The School of Integrated Sciences, Sustainability, and Public Health prepares our students to use multi-disciplinary scientific techniques to analyze and begin to solve complex environmental, social, and public health challenges, giving them an edge in a competitive job market that demands intellectual creativity and a range of technical and analytical skills.

Students in Integrated Sciences, Sustainability, and Public Health (ISP) will be trained in a broad set of qualitative and quantitative research methods and will hone their skills in integrative problem-solving. Not only will they learn about research approaches within their chosen discipline, they will also be taught to "think in systems," work in teams, and respect all disciplines and their methodologies. Additionally, undergraduate students will be encouraged to engage in undergraduate research and/or professional internships. Undergraduate will find it easy to transition from one of our undergraduate degrees in Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or Environmental Studies into a MS program in Environmental Studies or Public Health. Upon entering graduate school, MS students will be competitive for Graduate Public Service Internships (GPSI) with agencies such as the Ãå±±½ûµØ Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), Ãå±±½ûµØ Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), and Ãå±±½ûµØ Department of Public Health (IDPH).

Our school's mission is to foster disciplinary training within an interdisciplinary framework, so as to provide faculty and students with the skills and perspectives necessary to address the "wicked" problems facing contemporary society. Wicked problems are multi-dimensional, complex social challenges that are profoundly difficult to address because they are impossible to discretely define, made even more obscure by incomplete and contradictory knowledge, and are deeply interconnected as solutions to one issue may cause problems in another. Examples of such problems include climate change, declining air and water quality, food insecurity, emerging diseases, and pollution stemming from urbanization, industrialization, and agriculture. We encourage interdisciplinary research and teaching and provide students with hands-on learning experiences. Our hope is to train students in the complex skills necessary to bring about a more just and sustainable future.

Our Programs

a female student looking into a microscope while the professor looks on

Biology

Augments student learning, builds a broad foundational understanding of biological sciences, creates relevant competencies in scientific practices, and develops critical-thinking and problem-solving skills to address current scientific issues.

two chemistry students looking at their experiments

Chemistry

Provides students with a strong background in chemistry and prepares them for direct entry into chemical professions or for further studies in graduate or professional programs.

a female student outside looking through a telescope

Environmental Studies

Provide students with the advanced interdisciplinary training necessary for solving environmental problems and creating an environmentally acceptable future.

group picture of public health students

Public Health

Trains students to be future public health leaders who are well-equipped with comprehensive skills to tackle complex public health challenges.

School of Integrated Sciences, Sustainability & Public Health News

Dec 01, 2020
New Intercession Course Offering, Dr. Brandon Derman During the new Winter Intersession term between Fall and Spring semesters, nine students from ENS and…
Nov 14, 2020
GIS Workshop on Mapping COVID-19, Dr. Yun Zhao and Dr. Junu Shrestha On November 14, 2020, the GIS Lab, joined by Junu Shrestha from the UIS Public Health…
May 14, 2020
Two University of Ãå±±½ûµØ Springfield professors, in collaboration with professors at Tuskegee University in Alabama, have received a three…
Apr 29, 2020
Molly Lamb of Chatham has been named the new executive director of the University of Ãå±±½ûµØ Springfield Center for State Policy and Leadership…
Dec 31, 2019
Awards Chemistry Program Marshal Craig Meredith Biochemistry Program Marshal and Department of Chemistry Honors Recipient Chantz Pinder…
Sep 30, 2019
Natalie Kerr, a senior majoring in chemistry at the University of Ãå±±½ûµØ Springfield, recently won the first Falling Walls Lab Ãå±±½ûµØ competition to…