Honors Discovery Seminars Course Descriptions

MONDAY 

Building Wearable Technology

Monday, 9:05 AM - 9:55 AM 

Wearable technology allows us to leverage miniaturized electronic systems to collect continuous physiological or environmental data for research, healthcare, and consumer products. In this hands-on seminar, you will design and build a simple wearable technology prototype to explore a creative idea or test a basic concept. Examples include a hat that measures sun exposure, a wearable posture tracker, or a body temperature logging vest. No prior engineering or coding experience is required. Beginner-friendly, plug-and-play electronic modules will be provided to allow for rapid prototyping without complex circuit design or programming.

In class, we will focus entirely on fabrication in the makerspace, introducing you to basic electronics, 3D printing, and laser cutting. Outside of class, you will be guided through the foundational steps of applied research. You will identify a simple research question, conduct a brief literature review of existing devices, and deploy your wearable to collect real-world data. The course culminates in a report and brief presentation documenting your prototype and visualizing your collected data.

Instructor: Shira Epstein

Class #29817 

Section: 01 

Speaking Academically

Monday, 9:05 AM - 9:55 AM 

This course provides Commonwealth Honors students with exposure to and practice with speaking on academic topics including research findings and critical analysis. Emphasis is placed on speaking to academic audiences both in and outside of one's field. Students learn about public speaking expectations for presenting at conferences, seminars, and in thesis/dissertation defenses.

Topics covered include effective delivery (diction, tone, volume, rate, etc.), physical presence, visual aids, question and answer sessions, speaking collaboratively, and presenting both in person and remotely.

Instructor: Eric Holmes 

Class #29827

Section: 04  

Introduction to New England Town Planning

Monday, 10:10 AM - 11:00 AM 

The purpose of this seminar is to develop an understanding of how town planners across New England help to guide the future prosperity of communities, ensure an improved quality of life and protect the environment. It will begin with a discussion of the evolution of community planning in New England from the time of the Puritans forward to the present. It will then explain how planning functions today and why it is taking on increasing importance. The course will then address the functional areas of the field and how they are applied in practice. Finally, the class will reflect on the place of planning in an American political and ideological context and for the future. This seminar employs both in-person lectures and discussions based on the readings. Student participation is strongly encouraged.

Instructor: John Mullin 

Class #29804  

Section: 05 

Mind, Media, and Moral Futures: Interconnection in the Digital Age

Monday, 11:15 AM - 12:05 PM 

This seminar invites students from all majors to explore how media shape attention, emotion, knowledge, and ethical responsibility in a world increasingly defined by digital saturation and emerging artificial intelligence. Grounded in the concept of interconnection, the course asks: how might we critically understand, research, and create media in ways that consciously support human well-being, equity, and planetary responsibility?

Through short readings, media examples, guided discussion, and collaborative activities, students will examine how contemporary media environments influence perception, identity, and public discourse, while reflecting on the relationship between inner awareness, technological systems, and our collective futures. The course introduces key skills central to Honors thesis work, including defining a research question, identifying and evaluating sources, and developing clear, well-structured arguments, in line with the seminar’s emphasis on writing, research, and thesis preparation.

Students will complete a sequence of scaffolded assignments, including weekly analytical responses and a mini research portfolio through which they develop skills in source identification, evaluation, and synthesis around a focused question. The course culminates in a collaborative podcast project, in which teams of students produce short episodes that translate research into concise, public-facing storytelling. 

Designed as an accessible, discussion-based seminar, this course emphasizes critical thinking, reflective practice, and interdisciplinary inquiry, equipping students with essential skills for Honors thesis work and future professional contexts.

Instructor: Dhardon Sharling 

Class #29805

Section: 07

Plants in the Archive

Monday, 2:30 PM - 3:20 PM 

Why do people collect plants? And what do these collections, from houseplants to heirloom seeds, reveal about those who assemble them? What and whose knowledge gets saved, and what is lost? From within the environmental humanities and the emerging field of plant studies, this seminar asks you to jettison ideas of a dusty archive and engage instead with the myriad botanical collections growing across our own campus. Visits to glasshouses will introduce living collections and their roles in pleasure as well as conservation. Seed libraries will prompt questions about preservation, access, and the future of biodiversity. Work with herbaria will uncover the histories and methods behind pressed plant specimens, from colonial collecting to contemporary scientific research. 

By semester’s end, you will have a deeper understanding of both plants as biological and cultural subjects and of green archives as dynamic sites of meaning-making. Assignments include a proposal with annotated bibliography for an original research project and the creation of a personal botanical archive. Through field trips, guest speakers, and hands-on sessions, students will develop core research skills, including those needed for their own archival projects and interdisciplinary inquiry.

Instructor: Jennifer Minnen

Class #29819

Section: 09

How Computer Engineering Shapes Humanity: Empowerment, Control, or Collapse?

Monday, 2:30 PM - 3:20 PM 

Computer engineering has revolutionized nearly every aspect of modern life — from communication and healthcare to warfare and surveillance. But as embedded systems, AI accelerators, and digital infrastructure grow increasingly powerful and autonomous, so too do questions about control, responsibility, and unintended consequences.

This course explores how innovations in computer engineering—both hardware and software—shape human behavior, social structures, and global systems. Students will critically examine whether these transformations have improved or undermined the quality of life, freedom, and sustainability.

Through interactive discussions, case analyses, and reflective writing, students will question the often-unexamined assumption that technological progress equals social progress.

Instructor: Nikhil Saxena

Class #29828 

Section: 10

Supernatural Studies

Monday, 5:30 PM - 6:20 PM 

Supernatural Studies is an emerging field of interdisciplinary research that spans the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. This Honors Discovery Seminar is an introduction to that field and to the supernatural as a significant form of creative and social experience, with a special emphasis on supernatural folklore.

This course takes a critical approach to claims of the supernatural; it examines supernatural phenomena through a lens of intellectual skepticism, critical thinking, critique of groundless interpretations, and a demand for evidence. However, this course also recognizes the supernatural as a nearly universal human expression that warrants respect for cultural diversity, deep understanding of divergent worldviews, and ethically-sound examination of historical contexts. Students who enroll in this course will practice applying the insights and methods of their majors to supernatural phenomena and demonstrating awareness of the rich traditions of others.

Specific topics include the range of theories to explain the supernatural and related concepts such as the paranormal, the numinous, and the occult; the role of the supernatural in the creation and redress of political and social tensions; its correlation with practices of belief and pseudoscience; its aesthetic appeal and manifestation in a range of genres, texts, and performances; and its role in maintaining, negotiating, and altering cultural expressions of community and shared identity. The course will illuminate these concepts with reference to figures of the supernatural in folklore, literature, and popular culture, including ghosts, vampires, zombies, fairies, giants, witches, certain monsters, and cosmic beings.

Weekly meetings require students to read a written lecture composed by the professor (a specialist in Folklore Studies) and additional materials to participate in classroom discussion. Over the course of the semester, students will prepare a portfolio of work relevant to their major and to their plans for an Honors Thesis or Project. This will necessitate individual consultations with the professor to determine the best practices for their specific research agenda and the appropriate types of writing and revision or alternative presentation materials. There are no exams, quizzes, or related tests of knowledge; students instead will have agency to develop their intellectual contributions.

Instructor: Stephen Olbrys Gencarella

Class #29820 

Section: 11

TUESDAY 

Research Experiences in Reimagining Justice

Tuesday, 8:30 AM - 9:20 AM 

This course combines an honors seminar with an add-on independent study course to engage students in learning about and engaging in ongoing social science research. Students will participate in ongoing research via the Reimagining Justice Lab about hidden sentence laws: laws that apply sanctions on people with criminal records beyond that of their formal sentence of imprisonment, probation, or criminal fines. These laws punish via restrictions on employment, business and occupational licenses, driver's licenses, welfare, housing, educational access, voting, judicial rights, family rights, property rights and other forms of civil and social rights. In this course, students will learn about hidden sentences and participate in researching the historical origins of hidden sentences in the United States, tracing their legislative logics and social development throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The course will cover the topic of hidden sentences, its relationship to contemporary social science and policy research on the penal system and social inequalities, and the intricacies of archival and online-archival data collection and analysis. 

NOTE: Students who enroll in this seminar will also be enrolled in a mandatory 3-credit honors independent study (HONORS 396ISH) that can be applied towards a CHC requirement. The independent study will provide students with active experience in an ongoing research project and collaboration with peers as a team of researchers, while the seminar will offer multiple chances for students to interact, reflect on their own research agendas and potential thesis plans, and receive ongoing mentorship as budding social science researchers.

Instructor: Joshua Kaiser 

Class #29821

Section: 13

Introduction to Arts-Based Research

Tuesday, 8:30 AM - 9:20 AM 

Why do we always turn in the same kind of final papers and assignments? How can we share what we know in different ways and with different audiences? Have you ever wondered about using the arts to explore and share what you know?

This course will provide a basic introduction to arts-based research methods, which means, using the arts to understand things AND express our understanding of things.

We are going to experiment with visual, performance, movement and creative writing/drawing methods to “try out” how it feels to use these methods in whatever our “home” discipline might be. Our course objectives include:

• Demonstrating understanding the basics of arts-based research
• Engaging with the arts through class activities
• Making connections between the art explorations you make and your own work in your major/discipline
• Making a concrete plan for how you might use an arts-based approach for a major assignment in a class in your major area of study/your discipline.

We are going to have fun and hopefully do some low-pressure exploration, then put together a folio of our attempts along with a piece of writing about ourselves as artists across disciplines. The name of the game here is to LEARN and GROW and support each other. We are also embracing a philosophy of LESS is MORE. That means we are going to stay relaxed and flexible. Try your best, show up, be not afraid, and know that this is a safe place to practice what we learn.

Instructor: Sally Pirie 

Class #29843  

Section: 22 

Sustainable and Resilient City

Tuesday, 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM 

The seminar will explore what it means to be a sustainable and resilient city in the United States and throughout the world. Mitigating and adapting to climate change is just one piece of this examination, but building resilience to be prepared for any shock, such as changing demographics, lack of affordable housing, economic shocks, are all critically important. We will explore the concepts of sustainability and resilience and discuss how these concepts apply to cities and the built environment and how communities can become more sustainable, resilient, vibrant, and healthy. We will approach this while exploring different perspectives and disciplines.

As a seminar, students will learn from both the instructor and from other students, with a significant part of each class dedicated to student presentations, class discussions, and co-learning. 

Student Learning Objectives are: 

1. Develop knowledge and understanding of sustainability and resiliency at the local scale and from cross- disciplinary perspectives
2. Explore relevant actions and approaches 
3. Develop research question ideating, research, literature review, writing, and presentation skills that enable any research project
4. Develop a conceptual framework to real world opportunities and challenges.

Instructor: Wayne Feiden 

Class #29813

Section: 14

Cover Stories: Analyzing the Powerful Narratives that Document and Shape Our World

Tuesday, 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM 

In this era of media mistrust and shrinking attention spans, it’s easy to overlook the extraordinary work being done by journalists—especially the in-depth, creative, and courageous feature stories regularly published by leading magazines. This seminar invites students to slow down and engage with the best of today’s contemporary nonfiction and examine the narratives that shape how we understand current events, culture, identity, and power.

Each week, we’ll discuss one recent feature from a major publication, including The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, Wired, and Texas Monthly. Questions we’ll ask include: How were these stories reported? What makes them "cover or feature worthy"? Are they constructed to inform, persuade, or provoke? Do they accurately shed light on current events? What questions do they raise but leave unanswered?

Alongside our readings, students will complete short weekly observation, writing, and/or editing exercises designed to sharpen attention and writing skills.

Instructor: Caroline Winter 

Class #29808

Section: 16

How Science and Technology Change the World for Better, Worse, Neither, Both

Tuesday, 11:30 AM - 12:20 PM 

Many companies in the technology sector tout their use of AI or other technologies to “change the world” or “shape the future”. Such proclamations never address whether these transformations are desirable or desired, whether they are good or bad for the world, and by what authority these companies or individuals make such transformations of the world. (By contrast, one often needs permission from local authorities to transform one’s own backyard, much less the world.) The same questions pertain to new scientific developments.

The course will begin with a discussion of the classical moral/ethical principles of Socrates, Aristotle, and others (Kant, Bentham). These will be compared with the new moral/ethical problems raised by large-scale, possibly world-wide, adoption of more recent (and contemporary) technologies.

The class will consist of in-depth discussions of the following questions in addition to those mentioned above:

• What were the effects of particular technologies on the world or on society?
• Is technological advancement the same as human progress?
• Should the development and deployment of certain technologies be limited or prohibited?
• Should government and corporate power due to advanced technology be reined in?

These will be discussed using examples of scientific/technological developments from antiquity to the present, including current events.

Instructor: Joseph Horowitz

Class #29829

Section: 17

Research as a Journey

Tuesday, 2:30 PM - 3:20 PM 

This course aims to expand your understanding of research as a learning journey. The course provides a practical understanding of the purposes and processes of research. The course will expose you to the cycle of research by identifying a research problem, reviewing literature on a topic of interest to you, developing a research hypothesis or research questions/s, looking into specific research design approaches, and developing a methodology to collect data to answer your question and/or test the hypothesis.

The course follows a seminar format involving brief lectures, discussions, group activities, peer review, and individual projects. The course will enable you to approach research as a learning process to systematically examine a problem by developing skills to make informed decisions. Students are expected to work in small collaborative teams as critical friends to review each other's drafts and provide peer feedback.

Below are the learning outcomes:

• Conceptualize the focus of your research by identifying an issue or a problem – the What of research.
• Articulate a clear and concise research argument.
• Create interesting, doable, research questions/hypotheses.
• Explore different approaches that will inform your research hypotheses/questions and make informed choices about the selection of research design and methods – the How of research.
• Distinguish and apply one or multiple research methods and tools, such as surveys, interviews, focus-group discussions, and archival analysis, to carry out your research.
• Understand the choices influencing research ethics and credibility.

Instructor: Javid Mussawy 

Class #29833  

Section: 18

Use AI Agents to Do Good and Ethical Social Science Research

Tuesday, 2:30 PM - 3:20 PM 

AI is often framed as a challenge to academic learning, yet AI agents now enable small teams to conduct research that exceeds their existing capacities. This seminar treats AI not as a replacement for thinking, but as a co-intelligence partner that expands what student researchers can do. Students bring intellectual curiosity; AI agents help execute beyond what was only possible previously for large teams through extensive training.

Through hands-on projects, students learn to orchestrate agents as research collaborators. The workflow begins with sharpening research questions that matter to civil society by refining vague interests into precise, researchable inquiries that guide targeted literature discovery. Students then deploy AI systems to conduct comprehensive searches and synthesize state-of-the-art analysis, while maintaining human oversight through critical evaluation and audit protocols. The course emphasizes human stewardship: students design guardrails ensuring agentic research retains intellectual originality, methodological rigor, and serves public interest.

Students develop three core thesis skills: 

• defining a researchable question and matching it to appropriate methodologies through agentic workflow design 
• compiling literature review by managing AI-assisted discovery with human critical evaluation
• iterative writing and revision that transforms AI outputs into original arguments with proper attribution and scholarly voice

Topics include foundational understanding of LLMs and AI agents; major social scientific critiques of these systems; "vibe coding" research pipelines without writing code; and human-in-the-loop guardrail design. Accessible to all majors—no advanced technical knowledge required.

Instructor: Weiai Xu

Class #29834

Section: 19

The Credibility Crisis: Who (and What) Can We Trust?

Tuesday, 4:00 PM - 4:50 PM 

In an era where information is abundant, but trust is fragile, the ability to evaluate credibility is an essential intellectual skill. This seminar invites students from all disciplines to examine how knowledge is produced, communicated, and contested across academic, professional, and public contexts. Through case studies drawn from media, social platforms, artificial intelligence, and academic research, students will explore how data can be used—and misused—to shape beliefs and decisions.

Students will learn to move beyond surface-level engagement with sources and instead ask critical questions: 

• What makes evidence credible? 
• How are research questions constructed? 
• When does data mislead rather than inform? 

Emphasis will be placed on developing the foundational skills necessary for Honors thesis work, including defining researchable questions, conducting and synthesizing literature reviews, evaluating methodologies, and communicating findings clearly to diverse audiences.

Students will practice translating complex ideas into accessible, persuasive formats, research summaries, and oral presentations. The seminar culminates in a final project in which students investigate a credibility-related question of their choosing and present their findings in both academic and public-facing formats.

By the end of the course, students will not only be more discerning consumers of information but also more effective producers of credible, research-driven arguments.

Instructor: Kerry O'Grady

Class #29842

Section: 21

WEDNESDAY 

Black Liberation and Labor in the Long 20th Century: Introduction

Wednesday, 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM 

This course will look at the relationship between Black Liberation and labor struggles since the defeat of Reconstruction in 1877. It will focus on how Black workers fought employers but also had to fight other workers for higher wages, unions, and racial equality. The course will start with what the defeat of Reconstruction meant for Black workers who found themselves as sharecroppers in the South. The course will end by looking at the efforts of Black workers attempt to unionize Amazon in Bessemer, Alabama.

By the end of class students will have: a) an introductory grasp of Black liberation and labor struggles, b) an understanding of the state of the field, c) the skills to write a literature review, and d) the skills to use academic databases.

Instructor: Shemon Salam 

Class #29844 

Section: 23

AI As a Skill Augmentation Tool

Wednesday, 9:05 AM - 9:55 AM 

In today’s rapidly evolving academic and professional landscape, the ability to leverage cutting-edge technology can be a crucial advantage. This honors seminar explores how Artificial Intelligence can serve as a powerful augmentation tool across the entire spectrum of a student’s skill set, from research and writing to coding and professional presentation. Designed specifically for honors students preparing to finalize their thesis and transition to the job market, this course offers a hands-on, immersive experience to help learners develop AI-driven strategies that will elevate both their academic work and future career prospects.

We begin by examining AI-enabled writing platforms, focusing on the ways these tools can refine style, strengthen argumentation, and expedite the editing process. Students then delve into AI-based research methods that streamline literature review, enhance brainstorming, and support the development of methodologies for scholarly work. Alongside these core activities, participants learn how coding support tools can accelerate data wrangling, simplify visualization, and support statistical analyses. To conclude, the course explores AI’s potential as a personal presentation coach, helping students craft concise, persuasive research presentations and sharpen their interview and job-search materials.

Through guided discussions, hands-on labs, and projects, students will gain both conceptual knowledge and practical competence with the leading AI resources that can transform a routine task into an opportunity for innovation. This seminar fosters critical thinking and ethical reflection on the use of AI, ensuring that students develop not just technical skills but also the discernment necessary to harness AI responsibly. By the end of the seminar, honors students will be able to confidently integrate AI into their academic projects and leverage these newfound capabilities in their professional pursuits.

Instructor: Christian Rojas

Class #29845

Section: 24

The Order of Things: Measuring the Salience and Valence of Presidential Executive Orders

Wednesday, 9:05 AM - 9:55 AM 

Presidential executive orders have become a central pathway by which federal policy is created and changed. They’re used to address a wide range of policy topics and have different valences. However, not all receive the same level of public attention, meaning some are more salient to the public than others. Over the course of the semester, you participate in the creation of new measures of the salience of executive orders and their valence over time, as well possibly identifying the general topics they address. Throughout this process, you will learn what executive orders are, how their relative use has changed over time, why capturing salience is important for studies of US institutions, and work through what it means to create measures. Dependent on interest, there will be opportunities to additionally learn about AI applications for classification and measurement.

Concretely, students will gain (or further develop) project and time management skills, experience in honing and applying a codebook, a better understanding of the research process, and experiencing writing a brief.

Instructor: Kelsey Shoub

Class #29852

Section: 25

Blue Gold and World Water Wars

Wednesday, 10:10 AM - 11:00 AM 

The course will provide an overview of the emerging water scarcity crisis and conflicts throughout the Earth's system. Using case studies from around the world, students will learn about the nature, distribution, institutions, and conflicts related to water resources. Each class will involve video discussions, brainstorming sessions, a brief lecture, and exercises. Students can share ideas and interact with others through a course website and in classrooms. The interdisciplinary course offers a unique opportunity to learn from and interact with students from diverse majors. Grading will be based on weekly blogs students complete on the topic learned each week, followed by a final presentation. The presentation will be a particular case selected by the student. The course provides a scientific foundation for understanding the water crisis and strategies for addressing current and emerging water issues.

Instructor: Timothy Randhir 

Class #29853 

Section: 26

How to Argue Like Socrates

Wednesday, 11:15 PM - 12:05 PM 

This honors discovery seminar will consist in close reading of select “Socratic dialogues” by Plato. The purpose of the seminar is to help students train their close reading, analytic skills, critical thinking, and textual interpretation. Secondarily, the goal of the seminar is to provoke students to think about specific problems of the source of moral values, the nature of the good, the relationship between truth and beauty, and the distinction between knowledge and belief. The seminar will read a manageable amount of dialogue each week and consist in out-loud readings and dramatization of Socratic dialogues.

Instructor: Andrew March

Class #29859

Section: 27

Chinese American History through Film

Wednesday, 4:00 PM - 4:50 PM 

Through the viewing of full-length feature films and documentaries, this course takes you through the history of the Chinese in the United States, from the era of the Gold Rush in the 1850s, the succeeding decades of the exclusionary period of the late 1800s and the early 1900s, the roaring 20s, the Second World War, the Civil Rights Movement, and down to the tumultuous last fifty years. You will learn about discriminatory laws such as the Page Law Act of 1875, the experiences of second-generation Chinese Americans such as Anna May Wong, the travails of undocumented Chinese caught in the steamship Golden Venture, the model minority myth, and much more. Apart from learning about the historical experiences of Chinese Americans, we will also discuss pertinent themes such as racism, gender, capitalism, and orientalism. Course requirements include viewing a film or documentary every class session, classroom written assignments, and a three-minute presentation/discussion of what you’ve learned on topics related to the course during the semester. There will also be a dinner at a local Chinese restaurant sometime during the semester.

Instructor: Richard Chu 

Class #29865

Section: 29

THURSDAY 

Biomedicine: Disease Mechanisms and Therapeutics

Thursday, 8:30 AM - 9:20 AM 

In this course, you will read scientific literature exploring molecular mechanisms underlying human health and disease. We will discuss the genetics, molecular biology, and physiology of selected diseases or disorders and, if applicable, the treatment options available for those diseases. Students lead each week’s discussion and choose the topic in accordance with their own interests. There will also be shorter and longer presentations on a human disease/treatment of the presenters’ choice and opportunities to write and reflect on each week's readings.

Instructor: Laura Francis

Class #29866

Section: 30

Revisioning the New Deal

Thursday, 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM 

How does the legacy of the 1930s New Deal era resonate with our present and future? A range of media texts will introduce some key historical forces of the 1930‐40s, Great Depression‐WWII era massive unemployment and the crisis of capitalism, industrial unionism, left-wing political and cultural activism, government programs including the WPA and Federal Arts Projects, racial inequality, and the military‐industrial complex. Relevant contemporary issues to be considered include economic inequality, systemic racism, neoliberalism, and contemporary activist movements. Short, weekly written assignments will be reviewed for coherence, clarity, grammar, and voice. Learner presentations will include historical photos and illustrations.

Instructor: Joel Saxe

Class #29867

Section: 31

The Human-Animal Bond: Exploring Our Relationship with Other Species

Thursday, 11:30 AM - 12:20 PM 

The human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals and is influenced by behaviors considered essential to the health and well-being of both. Human-animal interactions go well beyond the strong emotional bonds that people have with their pets. From service dogs to equine-assisted activities and therapies, the healing power of animals enriches our lives in many ways. In this course, we will explore the emotional, psychological, and physical interactions of people, animals, and the environment. Students will choose topics that matter most to their groups, review research on specific human-animal interactions, and evaluate the impact on human health and animal welfare.

Instructor: Cassandra Uricchio

Class #29868

Section: 32

The Art of the Personal: Memory, Storytelling, and Research

Thursday, 1:00 PM - 1:50 PM 

This seminar explores how personal experience, memory, and storytelling can serve as powerful forms of inquiry and research. Through creative exercises, discussion, and reflective writing, students will investigate how artists, writers, and thinkers transform lived experience into meaningful work that resonates with broader audiences. Particular attention will be given to the ways personal narratives can open up larger cultural, social, and historical questions.

Rather than focusing on traditional academic writing, the course emphasizes a conversational and exploratory approach. Students will be encouraged to take risks, follow intuitive lines of thought, and experiment with different modes of expression. Over the course of the semester, they will develop personal projects—visual, written, or hybrid—that draw on memory, identity, and lived experience, while also learning how to shape these ideas into clear questions and communicable forms.

Readings and examples will span a range of disciplines, offering multiple ways to think about storytelling as a method of research. No prior experience in art or creative writing is required. The course is open to students from all majors who are interested in creative expression, curiosity, and self-directed exploration.

Instructor: Nima Nikakhlagh

Class #29869

Section: 33

Art Investigations

Thursday, 2:30 PM - 3:20 PM 

This course will concentrate on exhibitions in the museum, galleries, and public places on campus to investigate issues in contemporary art and society. Developing critical thinking skills, historical perspectives, and visual literacy, students will engage in discussion, write short essays, and respond in other ways to the wide range of art on display. 

Instructor: Gary Orlinsky 

Class #29870 

Section: 34

This Is America: Race and Racism in American Popular Music 

Tuesday, 2:30 PM - 3:20 PM 

Music is a powerful lens for viewing, exploring, and analyzing society, its people, concerns, and hopes. In addition to unleashing human creativity for centuries, music has been used to uncover injustices and advocate for others. In other cases, music has perpetuated society’s shortcomings and pitfalls.

The purpose of this course is to use American music as a lens for exploring race and racism in the U.S. context. From minstrel shows to rock and roll, to modern-day hip-hop, music can speak to the American racial identity and the realities of racism that have existed throughout history. By engaging with readings, recordings, and music videos, students will understand how music reflects race and racism in the U.S. and analyze how music can perpetuate and perturb racial injustices.

Students will recognize the significance of popular music as cultural artifacts that convey social reality and the music industry as complicit in perpetuating systems of oppression. Students will use the knowledge gained to research a pertinent social issue through the lens of music, such as poverty, gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, or another issue of their choice. Students will articulate how music has addressed the issue through specific examples and relevant literature.

Students will prepare a bibliography of academic sources (journal articles and books) from various disciplines and specify how these sources speak to or contradict their argument and analysis. Students will also use audio-visual media to convey their ideas to a non-academic audience (e.g., TikTok videos, podcasts, slam poetry performances, movement or dance).

Instructor: Musbah Shaheen

Class #35475  

Section: 35

AI in Mechanical Engineering

Thursday, 4:00 PM - 4:50 PM 

This seminar introduces undergraduate students to the growing role of artificial intelligence in mechanical engineering. The course focuses on practical AI tools and methods that can be used in areas such as fluid mechanics, heat transfer, manufacturing, robotics, system identification, design optimization, and predictive modeling. Students will learn the basic concepts of machine learning, data-driven modeling, and physics-informed approaches, with emphasis on how these methods can support engineering analysis and senior design or thesis projects.

The seminar is designed to build useful skills that students can apply in future academic and professional work. Topics include data preparation, model training and validation, interpretation of results, limitations of AI models, and ethical considerations in engineering applications. Students will also be introduced to commonly used computational environments and simple case studies relevant to mechanical engineering.

By the end of the seminar, students will be able to identify suitable engineering problems for AI-based approaches, understand the workflow of building a basic predictive model, and critically evaluate whether AI is an appropriate tool for a given mechanical engineering task. The course will help prepare students for senior projects that involve simulation, experimentation, or data analysis, while also giving them a foundation for future study in modern computational engineering methods.

Instructor: Ehsan Roohi Golkhatmi

Class #35476

Section: 36

Philosophy of Freedom

Thursday, 4:00 PM - 4:50 PM 

In 1893, Austrian philosopher/scientist, Rudolf Steiner, published a book exploring the basis for free will. His analysis of consciousness found intuitive thinking, the reflective thinking through which we acquire new concepts, to be the basis for freedom of choice, in contrast to Immanuel Kant's categorical imperative. Steiner founded various ongoing movements (Waldorf Education, Camphill communities supporting neurodiverse persons, biodynamic agriculture, etc.). Of his many books, he especially urged people to read this one, to truly enrich their lives. In this course we follow Steiner's logic, using critical reasoning, to identify flaws in various dualist philosophies, develop an understanding of intuitive thinking and free will, and explore the implications for ethics.

Each week you will summarize a chapter in writing by condensing each paragraph to a sentence, which is essential to grasping his intense chain of reasoning, and write at least one discussion question. We will also explore a series of contemplative exercises he recommended for developing deeper capacities for intuitive thinking.

Instructor: Charles Weems

Class #35477

Section: 37

FRIDAY 

Studying Organizations with Data: From Surveys to Big Data

Friday, 9:05 AM - 9:55 AM 

Organizations shape nearly every aspect of modern life from nonprofits and foundations to corporations and governments. But how do we study organizations in a rigorous and systematic way? What kinds of data allow us to understand how they make decisions, distribute resources, and create (or fail to create) social impact?

This seminar introduces core approaches to organizational research, focusing on how different types of data, including surveys, interviews, administrative records, and emerging forms of “big data”, are used to answer meaningful questions. Using real-world examples such as nonprofit financial filings and organizational surveys, students will explore both the opportunities and limitations of these data sources.

Through accessible readings, discussion, and hands-on activities, we will examine how researchers measure abstract concepts like power, participation, and impact; identify bias in data; and evaluate trade-offs in research design. A central goal is to build foundational research skills. Students will learn to formulate researchable questions, identify appropriate data sources, and critically assess evidence.

Assignments are scaffolded toward a final mini research proposal. Students will complete short reading reflections, a guided data exploration exercise, and an annotated bibliography on a topic of their choice. The final project requires students to develop a research question, identify a feasible date source, and outline an empirical strategy, culminating in a brief presentation.

By the end of the course, students will gain practical tools to support their Honors thesis and future research endeavors.

Instructor: Viviana Wu

Class #29864

Section: 28

Hidden Landscapes

Friday, 10:10 AM - 11:00 AM 

This class will explore under-studied and under-valued landscapes in American cities. Using a case study approach, the class will look at historical and contemporary examples of invisible, unsanctioned, and under-appreciated types of landscapes, and interrogate the values that underpin their relative distance from the public eye. Many of these spaces have developed apart from normative design and planning processes, and yet they serve enormously important functions for groups and individuals. Examples of such types of places include foraging landscapes, redlining maps, and public memorials. These counter-hegemonic narratives have much to offer more dominant planning practice, and by unpacking hidden landscapes, students will articulate points of potential impact or influence. Each student will take on the research of a compelling typology, and present their findings to the class.

Instructor: Carey Clouse

Class #35620

Section: 39