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The discipline of family science is entering a new phase, the evaluation and innovation stage. With shrinking academic budgets and threats of departmental dissolution or mergers, it is imperative for administrators of family science programs to be able to articulate the distinctiveness of the discipline, the worth of the unique skills and perspectives afforded by family science programs, the challenges affecting the field, and the solutions and resources necessary to propel family science to new levels of relevance and application. This article reviews the history of the development of the field of family science and then reports survey results from representatives of family science programs related to each of these matters. Innovative strategies for advancing the field and family science programs are discussed.

Family science has been a translational science since its inception. The history of family science began with an interdisciplinary group of scholars who came together to explore the complex nature of families during the discovery phase, paying particular attention to applying information to resolve family challenges. In the pioneering stage, family professionals struggled with naming the discipline and assembled professional groups that collected and applied information to benefit families. In the maturing stage, disciplinary leaders deemed that family science met the criteria of a bona fide discipline and the field's identity became more pronounced, with a great deal of translational work occurring. During the current stage, evaluation and innovation, family science professionals need to assess programs and practices to refine and better articulate and distinguish the field. This historical account accentuates the central importance of the translational nature of family science to the discipline's identity.

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