Rowe Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Odia Kane

November 19, 2025

Updates: After finishing my BA in Cognitive Science and Political Science in 2019, I finished my Masters in Public Health at UConn Health via the MPH Fast Track Program in 2020. From 2020 to 2021, I was the Ann Kolker Fellow at the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance focusing on reproductive health policy and advocating for ovarian cancer patients/survivors in Washington, DC. In the Fall of 2021, I began my PhD in Health Policy and Management, Bioethics and Health Policy at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where I pursued projects on the ethics and regulation of AI-enabled medical devices. On August 20, 2025, I successfully defended my dissertation, “Attitudes, Advertisements, and Access To Market: An Examination and Ethical Evaluation of Digital Therapeutics” (which is the attached photo with my best friends and fellow UConn alumni).

I am now the inaugural Berman Institute of Bioethics and Institute for Assured Autonomy AI Ethics and Governance Post Doctoral Fellow. I continue to work with interdisciplinary groups on issues of AI ethics and governance applied to a variety of fields, including but not limited to: bioethics, research, public health, medicine, engineering, criminal justice, and government.

It would be my pleasure to connect with any current and future Rowe Scholars!

Rowe Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Alexa Friedman

Dr. Alexa Friedman
Dr. Alexa Friedman talks about cosmetic safety on Morning Mika.

Undergraduate Major: Individualized: Human Health Sciences
Updates: After graduating UConn in 2018, I pursued my doctorate in Environmental Health at Boston University School of Public Health where I defended my dissertation “Early life exposure to multiple metals and adolescent neurodevelopment” in 2022. After defending my PhD, I completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in the Epidemiology branch. Now, I have been working as a Senior Scientist at a non-profit based in DC, the Environmental Working Group where I lead the science portfolio for safety of cosmetic ingredients in personal care products. I also regularly serve as an on-air expert in media and was recently on Morning Mika on MSNBC.

SPAN 3231: Great Works of Spanish Literature from its Origins to the Golden Age (Conversion Opportunity; Storrs)

November 17, 2025

[UConn Storrs]

Instructor: Rosa Helena Chinchilla

While this is not an Honors course, Prof. Chinchilla welcomes Honors students of all majors and would be happy to offer Honors conversions for interested students.

Exploration of the multicultural life and literature of Iberia through readings from multiple authors. Includes short writing assignments, midterm and final projects.

CA 1
TOI-2

PSYC 5270-003: Special Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience (Storrs)

October 7, 2025

[UConn Storrs]

Graduate courses act as Honors credit, as long as you earn a grade of B- or higher.

Controversies in Neuroscience and Biopsychology

Instructor: R. Holly Fitch

Prof. Fitch welcomes Honors students with at least junior standing and some biology and psychology background. This course is particularly well suited for students with majors in PSYC, PNB, Cognitive Science, or related fields. Contact Dr. Fitch for a permission number. The class is limited to 20 students, so interested students should contact her as soon as possible. 

This course will address a series of “hot” topics of current interest in the field, including: the importance of sex/gender/hormones in individualized medical care; the rapid evolution of neural implant technology; the status of genetic engineering in complex behavioral conditions like autism (both embryonic and adult gene engineering); and other “hot” topics —  to include some topics of the students choosing. Last year’s topics included teens in contact sports and CTE, vaccinations and autism, and others.

The class format involves a meeting for one hour each week for in person discussion, a recorded/remote one-hour lecture each week, and online student presentations. The grade for the class will derive from seminar participation and several oral presentations over the course of the semester.

HDFS 5342: Parenting, Parenthood, and Family Science Interventions (Storrs)

October 6, 2025

[UConn Storrs]

Graduate courses act as Honors credit, as long as you earn a grade of B- or higher.

Instructor: Beth Russell

Parents’ roles, identities, and behavior and the dynamics of parenthood across the lifespan. Interpersonal, familial, and societal roles of parents and the interventions that support individual parent and family well-being outcomes are presented.

HDFS 5340: Prevention, Intervention, and Public Policy (Storrs)

[UConn Storrs]

Graduate courses act as Honors credit, as long as you earn a grade of B- or higher.

Instructor: Lisa Eaton

Survey course of the theory, practice and science of primary prevention of human problems. Prevention concepts and case studies are presented. Students give analysis and critique of course content and develop personal and professional perspectives on prevention practice and possible social policy initiatives.

HDFS 5255: Living with Chronic or Life-threatening Illness (Storrs)

[UConn Storrs]

Graduate courses act as Honors credit, as long as you earn a grade of B- or higher.

Instructor: Keith Bellizzi

Chronic and/or life-threatening illness from diagnosis through long term management. Psychological, interpersonal, family, and ethical aspects of the chronic illness experience across the life span, in contexts for culture and health policy.

CHEM 2444: Organic Chemistry (Storrs)

October 3, 2025

[UConn Storrs]

Instructor: Nicholas Leadbeater

Prerequisite: CHEM 2443 (Honors or non-Honors)

The material in Honors CHEM 2444 is much like that in the non-Honors sections of CHEM 2444, but it will go into more detail on various topics. It is also taught differently, with class periods dedicated to discussion and practice problems. Additional support is available from a graduate teaching assistant and undergraduate peer mentors.

CHEM 1148Q: Honors General Chemistry II (Storrs)

[UConn Storrs]

Instructor: Douglas Adamson

Prerequisite: CHEM 1147Q. If you took CHEM 1127Q or 1137Q and would like to enroll in CHEM 1148Q, email Prof. Adamson for permission.

This Honors version of CHEM 1128Q will complete the general chemistry sequence for any science major and for pre-med/pre-dent requirements.

CHEM 1148Q has a smaller lecture section than CHEM 1128Q. and it requires more personal initiative in the laboratory assignments. It also uses some calculus, compared to the algebra used in CHEM 1128Q.

CA 3-Lab, Q
TOI-6L, Q