Smart Cities: A New Certificate from the Bridging Disciplines Programs

So what is a smart city? Smart cities use technology as a tool, with a goal to create livable, equitable urban centers. By optimizing city functions through smart technologies, we have the potential to improve the quality of services that can positively impact sustainable practices, food security, and equity. But how do these technologies improve how cities deliver services and enhance the quality of life for all residents? And how can we ensure that these technologies, especially those that include collection of personal data, are employed in ethical and socially helpful ways?

By 2030 about 60% of the world's population is expected to live in urban areas. And for Europe and North America, almost 80% of the population will. —United Nations Fact Sheet

The new Smart Cities certificate from the Bridging Disciplines Programs (BDP) will help you answer these questions and equip you with skills and applied learning to advance the development of smart city technologies to support livable, equitable cities. The certificate will help you prepare for smart cities-related careers in public, private, and non-profit sectors. Because the program is interdisciplinary, your coursework will draw from multiple fields such as urban planning, public policy, computer science, information studies, engineering, liberal arts, communication, and business. This breadth of study gives you a nuanced, holistic view into what makes smart cities successful.

One unique part of the Smart Cities certificate is the Connecting Experience. This can be research or an internship that connects your Smart Cities BDP to your major and career goals. For example, you might work on a research project exploring the ethical dimensions of a new smart cities technology application, intern for a city government office focusing on technology for enhancing transportation options, or conduct research on successful examples of smart cities around the world. Find out more about how a Smart Cities certificate can complement your major at one of our information sessions.

I’m looking to solve problems affecting people in cities by using the skillset I’m learning in computer science and in the classes I’m taking as a part of the BDP." —Kent Hansen, Smart Cities BDP student

As part of my research, I worked in the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering and we quantified the emissions impact of repurposed EV battery packs in residential settings. What we did was use the battery storage to capture energy when renewable energy resources were high and output that energy when renewable sources were low so we can offset the greenhouse gas emissions." —Alizer Khowaja, Smart Cities BDP student