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.
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.
Available Class Numbers
20881
20883
Available Class Numbers
20884
20855
CHM2051 – Honors General Chemistry 2
For the Spring 2022 term the Department of Chemistry is offering two honors sections of General Chemistry 2 under the course number CHM2051. To be placed in these sections students have to have existing credit for MAC1147 or higher. Students also have to show superior performance in CHM2045 (General Chemistry 1) or equivalent courses (CHM2095 or CHM2050) as evidenced by a ‘B+’ grade or higher. If students bring credit for CHM2045 from exam (AP, IB, AICE) they will need instructor permission to add the course.
The section numbers are G51H (class #25195) and G51O (class #29861). These courses meet TR-2+3 and TR-4+5 for lectures in LEI207. The curriculum closely parallels the curriculum of the main CHM2046 courses. However, the instructors are research faculty and will place emphasis on modern developments in chemistry as well as applications to current problems. Specifically, the course contains a module on Atmospheric Chemistry and one on Nuclear Chemistry.
What is different about these sections:
1. Each section (and its parallel non-honors section) is capped at 60 students. The smaller class size will help foster a sense of community among the students. The instructor:student ratio will therefore be at least 5 times higher in these sections than in the regular CHM2046 sections.
2. Students will not take multiple-choice but rather long-form exams where work has to be shown which allows for partial credit on problems.
3. The course is taught by a research professor (tentatively assigned to Drs. Angerhofer and Yost) who will use examples from modern research in chemistry to illustrate the material to be learned. The pace will be somewhat faster to make space for the extra sections on atmospheric and nuclear chemistry and guest lectures.
4. Guest lectures will be given by eminent UF faculty who will discuss how chemistry aids them in their field of study.
5. Lecture meetings will be more interactive (among students and between students and instructors) than is possible in the large lecture auditoria. Small student-centered study groups and collaboration on homework between students is strongly encouraged. Students will work in teams on jeopardy-style games in preparation for their exams. Other team projects may be assigned.
What do these two sections have in common with the main CHM2046 sections?
1. They provide the same number of credits covering the same material.
2. Students can attend the CLC (Chemistry Learning Center) where General Chemistry TAs have office hours and will assist all students regardless of their section or class numbers.
3. The common material covered is Thermodynamics, Equilibrium, Acid-Base Chemistry, Electrochemistry, and an Introduction to Organic Chemistry.
Available Class Numbers
25195
29861
This course aims to understand developing nations and their social, economic, and political struggles. Specifically, we will explore the questions that developing nations have encountered in the process of state-building, economic growth, and democratization. This course consists of three parts. The first part focuses on theoretical approaches used to understand developing nations, including theories of modernization, dependency, developmental states, neoliberalism, and post-development. In the second part, we will discuss the historical background of developing nations that originated from colonialism and the Cold War period focusing on the countries that were once or are currently considered “less developed.” The third part of this course concerns contemporary issues in the developing countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, including democratization, foreign aid, environmental problems, and Covid-19.
Stress and strain at a point, streee-strain-temperature relations and mechanical properties of materials. Systems subject to axial load, torsion and bending. Design concepts, indeterminate structures and applications.
Prerequisite: EGM2511 and MAC 2313
Engineers solve problems, and in doing so, communicate solutions to colleagues, clients, and various public entities. In this class, students 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.
The honors section of Writing in Medicine incorporates both speaking and writing skills. This 4-unit course focuses on preparing you for medical school or other healthcare related professional programs. In Unit 1, you will read and synthesize important material from medical research reports. In Unit 2, you will read several medical research reports in order to produce an Annotated Bibliography and a State-of-the-Art Medical Review paper. You will present your research to the class in an oral presentation. Unit 3 concentrates on professionalization. You will prepare a resume, personal statement for medical, dental, or osteopath school, and sit for a mock medical school interview. Unit 4 has you working with your peers to produce a fun and informative CME (Continuing Medical Education) unit in which you prepare a written report and oral presentation. This course is designed to expose you to the kind of writing and speaking you will engage in to get ready for medical school and, then, in your medical school career. Honors students are inspired to think and write about challenging topics in project-based environments.
Kellie Roberts, a faculty member in the Dial Center for Written and Oral Communication, earned her doctorate in Higher Education Administration at UF and holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in the field of Communication Studies. Dr. Roberts also coaches the nationally competitive UF Speech & Debate Team. Her research interests are in the area of instructional practices with a focus on curriculum and faculty development, postsecondary education, mentoring, and qualitative research.
Purpose:
Resilience in Children with Chronic Health Conditions is designed to provide students with (1) an overview of common pediatric chronic illnesses; (2) an overview of resilience and how resilience-building approaches are applied to the psychological treatment of pediatric chronic illnesses; and (3) an examination of resilience theory, assessment, and promotion efforts through a review of psychological literature. A special focus will be on the interactive nature of resilience and health outcomes, with discussion on how this interactive relationship is compounded by factors such as socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, access to care, and engagement in illness management.
Relation to program outcomes:
This course serves as a 3-credit upper-level honors elective course within clinical and health psychology at the University of Florida. The early-stage developmental focus will support learning objectives that are applicable to a range of clinical and health profession degrees including public health, psychology, pre-medicine, health sciences, and early development undergraduate training programs.
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. All students that began in Fall 2021 or later are also expected to complete an Honors version of the UF-required Quest 2 course.
Quest 1
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
13390
14525
14542
14546
This course explores issues of global relevance through the medium of Japanese animation. Students will both examine contemporary issues through a close reading of anime texts and develop skills to analyze pop culture. Students will confront issues of identity, the environment, gender, capitalism, surveillance, war, power, and more through anime."
This course provides a Geo-historic account of "the Blues" -- an innovation that helped African-Americans retain their cultural identity in a landscape dominated by oppression and discrimination. As a catalyst of social change, this expressive musical form covertly confronted the forces responsible for perpetuating injustice and inequality.
Explore the relationships between Culture and Nature through the worldviews and cultural practices of Indigenous people. Although they vary in innumerable ways, Indigenous people across the Americas share common values from an understanding that their lives are part of, and inseparable from, the natural world. Oriented by cosmological principles and a sense of spiritual responsibility to the natural world and its resources, Indigenous values offer insight on improving the quality and equitability of futures for all people. Through both classroom and field experiences, the course introduces students to archaeological, artistic, linguistic, and ethnographic evidence of values that strive to maintain balance between Culture and Nature. In keeping with the holistic qualities of Indigenous values, the course is designed and delivered by an interdisciplinary team of UF faculty with expertise ranging from anthropology to ecology to religion, from political science to human rights, and from art history to language.
Uses role-playing games to investigate conflict and its resolution by simulating the revolutionary chaos in New York (1775–76) and negotiations over a new constitution for post-apartheid South Africa (1993). Examines the role of the arts in remembering conflict, focusing on the controversy over the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (1981).
Explores how stories can help us understand the human condition, investigate the construction of identity, and consider the need to tell our own histories. By looking inward and outward and backward and forward, we will examine how stories influence us and how storytelling provides humans with the means to connect.
Quest 2
In this class, students will learn the intersection of communication and civic engagement. They will critically engage with historic methods of social movements, models of civic engagement, and theories regarding public (and interpersonal) discourses to better understand the most effective ways to be an engaged citizen.
The course explores the challenges of eating well around the globe considering environmental and economic factors, as well as access to and availability of nutritious food. The course investigates and reflects on the contemporary international issues of global nutrition and sustainability from both economic and health perspectives.
Our semester focuses on historic and modern disease outbreaks, in order to hypothesize what the next pandemic will be. We will ask what social, political, biological, and environmental factors led to historic outbreaks, what happened when we faced a new pandemic, and how can we prepare for the next pandemic?
These one-credit courses are discussion-oriented, seminar courses centered on a performance or an exhibit.
We will watch, analyze, and discuss at least 10 movies in each class. Students will learn to participate in discussions, expressing their opinions that may contradict those of others. Students will learn to lead discussions, usually with one other student as a co-leader. Students will learn a variety of movie genres, and see how movies affect society and our common fund of experiences (e. g. the impact of Star Wars). Assignments are class participation, helping to choose interesting/impactful/entertaining movies, and leading one or two discussions. In order to lead the discussion, the students submit a list of topics one week ahead of their discussion which is distributed to the other students in the class.
29359
29360
Written over 200 years ago, and known as the first science fiction novel, the birth of biomedical ethics, a Gothic horror novel, Frankenstein has had an almost immeasurably powerful impact on the modern imagination. The ideas in the novel stick with us and lead us to explore ideas of monstrosity, human hubris, and fallibility- leading to the creation of hundreds of movies on the themes explored in the book. Through reading the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, attending a play on Frankenstein at the Phillips Center, and watching and discussing a subset of the Frankenstein movies, this class will explore those and other themes raised by this highly influential and powerful story.
This spring ‘Rent the Musical’ will be playing in Gainesville. This class invites students to watch the musical and immerse themselves in readings that deal with the topics it raises, from gentrification to urban renewal, COVID and the rent crisis. Together we’ll discuss articles, visit Matthew Desmond’s housing website, and even read a supreme court opinion, as we explore the ways that each connects back to the play. Honors Director Mark Law will visit class to lecture on the play, its background and context. Students will write a paper addressing an aspect of the musical they found most compelling. I hope you’ll join us!
Course coordinator Joel E. Black researches and teaches topics in law, inequality, and city life. His book, Structuring Poverty in the Windy City: Autonomy, Virtue, and Isolation in Post-Fire Chicago is now available. He has taught at the University of Oregon and the University of Florida and is currently a lecturer in the Department of Political Science and Faculty Advisor for UF’s undergraduate Mock Trial team, “The Litigators.”
Graphic Novel Design will explore narrative storytelling through art. We will analyze themes and layouts of primarily autobiographical graphic novels, illustrations, and comics to apply to our own art practice. These readings take on historical, cultural, and ethnographic perspectives that we will use to enhance our ability to tell stories through illustration. Students can expect to develop their personal style, learn drawing fundamentals, and engage with different forms of narration. Assignments will consist of class discussion, critique, process pieces, three main works, and a self-driven final project. The end product of this class will be a portfolio of works created throughout the semester that confronts identity, past, current events, and the future.
This course is team-taught by an upper-division Honors student and faculty member.
These are discussion-oriented, one-credit seminar courses centered on a book.
History + Biography
From the back cover of this book: “A sweeping history of tragic genius, cutting-edge science, and the Haber-Bosch discovery that changed billions of lives—including your own.
At the dawn of the twentieth century, humanity was facing global disaster: Mass starvation was about to become a reality. A call went out to the world’s scientists to find a solution.
This is the story of the two men who found it: brilliant, self-important Fritz Haber and reclusive, alcoholic Carl Bosch. Together they discovered a way to make bread out of air, built city-sized factories, and saved millions of lives.
But their epochal triumph came at a price we are still paying. The Haber-Bosch process was also used to make the gunpowder and explosives that killed millions during the two world wars. Both men were vilified during their lives; both, disillusioned and disgraced, died tragically.
The Alchemy of Air is the extraordinary, previously untold story of a discovery that changed the way we grow food and the way we make war–and that promises to continue shaping our lives in fundamental and dramatic ways.”
One does not have to be an expert in history or in chemistry to read and appreciate this book. Its author, Thomas Hager, a veteran science and medical writer knows how to tell dramatic stories about world- changing discoveries. His books have earned national recognition, including in 2017 the American Chemical Association's top writing award, the Grady-Stack Medal for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public.
After reading the book students will be familiar with the Haber-Bosch process, what it is, how it was developed, and its effects on world history in the 20th century and beyond. They will also be familiar with the lives of the two main protagonists in the story, Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch. Moreover, students will understand the implications of ‘fixed nitrogen’ on modern agriculture, industrial chemistry, and our environment.
During the first half of the semester we will read and discuss the book in student-led discussions. The second half of the semester will be dedicated to students’ own research on a topic of their interest related to the book. Each student will have the opportunity to share their insights with the rest of the class in a ~20-minute presentation.
This course counts towards completion of the UF Intersections Scholars in Imagineering and the Technosphere program. Intersections Scholars encourages students to take three classes in three different academic disciplines related to grand-challenge questions facing our world. One of these is: How do technologies influence our lives, then and now? By understanding the development of science and technology over time and space, we learn how to harness these tools to meet social needs in the future. For more information, visit: https://intersections.humanities.ufl.edu/
Author Donna Tartt is best known for her most-recent novel, The Goldfinch (2013), which garnered numerous literary awards, including the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. But it is her debut novel, The Secret History (1992), that has become a cult classic, and continues to generate the most interest among readers.
The Secret History is an inverted detective story, where readers are exposed to a murder in the opening pages. Readers are told about the victim, the murderers, and their means, but their motives remain a mystery. The story is told by protagonist Richard Papen, a first-year student at small-but-elite Hampden College in Vermont. Coming from a working-class family, Richard feels out of place at Hampden until he meets a mysterious group of five wealthy and eccentric students—Henry, “Bunny,” Francis, and Charles and Camilla (twins)—that share his interest in classics (i.e., Greek, Latin). Richard is elusive about his working-class background, but over time, Henry and his group grow to accept Richard into their fold. But when the rest of the group—without Richard—attempts to translate their academic interests into ritual practice by recreating an ancient Dionysian rite deep in the Vermont woods, the story takes multiple unexpected turns.
The Secret History’s broad themes include envy, guilt, isolation, manipulation, social class, and the link between beauty and terror. The purpose of this course is to expose readers to a modern murder mystery masterpiece set in a college town and written by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who was a student herself at the novel’s outset. Attendance, participation, reactions papers, and leading group discussions will determine grades. Reaction papers will focus on plots and themes that are present in the book.
Relations between US, Middle East, and the Wider World emerged from an intriguing history of cultural, commercial, political, and social encounters. The existing literature tend to overlook the long presence of early diplomats, merchants, and missionaries in the Middle East. Likewise, the movement of ideas, images, goods, and people across the Mediterranean have received remarkably little attention. This course offers an understanding of little-known exchanges between foreigners and the diverse Middle Eastern populations by exploring the history of Muslim images, ideologies, and immigrants in the United States, transatlantic trade networks, and the foundation of Christian institutions such as colleges, seminaries, and hospitals in the larger Middle East. The course has no prerequisites. The assignments are: a closed reading and engaged discussion of chapters drawn from Michael Oren’s Power, Faith, and Fantasy, a critical review of another work on the subject, and regular contributions to a weekly blog to be created by the professor. The course has no prerequisites. The assignments are: a closed reading and engaged classroom discussion of book chapters, and regular contributions to a weekly blog to be created by the professor on the course website. Additional readings and recommended materials will be posted on the e-learning website. Consider acquiring an affordable copy of the book from this link. There are no additional fees for the course.
The Making of the Atomic Bomb is a contemporary history book which won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction. It describes the personalities of the scientists who discovered the reactions that made the bomb possible. It also shows the impact of other historical events such as World War 1 and the Nazi rise in Europe on the development of atomic energy. It is not only a story about the scientific discoveries, but also about the events and personalities that affected the development of the bomb.
Science (Non-Health) + Science Fiction
The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson (1995) envisions a future in which the social elite can afford to provide top-notch AI-supported adaptive, personalized educational technology to their children, whereas the impoverished lower class do not have such privileges. The book centers around a young street urchin named Nell who finds one of the primers and starts using it, and how this changes her life. The tale of Nell's own learning and growth are set against a backdrop of a Victorian steampunk-informed future defined by ubiquitous nanotechnology and strict class-based roles and resource allocation. The book remains a thought-provoking exploration of educational technology, ethics in AI, human-AI interaction, personalized learning, social class, equity, and consumerism. By reading and discussing this book in this class, we will delve into these issues as they were envisioned by Stephenson, but also as they are playing out currently in our times as we deal with issues of bias in AI, technology equity, and educational / achievement gaps in our society.
In this class, we will cover these facts and some of the most beautiful and surprising arguments from the history of Calculus. These are beyond the scope of regular Calculus classes, but are within the reach of anyone with a good understanding of Calculus II. Sometimes we will provide some historical context as well.
Our book will be the classic book of George F. Simmons, Calculus Gems.
Ideally, students registering for the class should have already completed Calculus II, though in some cases, it is acceptable if the student takes Calculus II in the same semester.
Steven Koonin is the former Undersecretary for Science, U.S. Dept. Energy, under President Obama. Some of our politicians and scientists would have you believe that climate science is "settled," so they can drive new policy. Steve Koonin describes what climate science tells us and what it doesn't. The implications are that the science of climate change is insufficient and “Unsettled” to make drastic changes in policy. In an era of science based hyperbole to support political agendas “Unsettled” is written to begin the process to bring back integrity to climate science. Koonin also provides his perspective on strategies we might pursue to deal with climate change based on what the science tells us. The students will gain an overview of climate science (the book is well annotated) and expand their capabilities to discern data driven science from science that is manipulated to achieve an outcome.
The Science of Climate Change - Syllabus
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).
This course is for anyone interested in green development and urban biodiversity conservation and students will learn about the central question of how to conserve biodiversity in neighborhoods and to minimize development impacts on surrounding habitats. The class specifically helps students to understand how to move beyond the design stage of green development by thoroughly addressing construction and post-construction issues. Incorporating many real-world examples, the course explains key conservation concepts and techniques, with specific advice for a wide variety of stakeholders that are interested in creating and maintaining green developments. It outlines the key players and principles needed to establish biodiverse communities and illustrates eight key design and management strategies. The class offers essential information for constructing new developments but also helps existing communities retrofit homes, yards, and neighborhoods to better serve both people and nature.
Objectives:
1. Students will learn about ways to conserve, manage, and restore natural habitat and to promote biodiversity in urban and rural environments.
2. Students will learn about the relationship among planners/policymakers, developers, and the public and their roles in conserving biodiversity.
3. Students will also get "hands on" experience by participating in several neighborhood natural area restoration projects.
Activities:
1. In-class discussions about barriers and opportunities to conserve biodiversity in their own neighborhoods.
2. Two field trips to neighborhood natural areas in Gainesville to participate in restoration activities.
The Making of the Atomic Bomb is a contemporary history book which won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction. It describes the personalities of the scientists who discovered the reactions that made the bomb possible. It also shows the impact of other historical events such as World War 1 and the Nazi rise in Europe on the development of atomic energy. It is not only a story about the scientific discoveries, but also about the events and personalities that affected the development of the bomb.
From the back cover of this book: “A sweeping history of tragic genius, cutting-edge science, and the Haber-Bosch discovery that changed billions of lives—including your own.
At the dawn of the twentieth century, humanity was facing global disaster: Mass starvation was about to become a reality. A call went out to the world’s scientists to find a solution.
This is the story of the two men who found it: brilliant, self-important Fritz Haber and reclusive, alcoholic Carl Bosch. Together they discovered a way to make bread out of air, built city-sized factories, and saved millions of lives.
But their epochal triumph came at a price we are still paying. The Haber-Bosch process was also used to make the gunpowder and explosives that killed millions during the two world wars. Both men were vilified during their lives; both, disillusioned and disgraced, died tragically.
The Alchemy of Air is the extraordinary, previously untold story of a discovery that changed the way we grow food and the way we make war–and that promises to continue shaping our lives in fundamental and dramatic ways.”
One does not have to be an expert in history or in chemistry to read and appreciate this book. Its author, Thomas Hager, a veteran science and medical writer knows how to tell dramatic stories about world- changing discoveries. His books have earned national recognition, including in 2017 the American Chemical Association's top writing award, the Grady-Stack Medal for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public.
After reading the book students will be familiar with the Haber-Bosch process, what it is, how it was developed, and its effects on world history in the 20th century and beyond. They will also be familiar with the lives of the two main protagonists in the story, Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch. Moreover, students will understand the implications of ‘fixed nitrogen’ on modern agriculture, industrial chemistry, and our environment.
During the first half of the semester we will read and discuss the book in student-led discussions. The second half of the semester will be dedicated to students’ own research on a topic of their interest related to the book. Each student will have the opportunity to share their insights with the rest of the class in a ~20-minute presentation.
This course counts towards completion of the UF Intersections Scholars in Imagineering and the Technosphere program. Intersections Scholars encourages students to take three classes in three different academic disciplines related to grand-challenge questions facing our world. One of these is: How do technologies influence our lives, then and now? By understanding the development of science and technology over time and space, we learn how to harness these tools to meet social needs in the future. For more information, visit: https://intersections.humanities.ufl.edu/
Health
Drugs by themselves are neither good or bad – it is ultimately how they are used that will lead humans to label them as such. Oliver Grundmann, PhD, has researched both synthetic and natural drugs with mind-altering effects for over a decade. Those who have been used for hundreds of years as part of traditional medicine and rituals are often mis- or abused in modern society. Others are solely intended to either create a fantastic escape from reality or get the user hooked to cause a substance use disorder. Numerous personal accounts and the scientific literature are a testament to this growing problem of what is commonly called “addiction”. But there is more to it as seen through the eyes of a researcher. Accompany Dr. Grundmann as he discusses the landscape, effects, and impact of drugs on the individual and society.
In this Uncommon course, students will have the opportunity to engage in-depth depictions of the opioid epidemic in the United States and the ethics of pain management and mental healthcare in the United States. This Uncommon Reads course will be taught by Dr. Craig Smith who has multiple years of experience teaching Uncommon courses. Dr. Smith is the Director of Culture for Column Health, LLC based in Boston, USA and a senior faculty member at the University of Florida. With this experience, Dr. Smith will share additional contexts for students in relation to ‘start-up culture’ and humane engagements with mental health and pain management in the United States, with a particular focus on opiate use disorder and M.A.T. or medication-assisted treatment modalities.
Carol Gilligan 1982 book In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development critiqued the mainstream theory of moral development (Kohlberg), taught in most universities, as a purely masculine creation. The mainstream view of moral development viewed itself as being gender-neutral. Kohlberg’s ‘gender-neutral’ psychological studies interestingly showed that young adult men reached the highest level of moral development at a higher rate than young adult females. And that was that! Until one of his doctoral students, Carol Gilligan, set out to show that psychology had persistently and systematically misunderstood women—their motives, their moral commitments, the course of their psychological growth, and their special view of what is important in life. She set out to correct psychology’s misperceptions and refocus its view of female personality. Here ‘little book was a publication of her own psychological studies showing females in the sample group could think at the highest level as much as their male counterparts, but they chose not to! These findings showed that the mainstream view of male superiority was flawed.
The course will take a look at this little book to discuss some of the basic questions about the feminine voice in ethical decision-making. It will set the level of discussion at practical application and not so much on theory. It also looks to determine the impact of the feminine voice on current beliefs and structures of thinking. One impact to be studied is the development of a new school of ethics known as the ‘ethics of care.’ This school can be seen as an alternative to the major ethical schools of thought—Kantian (deontology) and utilitarianism. The ethics of care challenges the impartiality and neutrality of utilitarian calculation (benefits-costs) and deontology’s moral principles. When faced with ethical dilemmas, the ethics of care asserts that both mainstream schools prove insufficient, by arguing that the care associated with relationships should also have a ‘voice’ in the matter.
The discussions will hopefully be passionate and provide interesting material for future cocktail hour debates!
"This class will meet 2 hours / week for the first half of the semester only"
This course will focus on the book Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Pulitzer Prize winning author Sheri Fink. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, the following days were harrowing and proved catastrophic for thousands of residents. One population was extremely vulnerable – those receiving medical care at Memorial Medical Center, and tough decisions had to be made.
In this highly participatory course, we will follow the events of what happened, what were the consequences, and discuss the issues relating to the decisions that had to be made. We will discuss medical ethics, the response to an unprecedented natural disaster, and perspectives on end-of-life care.
With its infamous portrayal of lobotomy and sadistic nurses, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest provided a spotlight – although a bleak one – on psychiatry in popular culture. Its release coincided with the mental health reform movement of deinstitutionalization, which pushed for a radical move away from the very asylums and mental hospitals where McMurphy met his fate. But how much has the world of mental health treatment transformed? This course will explore both the impact of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest on views of mental health reform then and now from an interdisciplinary perspective with a foundation in history and psychology. This course will also encourage students to reflect on their own stigma regarding mental health and how fictional portrayals like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest still affect mental illness and its treatment today.
This course is team-taught by an upper-division Honors student and faculty member.
Based on the book "Man and Microbes" by Arno Karlen, this 1-credit discussion course focuses on co-evolution of our species with microbes. The book describes the history of humanity as viewed through the prism of epidemics and pandemics, and deals with the question of how diseases arise, frequently jumping from animals to humans, and how they evolve and why. The book also places disease as a central actor in the history of civilization.
This course is based on the book How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence by Michael Pollan, which presents a review of the use of psychedelic drugs throughout human history, including in religious practices in various cultures and the US countercultural movement of the 1960s. The course will require a mature perspective on drug use. Students can expect to participate in frank discussions around the effects of psychedelic drugs under a variety of conditions. The course does not in any way advocate the casual use of psychedelic or other drugs.
Honors students interested in subjects as far-ranging as spirituality, therapeutic treatments, the history of medicine, brain neurotransmitters, psychiatric illnesses, and consciousness should find something of interest in this course.
The class will be structured around weekly discussion of the book and students will be evaluated based on class participation and two 1200-word papers.
In his book Behave, Dr. Robert Sapolsky, a neuroendocrinologist and primatologist at Stanford University, examines how instances from seconds to centuries before a particular behavior culminate to explain why that behavior occurred. We will explore the neurobiological aspects of decision making (seconds before) followed by discussions of the influence of cognitive and psychological factors (minutes/hours before). The class will then consider the influence of hormones (days/months before) and the effects of upbringing and environmental factors (years/decades). Finally, genetic makeup and evolution will be examined. This totals to ten chapters of Sapolsky’s seventeen-chapter book. In the interest of time, we will read and discuss only the first ten chapters. No prior knowledge of neuroscience, psychology, or biology is needed.
This course is team-taught by an upper-division honors student and faculty member.
What is medicine and what is it for? What does it mean to be a good doctor? Why do we value the doctor-patient relationship, and how does it define medicine? When and how do medical students learn relational competences within their medical education and training? Answers to these questions are essential both to the practice of medicine and to understanding the moral norms that shape that practice. The Way of Medicine articulates and defends an account of medicine and medical ethics meant to challenge the reigning provider of services model, in which clinicians eschew any claim to know what is good for a patient and instead offer an array of “health care services” for the sake of the patient’s subjective well-being. In the book, you will learn a "new" path out of the provider of services model as well as the moral resources necessary to resist the various political, institutional, and cultural forces that constantly push practitioners and patients into thinking of their relationship in terms of economic exchange.
Society + Culture + Politics
In this award-winning book, Johnny Pitts examines the everyday life and lived experiences of black Europeans across 8 different European cities searching for a common identity. However, as his travels stretch from Brussels to Moscow, Paris to Lisbon, and numerous other places along the way, he comes to understand that the experience of being black and European varies greatly from country to country. The interviews and encounters with other black Europeans impress upon him the importance of not only the colonial past, but also the way that that past has been addressed for the construction of black identity in a European setting. Through a close reading of this work, the course will examine and question what it means to be European in the contemporary period and how that identity is impacted by the colonial past.
Black girlhood is not a monolith. This course will introduce students to theories, methods, and analytical approaches in the study of Black girlhood through an in-depth engagement and reading of the text The Black Girlhood Studies Collection (Halliday, 2019). Students will interrogate Black girlhood as a theoretical lens, a political category of identity, and a symbol of agency- directly addressing topics connected to the foundations of the field, the utility of the categories of "girl" and "womxn" and the representation of Black girlhood in and outside of academic spaces. Black girls deserve a world that consistently reminds them how amazing they are, and in this course we will explore realities in the lives of Black girls with respect to their lived experiences of schooling, education, community, and sexuality and illuminate the strategies, genius, potential, and FUTURES of Black girls and Black girlhood.
An excerpt from the publisher: “Young people are told that college is a place where they will ‘find themselves’ by engaging with diversity and making friendships that will last a lifetime. This vision of an inclusive, diverse social experience is a fundamental part of the image colleges sell potential students. But what really happens when students arrive on campus and enter this new social world? The Cost of Inclusion delves into this rich moment to explore the ways students seek out a sense of belonging and the sacrifices they make to fit in.”
In this course, students will interrogate their own paths to inclusion at the University of Florida alongside a class reading of Silver’s book. We will use the book and supplementary materials to cover topics such as diversity and inclusion, inequality, controlling images, campus life, and more. The term’s major assignment will be an ongoing autoethnography of student organizations that class members are personally involved in, much like the one Silver conducted for his study. Students will make mini presentations on their progress throughout the term before delivering a final presentation of their findings to the class at the end of the semester. The instructor hopes to arrange a virtual visit to the classroom with author Blake R. Silver himself so that students might ask him questions about his study and book after they have completed it.
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.
Maps have played a central role in human societies since the beginning of time. As you will learn in this course, maps are not neutral representations of reality but powerful tools of communication. Maps exert an enormous amount of influence on a society’s political structure, economic system, and imagination of the larger world. Maps are often used to highlight spatial data in informative ways or to help people get from work to the nearest bar. They are also used on a daily basis to track and kill people, to ostracize whole segments of society (i.e., redlining), and to forcefully rip apart ethnic groups. Using Mark Monmonier's How to Lie with Maps as our guide, we will be studying maps and analyzing their myriad roles in society. Through weekly discussions and a case study presentation, students will explore how maps work, what they are, who decides what goes on them, and how humans interpret them. We will learn how mapmaking has evolved, how the power to make maps has changed over time, and how digital technology is changing what can be done with maps. Finally, students will be introduced to the myriad ways that maps are used to shape society.
A disabled, wheel-chair bound husband, who is a former college athlete, fraternith brother, and professionally trained engineer, decides to care for his wife who has Alzheimer's by keeping her in their home and modifying it accordingly rather than institutionalizing her. Students will learn how and why a residence must be altered as occupants age. They will understand the options for care both, in the home and outside the home. They will understand the bureaucracy involved in caregiving and choices required to care for a loved one. The author (a colleague of mine) has agreed to do his best to try and meet with us via Zoom (from AZ) as often as possible to discuss the readings.
Cuisines are central to defining national cultures: imagine Italy without handmade pasta, or France without its wine or cheese cultures, or China without Chinese food. They are also central to defining the boundaries of communities within nations: dietary restrictions in religions in part tell us with whom we are allowed to dine, and who we can't invite. So there are broad reasons to explore the role that food, its preparation, and its serving plays in contemporary societies. This one-credit course will build on two books from which students can choose--High on the Hog, or The Potlikker Papers-- to explore the role that food, and those who prepare it, have played in the contemporary Black South. From slave cooks who prepared food for white masters, to black activists who cooked for 1950s protesters, to the architects of 1970s Soul Food in the reinvigoration of black popular culture in the 1970s, to waves of immigration from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, South Asia and the Caribbean, food has been a vessel for change in the South. The ways in which it has been chart some of the most important social changes in the United States in the last two centuries, and in particular the role of the South in imagining what is authentically “American.” Because this is a one-credit course, assignments will be limited. During spring break 2022, students will be required to have a meal at a restaurant in their home town (or Gainesville if they prefer) and to submit a short (1-2 page) essay exploring the decor, the menu, the proprietors, through the lens of one or more chapters of the book they have chosen. In addition, students will submit short (<1 page) response papers in three of the weekly course meetings. Finally, the class will meet collectively twice during the semester at local restaurants that are broadly ‚"Southern" and, logistics of COVID permitting, follow those with visits to relevant exhibits at the Matheson History Museum and the Florida Museum of Natural History.
True/False is a class about media literacy: how we make sense of the constant stream of “content” we receive. Our all-access media streams flow to us in a full range of devices from smartphones to laptops to flat screen tvs to billboards. They are a constant flow of information, opinions, emotions, stories, images, and sounds that often feel like an overflow. Infuse these inputs with various ideological perspectives and marketing-savvy nuances, and it becomes too much to take in and make sense of. What we are often left with is a wholesale inability to decipher and process all the information, leaving us “media illiterate”. In short, our media overflow turns worthwhile and complex things into simple commodities for consumption, entertainment, or ideological battleground. But how are we to consider the imprint any of this makes on our lives? Where is there space to sort truth from error, reality from fiction? And what is at stake in all of this anyway? How might we curate various media streams that are constructive and not merely destructive? Are there ways that our imaginations might craft a better way to navigate and process all that comes our way? This seminar style course will involve a “slow read” of Neil Postman’s acclaimed book Amusing Ourselves to Death. Alongside Postman’s text, we will consider how the arts come to bear on the topic. Specific focus will be given to creative nonfiction film (a kind of documentary), and in particular the resources of the True/False Film Festival. The class’ structure will include: reading and in-depth conversation. Each week, students will come to class having read and entered a brief blogpost summary of the content for the week. During class, we will discuss the reading in various formats. Periodically, there will be additional assignments in the form of short Film/Creative Review essays.
Todd Best is a returning instructor in the (Un)Common Reading Program who also serves as an Academic Advisor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He received an M.A. in religious studies, and sees his work and academic interests coming together as applications of the humanities and social sciences. He is interested in the quandaries of human experience that emerge from shared cultural life, how various thinkers and traditions respond to those questions, and what resources we might tap for gaining insight into shared questions in the human experience. As a fan of creative non-fiction film (aka documentaries), he considers the arts an ideal arena for thinking about such things.
This course is for anyone interested in green development and urban biodiversity conservation and students will learn about the central question of how to conserve biodiversity in neighborhoods and to minimize development impacts on surrounding habitats. The class specifically helps students to understand how to move beyond the design stage of green development by thoroughly addressing construction and post-construction issues. Incorporating many real-world examples, the course explains key conservation concepts and techniques, with specific advice for a wide variety of stakeholders that are interested in creating and maintaining green developments. It outlines the key players and principles needed to establish biodiverse communities and illustrates eight key design and management strategies. The class offers essential information for constructing new developments but also helps existing communities retrofit homes, yards, and neighborhoods to better serve both people and nature.
Objectives:
1. Students will learn about ways to conserve, manage, and restore natural habitat and to promote biodiversity in urban and rural environments.
2. Students will learn about the relationship among planners/policymakers, developers, and the public and their roles in conserving biodiversity.
3. Students will also get "hands on" experience by participating in several neighborhood natural area restoration projects.
Activities:
1. In-class discussions about barriers and opportunities to conserve biodiversity in their own neighborhoods.
2. Two field trips to neighborhood natural areas in Gainesville to participate in restoration activities.
Based on Heather McGhee’s The Sum of Us, this course is designed to examine the "common denominator of our most vexing public problems and the core dysfunction of our democracy" - racism - through the lens of economics. McGhee argues that racism has costs for everyone and this course explores how we got to where we are today and the practical role solidarity plays in building a better future.
When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West, we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis the mysterious Witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil?
So much happened in Oz before Dorothy dropped in...
Business + Economics
This course explores the roles, importance and impacts of the nonprofit sector across the globe. The course revolves around the book “The Nonprofit World: Civil Society and the Rise of the Nonprofit Sector,” which traces the growth of the nonprofit sector as a major part of the global civil society. Assignments include student-led discussions and case study presentations.
Other
“A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor”, by Hank Green, follows the characters from “An Absolutely Remarkable Thing”, in which April May made first contact with Carl and became instantly famous as a result. In this course, we will read “A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor” during the semester and explore questions of identity, power, technology, and the decisions that we collectively take and the future of humanity. We will participate in meaningful dialogue centered on the text and we will make connections to other texts provided in class, life experiences, and events in the world, both currently and historically. We will engage in weekly online posts and in-class discussions. You will work with a partner to respond to the text with a video.
Lin Manuel Miranda’s Tony winning “In The Heights” and movie version raise interesting questions about immigration, gentrification, and finding home. Join this class to discuss these topics and learn about the development of this award winning musical.
This course is team-taught by an upper-division Honors student and faculty member.
The Neapolitan Novels chronicle the friendship of two women in postwar Naples. Ferrante masterfully blurs the lines between the two characters, Lila and Lenu, the author, and “Elena Ferrante,” whose very identity has been deliberately kept private. The result is a head spinning tale that makes the reader question the most fundamental elements of identity. The books hold nothing back in their social and political criticism. Students will learn to recognize the trope of the unstable narrator and appreciate the trope’s ability to convey meaning beyond plot. At the end of each of the four segments, students write a brief essay on the same question: Who is Lila? Who is Lenu?
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.
On New Year’s Eve 1972, after 18 seasons in major league baseball, Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash on a humanitarian trip to Nicaragua after a devastating earthquake. Author David Maraniss recounts his life in “Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball’s Last Hero.”
During his Hall of Fame career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Clemente won four batting titles and led his team to championships in 1960 and 1971, getting a hit in all of his 14 World Series games. His career ended with 3,000 hits, the magical last coming in his final at bat.
This is more than just another baseball book. Clemente was that rare athlete who rose above sports to become a symbol of larger themes. Born in Puerto Rico in 1934, when major league baseball was segregated, Clemente went on to become the greatest Latino player in his sport. He was, in a sense, the Jackie Robinson of the Spanish-speaking world: A ballplayer of determination, grace and dignity who paved the way and set the highest standard for waves of Latino players who followed in later generations and who now dominate the game.
Clemente insisted his responsibilities extended beyond the diamond. His motto: If you can help others and fail to do so, you’re wasting your time on earth. After capturing Clemente’s life and times, Maraniss retraces his final days, from the earthquake to the accident, revealing the corruption and negligence that led him on a mission of mercy toward his untimely death.
While using the Maraniss biography as the central text, students in this class will also review movies, documentaries and other books and articles that focus not only on Clemente’s life and times, but also the collective realities faced by Black and Latino baseball players – as well as their influences on society and culture at large – back then and now.
Through our readings and assignments, we will also delve into the intersection of race, sports and culture – which is the subject of a journalism course the instructor teaches regularly.
Based on the #1 NY Times bestseller “Think Like A Monk” by Jay Shetty; We will explore how the principles of Hindu and Catholic monastic life can be intertwined and applied to our own, helping to discover the greater meaning of our existence.
This course is team-taught by an upper-division Honors student and faculty member.
True/False is a class about media literacy: how we make sense of the constant stream of “content” we receive. Our all-access media streams flow to us in a full range of devices from smartphones to laptops to flat screen tvs to billboards. They are a constant flow of information, opinions, emotions, stories, images, and sounds that often feel like an overflow. Infuse these inputs with various ideological perspectives and marketing-savvy nuances, and it becomes too much to take in and make sense of. What we are often left with is a wholesale inability to decipher and process all the information, leaving us “media illiterate”. In short, our media overflow turns worthwhile and complex things into simple commodities for consumption, entertainment, or ideological battleground. But how are we to consider the imprint any of this makes on our lives? Where is there space to sort truth from error, reality from fiction? And what is at stake in all of this anyway? How might we curate various media streams that are constructive and not merely destructive? Are there ways that our imaginations might craft a better way to navigate and process all that comes our way? This seminar style course will involve a “slow read” of Neil Postman’s acclaimed book Amusing Ourselves to Death. Alongside Postman’s text, we will consider how the arts come to bear on the topic. Specific focus will be given to creative nonfiction film (a kind of documentary), and in particular the resources of the True/False Film Festival. The class’ structure will include: reading and in-depth conversation. Each week, students will come to class having read and entered a brief blogpost summary of the content for the week. During class, we will discuss the reading in various formats. Periodically, there will be additional assignments in the form of short Film/Creative Review essays.
Todd Best is a returning instructor in the (Un)Common Reading Program who also serves as an Academic Advisor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He received an M.A. in religious studies, and sees his work and academic interests coming together as applications of the humanities and social sciences. He is interested in the quandaries of human experience that emerge from shared cultural life, how various thinkers and traditions respond to those questions, and what resources we might tap for gaining insight into shared questions in the human experience. As a fan of creative non-fiction film (aka documentaries), he considers the arts an ideal arena for thinking about such things.
These courses are interdisciplinary in nature and often team-taught.
The Honors Spirituality and Health course is intended for all students, particularly those engaged in pre-medical, pre-counseling, or health-related majors, who are interested in exploring the interface of spirituality and the health sciences. Interest in the intersection of spirituality and health is rapidly growing in our society, as we seek meaning and purpose in our lives and a more holistic approach to our wellness and our health challenges. Course topics will include: stress reduction through non-judgmental living in the present moment (mindfulness); mind-body relationships; links between religion/spirituality and health; brain-based drug addiction and the spiritually based 12-step program; scientific evaluation of the impact of prayer on our health; spiritual approaches to our lives; lessons on living from those who are dying; and stories that heal. This student-centered discussion course is, at its heart, a semester-long dialogue about how various aspects of spirituality impact our health at the level of body, mind, and spirit.
These courses are aimed at developing skills that will help students over their career.
Using various forums, technology provides a convenient method for people to communicate with each other locally and worldwide. This course will provide a historical overview about several computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools, analyze the impact of digital tools and social networks on interpersonal communication, and present information to help students effectively communicate in a digital world, improve communication skills, and expand their professional network.
Who gets rights? What is feminist legal theory, or critical race theory, and how do they work? What is property and how do you transfer it? Can you contract anything? What does it mean to be harmed, and then “made whole”? What are constitutions? This course is dedicated to exploring these questions by introducing students to legal investigations at the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law.
Spend spring 2022 meeting Levin Law faculty. Each week, listen to them talk about what they teach and study. This one credit course has no exam. Instead, it invites you to explore law in the classroom, to seek it out in the larger culture, and to blog about what you find. Current law students read, and comment on, your work. Join us this spring and be prepared to listen, to engage, to learn, and to ask questions.
Introduction to Regenerative Medicine – one credit
Regenerative Medicine is a rapidly growing field that seeks to replace or repair damaged or degenerative cells, tissue, and organs. The University of Florida Center for Regenerative Medicine is offering an Honors course in which students will have the opportunity to explore the approaches of Regenerative Medicine (cell- and gene-based therapies) to treating diseases that currently lack effective solutions. Each week a different faculty member from the Center for Regenerative Medicine, or a visiting lecturer with leading expertise in the field, will provide a lecture on topics critical to regulation and implementation of regenerative medicine. Topics include critical diseases potentially addressed by Regenerative Medicine, and understanding the “toolbox” of Regenerative Medicine, including stem cells, vectors, and scaffolds, as well as the application of regenerative cell therapies to patients.
The one credit option of the course is the LECTURE PORTION OF THE CLASS ONLY. Students registered for the one credit option will have the opportunity to attend guest lecturer presentations for the first hour of the class.
Regenerative Medicine 1 cr - Syllabus
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Introduction to Regenerative Medicine – two credits
Regenerative Medicine is a rapidly growing field that seeks to replace or repair damaged or degenerative cells, tissue, and organs. The University of Florida Center for Regenerative Medicine is offering an Honors course in which students will have the opportunity to explore the approaches of Regenerative Medicine (cell- and gene-based therapies) to treating diseases that currently lack effective solutions. Each week a different faculty member from the Center for Regenerative Medicine, or a visiting lecturer with leading expertise in the field, will provide a lecture on topics critical to regulation and implementation of regenerative medicine. Topics include critical diseases potentially addressed by Regenerative Medicine, and understanding the “toolbox” of Regenerative Medicine, including stem cells, vectors, and scaffolds, as well as the application of regenerative cell therapies to patients.
The two-credit option includes BOTH THE LECTURE PORTION AND THE DISCUSSION PORTION. Students registered for the two-credit option will have the opportunity to attend guest lecturer presentation for the first hour. This will be followed by an hour long “round table discussion” with the guest speaker in which students can ask any questions that pertain to the field. Students enrolled in the 2-credit class will also be required to review appropriate literature prior to each lecture and actively participate in an interactive discussion during class.
Regenerative Medicine 2 cr - Syllabus
Signature Seminars offer opportunities to work with UF's top faculty in their research areas of interest.
This course introduces students to the First Amendment freedom of speech through a case analysis approach in which students will read important decisions (i.e., opinions) from the U.S. Supreme Court on a wide range of issues. Most of the cases will involve a controversial form of expression – be it offensive speech, sexual speech, violent-themed speech and what some might call hate speech. Additionally, students will read a new 2021 opinion by the U.S. Supreme Court addressing the off-campus speech rights of public high school students. Students will also read at least one scholarly law journal article. In the process, students will learn about different doctrines (i.e., judicial rules and tests) and principles that the Supreme Court applies in First Amendment speech cases. The course assumes no prior legal knowledge or understanding of the First Amendment. Students should leave the course with a solid foundation about the First Amendment freedom of speech.
Many people have described the COVID-19 pandemic as “unprecedented.” But in at least one respect, it has followed the contours of history: The burden of suffering and death has been greatest for Black, Indigenous, and other people color. Some people in power—again, following historical precedent—have suggested that the root cause of this pattern is some unspecified genetic factor, deflecting attention from evidence that COVID-19 reflects embodied social inequalities. In this seminar, we place these dynamics in context by examining (a) the health costs of systemic racism and (b) how false ideas about race, genes, and disease continue to lead clinicians, researchers, and policy makers astray. The implications for our understanding of race and racism extend beyond medicine to society at large.
Uncommon classrooms are courses designed around unusual topics with cities, places, and natural landscapes serving as experimental classrooms.
These courses are application-based. Students that are selected to participate will be registered for a 1-credit course and are responsible for tuition (financial aid may apply). Details about additional fees associate with each course are provided in the description. Students are required to provide their own transportation to and from the location of the course.
Wentworth Travel Scholarships are available to support costs, up to $500. Students that provide proof of financial need as part of the application may be eligible for additional funding.
Museums in the U.S. have long been considered scientific/artistic/historic authorities who present neutral findings to educate the public. But is this true? Visit Chicago over spring break to interrogate these institutions and their role in contemporary society. Visiting four museums, including The Field Museum and Art Institute of Chicago, we will explore what is a museum? And who/what are they [really] for? Students will discuss site visits and their own visitor experiences while connecting them to contemporary attitudes.
Cost in Chicago is estimated to be $625 including hotel, breakfast, transportation to the museums, museum admission, and entry to the Willis Tower. Students are expected to arrive by Sunday, March 6 and depart after Wednesday, March 9. Travel to/from Chicago, meals other than breakfast, and any additional attractions/entertainment are not included. Applications accepted until December 17, 2021.
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Dates: March 7-9, 2022
Instructor: Lourdes Santamaria-Wheeler
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