The Effect of Interdisciplinary Training on Cultivating Graduate Student Innovation Capacities

Abstract This five-year longitudinal study explores the potential influence of interdisciplinary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) training on the development of innovation capacities among Ph.D. graduate students. Guided by Kegan’s (2009) constructive-developmental theory the research assesses how participation in an interdisciplinary program predicted the growth rate of student’s cognitive, social, and intrapersonal capabilities to innovate and develop contextually beneficial new ideas. The study uses a longitudinal design and hierarchical blocked regression using both a large control group with covariate-adjusted analyses and a smaller propensity score matched control group to evaluate these differential rates of innovation capacity development. Results demonstrate that five years of Ph.D. interdisciplinary training predicts an acceleration in the development of innovation capacities by well over one quarter of a standard deviation (β = .40-.41) – a very substantial increase. Stronger innovation capacities are observable in participating students’ creativity, proactivity, and teamwork across diverse fields. These findings highlight the potential of interdisciplinary STEM programs to meet modern scientific and industrial demands for innovative, adaptive researchers, while also underscoring challenges in scaling such programs within traditional academic structures. Implications for program design, student engagement, and the effectiveness of interdisciplinary approaches in higher education are discussed.