Abstract
The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science of Technology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was established in 1989 with the generous support of the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. It was built to break through disciplinary boundaries and produce scientific discoveries that could only be made by teams using interdisciplinary approaches. After 36 years, I reflect on the transformative legacy of the Beckman Institute at Illinois and how it informs my perspective on future of interdisciplinary research.