AROUND CAMPUS
THE INTEGRATED CONCENTRATION IN SCIENCE: An Entrepreneurial Approach to Scientific Pedagogy Preparing 21st-century scientists requires a 21stcentury approach. Thinking outside the traditional pedagogy box, the College of Natural Sciences at UMass Amherst launched the Integrated Concentration in Science (iCons) program in 2010. A unique approach to science education, the program answers the pressing need to produce the next generation of leaders in science and technology with the attitudes, knowledge, and skills required to solve the multifaceted problems facing our world. Today’s society faces urgent challenges, such as developing clean energy, curing diseases, producing drinkable water, and responding to climate change.
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STATE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
To make meaningful contributions to the issues of their time, students must possess a deep understanding of relevant scientific concepts and the ability to apply these concepts in real-world contexts. Unfortunately, most fields of science are taught the same way they were a century ago—in separate silos isolated from economic and political realities. Without offering a wider cultural perspective, science instruction cannot inspire today’s students to create solutions our world needs. While deep technical expertise is critical to solving the world’s biggest problems, standard
