____________________________

Reiss Corp  Center  for  Interdisciplinary  Collaboration

An Alliance of Excellence in Partnership

                                                                                    P.O. Box 561

                                                                                                               Westhampton, NY 11977       

 

Date: Aug. 7, 2024

RE: The Center's Mission Statement                 
 
Dear Sir/Madam:
 
          We are pleased to submit an updated copy of the Mission Statement for the REISS CORP  CENTER, attached herewith. In doing so, we seek to reinvigorate our consulting activities, and research activities abroad. Missions are never set in stone. Like people, science and society they must adapt over time.

          Bridging the gap between disciplines can be analogous to bridging the divide that separates people and nations. In this age of specialization our society risks fragmentation. Specialists in a particular field tend to buy the same journals, attend the same conferences and discuss the same issues with each other. Cross-fertilization with people in different departments can be lacking. The problems we face today call for multidimensional solutions that grow out of interdisciplinary collaboration. Flexibility in view, at the micro and macro level, is required. The advantages of diverse learning organizations, interdisciplinary professoriate and student body partnerships, and multicultural community exchange, albeit local or international, can only be achieved through active deliberation and communication of ideas with people of different vantage points. Diversity in perspective, at home and globally, develops humanity. It is through the process of coming to understand and fully apprehend the similarities and differences that we have with one another, which lays the foundation for well functioning relationships, whether interpersonal, interdepartmental or international.
               
          It is the interdisciplinary perspective that we hope to advance through our activities at the ReissCorp Center and we thank you for your continued support. 

Sincerely,


Enclosures: 1 (Mission Statement).

_________________________

     The Mission of ReissCorp Center for Interdisciplinary Collaboration is to promote cross-disciplinary partnerships in health, education, arts, sciences, business, law & policy. 

The core Values that inform our work are …
· An understanding that the future of the globe and of its communities are closely intertwined.
· A sincere respect for the role of each discipline in informing and guiding cultural research and teaching.
· A commitment to the creation of knowledge and its dissemination across academic disciplines and diverse communities of the world.
· A belief that the issues facing academic disciplines and diverse global communities are complex, and often require collaboration across both academic and non-academic settings.
The Vision of The ReissCorp Center is to…
· Facilitate equal partnerships across disciplines, in which everyone works together to set research and instructional agendas, and to generate new knowledge to solve problems.
· Foster scholarship to address cross-disciplinary needs and issues and connect the learned & the learner to the world outside of academia.
· Broker relationships and resources needed to achieve practical solutions and change.
· Provide an easy point of access to people and resources, both within academia and in the broader global community.
The Center’s Objectives are to …
· Serve as a both facilitator and catalyst for interdisciplinary collaborative research and instructional activities.
· Facilitate cross-disciplinary access and the exchange of ideas by collecting, organizing and disseminating information about the Center’s resources and collaborations.
· Inform Center partners of points of engagement within the diverse communities, both academic and non-academic, privileged and underserved.
· Develop effective media to communicate opportunities for cooperation, engage new partners, and foster commitment to scholarship that is informed by, and informs, the needs across academic disciplines and diverse global communities.
· Develop a series of collaborative workgroups that foster exchange, network-building, and project-related partnerships.
· Create a climate of trust and cooperation supportive of pragmatic partnership, so that over the next five years, Center-sponsored workgroups can tackle increasingly larger issues and deepen their impact across academia and the diverse communities of the world.
· Enhance the role of The Center as an international model for effective partnerships.

_______________________________________________________

            HISTORY: 

        ReissCorp International Laboratories and Consulting Services spun-off from ReissCorp (est. 1983), and has adjusted to the demands of each individual project through strategic alliances.  The range of services offered includes individual consultation with Dr. Reiss and his affiliates. They have extensive specialized expertise, in addition to general training across numerous interdisciplinary fields. They are uniquely qualified to manage projects of all types. ReissCorp can assume the role as principal company-of-record on projects, but just as many jobs can originate through affiliates.

              UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, UK


NOTE:  The Center for Interdisciplinary Collaboration was developed by Dr. C. J. Reiss at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning, initially funded by a grant to offset programme expenses and then supported by the broader Cambridge community network of scientists, business experts and venture capitalists.
        


           UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER, UK

NOTE:  The concept of a Center for Workplace Civility was developed by Dr. C. M. Connolly at the University of Manchester, Alliance Manchester Business School, and has been a natural outgrowth  from her doctoral thesis  for the D.B.A. degree.


       _________________________________

Document
CURRICULUM VITAÉ FOR PROF. REISS		Document
CURRICULUM VITAÉ FOR PROF. CONNOLLY
Research, Dissertation & Theses:

  • Reiss, C. J. (2007). A Place for Civility in International Law, International Relations and Civil Society. Canterbury, UK: University of Kent Law School Legum Magister Dissertation.
  • Reiss, C. J. (2005). Operational Competitive Rating Analysis of Clinics and Research Centers: A New Mathematical Model. Brookville, NY: Long Island University Masters Thesis.
  • Reiss, C. J. (1978). Advanced Research Methods in Cognition: Signal Detection Theory, Memory Recognition, d’ and the Measurement of Unconscious Processes. New York, NY: The New School for Social Research Graduate Faculty Masters Thesis.
  • Reiss, C. J. (1976). Social Theories and Other Explanations of Insanity. Washington, DC: The George Washington University Bachelors Thesis.
Catherine, Chris & Our Irish Wolfhound

 

______________________________________________

PROFESSOR CHRISTOPHER J. REISS, PHD, MBA, LLM, EdD, DLitt, DMA

Biography:                  

   Professor Christopher J. Reiss is the Founder of the Center for Interdisciplinary Collaboration, a subsidiary of ReissCorp, and has four decades of experience leading organizations, teaching, consulting, fund raising and conducting research. He is a highly trained, seasoned professional with a diverse interdisciplinary perspective that he utilizes in an extremely effective manner.

     Prof. Reiss is currently at the University of London Centre for International & Diplomacy Studies specializing in global policy analysis, law, economics, geopolitics, and security issues. He works both independently and as a team member. He assesses functions, achievements, and deficiencies at both the micro and macro levels. Then he develops, implements, monitors and adjusts problem solving intervention plans. When applicable, each project is fully documented for case presentation. Whether for training, education, consulting or forensic purposes, case materials are packaged into multimedia presentations and written reports.

      Prof. Reiss has consulted in the areas of oil & gas, finance, law, education, health, data processing, telecommunications, construction, government, military intelligence, agriculture, real estate, transportation, the arts, music, entertainment, and the manufacture of such diverse things as pharmaceuticals, clothing, sports equipment, electronics, food products, machinery, motor vehicles, plastics and silicone parts. He has been a stakeholder in Reiss Corporation Manufacturing for decades.

     Prof. Reiss has a great working knowledge of finance but an even better understanding of budgets, and a keen sense of how to operate successfully in a highly professional and personable manner with good common sense. It is a pleasure to work with him.

     Prof. Reiss was recently awarded his fourth doctoral degree, a Doctor of Music & Arts. As a clinical psychologist, Prof. Reiss integrates music, drama, and art with traditional forms of psychotherapy to bring about significant change in people of all ages. Most recently, he has worked bringing community music and therapy to seniors in nursing homes. In the past, he developed and implemented treatment protocols as Chief of Psychology, Forensics & Neuropsychology at a children’s home. Prior to that as a military contractor, Prof. Reiss worked in the Wounded Warriors program overseas, staging Homer’s “Odyssey” and Sophocles’ “Ajax” and “Philoctetes” with subsequent discussion groups as a public health project concerning PTSD and other concerns for the military.

    Prof. Reiss was a founding member, and is currently a Diplomate Emeritus, Consultant & Member of the Professional Advisory Council of the American Board of Disability Analysts, and former Senior Supervising Consultant for College Health Enterprises with headquarters in New York and California. He was also appointed Adjunct Professor of Psychology & Business Management for the University of Maryland University College.

    At his core, Prof. Reiss is a psychologist and educator with a pragmatic philosophy. His interdisciplinary perspective continued to develop throughout a life of learning. Prof. Reiss’ Doctor of Education is in the theories, policies, and practices of leading educational programs, college departments, universities and schools (K-12, undergraduate, graduate and professional). The requirements included at least two additional specializations outside the school of education. He chose business, law, and public health as his foci, excelling in each, including many cross-referenced courses at the nexus of the three fields, and obtained two additional masters degrees (i.e., business and law) en route to the Doctor of Education. As such, Prof. Reiss has expertise in: 1. The Integrated Curriculum Model [ICM] for designing differentiated course syllabi, mapping curricula, and developing best practice procedures for instruction; 2. Researching the most up-to-date and advanced content requirements within disciplines; 3. Constructing and validating test procedures for assessment units of study; 4. Stimulating high-level thinking processes and advanced concept formation; and 5. Implementing academic policies for the innovative advancement of educational quality and integrity.  This was not wholly new to Prof. Reiss given his past experiences developing curricula at University of Maryland University College, New York Institute of Technology, New York Medical College, Pace University, St. Vincent’s Hospital-Manhattan, and The New York Court System Forensic Training Fellowship Programs that were in collaboration with the Beth Israel Hospital, Columbia University in the City of New York, Cornell University, Einstein Hospital, Montefiore Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York Medical College, New York University, State University of New York-Downstate, and St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital. Additionally, Prof. Reiss has extensive experience collaborating with textbook publishers determining appropriate content and faculty resources for courses across various fields.

    His research interests include: 1. Methods for geopolitical policy analysis; 2. Music and the arts in historical and cultural contexts; 3. The development of appropriate music, art, dramatization and entertainment venues that can be customized to educate and address the specific needs of communities concerning a variety of healthcare, educational and other issues;  4. Identifying and measuring the continuum of behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and physiological components of musical performance; 5. The history of academia from the cradle of civilization to Plato’s academy, the University, departmentalization, interdisciplinary programs, international affiliates, and strategic business solutions based on analysis of interview data from major universities around the world;  6. Advancing a new mathematical model, Operational Competitive Rating Analysis, for measuring the cost effectiveness of business, health and educational institutions; and 7. The development and validation of new instruments for measuring various constructs (i.e., on the continuum from state to trait measures) ranging from musical performance anxiety to civility and other variables. Prof. Reiss has also collaborated closely with Prof. Catherine Connolly who has developed a Smartphone App for research purposes that can track the prevalence and outcomes of workplace incivility, develop normative data across industry sectors, and explore related variables that impact businesses. Prof. Reiss & Prof. Connolly are also members of the Columbia University School of Journalism Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and together they have developed the ReissCorp Weblogs for Journalism & Literature Here and Aboad. 

    In addition to his academic post at University of Maryland University College-Europe, Prof. Reiss presented his lectures on Assessment for Clinical, Forensic, and Scientific Purposes as a visiting professor at Syracuse University, and on Psychology of Music Education at Boston University.  His abilities to assess and meet the needs of students and faculty, bridge the gaps between disciplines, and work collaboratively, both within and across diverse cultures, is outstanding. He consistently integrates the ethical standards and values needed to excel effectively within each area he teaches. Ratings have been consistently exceptional, e.g., “Informative, entertaining, and genuinely interested in his students, his colleagues, and his work”. The most recent comment from one of his graduate students, a retired Marine, was as follows: “I really appreciated your style of instruction. This was one of my favorite classes, to date. Thank you for your contribution to my education.”

   His teaching experience has ranged from supervision on an individual basis, to small seminars, large lecture halls, auditoriums, public venues and stadiums. At St. Vincent’s Hospital & Medical Center of Manhattan, teaching was often done in seminar formats during morning rounds, case conferences, Grand Rounds and at other times. Prof. Reiss was in charge of Behavioral Health and taught psychiatry & psychology interns and fellows, in addition to psychiatry residents, and medical students. He was also the liaison consultant to all other departments, where he fostered a deeper understanding of each patient, grounded in both basic and clinical sciences. As a senior forensic expert (e.g., at the New York Police Department, the New York Courts, and the Judge Advocate General's Military Corp), Prof. Reiss would regularly brief lawyers on the nuances of various cases, prep them for Court, and provide expert testimony to Judges and Juries, while translating complex ideas into engaging and easily understandable facts. As a consultant to the military (e.g., civilian contractor for The Pentagon, deployed overseas 2008-2013), Prof. Reiss advised garrison commanders on issues that helped inform their leadership decisions. As a business consultant (e.g., as Co-Director of Affiliated Physicians at the World Trade Center, President of ReissCorp, and Chairperson of ReissCorp Center for Interdisciplinary Collaboration), he has regularly given luncheon lectures, seminars, and boardroom presentations to business executives, at both large and small gatherings. He developed employee assistance programs for large-scale corporations, targeting all types of medical and public health issues. With the help of the late Dr. Peter Rizzo (former NYPD & FDNY Surgeon, and Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at St. Vincent’s Hospital), Prof. Reiss developed the curriculum for a back pain management program to be franchised across the country to help employees cope with the chronic condition, reducing a major reason employees call in sick to work.

    He was awarded his B.A. with honors in psychology at The George Washington University taking up to twenty-one credits a semester while on the Dean's List, with permissions to take thirty-two graduate level credits as part of his undergraduate program, including advanced courses and internships in fine arts, music and art therapy, clinical psychology, theories of learning and personality, and extensive research on moral development. His M.A. in Academic Psychology and Cognitive Research was attained at The New School for Social Research with an internship at NYU—Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital, and his Ph.D. from Florida Institute of Technology was in Clinical Psychology, with a minor in International Studies from their Lugano, Switzerland campus. Prior to graduation, he completed his personal training analysis, and an APA approved internship at St. Vincent’s Hospital—Reiss Psychiatric Pavilion dealing with adults & children, followed by three fellowships in clinical psychology, neuropsychology, and forensics, respectively.

     Prof. Reiss was also awarded his M.B.A. in International Business from Long Island University, with studies at their affiliate campuses in New York, London, and Paris (i.e., the United Nations Program; C.W. Post College of Management-NY; European Business School, Regent's University-London; Ecole de Management, Le Pôle Universitaire Léonard de Vinci-Paris; and the Touro College of Law). Additionally, he was awarded his LL.M. in International Law and International Relations from the University of Kent Faculty of Law at Canterbury England, and the Brussels School of International Studies in Belgium.

     In 2013, Prof. Reiss was awarded his second doctorate, an Ed.D. in Policy Analysis from the University of Virginia specializing in law, public health, business, & the policies of running all types of educational programs and facilities. His third Doctorate, the D.Litt., Doctor of Letters in Liberal Arts with specialization in literature, philosophy, theology, history and arts was awarded by Drew University in 2016. Prof. Reiss was recently awarded his fourth doctorate, the D.M.A. degree in Music & Arts. Clearly, Prof. Reiss has extensive post-graduate training and continuing education as well, all of which involved class presentations and/or thesis and dissertation defenses. He has presented at various professional association meetings, and has worked as a peer reviewer for journals and annual conferences.

     In summary, Prof. Reiss has expertise in many fields and he spent a significant portion of his career living and working abroad (e.g. as a contractor for the Pentagon and healthcare worker in Germany; traveling the world conducting dissertation fieldwork, researching the quality and scope of university-based education; and teaching in China before that). He was also appointed by University of Maryland University College-Europe to teach psychology, international and multi-cultural studies, business management, and ethics. His academic leadership experiences from clinical, forensic, military and business settings should be weighted alongside his teaching experiences at Pace University, New York Medical College, New York Institute of Technology, University of Maryland University College, Syracuse University, and Boston University School of Music. Prior to University of Maryland University College faculty post as Adjunct Professor of Psychology & Business Management, he was an Adjunct Professor in Arts & Sciences at New York Institute of Technology, which was in collaboration with the Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, teaching all aspects of business administration, journalism, writing, speech making, debate, international relations, negotiation & law, while living in China. That said, his teaching experiences date back to 1983 when he was a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, New York Medical College, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology, Pace University.

    Professors Christopher Reiss and Catherine Connolly thoroughly enjoy working in diverse multi-cultural environments and exploring the world with their Irish Wolfhound.

Contact: CJ@ReissCorp.com 

______________________________________________

PROFESSOR CATHERINE M. CONNOLLY, RN, MA, MS, PSYD, DBA 

Biography: 

    Professor Catherine M. Connolly is a Senior Supervising Consultant for College Health Enterprises. She has been on the Faculty of Syracuse University, and an Adjunct Professor of Psychology and Business Management teaching graduate and undergraduate students for the University of Maryland University College-Europe & Asia campuses.  While working with graduate students in the psychology program, she specialized in teaching research methods, clinical assessment, psychometrics, individual & group psychotherapy, crisis intervention, and ethics. Her expertise in business management includes: organizational theory, mixed methods research, management science, leadership, organizational behavior and social psychology. Prof. Connolly was a Senior Supervising Psychologist and Director of Program Development & Research at the Children’s Home of Jefferson County. Her research interests are diverse. 

   Prof. Connolly also taught as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology at Columbia University in the City of New York, and supervised graduate students in their clinical practicum at the Columbia University Counseling Center. Prior to that, she taught and supervised doctoral candidates in clinical psychology at the Florida Institute of Technology Health Clinic. Clearly she loves the work and feedback has always been extremely positive.

   Prof. Connolly's extensive training and experience started with the award of her R.N. at City University of New York, followed by her B.A. Magna Cum Laude at CUNY-Hunter College, and her M.A. in Social and Organizational Psychology at Columbia University Teachers College.

    Prof. Connolly was also awarded her second masters degree, M.S., and her first doctoral degree, the Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, from Florida Institute of Technology. Her continuing education has included certificates in: Family Therapy, Ackerman Institute of Family Therapy, NY; Digital Media Storytelling, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism; Advanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapies, University of Oxford, England; Mixed Methods Research, University of Heidelberg, Germany; and Executive Coaching, University of Cambridge, England.

   Recently, Prof. Connolly defended another dissertation for a second doctorate, the D.B.A. in Business Administration, awarded by the University of Manchester, England (i.e., consistently rated # 1 as the World’s Best doctoral program in business by Financial Times during Prof. Connolly's time there). While at Manchester, Prof. Connolly developed a Smartphone App for measuring workplace incivility and related cognitive, emotional and behavioral outcomes in real-time similar to a digital diary. Her research has broadened the construct by adapting the Workplace Incivility Scale (WIS) to include online and face-to-face interactions, also indicating the hierarchal status of the instigator, in addition to scales of Emotional Exhaustion, Turnover Intentions, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Ruminations. The app is a reliable and valid instrument that is user-friendly with 22 items that take under five minutes to complete. In collaboration with Prof. Reiss and her mentors at Manchester, she anticipates an extensive program of published research flowing from here. Future plans include the development of normative data across business, health, and educational sectors, while exploring related variables that have negative impact. Methodologically, this research advances the field by overcoming many of the limitations inherent in cross-sectional studies. Theoretically, the study expands the construct to include online forms, and provides support for a conceptual framework that helps explain workplace incivility and its effects.

     Prof. Connolly has enjoyed working as a clinician on Wall Street, at various hospitals and for the US Department of Defense. Her Doctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology included specialization in Rehabilitation & Behavioral Medicine. She is also certified in EMDR, Biofeedback, and Neurofeedback. As a training supervisor at the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation Woodhull Medical Center in Brooklyn, Prof. Connolly supervised doctoral students in their internship program and was Director of the Medication Adherence Program.  Dr. Connolly also has extensive experience in the fields of addiction and substance abuse treatment. She was affiliated with The Northern California Institute for Research & Education, and investigated PTSD in police officers at the NYPD.  At Wall Street Counseling Center, she provided individual and couples therapy in addition to executive coaching.

    Prof. Connolly worked at New York University Department of Environmental Medicine as a Clinical Psychologist and co-investigator in HIV research.  She also published work in molecular, chromosomal and epidemiology research of cancer as part of a team at Memorial Sloan Kettering Department of Epidemiology. Prof. Connolly excels on both academic and medical teams, teaching, supervising and implementing policies for delivery of services. She maintains excellent working relationships with all the other professionals on the teams.

    In addition to the field of psychology, Prof. Connolly studied art at the Art Student’s League of New York, the New York Academy of Art,  the National Academy of Art, the Salmagundi Club Center for American Art, and Parsons New School for Design in New York & Paris. She has also exhibited her art in private and public venues, in addition to juried competitions. Earlier in life she lived and studied culinary arts in Paris at the Cordon Bleu. Currently, she enjoys playing violin.

    Prof. Connolly has a unique skill set with training in the arts, music, drama, sciences and business, in addition to psychology, all of which serve her well teaching, providing clinical and consulting services, and conducting research.

Contact: CMC2204@TC.Columbia.edu

.

______________________________________________

.

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT:

    Our commitment to teaching is values based, combined with a pragmatic philosophical stance, which we have practiced throughout our careers as a clinical psychologists, professors, and interdisciplinary scholars. Without philosophy and faith in our beliefs, teaching would be like an orchestra without a conductor.  Open discussion concerning students’ ontological and epistemological positions, their preconceived notions and belief systems, and the impact of each on how to answer a particular question and acquire knowledge, sets the tone for thinking critically, and is encouraged. For us, education, therapy, leadership, and values are not things, like a car, rather they are processes, like driving. Although you learn from your past experiences behind the wheel, driving is an interactive process, moment-to-moment, always perceiving changing aspects in the environment, processing the information in split seconds, developing a plan of action based on past learning, personal characteristics and beliefs, and then actively and freely responding. That state of being might be referred to as living in the present. We think teaching, caregiving, leading, and living one’s values can be analogous, albeit, not always as risky as driving. Knowledge will be created through the dynamic interaction process between students, coworkers, the teacher and learner. On a more practical level, all students should be able to express their thoughts and insights freely, while maintaining a sense of responsibility and accomplishment. Also, from our experiences, it is important to reduce ambiguity by clarifying role expectations, course requirements, and making clear how evaluative decisions are made regarding the grading process, minimizing any misunderstanding concerning the expected standards of performance.

    It is also important to understand what kinds of tools help students excel when trying to master a particular subject. As with other fields, modern technology has impacted all aspects of education. Indeed, technology has also provided the university professor many options that enable the learning environment to be fluid, dynamic and within a global reach. Currently, students now have the opportunity to discover how other countries and cultures conceptualize challenges faced by various disciplines and industries.  For example, making connections with international leaders in a particular field can be both inspirational and provide different points of view.  Hosting online meetings in the classroom with guest speakers enable this type of exposure, and minimizing travel costs of studies abroad.  Digital media story-telling is another example of conveying content that is informative, entertaining, and engaging. Overall, taking academic subjects and presenting them through videos, podcasts, blogs, and real-life experiences, in addition to standard lectures, seminars, and master classes allow for different modes of presentation, communication, and learning.

    In summary, our commitment to teaching is pragmatic, and value based. Our approach integrates theory and application, facilitating learning through a combination of both academic and non-academic community resources. We model persistent lifelong international education, to guide and motivate others to pursue their goals, utilizing their free will to reap a plentiful harvest across diverse fields of interdisciplinary education.

________________________________________________________________________________

ReissCorp Center for Interdisciplinary Collaboration

An Alliance of Excellence in Partnership


TO CONTACT US PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW 
First Name
Last Name
E-mail Address
Comments
ReissCorp
P.O. Box 561
Westhampton, NY 11977