Integrated Concentration in STEM (iCons)

iCons is an interdisciplinary certificate in real-world problem solving for undergraduates in STEM, Business, and Policy. The certificate enhances a major by providing opportunities to engage with real-world issues as part of interdisciplinary teams - skills that translate directly to careers at the leading edge of science, technology, business, policy, and innovation.

The iCons Program offers an integrative education for undergraduate students from science, engineering, public health, policy, and business to:

- Collaborate in diverse teams on complex societal issues
- Understand multi-faceted problems from multi-disciplinary perspectives
- Develop creative solutions to real-world challenges

Building on each student’s major, the certificate spans three or four years, culminating in senior research experiences. Projects involve teamwork on case studies, lab experiments, and research, fostering cross-disciplinary communication and problem-solving. Students choose one of the following problem-based tracks as a focus for their work in iCons:

• Biomedicine/Biosystems – Health of people, health of the planet.
• Clean Energy – Sufficient and sustainable energy for a growing population.
• Food-Water-Climate – Three little words but one huge problem