the-proximity-principle\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Proximity Principle - Amassian Research Lab\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/news\\\/2017\\\/the-proximity-principle\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/news\\\/2017\\\/the-proximity-principle\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/539\\\/2017\\\/01\\\/bioinformaticsfeaturedimage.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-01-31T17:35:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-01-15T23:31:05+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/news\\\/2017\\\/the-proximity-principle\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/news\\\/2017\\\/the-proximity-principle\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/news\\\/2017\\\/the-proximity-principle\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/539\\\/2017\\\/01\\\/bioinformaticsfeaturedimage.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/539\\\/2017\\\/01\\\/bioinformaticsfeaturedimage.jpg\",\"width\":1978,\"height\":1113},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/news\\\/2017\\\/the-proximity-principle\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Proximity Principle\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/\",\"name\":\"Amassian Research Lab\",\"description\":\"Research in organic electronic and perovskite\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mse.ncsu.edu\\\/amassian\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Proximity Principle - Amassian Research Lab","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Proximity Principle - Amassian Research Lab","og_description":"Researchers in the Bioinformatics faculty cluster at NC State are showing the value of putting brilliant minds from different areas of science in one place.","og_url":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/","og_site_name":"Amassian Research Lab","article_published_time":"2017-01-31T17:35:31+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-01-15T23:31:05+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1978,"height":1113,"url":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2017\/01\/bioinformaticsfeaturedimage.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/"},"author":{"name":"","@id":""},"headline":"The Proximity Principle","datePublished":"2017-01-31T17:35:31+00:00","dateModified":"2023-01-15T23:31:05+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/"},"wordCount":1557,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/539\/2017\/01\/bioinformaticsfeaturedimage.jpg","keywords":["_from-newswire-collection-350"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/","url":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/","name":"The Proximity Principle - Amassian Research Lab","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/539\/2017\/01\/bioinformaticsfeaturedimage.jpg","datePublished":"2017-01-31T17:35:31+00:00","dateModified":"2023-01-15T23:31:05+00:00","author":{"@id":""},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/539\/2017\/01\/bioinformaticsfeaturedimage.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/539\/2017\/01\/bioinformaticsfeaturedimage.jpg","width":1978,"height":1113},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/news\/2017\/the-proximity-principle\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Proximity Principle"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/#website","url":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/","name":"Amassian Research Lab","description":"Research in organic electronic and perovskite","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=333"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/333\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":421,"href":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/333\/revisions\/421"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=333"},{"taxonomy":"_ncst_magazine_issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/amassian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/_ncst_magazine_issue?post=333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}