Education Initiatives

Integrated Sciences is actively committed to enhancing Interdisciplinary Science education: Explore Our Latest Initiatives.

"sʔi:ɬqəy̓ qeqən (Double-Headed Serpent Post)” Brent Sparrow Jr., Musqueam UBC Vancouver Campus

Incorporating traditional Indigenous knowledge in Integrated Sciences sustainability courses

2022-2024 Small Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund

The project is working to incorporate traditional Indigenous knowledge in ISCI 360 (UBCV), ISCI 361/461 (Hawaii and Iceland). Although Indigenous communities play a large role in sustainability issues that have been impacted or are impacting regions studied in the courses, they have not been a focus in the curriculum. This project is to strengthen and expand the course curricula by enhancing engagement with Indigenous community leaders and incorporating an Indigenous lens in explorations of sustainability. It is expected that this partnership will include course conversations with Indigenous members as well as the development and organization of a community activity in each location to engage students. The project further aims to develop a module investigating what happens to an environment following human settlement when Indigenous communities are not present (Iceland). Students will experience issues on a first-hand basis and make meaningful contributions to the local community.

Three people stand on a rocky section above water.

Integrating a Map the System toolkit into the ISCI 360: Systems Approaches to Regional Sustainability curriculum

This project aims to develop and assess the impact of a Map the System resource toolkit into the ISCI 360: Systems Approaches to Regional Sustainability curricular redesign. The Integrated Sciences (ISCI) program has adopted a system thinking approach to 300- and 400-level sustainability courses, acknowledging that any region of the world needs to be understood as an integrated system. ISCI 360 has been a core ISCI course for a decade and was originally designed to feature a wide range of guest experts applying systems science to study regional sustainability in BC.

Create Your Own Degree! powerpoint title slide.

Create Your Own Degree! Empowering Students to Find Belonging in Science

Integrated Sciences presented at the Western Conference on Science Education. This interactive presentation provided an overview of the Integrated Sciences specialization, discussion on supporting and empowering students throughout their degree, and modes of collaboration and mentorship amongst students, staff, and faculty to create a sense of belonging in science.

Read the abstract

A student sits at a desk with a laptop in front of him.

ISCI 400: Capstone Development

Students as Partners Funded Project

The ISCI 400 course was developed through the UBC Students as Partners initiative. The project involved students, staff, and faculty partnering to develop and pilot the ISCI 400 course from September 2022 to April 2023. This capstone course provides a platform where students can reflect critically on their interdisciplinary degree proposals, apply them to the real world, and share them with the scientific community. In the course students demonstrate how they are synthesizing learning across their disciplines in the form of a presentation (in person or online) or in the form of a poster. The course was first offered in January 2024. ISCI 400 can be used as an alternative to ISCI 300 to meet the 7 credit of ISCI requirement.

Learn about the project

Students walking along a rocky path in Iceland among mountains.

Systems Approaches to Climate Change: Perspectives from Iceland

This project enables students with an immersive virtual experience that allows them to explore the impacts of climate change and mitigation efforts in Iceland. The project will leverage audiovisual documentation from an on-the-ground affiliate in Iceland to create this virtual content, making it accessible to students even when travel is restricted. The goal is to provide students with a multidisciplinary and applied systems perspective on climate-related issues. This experience will cover various aspects of climate change, such as greenhouse gas emissions, glacier melt, changes in fisheries, hydroelectric dams, and socioeconomic factors.

Climate and Wellbeing Education Grant