The UMass Amherst Integrated Concentration in STEM (iCons) Program is an interdisciplinary certificate in real-world problem solving for UMass undergraduates in STEM, Business, and Policy. The program held its 12th annual Senior Exposition on May 14th, which marked the graduation of iCons's first Social Science scholar, Tara Lecamwasam.
Lecamwasam, who majored in Sustainable Community Development, completed a senior project titled, "Translating Netherlands Flood Resilience Flood Insights in the American Context," under the guidance of Professor Elisabeth Infield at UMass LARP.
A new story published by iCons features Lecamwasam's achievement, emphasizing that the inclusion of social science students in its program "brings a powerful new dimension to iCons’ interdisciplinary model," furthering its mission of innovation with a focus on equity, sustainability, and creativity. Lecamwasam is quoted in the piece saying:
“iCons pushed me to think beyond traditional approaches and work closely with students from STEM and business backgrounds,” [...] “I brought a community-centered perspective to our projects, while learning how to integrate data and strategy. These collaborations taught me how effective problem-solving can be when we value different ways of thinking.”