The University of Florida Honors Program
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These are courses offered through departments across campus. They count as an Honors course and fulfill the normal slot of the regular course.
CALS and Exploratory Honors students will explore research experiences for undergraduate students in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Students will visit a variety of labs and research facilities around the college. Students will interact with faculty and participate in hands-on research activities, gaining a deeper understanding of the research opportunities in CALS. Students will be introduced to the process for participating in the CALS Honors Scholars Certificate program and graduating with high or highest honors.
Classes will start on August 25 and end on October 14.
Television’s Pasts looks at the intersection of television and history in a number of different ways, to deepen how students think about the complex relationships between this medium, cultural concerns, and social change. The course begins with the emergence of television programming in the 1950s, at the height of the Cold War, and moves through the decades, examining television in the context of the social movements of the 1960s and 1970s, the debates over family values that took place in the 1980s, the so-called culture wars of the 1990s and so forth. In the first half, the course explores episodic sit-coms like I Love Lucy, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, All in the Family, M*A*S*H and The Cosby Show, before moving on to investigate the technological changes that led to the production of serial dramas with long narrative arcs that became the staple of Cable television in the 2000s and streaming services ever since. In this part of the course, we explore how the reimagining of U.S. history is integral to shows like Deadwood, Mad Men, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Pose.
What is medical anthropology? How do anthropologists investigate pain, illness, healing, and wellness in global contexts? How do cultural processes that seem to be local or global interact and shape aspects of our bodies, such as illness or efforts to find healing? What methods and theories do anthropologists use to explore these issues and how do these differ from and work with public health or medicine? This course places health and healing in a cross-cultural and evolutionary perspective. It explores three major themes. First, how our experience of sickness and health is shaped by cultural context. Second, how biology and culture intersect to shape global and local inequalities in health and well-being. And third, how healing practices and policies are embedded in political, economic, and historical context. We will discuss everything from diabetes to HIV, Ebola to childbirth, and witchcraft to biotechnology and COVID-19. Applying an anthropological perspective to these questions deepens our understanding of the human condition and prepares us to address practical matters of life and death in the US and around the world. This course will be particularly of interest to pre-health professions students because it will bring to light new ways to think about healthcare, health and illness, interactions in healthcare settings, and broader social, cultural, state, and global forces influencing disease and wellbeing.
This class introduces students to the visual arts from a global perspective and equips them with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage critically with the artistic and cultural landscape of the United States today. In particular, this course helps students master the skills necessary to analyze artworks according to the basic elements and principles of design. The course also introduces students to key artworks from many of the world’s artistic traditions, helping them appreciate some of the common threads that unify creative practices across time and space. By pairing the exploration of artworks from across the globe with some of America’s most important artworks, the class also helps students appreciate the role of the visual arts within the American experience.
The honors section (LIVE/ 10831), in addition to asynchronous online learning, will have a supplemental in-person discussion section that meets on Fridays 10:40-11:30am in FAC 201. The TA is still TBD.
This course is taught through the activity of contemporary sketchbook development as a tool for research and art making. Students will develop observation, organization, experimentation, and conceptualization skills through the use and creation of sketchbooks (altered book, flag book, color book, etc.) and maintain sketch journals (online and physical). This course will compose of lectures, material demonstrations, research, exercises, readings, writing, and presentations.
Students will make mixed media sketchbooks and post to online forums to examine the possibilities for creative sketchbook research—making connections to their developing drawing ability.
Asynchronous online learning. Micah Daw does not have a bio on the COTA directory page at this time, but his email contact is mdaw@arts.ufl.edu.
Honors Discussion is a fun, intellectually challenging course where students expand their
understanding of biological concepts related to microbiology, genetics, and evolution! Students
will improve their scientific literacy and expand their critical thinking skills through active learning
exercises and discussion of fundamental and current primary literature. This is the honors
requirement for BSC 2010 Integrated Principles of Biology 1.
Available Class Numbers
23669
23670
Honors Discussion is a fun, intellectually challenging course where students expand their
understanding of biological concepts related to plants, animals, and ecology! Students will
improve their scientific literacy and expand their critical thinking skills through active learning
exercises and discussion of fundamental and current primary literature. This is the honors
requirement for BSC 2011 Integrated Principles of Biology 2.
Available Class Numbers
23672
23674
CHM2047/2047L is a one-semester General Chemistry program for entering students with strong backgrounds in chemistry, normally reflected by high AP, IB, or AICE chemistry test scores and/or incoming DE credit for General Chemistry. This program allows students to move more quickly into advanced work. The goals of the course are to give an overview of fundamental chemistry in one semester and to prepare the students for subsequent work (organic, analytical, and physical chemistry).
The course provides instruction in the fundamental concepts, theories, and terms of chemistry. At the very core of chemistry is the concept of the atom, its structure, and bonding interactions with other atoms. The course therefore takes an 'atoms-first' approach in order to lay a conceptual foundation for the many aspects of 'macroscopic' chemistry. The manifold connections between the atomic/molecular structure of compounds and their behavior in chemical reactions under laboratory conditions is highlighted. This allows the student to comprehend and predict the behavior of chemical systems rather than to memorize a potpourri of diverse facts. Major scientific developments are reviewed and their impacts on society, science, and the environment examined. At the end of the course students will be able to: (1) formulate empirically testable hypotheses relevant to the study of physical and life processes, (2) use logical reasoning skills through scientific criticism and argument, and (3) apply techniques of discovery and critical thinking to predict and evaluate outcomes of experiments.
Available Class Numbers
11057
11085
11086
For the Fall 2021 term, the Department of Chemistry is offering two sections of Honors General Chemistry 1 under the course number CHM2050 for Chemistry and Biochemistry majors as well as others who have a strong interest in pursuing upper-level chemistry courses. To be placed in these sections the same prerequisites apply as for all other General Chemistry 1 sections (such as CHM2045), e.g., a score of 76 on the ALEKS Math test, or evidence of prior credit for CHM1025 (or alternatively AP 4+, IB 5+, AICE passing scores), plus existing credit for MAC1147 (or alternatively AP Calc AB 3+, IB 4+, AICE passing scores, etc.).
The section numbers are 205H (class #24126 ) and 205R (class #24127) and are hosted by the Honors Program and the Department of Chemistry, respectively. These courses will remain under departmental control for the duration of preview. They will meet TR periods 2 and 3 for lectures in FLI 050. The curriculum closely parallels the curriculum of the main CHM2045 courses. However, to serve the needs of Chemistry and Biochemistry majors and Honors students, content will be enriched to provide a deeper foundation in topics needed for upper-level chemistry courses. Exams in these sections will not be the same as those for the regular CHM2045 sections (e.g., no multiple-choice exams).
Check back soon for course description.
The University of Florida has one of the strongest creative-writing programs in the country, its graduate faculty sometimes teaching a beginning workshop for honors students. Poetry demands close attention to the meaning and music of language, to emotion and the structures of emotion, and to the burdens of the past. The best poetry has an understanding of psychology, botany, religion, philosophy, and how much French fries cost at the mall. No one can be a poet without reading. This honors workshop is in part a course in poetic literature. Students taking this course and receiving at least a “B” will be eligible for upper-division poetry workshops.
Poets will write one poem a week, which will form the basis of workshop discussion, along with poems of the past and present. No workshop can succeed without an inclination toward laughter and wry jokes (discussion will generally go from the sublime to the ridiculous, or vice versa). Field trips may be possible—no year in Gainesville is complete without a visit to the alligators. Students who complete this course may then take upper-division workshops in poetry, all taught by graduate faculty.
Students are not expected to have written poetry before, but must have strong language skills (you can’t manipulate the language effectively without grammar and spelling). Numerous students who have taken this course have entered graduate programs at Columbia, Michigan, Johns Hopkins, and other top MFA programs. Some have gone into editing and publishing. Others have just had fun.
Required reading:
One anthology of contemporary poetry
Four of five books of contemporary poetry
Course: CRW2300
Study and application of design, problem formulation, conceptual design, prototype development. Study of common manufacturing processes.
Pre-requisites: EML 2023 and ENC 3246 and (Aerospace Engineering or Mechanical Engineering major)
Engineers solve problems, and in doing so, communicate solutions to colleagues, clients, and various public entities. In this class, student will learn and write collaboratively in order to design solutions to real-world problems, then communicate their work in discipline-specific forms to colleagues. Because engineers and scientists must also be able to explain their work to a broad audience, students will also learn to present their work in a conference session (or a similar educational event) and through public-facing writing.
Lecture, discussion and group assignments provide the opportunity to learn about different disciplines making up a health care team and their role in both the science and practice of health care.
Check back soon for course description.
Beyond the fundamentals of calculus, differential equations arguably constitute one of the two most important areas of mathematics in its applications; they have also stimulated numerous developments within mathematics itself and are themselves fascinating objects of study.
In this course, we shall focus primarily on aspects of the theory of differential equations. Most of the time, we shall address the practical matters involved in actually solving differential equations, but we shall also spend a non-trivial amount of time addressing topics of more theoretical interest. As a simple (theoretical!) application of differential equations within mathematics, we shall recover most of the basic properties of the trigonometric functions. For the sake of variety, we shall also consider one or two applications to the natural sciences; but again, our primary focus will be theoretical.
MUL 2010 is designed to examine music and its role in culture: how it both shapes and is shaped by social, political, national, and cultural forces. Examples from Western art music, popular music, and world music will be used to demonstrate music’s inextricable link to life in both historical and contemporary settings. No prior or concurrent courses are required for enrollment in MUL 2010, nor is any prior musical training or experience. The Honors section will have a weekly live discussion section in addition to the online components.
This course will introduce you to some of the main topics of philosophy. Philosophy addresses some of the most fundamental questions in life. The main tool by which Philosophy addresses these questions is the human capacity to reason. You will find that philosophical answers are based on reasoned arguments, which analyze and seek to justify beliefs. Philosophy, therefore, is a sort of self-examination, in which you discover what you think, and then reflect on whether your opinions are really worth holding. To look critically at your own ideas is the essence of the life of reason.
During this course you will examine your views on several core philosophical topics such as what makes a good argument, the nature of morality, and social justice. You will read philosophical texts, analyze their arguments and evaluate their answers to the questions of the course, see how philosophical concepts can help you understand practical dilemmas, and express your ideas through arguments - both verbal and written – which present your reasons for holding your beliefs.
First of the enriched sequence for physics majors and others wishing a deeper understanding of mechanics, kinematics, conservation laws, harmonic motion, central forces and special relativity. (P)Available Class Numbers
18480
24222
First of the enriched sequence for physics majors and others wishing a deeper understanding of mechanics, kinematics, conservation laws, harmonic motion, central forces and special relativity. (P)
This course expands and systematizes the treatment of standard problems previously encountered in elementary physics. Mathematical techniques are developed to study problems in thermodynamics, statistical physics, the motion of coupled oscillators and electrodynamics.
The purpose of this multi-sectioned course is to understand and apply (1) the basic principles of effective public speaking, (2) the principles of audience analysis and message preparation, and (3) critical listening skills as they apply to public speaking.
SPN 2201 sees students continue to build on the skills they developed in SPN 2200 (or equivalent) and solidify a proficiency level of Intermediate-Low (with some students moving towards Intermediate-Mid). That means that students will communicate using simple and complex utterances to talk about topics like access to resources (food, housing, transportation, job), life goals, and personal beliefs.
Students will make comparisons between products (things people create and use) and practices (what people do) to understand perspectives (what people believe and value) in your their and others'cultures. Such cultural competence and understanding will allow students to more effectively interact in Spanish in multilingual communities at home and around the world.
SPN 2201 Honors students will actively participate in experiences like visits to local Latino businesses, conversations in class and outside of class with Spanish speakers, etc. These experiences are a key difference between the Honors section and other 2201 sections.
Develops the ability to understand oral and written Spanish and is required of all majors and minors who are not bilinguals unless they initially placed above this level.
The section of SPN2240 designated for Honors credit is distinguished as an Honors in three ways. First, it caps enrollment at 15 students, rather than the normal 25 or 26 students, thus ensuring more attention and talk time for students, as well as the ability to investigate course themes in much greater depth. Secondly, the section is assigned to one of our most distinguished language instructors, thus ensuring high-quality instruction. Finally, students enrolled in the Honors section of the course engage in experiential learning opportunities beyond the classroom, allowing them to critically consider how language is used in the community, and to further their understanding of the diversity of the local Hispanic/Latino community.
Course Core Goals. By the end of the course, the students should develop:
1. Ability to understand the main ideas of most speech in a variety of contexts and topics.
2. Ability to describe and narrate about a variety of topics as well as communicate facts and talk casually about topics of current public and personal interest.
3. Proficiency in reading and interpreting texts.
4. Knowledge of cultural practices and historical events from the Spanish-speaking world
Prerequisite: SPN 2201 with a minimum grade of C or the equivalent placement scores on SAT II, IB or AP tests or the equivalent placement score or the equivalent coursework as approved by the undergraduate coordinator. Not open to bilingual speakers of Spanish.
STA 2023 Honors is an introductory statistics course which does not assume knowledge of calculus, but that nevertheless presents basic statistical concepts
and methods at an advanced level. The primary goals of the course are to enable the students to develop a firm understanding of the fundamental ideas behind statistical reasoning and to learn some of the basic techniques of data analysis. An advanced statistical computing language will be used for the computations and graphics.
Drawing on materials and methodologies from a variety of disciplines, this class explores the diverse experiences of women, both in past eras and in the present, in the U.S. and abroad. (Gen Ed: H, SS, D and Gordon Rule 4000)
All Honors students are expected to complete an Honors version of the UF required Quest 1 course. Quest 1 courses fulfill the UF Quest 1 requirement and 3 credits of the General Education requirement in the Humanities.
Quest 1 Courses
Honors sections: Consult UF Quest or UF Honors Website
Drawing on the disciplines that make up the Humanities, this course investigates the very nature of the human condition. Students examine the ways different people from different societies across time conceptualize the good life, the meaning and value individuals ascribe to the lives that they live or want to live, and the choices, costs, and benefits of the good life.
Available Class Numbers
15147:
15077:
20018:
15145:
14847:
15179:
15263:
14850:
15295:
14846:
This course asks you to rehearse your role as a changemaker. Throughout the semester, you will apply theatre of activism techniques in your own life and/or discipline. You will be encouraged to use your voice to address issues that are important to you, but you are in no way obligated to speak from personal experience (although you may, if you choose to do so). In doing so, you will engage in an investigation of systems of oppression (personal, cultural and structural) that influenced the development of these modes of theatre and their far-reaching influence. Course materials will focus on practices developed at times of upheaval and resistance in South America and in Latinx communities in the US. You will learn about theatre aimed at social change through a variety of activities, including readings, viewings, attending live performances, and participating in on-our-feet workshops (no theatre experience is required).
The course studies race and identities in the Greco-Roman world and the role the past and its digital preservation play in our understanding of the present and the future.
Alchemy is the pre-cursor to modern chemistry. It grew out of observations and experiments of early practitioners who were biased by their own worldviews and religious convictions. The course will give an overview of the various historic phases of Alchemy: Greek, Arabic, Eastern, Latin, its revival in the early modern period, and its psychologized rebirth in the modern era. Alchemy was part of ‘natural philosophy’ during a time when there was no clear distinction between science and religion. The course explores the worldviews and religious biases of its practitioners. It explores the methodologies, both theoretical and practical, used by alchemists. It will show alchemy to be part of the wider human endeavor to understand the world around us and to utilize it to advance culture. The accompanying lab portion will allow students to ‘see through the eyes of the alchemist’ natural processes as they happen in the lab.
The course examines how humanities-based works of art (texts) reflect and resonate with components of our personal, social, and cultural identities. Various perspectives, especially those whose views are often overlooked, will fuel this journey through examining how different humanities texts help us define who we are in terms of nationality, ethnicity, race, gender, class, sexual orientation, and ability. By considering the complexity of human connections to humanities-based texts, we will recognize how they have influenced who we are, how we live, how we behave, and how we connect with others.
Through studying two novels, a short story, an album, and several films, plays, poems, and paintings, we will examine how these texts are shaped for us, shaped by us, and shape us. In order to demonstrate your understanding of the course and its goals, you will write three essays and sit for two closed-book exams.
Quest 2 Courses
The ability to feel with another person or culture is a key component to our society. As such, empathy is an essential element to sparking compassion and social growth, both individually and as a nation. We have never before had so many social media tools to help us share our stories with others; however recent studies suggest that empathy seems to be on the decline in the US. This course investigates how we can we promote everyday empathy via social media. Several important questions will be posed: What is an empathic response via social media (e.g. can emoji’s adequately express empathy?)? What role does communication and critical thinking play in the development and expression of empathetic listening via social media? How can we build empathic responses and develop ‘best practices’ for expressing empathy online? The Empathy & Instagram Quest 2 course examines the complex relationship between humans, communication, technology and empathy. Students will explore these themes through participatory discussions, observational analysis, self-reflections and evaluation. Students will build concrete skills that will help support and promote empathy within our technological world.
These one-credit courses are discussion-oriented, seminar courses centered on a performance or an exhibit.
This course will take students behind the scenes to explore the business and the art of producing an American musical. Students will be introduced to theatre production and design, to the production management of a theatrical tour, and to backstage work at the Phillips Center for a national tour production of a musical, presented by University of Florida Performing Arts. Along the way, there will be opportunities to see how performing arts centers work and to explore the changing meanings of a performing arts event.
In this class, we will watch, read, and listen to four different modern adaptations of ancient Greek myth. Students will participate in avid discussion about how Greek mythology has been adapted in recent years to appeal to modern audiences. We will address questions such as: Why was this specific myth represented in this specific form of media? Was the casting, voice acting, or portrayal of ancient Greek characters accurate? If not accurate, was it due to improper interpretation, or was it a creator tactic used to draw audiences? Students will also complete writing assignments that compare original source myths to their adaptations, as well as argue for or against the effectiveness of the adaptation as an engaging learning source for children or adults. Grades mainly consist of participation in class discussion and the aforementioned short writing assignments. Media forms analyzed in this class include movies, a musical, and a novel. This course is team-taught by an upper-division honors student and faculty member.
Florida in the Frame will focus on outstanding works of art that variously reveal hidden aspects of Florida, capture subtle truths and disguise ugly realities of the Sunshine State over more than two centuries. Students in the class will engage with a dynamic group of scholars to view art from a variety of perspectives, and will also develop skills related to studying art works and insights into how art museums work. Assignments will include short readings, short writing assignments and creation of a brief video-based project.
This course will meet weekly at the museum and will include guest speakers from a range of disciplines – Art History, Biology English, History, Religion, etc. – who will expand our understanding of a major collection of art depicting Florida from the eighteenth to twentieth centuries. Guided by these experts, students will gain insight into both a) how art reflects – or obscures – the cultures and natural features of Florida and b) how multidisciplinary perspectives aid our understanding of art. In addition, students will develop skills in viewing, analyzing and discussing art, and will benefit from behind-the-scenes opportunities with Harn staff to see how an exhibition is curated and an art collection managed in a major university art museum.
This course will explore the relationship between music and emotion through investigation of theoretical and historical musical elements that elicit emotion. Students will observe their emotional responses to music and analyze the musical elements that elicited that response by actively listening to classical music compositions of various styles and genres. Students will be engaged through lectures, discussions, presentations and musical experiences. In addition, students will be required to attend an UFPA performance and will closely examine repertoire from the performance.
These are discussion-oriented, one-credit seminar courses centered on a book.
History + Biography
This course focuses on the unforgettable career of Alexander Hamilton, a rags to riches story set in the context of Revolutionary America. Born in 1755 in the British West Indies, and growing up poor in New York City might be setback to most, but Hamilton was able to secure an education and during the American Revolution he rose to serve as General George Washington’s aide de camp. After the war, he moved to New York City and became a successful lawyer and a strong advocate of the new Constitution. In 1789, his old boss, George Washington, appointed Hamilton to be the nation’s first secretary of the treasury and he held this position until 1796. Hamilton was mortally wounded in a duel with the sitting Vice President of the United States, Aaron Burr, in 1804.
Hamilton’s service in the Continental Army, his prominent place among the Founding Generation, and his role in the creation of the early American economic system marks him as an important historical figure; his enduring impact on American political economy and, most recently, in Broadway fame, makes him a legend. This class will use the 2005 award-winning biography of Hamilton, written by Ron Chernow, as its central text, but will also use clips from stage, film, and the web in order to understand how Alexander Hamilton’s legacy still lives in American popular culture.
Dr. Patricia Wright is one of the world’s leading primatologists, having studied night monkeys in Peru and lemurs in Madagascar. Her unrelenting support of Madagascar and its natural environment led to the creation of Ranomafana National Park and the Centre Val Bio research station. Her story is an inspiring one – she was a practicing social worker in New York when her purchase of a pet monkey changed her life. She started graduate school in her 30s – after she had been to Peru and published on her research with no real affiliation to academia. Through her remarkable career, Dr. Wright overcame many of the same challenges as other non-traditional students, and as a single mother, she successfully combined research in the field with raising an adventuresome daughter. High Moon Over the Amazon tells this story of Dr. Wright’s transformation from housewife to world-renowned scientist. For the Love of Lemurs details her work in Madagascar, following her from her co-discovery of the golden bamboo lemur, through the creation of the national park and research station, and then her role in the IMAX film Island of Lemurs. Through our readings and discussion, we will explore Dr. Wright’s pathway to scientific preeminence and the evolution of her efforts to integrate conservation and human well-being.
This (Un)Common Read course is perfect for students with an interest in nature, primates, women in science, non-traditional paths to scientific success, exploration, discovery, and field research. Prior to some readings, the instructors will provide short introductions to the localities, wildlife, and people described in the readings, augmented by photographs (unique species, environment, habitat loss, the local people and cultural activities) from recent trips to Madagascar. One of the unique strengths of the class will be the instructor’s first hand experiences and impressions from multiple trips to the country, as well as her personal interactions with Dr. Wright.
Students will be graded on class participation and one or two presentations on additional readings. Students will also complete a class project –academic paper or poster, or artistically creative work related to the course. The last class meeting (or two, depending on class size) will be used for students to present and discuss these final projects. This is an opportunity for students to get creative with class content and what they have learned.
While Dr. Wright’s books stand on their own as engaging and informational reads, this course also makes an excellent primer for two other classes at UF: ZOO4956: Madagascar – Biodiversity & Conservation in a Developing Country (UF’s study abroad course in Madagascar) and BOT4935/ZOO4926: Global Biodiversity and Culture: Integrating Conservation and Human Well-being (part of UF’s International Scholars Program).
The plant family Orchidaceae is geographically distributed on six continents and amazingly diverse, including about one fourth of the world’s plant species. The Orchid Thief is focused on a somewhat eccentric man, John Laroche, who indeed has more than a normal love for growing orchids. He goes to orchid shows and is caught up in the excitement of seeing new species and hybrids on exhibit and/or for sale by vendors. He is also interested in the conservation of orchids and seeing them in their native habitat around Florida. Larouche was employed at one time by the Seminole Tribe of Florida to set up a plant nursery with an orchid propagation laboratory on tribal land. All orchid species in the wild are currently protected by the CITES treaty (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) and can only be observed, not collected, in their respective natural habitat. Laroche decides to collect wild plants, including the native Ghost Orchid, Polyrrhiza lindenii, which is protected on CITES 1 (most endangered list), from the Fakahachee Strand State Park. He was convicted of removing plants from the Park.
This book provides a brief history of orchid growing in England where some of the major growers sent collectors out to remote and exotic locations on different continents to ship back plants. Unfortunately most of these plants died before they arrived. A number of these growers had an insatiable desire to describe new species and the competition was unbelievable. It was indeed “orchidilirium.” Today orchids are big part of the major plant industry business in Florida with orchids sold in grocery and other big box stores. New species continue to be discovered today but some of the original species are no longer extant in the wild. In addition, outreach education concerning growing orchids continues through local orchid societies and shows throughout the Florida. Orlean also covers the history of the development of southwestern Florida including the Tamiami Trail, introduction of invasive plants, logging of cypress, introduction of agricultural sugar, and setting up Fakahachee Strand State Park and the Florida Land Conservation program.
Course objectives and student expectations: There are two aspects of this book. The book was written derived from an article published in the Miami Herald about an a local nursery employee, John Laroche, who had been arrested for stealing orchids from Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve in southwestern Florida near Naples, FL. Laroche's defense was a loophole in the law that he claimed allowed the Seminole Indians to remove endangered orchid species from the swamp. He accepted a plea deal which included a fine and six months’ probation. The author, Susan Orlean, became intrigued with the situation and interviewed Laroche for an article in the New Yorker and subsequently published the book, The Orchid Thief in 1998. Orlean became fascinated with the native orchids and everything that Larouche was doing, including attending orchid society meetings and attending shows. She also was interested in the history of the development of southwestern Florida and the Tamiami Trail. Her knowledge also extended to the history of plant nurseries in south Florida, the important role that the Seminoles played in Florida from 1821 to date among other topics.
As background for above, students will learn about the natural history of Florida orchids with an emphasis on southwestern part of the state. They will have an opportunity to see actual herbarium specimens and the Euglossine bees and hawkmoths which are involved in the fertilization of the flowers. Insects are necessary for the pollination of orchids and other plants, and over the years, progress has been made for new techniques for propagation of orchids. They will learn that the formal history of growing orchids began in London England, and with the advances made with greenhouses and Edwardian glass houses in 1850’s, cultivated orchids were in bloom throughout the year. Collecting native orchids in the tropics was a dangerous business, and quite competitive. This competition continues today among professional and amateur growers through the artificial crosses made and exhibited at shows. The nursery business in Central and South Florida economically is one of Florida’s major growth industries. Finally, the conservation of orchids and bromeliads are responsible for the development of the Florida State Preserves and Conservation areas and Parks, which enabled conservation management native species that are present today.
This course is based on the recent book by Jon Meacham on a history of civil rights in the United States starting from the civil war era and moving up to the great society and civil rights movement of the 1960's. There is a final chapter going closer to the present. There are periods where rights and equality increase, women's rights to vote and the Voting Rights Act, and there are periods of increased discrimination, anti-immigrant movements, the Klu Klux Klan, and McCarthyism of the 1950's.
Science (Non-Health) + Science Fiction
We will explore the life, adventures and work of an eccentric ethnobotanist and his time spent in the Amazonian forests of South America. One River encapsulates the social aspect, politics, and local customs of the geographic areas explored during specific time periods but which are also applicable today. Biodiversity exploration, discovery and the maintenance and conservation of that diversity will be at the forefront of our discussions in the course. Students will be expected to participate in weekly discussions based on readings from the book and will be required to submit a final report on one aspect of the book that they resonates with them.
Different in STEM explores the barriers, biases and constructs which exist for those who are different in STEM fields. Despite many years of affirmative action, recruiting efforts and supports for the STEM pipeline, STEM disciplines remain predominately white, male and empowered. This course will look at the relationship between and within the STEM community based on gender, religion, sexual identity, socioeconomic status, ability and race. Through readings and speakers, students will be introduced to barriers, biases and constructs which exist in STEM and tackle complex issues around both personal and institutional structures which work to restrict access to those perceived to be “Different”. Students will explore personal and institutional ethics and morality which form the basis of constructs. Students will work in interdisciplinary teams to identify and propose possible actions to remediate barriers and biases, confront and find solutions to conflicting constructs and propose an action plan to address and support inclusion in STEM fields.
In this course we will describe and discuss the neurological basis of many major functions of the brain including: language-speech, emotions, attention, self-awareness, memory, motor skills, sensory perception, motivation and intention, as well as what further information is needed and how it may be investigated. Many aspects of these discussions will be based on the chapters written in my book, Matter of Mind.
Insects and plants are intimately connected. The arms-race between the two groups has produced examples of co-existence more fantastic than any science-fiction. The course will be based around a beautifully illustrated popular book (provided free of charge to students) by the world-renowned insect photographer, Edward Ross. Topics will range from insect-plant co-evolution to natural selection, and we also will visit museum collections, ecology labs and several local habitats to learn about the ways one can study insect-plant interactions.
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is one of the most influential and widely-read authors of the Twentieth Century. Tolkien’s most significant work, The Lord of the Rings, undertaken as a sequel to his children’s book, The Hobbit (1937), is estimated to have sold over 150 million copies since its initial publication in 1954. Through a close reading of Tolkien’s trilogy, including the consideration of Tolkien’s style, themes, and characters, this course will explore the reasons for LOTR’s astounding success, despite the work’s tepid critical reception.
Madagascar is best known in the west for its unique flora and fauna, with over 80% of its wildlife found nowhere else. But this engaging country is also home to 23 million people, comprising 18 distinct ethnic groups, unified by a common language and Malagasy identity. Madagascar - The Eighth Continent: Life, Death and Discovery in a Lost World introduces the reader to the unique fauna, flora, and cultures of Madagascar through the authors’ travels with researchers in herpetology (the study of reptiles and amphibians), paleoecology, archaeology and primatology. Not only do readers learn about the biodiversity and cultures of this fascinating “eighth continent”, but they also get a sense for the joy of scholarly exploration and discovery in the natural world, what it is like to be a field-based (rather than laboratory-based) researcher, and the rationale for and continued importance of such work. While describing these discoveries, the author interweaves stories of Malagasy history, the mystery of the peopling of the island, and culture (language, music, religion, written and oratory arts) into the conversation, providing much fodder for discussion. Overall, this book is a celebration of the people, the wildlife, and the culture of Madagascar.
This (Un)Common Read course is perfect for students with an interest in/love for nature, exploration, discovery, and learning about distant lands and cultures. We will read the book Madagascar - The Eighth Continent in its entirety. Prior to some readings, the instructor (or students, if interested) will provide short introductions to the localities, wildlife, people, and customs described in the readings, augmented by photographs (unique species, environment, habitat loss, the local people and cultural activities) from recent trips to Madagascar. One of the unique strengths of the class will be the sharing of first hand experiences and impressions from multiple trips to the country, providing valuable context to the readings.
Although Madagascar is the focus of the course, this class will provide students with an overview of field research, and why it remains important in the modern world of science. Students will be able to view Madagascar as a model for research in areas such as conservation and sustainability, and the importance of culture and the buy-in of the local peoples. Students will be graded on class participation and a presentation on one auxiliary reading. Finally, students will complete a class project –academic paper or poster, or artistically creative work related to the course. The last class meeting (or two, depending on class size) will be used for students to present and discuss these final projects. This is an opportunity for students to get creative with class content and what they have learned.
Madagascar: The Eighth Continent stands alone as a great read, but this course makes an excellent primer for two other classes at UF: ZOO4956: Madagascar – Biodiversity & Conservation in a Developing Country (UF’s study abroad course in Madagascar) and BOT4935/ZOO4926: Global Biodiversity and Culture: Integrating Conservation and Human Well-being (part of UF’s International Scholars Program).
The plant family Orchidaceae is geographically distributed on six continents and amazingly diverse, including about one fourth of the world’s plant species. The Orchid Thief is focused on a somewhat eccentric man, John Laroche, who indeed has more than a normal love for growing orchids. He goes to orchid shows and is caught up in the excitement of seeing new species and hybrids on exhibit and/or for sale by vendors. He is also interested in the conservation of orchids and seeing them in their native habitat around Florida. Larouche was employed at one time by the Seminole Tribe of Florida to set up a plant nursery with an orchid propagation laboratory on tribal land. All orchid species in the wild are currently protected by the CITES treaty (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) and can only be observed, not collected, in their respective natural habitat. Laroche decides to collect wild plants, including the native Ghost Orchid, Polyrrhiza lindenii, which is protected on CITES 1 (most endangered list), from the Fakahachee Strand State Park. He was convicted of removing plants from the Park.
This book provides a brief history of orchid growing in England where some of the major growers sent collectors out to remote and exotic locations on different continents to ship back plants. Unfortunately most of these plants died before they arrived. A number of these growers had an insatiable desire to describe new species and the competition was unbelievable. It was indeed “orchidilirium.” Today orchids are big part of the major plant industry business in Florida with orchids sold in grocery and other big box stores. New species continue to be discovered today but some of the original species are no longer extant in the wild. In addition, outreach education concerning growing orchids continues through local orchid societies and shows throughout the Florida. Orlean also covers the history of the development of southwestern Florida including the Tamiami Trail, introduction of invasive plants, logging of cypress, introduction of agricultural sugar, and setting up Fakahachee Strand State Park and the Florida Land Conservation program.
Course objectives and student expectations: There are two aspects of this book. The book was written derived from an article published in the Miami Herald about an a local nursery employee, John Laroche, who had been arrested for stealing orchids from Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve in southwestern Florida near Naples, FL. Laroche's defense was a loophole in the law that he claimed allowed the Seminole Indians to remove endangered orchid species from the swamp. He accepted a plea deal which included a fine and six months’ probation. The author, Susan Orlean, became intrigued with the situation and interviewed Laroche for an article in the New Yorker and subsequently published the book, The Orchid Thief in 1998. Orlean became fascinated with the native orchids and everything that Larouche was doing, including attending orchid society meetings and attending shows. She also was interested in the history of the development of southwestern Florida and the Tamiami Trail. Her knowledge also extended to the history of plant nurseries in south Florida, the important role that the Seminoles played in Florida from 1821 to date among other topics.
As background for above, students will learn about the natural history of Florida orchids with an emphasis on southwestern part of the state. They will have an opportunity to see actual herbarium specimens and the Euglossine bees and hawkmoths which are involved in the fertilization of the flowers. Insects are necessary for the pollination of orchids and other plants, and over the years, progress has been made for new techniques for propagation of orchids. They will learn that the formal history of growing orchids began in London England, and with the advances made with greenhouses and Edwardian glass houses in 1850’s, cultivated orchids were in bloom throughout the year. Collecting native orchids in the tropics was a dangerous business, and quite competitive. This competition continues today among professional and amateur growers through the artificial crosses made and exhibited at shows. The nursery business in Central and South Florida economically is one of Florida’s major growth industries. Finally, the conservation of orchids and bromeliads are responsible for the development of the Florida State Preserves and Conservation areas and Parks, which enabled conservation management native species that are present today.
Dr. Patricia Wright is one of the world’s leading primatologists, having studied night monkeys in Peru and lemurs in Madagascar. Her unrelenting support of Madagascar and its natural environment led to the creation of Ranomafana National Park and the Centre Val Bio research station. Her story is an inspiring one – she was a practicing social worker in New York when her purchase of a pet monkey changed her life. She started graduate school in her 30s – after she had been to Peru and published on her research with no real affiliation to academia. Through her remarkable career, Dr. Wright overcame many of the same challenges as other non-traditional students, and as a single mother, she successfully combined research in the field with raising an adventuresome daughter. High Moon Over the Amazon tells this story of Dr. Wright’s transformation from housewife to world-renowned scientist. For the Love of Lemurs details her work in Madagascar, following her from her co-discovery of the golden bamboo lemur, through the creation of the national park and research station, and then her role in the IMAX film Island of Lemurs. Through our readings and discussion, we will explore Dr. Wright’s pathway to scientific preeminence and the evolution of her efforts to integrate conservation and human well-being.
This (Un)Common Read course is perfect for students with an interest in nature, primates, women in science, non-traditional paths to scientific success, exploration, discovery, and field research. Prior to some readings, the instructors will provide short introductions to the localities, wildlife, and people described in the readings, augmented by photographs (unique species, environment, habitat loss, the local people and cultural activities) from recent trips to Madagascar. One of the unique strengths of the class will be the instructor’s first hand experiences and impressions from multiple trips to the country, as well as her personal interactions with Dr. Wright.
Students will be graded on class participation and one or two presentations on additional readings. Students will also complete a class project –academic paper or poster, or artistically creative work related to the course. The last class meeting (or two, depending on class size) will be used for students to present and discuss these final projects. This is an opportunity for students to get creative with class content and what they have learned.
While Dr. Wright’s books stand on their own as engaging and informational reads, this course also makes an excellent primer for two other classes at UF: ZOO4956: Madagascar – Biodiversity & Conservation in a Developing Country (UF’s study abroad course in Madagascar) and BOT4935/ZOO4926: Global Biodiversity and Culture: Integrating Conservation and Human Well-being (part of UF’s International Scholars Program).
After an initial discussion, each student will be assigned a chapter or section of the book, and will be responsible to represent it to the class at a given time. Time slots will be decided by drawing. Students who draw an early time slot will be given a shorter assignment.
The course is based on an updated edition of a book by Fred Pearce which discusses various river systems throughout the world. Due to changes in climate or anthropogenic activities that cause over- consumption of water, serious fresh water crises are now faced by many countries. Using material in the book as a starting point, students will prepare short papers and also make presentations to the class based on the papers they have written.
Cops and criminals have always been interdependent, but no novel has explored that perverse symbiosis more powerfully than A Scanner Darkly. Bob Arctor is a dealer of the lethally addictive drug called Substance D. Fred is the police agent assigned to tail and the eventually bust him. To do so, he has taken on the identity of a drug dealer named Bob Arctor. And since Substance D - which Arctor takes in massive doses - gradually splits the users brain into two distinct, combative entities, Fred doesn't realize that he is narcing on himself.
Are we in the middle of a mass extinction event? How do current environmental crises such as climate change and biodiversity loss compare to past events like the extinction of the dinosaurs? Does Earth’s past provide insight for what we can expect in the future?
These are questions addressed in the book we will read in this course: ‘The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History’ by Elizabeth Kolbert, the 2015 Pulitzer prize winner for non-fiction. Students will be assigned one or two book chapters each week, and class meetings will be in the format of a discussion based on the reading.
After reading this book, you will be able to place recent environmental crises (species extinctions, habitat loss, climate change, etc.) into historical context. You will also gain a better understanding of the causes, consequences, and magnitude of species extinctions and biodiversity loss. In a time of unprecedented environmental change, the book provides context for understanding the role of the human species in the natural world.
From the publisher: "When this classic work was first published in 1975, it created a new discipline and started a tumultuous round in the age-old nature versus nurture debate. Although voted by officers and fellows of the international Animal Behavior Society the most important book on animal behavior of all time, Sociobiology is probably more widely known as the object of bitter attacks by social scientists and other scholars who opposed its claim that human social behavior, indeed human nature, has a biological foundation. The controversy surrounding the publication of the book reverberates to the present day. In the introduction to this new edition, Edward O. Wilson shows how research in human genetics and neuroscience has strengthened the case for a biological understanding of human nature. Human sociobiology, now often called evolutionary psychology, has in the last quarter of a century emerged as its own field of study, drawing on theory and data from both biology and the social sciences. For its still fresh and beautifully illustrated descriptions of animal societies, and its importance as a crucial step forward in the understanding of human beings, this anniversary edition of Sociobiology: the new synthesis will be welcomed by a new generation of students and scholars in all branches of learning."
I studied this book when I was preparing for my Ph.D. qualifying exam in Neurobiology and Behavior at Cornell University. It made a profound impression on me due to the depths of the insights it provided on the biological basis for human behavior and the evolution of human cultures through history. That perspective is complemented by a tremendous variety of pictures drawn from studies of animal social behavior from colonial microorganisms, social insects, and all the various vertebrate orders. The book discusses how evolution works on the level of individual and group behaviors, covering basic principles of population biology and roles of communication in both simple and complex societies.
In the first part of the course (weeks 1-4) the instructor will assign readings covering basic principles and provide discussion questions to be reviewed in class. In a second part of the course, (weeks 5-9) each student will receive different reading assignments and make summary presentations of those assignments in class. In the final section, (weeks 10-13) we will cover in depth the section of the book covering human social behavior with both group discussions and short student presentations.
In 2014 President Obama awarded a National Humanities Medal to the accomplished writer Annie Dillard (Pulitzer Prize, 1974). Dillard's unique perspective captured in her narrative essays which put nature into conversation with humanity have helped her achieve such recognition. In this class, we will explore Teaching a Stone to Talk (accompanied by Holy the Firm), which represents some of Dillard’s most compelling work. How might nature speak to us? And how can we look and listen in order to catch what might be heard? If one follows Annie Dillard into the woods, streams, oceans, islands, meadows, and prairies, and, if one listens closely enough, the sights and sounds of these places will have things to say. In these excursions, Dillard seizes opportunity after opportunity to draw on the mysteries of life and death in the natural world and beyond. In doing so, not only does she see the wonders that come to life when pausing long enough to reflect, but also she allows the non-human world to inform human experience, leading to a fuller picture of what it means to be human. In a remarkable way, then, readers of Dillard come away with both a greater appreciation of the world “out there” and a richer understanding of our humanity, in effect seeing the two worlds as more intertwined than what we often imagine. In sum, this class is about learning how to see in all senses of the word.
Even the best decision doesn't yield the best outcome every time. There's always an element of luck that you can't control. So the key to long-term success is to think in bets: How sure am I? What the possible ways things could turn out? What decision has the highest odds of success? What is the influence of luck in my past successes? What is the influence of skill? In this course you'll learn how to: better determine whether a good outcome was a result of luck or skill, be more open to dissenting viewpoints to improve decision-making abilities, and embrace uncertainty in planning for future decisions.
In the next hundred years, the nature of water on Earth will undergo a fundamental change. Glaciers will melt, the level of the sea will rise, and its acidity will change more than it has in the past 50 million years. These changes will affect all life on earth, everyone that we know, and everyone that we love. It is more complex than the mind can comprehend, greater than all of our past experience, bigger than language. What words can grasp an issue of this magnitude?
In his new book On Time and Water, Andri Snær Magnason discusses the ways in which geological time is beginning to move at the speed of human time. He takes both a personal and a scientific approach, weaving his way through climate science via ancient legends about sacred cows, stories of ancestors and relatives, and interviews with the Dalai Lama. The resulting narrative is at once a travel story, a world history, and a reminder to live in harmony with future generations.
Sea turtles are among the most magnificent megafauna we encounter in the ocean. The story of these iconic creatures is one of survival and resilience, especially in today’s world. In this course we will cover the book The Voyage of the Turtle by Carl Safina, which explores the plight of sea turtles and how human intervention has impacted both positively and negatively these animals and their ecosystems. During weekly discussions students will learn not only about sea turtles but also about the scientific, political, and cultural challenges encountered while conducting marine conservation around the world. This will provide students with a better understanding of current issues faced in the marine environment and help them reflect on what the ocean means to them and what steps they can take to make a positive impact on the marine environment.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
(1) Appreciate sea turtles and other endangered marine species, (2) describe the impact of human activities on marine life, (3) understand how scientific, cultural, and political issues affect the conservation and management actions carried out in the marine environment, and (4) recognize steps they can take to make a positive impact on the ocean.
Health
Drug dependence & addiction may often seem far away, unless it gets personal and affects somebody close by. We will be reading the books “Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey through his Son’s Addiction” and “Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town”, discussing the various aspects of how drug addiction affects the individual, their loved ones, friends, and society. Some of the topics will include the underlying biological mechanisms of addiction, the impact of addiction on society, treatment approaches, with a major part spend on sharing our views on what can be done moving forward to find solutions. This class is taught entirely online over a 12-week period using Canvas, Zoom for weekly synchronous 1-hour meetings, and VoiceThread.
In this 1 credit seminar course, students will be introduced to a variety of topics in contemporary medicine such as health care delivery reform, ethical challenges, the evolution of medical science, and major healthcare crises. The course materials will be drawn from streaming media including podcasts and TED/Youtube videos. Class time will be used to explore the topics in open discussion with the course director and selected guest faculty from the College of Medicine and other institutions.
The two women’s health texts selected for this course will juxtapose how privilege and race impact the development of health narratives, and highlight the unique issues faced by people with uteruses in their pursuit of healthcare. Undivided Rights: Women of Color Organize for Reproductive Justice documents the work of activists for women’s health in different communities of color, highlighting the unique barriers faced in diverse communities and the history of collective action and advocacy organizations that have worked to address these barriers. This book will be read in tandem with the graphic memoir, Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos, which describes a white cis-woman’s individual experiences with a difficult pregnancy and birth and the elements of the healthcare system that exacerbated her experiences.
In this course we will describe and discuss the neurological basis of many major functions of the brain including: language-speech, emotions, attention, self-awareness, memory, motor skills, sensory perception, motivation and intention, as well as what further information is needed and how it may be investigated. Many aspects of these discussions will be based on the chapters written in my book, Matter of Mind.
When you are certain about anything is it due to careful, rational thinking? In On Being Certain a neuroscientist offers a brain science based refutation of this common belief and offers evidence that this assumption does not match current understanding of basic brain function. Using a fascinating collection of illustrations from baseball, poker, and discussions of gut feelings and the nature of intuition, he challenges our notion of certainty and after reading it you will never say “I’m certain” so lightly again.
This is a student led discussion class in which students take responsibility of talking through the ideas presented by the author. Students prepare 3 reflections about the readings. They also extend the book’s topic by finding and presenting additional examples of the books theme.
From the publisher: "When this classic work was first published in 1975, it created a new discipline and started a tumultuous round in the age-old nature versus nurture debate. Although voted by officers and fellows of the international Animal Behavior Society the most important book on animal behavior of all time, Sociobiology is probably more widely known as the object of bitter attacks by social scientists and other scholars who opposed its claim that human social behavior, indeed human nature, has a biological foundation. The controversy surrounding the publication of the book reverberates to the present day. In the introduction to this new edition, Edward O. Wilson shows how research in human genetics and neuroscience has strengthened the case for a biological understanding of human nature. Human sociobiology, now often called evolutionary psychology, has in the last quarter of a century emerged as its own field of study, drawing on theory and data from both biology and the social sciences. For its still fresh and beautifully illustrated descriptions of animal societies, and its importance as a crucial step forward in the understanding of human beings, this anniversary edition of Sociobiology: the new synthesis will be welcomed by a new generation of students and scholars in all branches of learning."
I studied this book when I was preparing for my Ph.D. qualifying exam in Neurobiology and Behavior at Cornell University. It made a profound impression on me due to the depths of the insights it provided on the biological basis for human behavior and the evolution of human cultures through history. That perspective is complemented by a tremendous variety of pictures drawn from studies of animal social behavior from colonial microorganisms, social insects, and all the various vertebrate orders. The book discusses how evolution works on the level of individual and group behaviors, covering basic principles of population biology and roles of communication in both simple and complex societies.
In the first part of the course (weeks 1-4) the instructor will assign readings covering basic principles and provide discussion questions to be reviewed in class. In a second part of the course, (weeks 5-9) each student will receive different reading assignments and make summary presentations of those assignments in class. In the final section, (weeks 10-13) we will cover in depth the section of the book covering human social behavior with both group discussions and short student presentations.
Society + Culture + Politics
We will read Black Faces, White Spaces and The Home Place and explore issues of environmental racism and environmental justice- through an overview on the issues of safe access to nature for people of color, and through a personal narrative about a black man's connection to the land, as well as other materials that examine recent movements to gain access to and representation in a broader range of outdoor activities. Students will learn about the development of racially defined spaces, and how race came to limit access to places and activities- as well as recent movements to reclaim outdoor activities and areas. Students will be expected to read the materials, participate in discussions (in class and online), follow blogs, Facebook, and/or Instagram accounts of people access in changing both our understanding of and participation in outdoor activities. They also will complete a project on a topic of their choice.
Boondock Kollage: Stories from the Hip Hop South is a collection of short stories that engage with conversations of race, place, and identity in the American south. This course will take readers on a journey through the intersections of Black culture within America society from the past, present, and future. Engaging with the author’s acknowledgements and presentation through discussion and reflection students will begin to or further develop a base for narrative storytelling.
Based on Isabel Wilkerson's 'Caste: The Origins of our Discontents,' this course will upend students' conventional understanding of race and racism by exploring the similarities between racial oppression in the United States and the caste systems in India and other nations. The book exposes the four-hundred-year-old American construction of racism as a rigid, yet hidden, caste system. Students will explore the implications of this understanding of racism on working toward equality in the United States.
What does daring leadership look like? And what is armored leadership compared to daring leadership?
Guided by the work of Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead, students will dive into discussions centered around leadership, courage, vulnerability, connection, and more. Be prepared to get a bit uncomfortable - be prepared to be daring. As Brown said, “One of the most important findings of my career is that daring leadership is a collection of four skill sets that are 100 percent teachable, observable, and measurable. It’s learning and unlearning that requires brave work, tough conversations, and showing up with your whole heart. Easy? No. Because choosing courage over comfort is not always our default. Worth it? Always. We want to be brave with our lives and our work. It’s why we’re here.”
While this book focuses on leading from a place of vulnerability and courage, the research and learnings are applicable to all. Whether you realize it or not, each of us can have a profound impact on someone else’s life - the idea of everyday leadership. The world needs us.
Different in STEM explores the barriers, biases and constructs which exist for those who are different in STEM fields. Despite many years of affirmative action, recruiting efforts and supports for the STEM pipeline, STEM disciplines remain predominately white, male and empowered. This course will look at the relationship between and within the STEM community based on gender, religion, sexual identity, socioeconomic status, ability and race. Through readings and speakers, students will be introduced to barriers, biases and constructs which exist in STEM and tackle complex issues around both personal and institutional structures which work to restrict access to those perceived to be “Different”. Students will explore personal and institutional ethics and morality which form the basis of constructs. Students will work in interdisciplinary teams to identify and propose possible actions to remediate barriers and biases, confront and find solutions to conflicting constructs and propose an action plan to address and support inclusion in STEM fields.
In Baby Doctor by Perri Klass (1992) the author tells the story of her pediatric residency at one of the country’s top children’s hospitals. The memoir covers Klass’ three year internship and residency with essays and journal entries candidly describing her physician training. While the primary book for this course is Baby Doctor, additional readings will provide a greater variety of perspectives. Supplementary readings include scholarly articles illustrating new directions in healthcare and medical education, including reforms to resident physician duty hours. Through rigorous course discussions, students will learn about current trends in healthcare (medical humanities, physician wellness, medical humanism, patient-centered care, and interprofessional care) as they contrast and compare the supplementary readings with the primary book. Discussion of interprofessional care and the roles of all healthcare team members will help expose the students to the valuable roles of healthcare professionals outside of medicine and nursing, including physical and occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, social work, nutrition, public health, and health administration.
The two women’s health texts selected for this course will juxtapose how privilege and race impact the development of health narratives, and highlight the unique issues faced by people with uteruses in their pursuit of healthcare. Undivided Rights: Women of Color Organize for Reproductive Justice documents the work of activists for women’s health in different communities of color, highlighting the unique barriers faced in diverse communities and the history of collective action and advocacy organizations that have worked to address these barriers. This book will be read in tandem with the graphic memoir, Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos, which describes a white cis-woman’s individual experiences with a difficult pregnancy and birth and the elements of the healthcare system that exacerbated her experiences.
One night, April May finds a giant samurai-like sculpture in NYC, which she names Carl, so she makes a video with her friend, Andy. The video goes viral when 63 more Carls are found around the world, making April an instant celebrity.
Students will read An Absolutely Remarkable Thing during the semester and explore questions of internet fame, polarization, power, and first contact in weekly posts and in-class discussions.
This course challenges students to move beyond an understanding of racism as interpersonal hatred based on race and instead focus on the structural nature of racism. The core argument of Ibram X. Kendi's 'How to Be Antiracist' is that not being racist is insufficient. This course explores the importance of making antiracism a conscious choice and working within our sphere of influence to undo racism and build a more equitable society.
This is a discussion-based class in which we will consider a broad range of important and timely questions. What is intellectual freedom? Where does it come from? How is it expanded or diminished and what does it matter? When are ideas and/or speech too dangerous or offensive? When is censorship okay? Who should control and own information and what are the implications on the greater good? How much privacy and freedom from manipulation do we really have? What is the purpose of higher education? How important is safety in learning? Fundamentally: how do power, technology, money, bias and privilege interact below the surface of these questions and seek to shape what we can experience and know? How have those forces shaped the personal and societal intellectual landscapes we occupy today? The course topics will be introduced and framed through readings and multimedia materials, popular and scholarly, but the focus will be our class dialogues. The class will be a space where we can reconsider our assumptions, think about important topics that some may have never really considered and benefit from the consideration of other people’s perspectives and experiences.
Madagascar is best known in the west for its unique flora and fauna, with over 80% of its wildlife found nowhere else. But this engaging country is also home to 23 million people, comprising 18 distinct ethnic groups, unified by a common language and Malagasy identity. Madagascar - The Eighth Continent: Life, Death and Discovery in a Lost World introduces the reader to the unique fauna, flora, and cultures of Madagascar through the authors’ travels with researchers in herpetology (the study of reptiles and amphibians), paleoecology, archaeology and primatology. Not only do readers learn about the biodiversity and cultures of this fascinating “eighth continent”, but they also get a sense for the joy of scholarly exploration and discovery in the natural world, what it is like to be a field-based (rather than laboratory-based) researcher, and the rationale for and continued importance of such work. While describing these discoveries, the author interweaves stories of Malagasy history, the mystery of the peopling of the island, and culture (language, music, religion, written and oratory arts) into the conversation, providing much fodder for discussion. Overall, this book is a celebration of the people, the wildlife, and the culture of Madagascar.
This (Un)Common Read course is perfect for students with an interest in/love for nature, exploration, discovery, and learning about distant lands and cultures. We will read the book Madagascar - The Eighth Continent in its entirety. Prior to some readings, the instructor (or students, if interested) will provide short introductions to the localities, wildlife, people, and customs described in the readings, augmented by photographs (unique species, environment, habitat loss, the local people and cultural activities) from recent trips to Madagascar. One of the unique strengths of the class will be the sharing of first hand experiences and impressions from multiple trips to the country, providing valuable context to the readings.
Although Madagascar is the focus of the course, this class will provide students with an overview of field research, and why it remains important in the modern world of science. Students will be able to view Madagascar as a model for research in areas such as conservation and sustainability, and the importance of culture and the buy-in of the local peoples. Students will be graded on class participation and a presentation on one auxiliary reading. Finally, students will complete a class project –academic paper or poster, or artistically creative work related to the course. The last class meeting (or two, depending on class size) will be used for students to present and discuss these final projects. This is an opportunity for students to get creative with class content and what they have learned.
Madagascar: The Eighth Continent stands alone as a great read, but this course makes an excellent primer for two other classes at UF: ZOO4956: Madagascar – Biodiversity & Conservation in a Developing Country (UF’s study abroad course in Madagascar) and BOT4935/ZOO4926: Global Biodiversity and Culture: Integrating Conservation and Human Well-being (part of UF’s International Scholars Program).
This course is based on the recent book by Jon Meacham on a history of civil rights in the United States starting from the civil war era and moving up to the great society and civil rights movement of the 1960's. There is a final chapter going closer to the present. There are periods where rights and equality increase, women's rights to vote and the Voting Rights Act, and there are periods of increased discrimination, anti-immigrant movements, the Klu Klux Klan, and McCarthyism of the 1950's.
Business + Economics
What does daring leadership look like? And what is armored leadership compared to daring leadership?
Guided by the work of Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead, students will dive into discussions centered around leadership, courage, vulnerability, connection, and more. Be prepared to get a bit uncomfortable - be prepared to be daring. As Brown said, “One of the most important findings of my career is that daring leadership is a collection of four skill sets that are 100 percent teachable, observable, and measurable. It’s learning and unlearning that requires brave work, tough conversations, and showing up with your whole heart. Easy? No. Because choosing courage over comfort is not always our default. Worth it? Always. We want to be brave with our lives and our work. It’s why we’re here.”
While this book focuses on leading from a place of vulnerability and courage, the research and learnings are applicable to all. Whether you realize it or not, each of us can have a profound impact on someone else’s life - the idea of everyday leadership. The world needs us.
Even the best decision doesn't yield the best outcome every time. There's always an element of luck that you can't control. So the key to long-term success is to think in bets: How sure am I? What the possible ways things could turn out? What decision has the highest odds of success? What is the influence of luck in my past successes? What is the influence of skill? In this course you'll learn how to: better determine whether a good outcome was a result of luck or skill, be more open to dissenting viewpoints to improve decision-making abilities, and embrace uncertainty in planning for future decisions.
Other
In the postcolonial 21st century, how much do we acknowledge the role of the United States in the destabilization of colonized nations? What are the personal and collective costs of cultural and religious imperialism? How do we cope with guilt and find forgiveness? Barbara Kingsolver's acclaimed 1999 novel "The Poisonwood Bible" follows a Southern Baptist family from Georgia that settles in the 1960s Congo as missionaries. Cultural arrogance, intolerance, selfishness, and a host of other issues lead to their mission spiraling out of control, into doom. On the backdrop of the nation's struggle for independence, the tragedies that manifest and their decades-long ramifications help us unpack these questions. This in-depth exploration forces a critical self-evaluation of American foreign policy and the reconciliation of trauma, as each family member must find their own way to cope with guilt and grief, and the mirage of saviorism is torn apart.
This course is team-taught by an upper-division honors student and faculty member.
Dispute of A Very Italian Piglet (2014), written by Amara Lakhous, exposes how fact and fiction impact multiculturalism in contemporary society. This satirical novel follows a southern Italian as he investigates a crime spree in northern Italy. The rise of crime syndicates, ancient feuds, and one mischievous piglet not only complicate the investigation, but muddle the line between fact and fiction. Dispute Over A Very Italian Piglet may be an uncommon read, however, its relevance is exemplified by its scrutiny of the media, gentrification, and migration. Students will be expected to evaluate the novel's metaphors and satire to better understand the facts and fictions of multiculturalism internationally and within their own communities.
“This course is team-taught by an upper-division honors student and faculty member.”
Just minutes from The Swamp stadium, the world of academia, and shiny new mixed-use developments, one of the nation’s most notable punk rock scenes has thrived for decades – often out of the view of the average Gainesville resident. Since the 1980s, Gainesville’s punk community has carved out its own niche local music scene that has impacted the national punk scene and mainstream music, with the success of acts such as Hot Water Music, Less Than Jake, and Against Me! But how does this underground movement interact, influence, and help shape its surroundings? The University of Florida, the City of Gainesville, and the culture of Gainesville have all been impacted by city’s punk scene and vice versa. In this course, we will explore these topics and more as we focus on the book Gainesville Punk: A History of Bands and Music by Matt Walker (The History Press 2016, paperback) accompanied by other relevant source materials.
Gentrification is a buzzword that has been thrown around more and more recently. But what is it, and how does it actually affect communities and the people living in those communities? P. E. Moskowitz's How to Kill a City discusses gentrification and how it plays out in four different cities: New Orleans, San Francisco, Detroit, and New York. The book explores not only the material effects of gentrification, but the systemic issues that allow gentrification to occur. These issues affect not only city planning, but also touch on racism, poverty, sustainability, and more.
“This course is team-taught by an upper-division honors student and faculty member.”
Many of us have denied (or are denying) ourselves permission to feel - “[w]e suck it up, squash it down, act it out...We lose the ability to even identify what we’re feeling - it’s like, without noticing, we go a little numb inside.” When this happens, it can be challenging to express how we’re feeling, which can leave us feeling isolated and perplexed on what to do. The inability to handle and manage our emotions can lead to negative outcomes. In a 2020 study, graduate and undergraduate students reported levels of depression that were two times higher than in 2019, and anxiety 1.5 times higher than in 2019 (Chirikov et al., 2020). These increases are consistent regardless of gender, level of degree, and socioeconomic status. We’ve heard “we’re living in uncertain times” constantly over the last year; we also know that “[u]ncertainty about a possible future threat disrupts our ability to avoid it or to mitigate its negative impact, and thus results in anxiety” (Grupe & Nitschke, 2013, p. 488). Maybe there’s a way we can explore and manage our emotions constructively to mitigate the negative outcomes.
Emotion scientist Dr. Marc Brackett created a “blueprint for understanding our emotions and using them wisely so that they help, rather than hinder, our success and well-being.” Permission to Feel aims to help us identify our feelings, embrace them, “and learn to make our emotions work for us, not against us.” Dr. Brackett is the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.
While this book focuses on emotions and emotion science, we’ll be exploring through a lens of learning and mindfulness rather than therapy. We will explore emotional intelligence and emotional agility, and how you can embrace your emotions and better identify the emotions of others, which can, in turn, help you grow professionally and personally.
The book Philosophy for Life and Other Dangerous Situations by Jules Evans makes ancient Greek philosophies easily accessible and relevant for modern day life. It is divided into different “teaching sessions,” starting from “Morning Roll Call: Socrates and the Art of Street Philosophy” and the “morning session” (Epictetus and the Art of Maintaining Control; Musonius Rufus and the Art of Fieldwork; Seneca and the Art of Managing Expectations) to the “noon session” (Epicurus and the Art of Savoring the Moment), “early-afternoon session” (Heraclitus and the Art of Cosmic Contemplation; Pythagoras and the Art of Memorization and Incantation; Skeptics and the Art of Cultivating Doubt), “late-afternoon session” (Diogenes and the Art of Anarchy; Plato and the Art of Justice; Plutarch and the Art of Heroism; Aristotle and the Art of Flourishing), and finally “Graduation: Socrates and the Art of Departure.” Students will practice living according to the philosophy we discuss each week and write about and discuss their experiences.
The Queen’s Gambit, a 1983 novel by the late Walter Tevis, follows fictional chess prodigy Beth Harmon on her unlikely journey from an orphanage to the world chess championship. A recent Netflix miniseries based on the book was released in October 2020 and quickly became the most watch scripted miniseries in Netflix history. The series led to a huge boon in the chess world with skyrocketing sales of chess sets and books. The 2020 covid-lockdown had already fueled an explosion of interest in online chess, including improbable online chess tournaments with famous Twitch personalities. Besides exposing readers to the eclectic world of competitive chess, the book also explores many other issues including substance abuse, gender discrimination, obsessions with success, and a young women’s coming of age.
Students will read and discuss the Queen’s Gambit book throughout the semester. We will also explore the details of the chess games and strategies that parallel the story in the book and the miniseries. To give students a fuller picture, we will play some in-class chess games and mini-tournaments throughout the semester. No expertise in chess is required other than knowing the basic rules of chess and wanting to learn more. At the end of the semester, students will present a final project of their choice that explores one of the themes of the book.
In 2014 President Obama awarded a National Humanities Medal to the accomplished writer Annie Dillard (Pulitzer Prize, 1974). Dillard's unique perspective captured in her narrative essays which put nature into conversation with humanity have helped her achieve such recognition. In this class, we will explore Teaching a Stone to Talk (accompanied by Holy the Firm), which represents some of Dillard’s most compelling work. How might nature speak to us? And how can we look and listen in order to catch what might be heard? If one follows Annie Dillard into the woods, streams, oceans, islands, meadows, and prairies, and, if one listens closely enough, the sights and sounds of these places will have things to say. In these excursions, Dillard seizes opportunity after opportunity to draw on the mysteries of life and death in the natural world and beyond. In doing so, not only does she see the wonders that come to life when pausing long enough to reflect, but also she allows the non-human world to inform human experience, leading to a fuller picture of what it means to be human. In a remarkable way, then, readers of Dillard come away with both a greater appreciation of the world “out there” and a richer understanding of our humanity, in effect seeing the two worlds as more intertwined than what we often imagine. In sum, this class is about learning how to see in all senses of the word.
Written as the result of a dare between friends, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein has since become one of the most recognizable works of English literature. This Gothic story of an arrogant young scientist, his quest to uncover the secrets of life itself, and the terrifying consequences that followed has captivated readers for over two hundred years and is considered by many to be the first true work of science-fiction.
Students in this course will read the original novel and engage in weekly discussions regarding its cultural impact and themes, such as "monster-hood" and the nature of morality.
“This course is team-taught by an upper-division honors student and faculty member.”
These courses are interdisciplinary in nature and often team-taught.
Students will review music therapy and music in health research to assess, orally and in scholarly writing, how music can be utilized to enhance wellbeing, the intersections between music and psychology/cognition/human behavior, as well as health maintenance issues and medical challenges of performing artists.
These courses are aimed at developing skills that will help students over their career.
Please note: IDH1700 is only for first-semester freshmen.
How can you best use your experience in the Warrington College of Business to prepare you for academic and professional success?
Introduction to Business (also known as Warrington Welcome), a one-credit course for first-year business and accounting majors, will guide you to answer this question by:
Facilitating your transition to the Warrington College of Business and University of Florida.
Providing a foundation for academic, career development, and personal growth.
Providing relationship building and networking opportunities with your peers, student leaders, and staff members.
Helping you build foundational skills in teamwork, career management, and critical thinking.
In this course, we will work with engineering honors students to develop an action plan for careers, internships, research, and engagement on campus. Students will work in small groups with a peer leader and develop resumes, elevator pitches, research companies, cover letters, and interview techniques. We'll discuss student organizations and how to get more involved with engineering, honors, and general student groups across campus. Students will learn time management skills, how to approach faculty via email and during office hours, and study techniques for engineering classes. We will also help students find research and identify faculty with similar interests.
So join, gain some professional skills and meet some of your fellow first-year students.
Pro Dev First Generation offers first-year, first-generation Honors students a supportive, collaborative environment to begin your UF journey. Florida Machen Opportunity Scholars can take this Honors course in place of First Year Florida. In this course students will: (1) evaluate opportunities for campus involvement, internships, study abroad, research, leadership, and service based on personal and professional goals, (2) develop effective professional strategies for self-promotion (resumes, cover letters, interview techniques, etc.), and (3) build a supportive network of other first-generation honors students, a first-generation honors faculty member, and a first-generation honors peer leader. Class meetings will consist of casual learner-centered discussions, engaging activities, and presentations from upper-division first-generation honors students that will serve as guides and mentors. Course assignments will have real-world application.
This course provides general professional development tailored for Honors students.
This one credit course is intended for honors students in their first year who are interested in pursuing admission to healthcare professional graduate programs. This course will provide information on how students can begin to prepare for being a healthcare professional and applying to health graduate programs. It will also introduce students to current topics in healthcare in a holistic, mind-body-spirit context including exploration of the patient/family experience, and one’s self as related to healthcare issues and topics.
Available Sections
000C:
000D:
This course is mandatory for first-year Lombardi and Stamps Scholars and will allow those students to interact with and learn from other highly motivated students. This course is an introduction to the life of a scholar-leader and to the many resources available at UF. Students will develop a plan to apply for a variety of opportunities, emphasizing the skills and strategies necessary for a successful academic, community, and personal life.
“I am not lucky. You know what I am? I am smart, I am talented, I take advantage of the opportunities that come my way and I work really, really hard. Don’t call me lucky. Call me a badass.” – Shonda Rhimes
The above quote is the guiding force for this course. Pro Dev: Women in STEM is designed for first year women majoring in STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, math). Through lively discussions, highly interactive activities, and mentoring from course alumnae, students in the course can expect to develop a toolkit of practical resources to not just survive but thrive as women in STEM at UF. Students will build proficiency with resumes, interviewing, negotiating, and networking through in-class workshops. They will also facilitate class discussions with their small group on topics like imposter syndrome, empowerment, and wellbeing. Finally, students in the class will have an opportunity to connect with a female faculty member in a STEM discipline, as well as participate in activities to jumpstart their involvement in academic and enrichment requirements for Honors Completion.
This class will meet once/week with the instructor and once/week in a smaller break-out group led by an experienced honors teaching assistant for the first 8 weeks of the fall semester.
Available Sections
000A:
000B:
In this 1 credit seminar course, students will be introduced to a variety of topics in contemporary medicine such as health care delivery reform, ethical challenges, the evolution of medical science, and major healthcare crises. The course materials will be drawn from streaming media including podcasts and TED/Youtube videos. Class time will be used to explore the topics in open discussion with the course director and selected guest faculty from the College of Medicine and other institutions.
Signature Seminars offer opportunities to work with UF's top faculty in their research areas of interest.
Climate change from rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere is one of the greatest challenges humanity faces. A key question going forward is how do we reshape the world to address this problem and create a carbon-neutral world. Materials discoveries have shaped our lives throughout our history and the discovery of new materials has solved many problems we have faced. The purpose of this course is to explore how new innovative materials can help address climate change. We will discuss the sources of CO2, the feasibility of new materials to help create a carbon-neutral world and how the implementation of these new materials may alter our lifestyle. Topics to be covered include discussions on how materials might be used to mitigate CO2 associated with energy, housing, Industry, transportation, water etc. Finally, the use of materials to capture CO2 from the atmosphere will be discussed. The goal of the class is to explore the challenges associated with the CO2 rise and start to envision what is needed for a carbon-neutral world of the future.
As this class will be taught from a scientific point of view, a basic understanding of scientific principles at a high school level will be necessary. Grades will be determined primarily from participation in the discussion-based classes and a final project.
About the Faculty:
Dr. Kevin S. Jones is a Distinguished Professor and holds the Fredrick N Rhines Chair in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) at UF. He received his BS in MSE from the University of Florida in 1980 and his MS and PhD in MSE in 1987 from the U.C. Berkeley. He has spent the past 33 years as a professor at the University of Florida studying electronic materials. He has published over 400 technical articles, most focusing on defects that form during the processing of semiconductors. He is a fellow of the Materials Research Society (MRS), the American Society of Materials (ASM) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). He has won many awards including the 1990 Presidential Young Investigator Award from NSF, the 2013 North American SEMI Award and the 2018 North America Award for Outstanding Contributions to Materials Education. In 2018 he was named the UF Teacher/Scholar of the Year and in 2019 he was awarded the SEC Faculty Achievement Award.
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