UNIV 1784 Sections

Frederick Biggs

This seminar will ask you to consider the changes that AI is bringing to research and writing in your fields of study. My own are early medieval English literature (for example, Beowulf) and the teaching of grammar—I’m completing a book to replace The Elements of Style—and so some of what we cover may be drawn from these areas. However, your main contributions, which will take the form of weekly discussion board posts and a final brief presentation to the class, may be related to any field which interests you.

Philip Hritcko

This course is designed for Honors students interested in healthcare careers. The U.S. healthcare system is characterized by paradoxes where we have the best and most advanced technology available, yet we have persistent and increasing disparities within our health system. I will provide an introduction to what it means to be a health care professional in the 21st century, how the American healthcare system functions, and the myriad of opportunities within the healthcare industry for students to consider. In addition, this course will allow students to explore a broad range of research opportunities that are available at UConn and specifically at the School of Pharmacy.

Alison Paul

The term graphic novel was coined in 1967 but did not gain popularity until the late 1980s, when works like Art Spiegelman’s Maus and Alan Moore’s Watchmen were published. This was the first time mainstream comic book storytelling broke away from standard single issues printed on pulp paper. In later years the term would come to mean any long-form story that is mainly visual. We are currently in a golden age of graphic novels where anyone, regardless of age, gender identity, and/or race/ethnicity can tell their story, fiction or non-fiction. Join me as we look at the history and theory of the graphic novel, read some classic and current works, and do some writing and drawing of your own!

If you are thinking about the health professions, the “calling” usually comes from a confluence of the ideas of science and service. You have a fascination to learn and know as much as you can about the magnificent machinery of the human body, from cells to tissues to organs to organ systems to populations. You have a desire to discover new science. You also have a thirst for personal fulfillment through service to others. All callings and professional inclinations emerge from the comingling, juxtaposing, or clash of great ideas.

The purpose of this seminar is to orient you to the college experience, to get your feet on the ground, and to start you running with your interests, ambitions, goals, and promises to yourself. Through exploration of The Great Ideas, each of you will open windows to recognizing your own interests, strengths, ambitions, and dreams. There are so many wonderful historic and inspirational figures to hear from and to contemplate on their contributions to the great conversation that is in each of us.

Valerie Duffy

"Taste and smell allow us to interact with the chemicals that drive our behaviors toward food, the environment and each other. Although these senses have not received the attention they deserve, two examples highlight their importance. One of the early symptoms of COVID-19 is loss of the sense of smell and the ability to “taste” food. Furthermore, discovery of the genetic basis of olfaction was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2004.

This course exposes students to the interdisciplinary nature of studying these senses (e.g., from basic biology, to food science, engineering, neurology, psychology, behavior, and health). Classes build on the student’s goals, making connections between their plan of study, the class content, current science and everyday examples through in-class participation with taste and smell examples from our foods and environment. The class culminates with an interdisciplinary project for which students learn how to think creatively about an issue based on their interests integrated with scientific inquiry. The critical-thinking skills developed in this class are transferrable to any field of study."

Jennifer Schaefer

Beloved or dangerous. Ordered or chaotic. Modern or backward. What motivated these conflicting descriptions of Latin American cities? Why were cities like Buenos Aires, Havana, Mexico City, and Rio de Janeiro so important as sites of political and economic power? This course answers these questions by exploring the histories of Latin America cities from the colonial period to the present. It considers how urban spaces shaped people’s identities and daily lives and how these cities became places of national and global influence.

Emily Schwab

Do you find yourself doodling in the margins of your Physics notes? Singing while you do the dishes? Spending more time formatting your Powerpoint and adding animations than practicing your presentation? These are signs not of a distracted, but a beautifully creative mind. In this course, we’ll explore how creativity is fundamental to all learning and how we can foster our creativity like any other skill. Designed for students across disciplines and for all levels of creative inclination, this class will strengthen our creativity through observation, curiosity, and practice. Class sessions will be hands-on and will primarily feature writing and art-making activities as practical tools to extend our creativity. By the end of our time, you will have a better perspective as to the role creativity can play in your life and how you might figure in creativity to your future academic and career planning.

Amanda Douberley

Among UConn’s wealth of resources are campus collections that house everything from works of art like paintings and sculptures to rare books, original manuscripts, championship trophies, fossils, and puppets. Why were these collections originally assembled and how are they used today – by museum professionals, campus visitors, and researchers (including you!)? In this course you will get a peek behind the scenes at campus collections, learn about opportunities to conduct research using primary sources, and explore how collections can help preserve cultural heritage, enhance observation skills, and foster dialogue. Join the curator from the William Benton Museum of Art for a wide-ranging look at UConn’s campus treasures.

Jennifer Lease Butts

National Lampoon's Animal House is a landmark 1978 film that arguably created the genre of the "college movie." More recent examples like National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002), Old School (2003), Accepted (2006), The House Bunny (2008), Pitch Perfect (2012) and the sequel (2015), and Monster's University (2013), among many others, follow in similar footsteps. What do all of these films have in common? They are telling a story about college and the college experience. Most of us know that these portrayals of college life are not the full picture of college life, or part of it, or perhaps not it at all. So what is the college experience? In this course we will examine representations of college life in a variety of films and deconstruct film themes. As we do this, we will discuss the college you are coming to know as a new student here at UConn and encourage you to construct your own narrative about your college experience. Assignments include short papers, a presentation, and a creative project. In addition, we will cover basic aspects of film criticism to aid you as you work with these films and their subject matter.

Dexter Gabriel

TBA

Ryan Talbert

"The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. As such, racial health disparities are systematic, inequitable, and avoidable differences in health across socially defined ethnoracial populations. This course will explore the study of racial health disparities using insights from sociology, public health, medicine, and social epidemiology. This course will include discussion of (1) theories, arguments, and methods of the sociological study of health; (2) the social distribution of health, illness, and access to care; and (3) the promotion of health equity and amelioration of health disparities."

Olivier Morand

"Students will read a set of seminal papers and works following a path through demography, economics, cosmology, art history, literature, poetry, physics (and more), and discuss their relevance to everyday life. Readings will include “The Anthropic Principle” (Scientific American, 1981), The Tragedy of the Commons by G. Harding, “On the Origin of Religion” (Science, 2009), and extracts from Basho’s poetry."

Daniel Burkey

What can a science fiction television series tell us about the real world? More than you might think.In this seminar, we will use episodes and themes from the Star Trek universe as a framework to explore pressing contemporary issues in society. Topics may include ethics of artificial intelligence, diversity and inclusion, war and diplomacy, technological disruption, environmental sustainability, and the responsibilities of leadership. While Star Trek imagines the future, its stories are deeply rooted in the social, political, and ethical challenges of its time – and ours.No prior knowledge of Star Trek is required. Through guided viewing, discussion, and short reflective assignments, students will analyze how speculative fiction can illuminate real-world problems and expand our thinking about possible futures. Students will also have opportunities to connect course themes to their own academic interests and career goals.This course emphasizes active discussion, critical thinking, and the exchange of ideas in a small seminar setting. By the end of the semester, students will not only have a deeper appreciation for Star Trek, but also a richer understanding of how narrative, technology, and society intersect.

Samuel Best

Orienting to College prepares first-year students for the academic and personal demands of university life. The course introduces strategies for effective learning, critical thinking, research, time management, and academic integrity while familiarizing students with campus resources and expectations. Through discussion and reflection, students will be taught skills and habits necessary for long-term academic success.

Bruce Blanchard
Lauren Corso

"College students often encounter new, and sometimes scary, health issues. This course will discuss health issues relevant to college students and the role of the clinical laboratory in unmasking these medical monsters."

Robert Astur

Why do we crave certain things, make impulsive choices, or develop habits that are hard to break? This interdisciplinary seminar explores how brain systems - especially those involved in memory, reward, and self-control - shape our habits and decisions. Drawing on cutting-edge research from neuroscience, we’ll explore how tech both seduces us and helps us study the neural basis of addiction. Using research from behavioral science, neuroimaging, and virtual reality, we’ll investigate a range of addictive behaviors, including those related to substances, digital technology, food, and gambling. Students will learn to critically evaluate how science is represented in the media, distinguish between scientific evidence and sensationalism, and reflect on the ethical implications of applying brain science to treatment, public health, and policy.

Thomas Seery

Society has benefitted greatly from advances in science. But science is done by human beings and the human factor enters into the process at almost every point. Although the process of science is intended to be self-correcting, sometimes that takes longer than we would like. It took some time to uncover the true nature of such historical “discoveries” as N-Rays, Polywater, and Cold Fusion. But the persistence of skeptics eventually won out. Science is used in our courtrooms and to guide public policy – How do we apply standards to complex and highly technical topics when laymen must sit in judgment? In this course we will talk about some of the monumental failures of science as well as some of the more controversial ways in which science enters the public domain through the use of expert witness testimony, contributions to public policy and government regulation. Students in the course will work in groups to develop case studies and present their findings to the class.

Elaine Choung-Hee Lee

Fundamentally important skills required for success at work, strong leadership and team skills, and management of the path to goal achievement are often acquired through life experiences and great mentors, but not always formally available to students and trainees early in their careers. This course will introduce you to professional and leadership development with focus on: 1) defining and maintaining both long-term and short-term vision for your career and goal setting, 2) problem-solving at work, school, and in your life, 3) managing relationships at work and in school, 3) applying organizational/behavioral psychology principles to your life and leadership success. The topics in this course will help you navigate tough school and work situations, challenging relationships with people at work, and start the study of leadership principles and strategic plans towards excellence. The teaching approach includes lecture, guest speakers, open discussion about problem-solving in leadership, project management, and academic/work performance case studies, and case-study reviews.

Stephen Stifano

TBA

Del Siegle

The purpose of this seminar is to help students develop their phone photography skills and see the world through new eyes. Emphasis is placed on using photography to communicate ideas and feelings. The course focuses less on the technical aspects of using a phone camera and more on developing the ability to see and capture visually interesting images to express abstract concepts.

Jorge Paricio

Exploration of methods for identifying user needs, gathering and organizing qualitative data, and transforming insights into compelling narratives. Emphasis is placed on interpreting raw data into visual and verbal stories that communicate industrial design opportunities. Class culminates in presentations that highlight user-driven insights through engaging formats. Public presentation and communication skills are key components of the course.

Micah Heumann

The Research Journey: Discovering Your Way introduces first-year Honors students to the world of academic research across disciplines. Through interactive workshops, discussions, and self-reflective activities, students will explore the process of inquiry, discover potential research pathways, and develop foundational skills for engaging in undergraduate research. Emphasis is placed on identifying personal interests, connecting with faculty and research opportunities, and understanding the role of research in advancing knowledge and solving real-world problems. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to take the next steps in their own research journey within and beyond the Honors Program.

Edward Weingart

"In addition to being a polymath and widely regarded as the archetype of the renaissance man, Leonardo da Vinci defined the intersection of Arts and Engineering. This course will explore Da Vinci’s artwork and inventions, how the two fit together, and examine how we can apply the two together in today’s world. Projects will include recreating a scale version of one of Da Vinci’s machines and creating your own design inspired by his work."

Diego Valente

"We live in a world where quantum information technology is more ubiquitous than ever, penetrating new areas of multidisciplinary research and industry such as data security, telecommunication systems, banking and financial markets. This course aims to develop basic literacy and basic understanding of concepts, ideas and the terminology utilized in the field of quantum information and quantum computing. We will review at first some of the underlying principles of quantum mechanics and the weirdness that challenges our intuition and observations of the macroscopic world we live in, but that also helped propel us into the 3rd Industrial Revolution: The Digital Revolution. We will then introduce some of the basic principles of a quantum computer and review what makes them fundamentally different from their classical counterparts. The last part of the course will survey applications of quantum computing and quantum information in various areas of society."

Lindsay Cummings

In this course, we will explore comedic theatre about serious issues. How might laughter help us address social injustice and tragedy? When is comedy an “appropriate” response to a crisis? How does theatre, an artform that puts the audience in the same room with the absurd, the ridiculous, and the outlandish, allow us to confront harsh realities? We will read such plays as Dario Fo’s Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Larissa Fasthorse’s The Thanksgiving Play, and Heidi Shreck’s What the Constitution Means to Me. With topics like police brutality, racism, and violence against women, these texts will help us consider playwright Lisa Kron’s claim that “humor and horror are flip sides of the same coin.”

Susanna Cowan

What is a witch? Dorothy’s murderous nemesis in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz? The affirming force in Wicked? The child-snatching crone in Hansel and Gretel? Marvel’s Scarlet Witch? Why can’t we make up our minds? I hope to have some fun in this course reading, viewing, and discussing witches from fiction and culture as we consider how witches have carried forward in history as symbols of both empowerment and threat. Assignments will vary and include prompts for reflection and creative response, “show and tell,” short presentation, and in-class work (solo and group).

Daniel Buttrey

"Well, not entirely. In this course, you’ll learn about digital photography while using your camera (phone) as a tool to explore UConn- the people places, and events that will shape the next four years. Time commitments to your coursework can at times can be daunting to say the least, this course provides you with a reason to break away from your desk and give your mind a chance flex some creative muscles. Assignments are designed to get you away from the desk and out in the world. Topics covered will be an introduction to camera operations, compositional techniques, image editing, and creativity theory. Often you’ll feel like you’re getting away with something, maybe even given a passport to trespass."

David Atkin

"This section of UNIV 1784 provides an introduction to the role of digital media in the American political process, particularly their influence on socio-political change. Topics include the relationships among digital media and legacy media, major political institutions, and citizenry; the interplay of the media, interest groups and the policymaking process. The class encompasses contexts ranging from ongoing policy debates to empirical surveys of technology adoption and influence in the realm of politics and journalism."

Nicholas Leadbeater

"Did you know that molecules that are used as life-savers can also be life-threatening when placed in the wrong hands? With components of forensic science and criminal investigation, in this course we will take a look at the nefarious side of well-known chemicals like adrenaline. No chemistry, forensic science, or law background is required – just an inquiring mind. We will work our way through a book of case studies and, in so doing, make some startling discoveries about human nature and the astounding capability of chemists to put the pieces of a puzzle together leading to the conviction of people who thought they had committed the perfect crime!"