Fall 2021

Fall 2021 Honors Seminars

Seminar registration for the spring semester will open on Wednesday, April 28, 2021 at noon. Please contact Honors staff at honors@iastate.edu with inquiries.

The descriptions below indicate whether a seminar counts toward the International Perspective or US Diversity requirements.

Reference numbers for registration can be found below a few days before registration opens. You will need to copy/paste the reference number to enroll through AccessPlus. Should you try to enroll in a course that is full, you will be placed on a waitlist. If openings become available after a seminar is full, Honors staff will contact those on the waitlist.

Make sure you plan ahead and take at least two Honors courses and two Honors seminars or the number required by your college Honors committee. Don't wait until your last year to meet the requirements because you may find that you will have some scheduling conflicts. You cannot enroll in more than 2 seminars in a single semester.

Important: Attendance at Honors seminars is expected. Be sure to read the entire seminar description and requirements. Be courteous and notify your instructor in advance if you are unable to attend class.

Check back regularly for updates!

HON 321A: Archives Investigations
HON 321B: The Psychology of Learning: Evidence-Based Practices
HON 321C: Art and Science of PEACE
HON 321D: Are You What You Eat?
HON 321E: Pollination Ecology
HON 321F: Eureka! Finding Music in Unexpected Ways from Unexpected Things - CANCELED
HON 321G: Vaccines: How They’re Developed and How They Work
HON 321H: Is That Legal? An Introduction to U.S. Law
HON 321J: Noticing the Pragmatics of Communication in Our Everyday Lives
HON 321K: You Are Your Own First Responder
HON 321L: Entrepreneurship
HON 321M: Dystopia and Environmental Politics
HON 321N: Jack the Ripper - 130 Year History
HON 321P: Socrates Café: It's All about the Question
HON 321Q: Introduction to Human Trafficking
HON 321R: Conflicts in the Middle East
HON 321T: That's Me in the Corner
HON 321U: Understanding War
HON 321V: Self-Promotion Is Not A Dirty Word
HON 321W: Psych of Horror
HON 321Y: Looking Back at Harry Potter
HON 321Z: Agriculture & Ecology: How Two Extraordinary Scientists Changed our Landscape
HON 323A: Comedy College
HON 323B: The Churchill Principle: How Physical Space Shapes Everything - CANCELED
HON 323C: Sketchnoting, Learn to Take Visual Notes and Develop your Own Visual Voice
HON 323D: Exploring Environmental Issues through Documentaries

Full Semester HON 321A, Archives Investigations, W 3:20-5:10pm, 405 Parks Library, 2 Credits, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 11, Reference # 0620005

About the Course: The course will turn you into history detectives as you learn how to research in the archives and share the stories that unfold from your work. You will work hands-on in a learning lab setting with rare books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, and artifacts that represent a cross-section of our collections. The course will culminate in an outreach event for the ISU community, featuring students presenting research topics of their choosing (e.g., including but not limited to presentations, creative work inspired by archival holdings, papers, mini-exhibitions) and can work alone or in groups. At the end of the course, you will have an introductory understanding of unfamiliar handwriting, will be able to contextualize historical documents, analyze photographs, properly handle fragile and rare materials, and communicate your understanding of this research to your peers. All sessions will draw upon the collections of primary resources in the ISU Special Collections and University Archives.

About the Instructor: Rachael Acheson is the Assistant University Archivist at Iowa State University Library Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA). Rachael manages the archives' web archiving system and also works with student organizations on campus to document the history and "future history" of student life, experiences, perspectives, and activism for the benefit of future scholars. In addition to an M.L.I.S. in Library and Information Sciences, Rachael holds an M.A. in English from the University of South Carolina and enjoyed teaching freshman Rhetoric and Composition classes as a graduate instructor throughout her program.

Full Semester HON 321B, The Psychology of Learning: Evidence-Based Practices, F 2:15-3:05pm, Location TBD, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, Reference # 0621005

About the Course: How do you usually prepare for your exams? What’s the best way to get a good grade? Have you ever struggled because you want to get better grade but don’t know how? Is technology really helpful in the classroom? In this class, we will discuss how we can improve our learning in various areas, such as memory, motivation, and technology. This seminar is designed to answer common questions about student learning and memory – for example, we will discuss how to enhance our memory or how to motivate ourselves for studying. In addition, we will explore common misconceptions about learning and go over several strategies to improve lifelong learning.

About the Instructor: Rachel O’Donnell and Dahwi Ahn are graduate students in the Cognitive Psychology department. O’Donnell obtained her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice at Wilmington College. Her research focuses on eyewitness memory and eyewitness suggestibility, and she works in the Memory, Law, and Education laboratory on campus. Ahn obtained her B.S. in business and M.S in educational psychology from Yonsei University in South Korea. Her research focuses on applying cognitive psychology principles to learning and education. Both instructors are mentored by Dr. Jason C.K. Chan, who specializes in research regarding memory, education, and law.

Full Semester HON 321C, Art and Science of PEACE, T 2:10-3:00pm, 1151/55 Jischke, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 15, International Perspective, Reference # 0622005

About the Course: Join us to explore the art and science of peace for a lively discussion based on interaction with a variety of medium including film, photography, podcasts, poetry, classic literature, advertisements, and music. Engage in what it means to be a peacebuilder grounded in cultural appreciation and respect for human dignity. A group of ISU Sustainable Peace Faculty Learning Community members will introduce topics of peace, including: 1) human rights, 2) development and social impact, 3) environmental awareness, and 4) conflict transformation. Peace is often defined as the absence of war and conflict. In this course, we will focus on what it means to create a life grounded in peace and a community member striving for peace rather than the avoidance of conflict. We will engage in conversations to inspire critical optimism, compassion, collaboration and a sense of community.

About the Instructor: J. Arbuckle is Professor of rural sociology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. His research and education efforts focus on improving the environmental and social sustainability of agriculture. E.J. Bahng is an Associate Professor of science education in the School of Education. She teaches a science methods course and Nature of Science for future science teachers; Erin Bergquist is a Clinical Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition; Mark Bryden is the founding director of the Simulation, Modeling and Decision Science program at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory and is a professor of mechanical engineering; Christina Campbell is an Associate Professor of Nutrition and the Uelner Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition. She studies the intersection of food and peace in the context of promoting healthy lives and sustainable food systems; Simon Cordery is Professor in and chair of the ISU Department of History. His teaching covers the modern world, with an emphasis on transatlantic social history; Ramesh Kanwar is the Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Water Resources Engineering in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering; Frank Montabon is a Professor of supply chain management. His current research projects involve the effect of proactive environmental efforts on innovation, social compliance of suppliers, and power in supply chain relationships; José Antonio Rosa is a professor of marketing at Iowa State University. He has studied the evolution of minivan and motorcycle markets and a large array of consumer behavior phenomena with special focus on subsistence consumers. Kurt A Rosentrater is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. He teaches and conducts research in the areas of food systems, food processing, cost assessment, and environmental impact assessment; Kristin Yvonne Rozier Kristin Yvonne Rozier heads the Laboratory for Temporal Logic in Aerospace Engineering at Iowa State University; previously she spent 14 years as a Research Scientist at NASA; and, Andrea Wheeler is an Associate Professor of Architecture. She teaches classes on Green and Sustainable Design.

Full Semester HON 321D, Are You What You Eat?, T 12:40-1:30pm, Location TBD, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, Reference # 0623005

About the Course: What nutrients are essential for life, and what foods and food supplements will improve quality of life? Why? Why not? This seminar will emphasize the role of nutrition provided by food and food supplements in promoting a healthy life through the prevention of diseases and disorders. The physiological function of nutrients and the provision of those nutrients by common foods will be the topic of the first part of the course. Then, the role of nutraceuticals as food supplements in a healthy life will be emphasized. Popular topics of nutrition will be discussed via 15-minute oral presentations by the students. By the end of the semester, students will be in a stronger position to make difficult decisions about their diet composition and supplementation and to evaluate nutrition information that is advertised to them from TV, magazines, and the internet. I will lead discussions of subject matter via handouts given to students at the class meetings.

About the Instructor: Don Beitz is a Distinguished Professor of Agriculture who has taught biochemistry (e.g., BBMB 420 and BBMB 405) for five decades at Iowa State University. In addition, he teaches an Agricultural Biotechnology Colloquium for Scholarship for Excellence students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. His research program focuses on the application of molecular biology and biochemistry to animal food production and animal diseases. He has participated active in Honors programs (e.g., Freshman Mentor, Honors research projects, Honors seminar teacher, and advisor) through his tenure at Iowa State University.

Full Semester HON 321E, Pollination Ecology, T 9:30-10:20am, 433 Science Hall II, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, Reference # 0624005

About the Course: Pollinators have become an increasingly popular topic in ecology, agriculture, and conservation biology. This course is to provide a broad overview of pollination ecology including integration of many scientific topics such as botany, insect ecology, foraging theory, community context, interaction network analysis, and global climate change as well as applications through research methods and conservation practices. Lectures will promote discussion of pollination from the organisms’ “umwelt” or perception of its circumstances and values.

About the Instructor: Kate Borchardt is a 2nd-year PhD student in Dr. Amy Toth’s lab in the EEOB department. Toth has been involved in pollination ecology research for 7 years starting in Dr. Neal William’s lab at University of California Davis as an undergraduate student in 2015 and has extensive topic area knowledge. Currently she is part of the interdisciplinary Science-Based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie Strips (STRIPS) project at Iowa State, studying how to integrate wild bee conservation within agricultural landscapes and how different environments affect foraging behavior and plant pollination.

First Half Semester HON 321F, Eureka! Finding Music in Unexpected Ways from Unexpected Things, T 4:10-6:00pm, Location TBD, 1 Credit, First Half Semester, Enrollment Limit: 16, Reference # 0625005 - CANCELED

About the Course: You can use just about any object to make a sound, and you can use this sound musically. You can also describe musical events with all kinds of pictures, and so you can use these pictures to guide a musical performance. All you need is time with the objects and images to experiment, observe, record, and reflect on potential musical meaning. In this seminar you will learn to pose musical problems and experiment with all kinds of found objects to create musical performances. You will keep an online media journal and share your unexpected musical discoveries with others.

About the Instructor: Christopher Hopkins, Professor of Music Composition and Technology, is a composer and performer trained in both contemporary experimental music and music of the Renaissance. His electroacoustic music has been performed internationally in computer music conferences, contemporary music festivals, and broadcast over NPR, CBC, Radio Canada, ABC (Australia), and Östereichischer Rundfunk. He has received an Aaron Copland award, and authored the notation article for the Grove’s Dictionary of American Music (2nd edition). Dr. Hopkins has previously taught Honors seminars and Frontiers of the Discipline courses on the subjects of visual music, music from virtual reality, and creating music from found objects.

Full Semester HON 321G, Vaccines: How they’re developed and how they work, T 5:10-6:00pm, 1151/55 Jischke, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 15, Reference # 0626005

About the Course: In this seminar we will explore the world of vaccines along with the science and public perception associated with them. We will learn about the different types of vaccines, the ways they are produced, and how they work. Additionally, we will consider the pros and cons of each type of vaccine and the history behind them. The goal of this seminar is to investigate, in common language and terms, the science behind vaccines and their value to society.

About the Instructor: Savanna Judson received my Bachelor's Degree from Buena Vista University (BVU) in Environmental Science in 2018. Since 2018 she has been an education specialist for the nonprofit organization SOAR, which does raptor rehabilitation, education, and research. She teaches all age groups about the habitat, diet, and adaptations of different raptors. She also helps develop educational materials. Judson helped SOAR collect data for their main research project, lead poisoning in Bald Eagles. Nick Peters is a molecular microbiologist who studies the roles of novel viruses that kill bacterial pathogens. He teaches microbiology and plant pathology courses every semester and have a long-standing interest in vaccination and scientific literacy.

Full Semester HON 321H, Is That Legal? An Introduction to U.S. Law, W 4:25-5:15pm, Location TBD, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, U.S. Diversity, Reference # 0627005

About the Course: Have you thought about going to law school? Are you sure you do not want to be a lawyer? Either way, this seminar is for you! We will do a general exploration of the U.S. legal system, including such areas as criminal law, torts, estate planning, constitutional law, and civil liberties, as well as taking a closer look at specific topics such as racial justice, the death penalty, digital privacy and censorship, and free speech. We will discuss how the law affects every aspect of our lives, and this seminar will give you a good foundation for understanding how the U.S. legal system functions.

About the Instructor: Amanda Knief is the director of Iowa State University's Lectures Program. She received her B.S. in Journalism and Communication from Iowa State and her J.D. from Drake University Law School. She worked as legislative counsel for the Iowa Legislature before working in Washington, D.C. as a nonprofit lobbyist, nonprofit legal director, and analyst for the Library of Congress' Congressional Research Service.

Full Semester HON 321J, Noticing the Pragmatics of Communication in Our Everyday Lives, R 11:00-11:50am, Location TBD, 1 credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, International Perspective, Reference # 0628005

About the Course: What does it mean to be polite? How does gender or ethnicity contribute to our language choices? Pragmatics is a branch of linguistics that aims to answers these kinds of questions about language use in context. While communication is a part of our everyday lives, we often do not consciously notice the use of pragmatic strategies, which may impact our understanding and response to the intended message. In this seminar, we will evaluate aspects of our everyday communication through the lens of pragmatics. Each week, we will cover a different pragmatics topic to delve deeper into the complex nature of human communication. This seminar is particularly relevant for linguistics majors and students who are interested in how human communication varies depending on context, as well as those who are interested in basic data collection methods to collect data on language phenomena. The course culminates in a small individual or group research project on a pragmatics topic of your interest. We will work closely together to design a feasible project relevant to your interest.

About the Instructor: Ananda Muhammad is a doctoral student in Applied Linguistics and Technology. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature at Hasanuddin University, Indonesia, and a Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language/Applied Linguistics at Iowa State University. Her research interests include second language pragmatics in language learning and assessment. Her recent research on pragmatics focuses on the intersection between data-driven learning and the pragmatics of email communication in the U.S. university setting. She has presented her work on second language pragmatics teaching and assessment at various national and international conferences.

Full Semester HON 321K, You Are Your Own First Responder, W 6:00-7:50pm, 1151/55 Jischke, 2 Credits, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 15, Reference # 0629005

About the Course: Until help arrives, you are the help. In this seminar, you'll learn how to take care of yourself and the people around you in a disaster. You'll learn to assess, stabilize, and move injured victims, conduct light search and rescue operations, extinguish fires, recognize and avoid hazardous materials, and work as part of an incident response team. Then you'll put those skills to the test in a hands-on disaster simulation in which you will be the first responders. You'll also have the opportunity for dialogue with public safety professionals who have responded to recent disasters in Iowa, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the semester, we'll relate our lessons to other disasters from history or in recent headlines.

About the Instructor: Clayton Oliver is ISU's Emergency Manager. He is a recovering technical writer, having spent twelve years writing documentation no one read for software no one installed. In 2012, he decided to pursue a more frustrating career and entered the emergency management field. Since then, his disaster response experience has included power outages, severe winter weather, derechos, home football games, hazardous materials spills, overly- enthusiastic student celebrations, that one time someone accidentally drilled into a natural gas pocket, and a pandemic that no one wants to hear about any more. He holds a B.A. in English, an M.S. in Emergency Management, and the Certified Emergency Manager credential from the International Association of Emergency Managers. He maintains proficiency in his former craft through freelancing in the roleplaying game industry, posting on the ISU subreddit as /u/Emergen_Cy, and writing about himself in the third person.

First Half Semester HON 321L, Entrepreneurship, R 4:10-6:00pm, 3164 Gerdin, 1 Credit, First Half Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, Reference # 0630005

About the Course: This course is designed to help students acquire sound business acumen. The class would include a series of lectures on business models for different types of business. Students will have an opportunity to directly interact with the business professionals and learn from their expertise in this field. The learning outcomes include helping students to become familiar with the overall business environment, brainstorm start up ideas, understand legal and capital needs for different types of business organizations. The class may include field trips to Workiva and Ames Ford Lincoln subject to the Covid situation at that time. Our speakers include, Nick Johnson- Owner/Manager- Ames Ford Lincoln, Eugene T. Hibbs, Owner-Little Caesars of Ames, Rick Brimeyer- President Brimeyer LLC, Dave Tucker- Director of Product Development- Workiva,Chris Seymour- CEO of Seymour Screen Excellence and Shoba Premkumar - Professor of Teaching.

About the Instructor: I am a Professor of Teaching from Finance Department- Ivy College of Business

First Half Semester HON 321M, Dystopia and Environmental Politics, M 8:50-10:40am, Location TBD, 1 Credit, First Half Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, Reference # 0631005

About the Course: Dystopian and science fiction reflects how we understand science and our environment, and it helps us envision and respond to our own possible futures. Through novels, short stories, religious texts, and movies that imagine large-scale environmental change, we will investigate what our envisioned worlds teach us about contemporary politics, the environment, and society. We will also read social science research about how stories affect politics. Ultimately, our goal is to think about our roles as protagonists in our own worlds.

The class will focus on two novels as well as several short stories, books of the bible, academic articles, and videos. Our novels will be Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower and Kim Stanley Robinson’s The Ministry for the Future.

About the Instructor: Amy Erica Smith is a professor in the Department of Political Science. Her research focuses on public opinion, the environment, and religion and politics in Latin America. She has special expertise on Brazilian politics. Her current research focuses on religion and climate change in the developing world.

Full Semester HON 321N, Jack the Ripper - 130 Year History, F 11:00-11:50am, 1151/55 Jischke, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 15, Reference # 0632005

About the Course: For over 125 years we have been intrigued by the puzzle of 1888 Whitechapel murders. What is it about this specific crime that continues to captivate the world? Who did it? During this seminar we will take an historical look at the mysterious Jake the Ripper and the victims. Students will be encouraged to develop their own views by posing questions, being open to challenges and considering alternative answers. Through a series of weekly reports and readings students will engage in an exchange of ideas and critical thinking focusing on the who and why of the mystery.

About the Instructor: Laurie Smith Law is the Administrative Director of the University Honors Program. Ms. Law has been working with high ability students for the past 20 years and has taught several honors seminars. She has offered seminars on culture through celebrations, urban language and social discussion. She has a background in student affairs and has worked with several learning communities programs. Ms. Law is familiar with service learning programs and has supervised students on alternative spring break program in different areas of the country.

Full Semester HON 321P, Socrates Café: It's all about the Question, R 5:10-6:00pm, 1151/55 Jischke, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 15, Reference # 0633005

About the Course: The seminar is based on author Christopher Phillips’ book “The Socrates Café.” The cafes are designed to get people talking about philosophical issues. By means of the Socratic Method, students will be encouraged to develop their views by posing questions, being open to challenges and considering alternative answers. Through a series of weekly readings students will turn current events into questions that will be discussed in class. We will focus on the exchange of ideas and critical thinking.

Full Semester HON 321Q, Introduction to Human Trafficking, W 12:05-1:55pm, Location TBD, 2 Credits, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, U.S. Diversity, Reference # 0634005

About the Course: This seminar will explore the phenomenon of human trafficking within the United States and beyond. Students will learn about the history of and concepts that define trafficking; the intersectionalities of race, gender, nationality, etc.; legal and political ramifications of trafficking, and how they can make a difference in their community by educating peers about this crime against humanity. Guest speakers include trafficking survivors as well as representatives from the law enforcement, The Set Me Free Project, ISU Network Against Human Trafficking and Slavery, etc.

About the Instructor: Dr. Alissa Stoehr is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Women’s and Gender Studies Program. She teaches a variety of courses, including Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies, Gender and Sexuality in American Popular Culture, and Human Trafficking.

Full Semester HON 321R, Conflicts in the Middle East, W 2:15-3:05pm, Location TBD, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, International Perspective, Reference # 0635005

About the Course: What are the current political conflicts in the Middle East? How to understand the wars in the Middle East? The seminar will examine the current political conflicts and wars in the Middle East. We will examine in depth the Arab-Israeli conflict, The Lebanese War, the Palestinian question and other regional issues (Iraq, the Kurds, Iran, Syria, etc). Students will understand the “complicated Middle East” and how these conflicts are impacting the war on terrorism.

About the Instructor: Jean-Pierre Taoutel, Associate Teaching Professor of French and Arabic, has been teaching at ISU since 1999. He holds an M.A and a D.E.A in French literature from the Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris, France. He has taught several Honors seminars. Jean-Pierre enjoys traveling and he has been in over 47 countries.

Full Semester HON 321T, That's Me in the Corner, M 2:15-3:05pm, Location TBD, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, International Perspective, Reference # 0636005

About the Course: How much do you know about the problems that many people in the world are facing today? Are you enough aware of all the plagues (organ traffic, modern slavery, children soldiers, forced prostitution, etc.) that are destroying the lives of millions of people around you? On the first day of the seminar, you will be given a photo that represents a random person suffering from one of today’s plagues. Who is this person? What is his/her problem? How come he/she has ended up in this situation? You will be asked to do a research about the issue represented in the photo and present it in class. You will learn more in-depth about issues that, even if they don’t make the headlines, affect millions of people in the world. In fact, with some bad luck, you could have been that person in the corner!

Full Semester HON 321U, Understanding War, T 2:10-3:00pm, Location TBD, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, International Perspective, Reference # 0637005

About the Course: “What is it like to be in a war zone?” “What challenges civilians face when they are trapped in a war” The seminar will examine the daily life in wartime and the social effects of war. How do people live in extreme conditions? Through study cases and living experiences students will be able to better understand the “chaos of war”. We will examine the Geneva Convention and other Human Rights documents to raise awareness about war crimes against civilians. We will also explore the role of the media in conflicts. Student will be able to better understand the sided, biased or impartial role of the media. They will learn to read behind the superficial or general information presented in some media. At the end of the seminar students should be able to understand the reality of war and its effect on society. War is not just a video game between the good and the bad.

Full Semester HON 321V, Self-Promotion Is Not A Dirty Word, W 8:50-9:40am, 1151/55 Jischke, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 15, Reference # 0638005

About the Course: What would you do if money weren’t an issue? Travel? Meet your hero? Save the world? In this class, you will learn about scholarships and fellowships that fund college expenses, study abroad, and graduate school. You will write the major genres that comprise a scholarship, fellowship, or academic grant application: statement of purpose, personal statement, a research statement, and a request for a letter of recommendation. You will learn about the expectations of selection committees, graduate school admissions, and hiring managers. Finally, you will master self-promotion strategies that really work!

About the Instructor: Kristin Terrill is a PhD student in applied linguistics and technology. She works as a graduate peer mentor at the Center for Communication Excellence, specializing in supporting Nationally Competitive Award applicants in preparing materials for their applications. Gene Newgaard is the Coordinator of Nationally Competitive Awards in the University Honors Program. A former lecturer in the English department, has been employed at Iowa State since the fall of 2017 and has taught English at both the community college and university level. Gene is passionate about helping connect talented students with educational opportunities, and his role on campus is to identify and guide candidates in applying for national awards.

Full Semester HON 321W, Psych of Horror, R 2:10-3:00pm, 2305 Gilman Hall, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, Reference # 0639005

About the Course: It’s always spooky season. For odd reasons, people have been driven to watch films that shock us until we’re too scared to fall asleep with the lights off. In this class, we’ll seek to understand the psychological processes involved with watching horror movies, with a specific focus on understanding our own reactions and interpretations as we watch horror movies that seek to spook every part of our psyche! Be prepared to watch a bunch of horror movies and to apply concepts from psychology to understand why some things terrify us so much!

About the Instructor: Carlos Vidales is a doctoral candidate in the Ph.D. in Psychology program at Iowa State University. He earned his Master’s degree in Psychology from California State University, Los Angeles prior to coming to Iowa State, and currently holds a certificate in Quantitative Psychology and is a Preparing Future Faculty Fellow. Carlos’ research and clinical interest include understanding alcohol misuse among Latinx populations, and developing culturally- relevant interventions to promote healthy behavior.

Full Semester HON 321Y, Looking Back at Harry Potter, M 5:30-6:20pm, 1151/55 Jischke, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 15, Reference # 0640005

About the Course: Do you - or did you once - live in the Potterverse? Are you still secretly disappointed that you never got a letter from Hogwarts? This seminar gives you a chance to discuss and review the Harry Potter books, focusing on the characters as they develop across the series. It's expected that you'll have already read the books, as otherwise spoilers would be constant. You'll lead (or co-lead) a discussion one day, will read and report on one article connected with the series, make a presentation on some aspect of the books, and write an end-of-term reflection.

About the Instructor: Susan Yager was Faculty Director of Honors for eight years. Before and during that time, she taught many seminars on Harry Potter and other topics, and published a journal article about teaching Harry Potter to high-ability college students. Her interest in Harry Potter led her to a second field, children's literature, which she now teaches twice a year. She will retire in June 2022, so this will be her final Honors seminar.

Full Semester HON 321Z, Agriculture & Ecology: How Two Extraordinary Scientists Changed our Landscape, W 11:00-11:50am, Location TBD, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, Reference # 0641005

About the Course: How will we feed the world’s projected 9 billion people by 2050? How will we simultaneously combat other pressing ecological challenges like loss of biodiversity and climate change? And, how will we do these things equitably and justly? Join us as we consider two different approaches to tackling these urgent issues: a techno-optimism approach and a nature-focused, ecological approach. To do this, we’ll read and discuss the stories of innovative and influential scientists from the twentieth century, and challenge current ecosystem, agriculture, and food narratives to identify plausible paths forward.

About the Instructor: Emily Zimmerman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Natural Resource Ecology & Management (NREM) and Global Resource Systems (GRS) in the Department of Horticulture. Emily's academic background and interests are in environmental science and sustainable agriculture. She is interested in understanding how land use influences environmental outcomes in working landscapes. Emily teaches two, senior-level course in GRS (senior project course and capstone course), two courses in NREM (natural resource policy and conservation planning), and has co-led study abroad courses on four continents. Kevin Duerfeldt is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Global Resource Systems (GRS) major and Department of Horticulture. Kevin's academic background and interests are in public horticulture and how people interact with plants and landscapes both ornamental and edible. He teaches several courses in GRS: Introduction to GRS, a section of Issues in GRS, and co-leads a three course series on Creating School Gardens: Service Learning in Uganda. Kevin has also co-lead or participated in study abroad and service learning courses in the U.S. Virgin Islands, China, Brazil, and Costa Rica.

Full Semester HON 323A, Comedy College, M 6:10-8:00pm, Location TBD, 2 Credits, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, Reference # 0642005

About the Course: In this seminar, you will learn to be funnier. Humor is not a mystical process of divine intervention granted by the Comedy Gods to just a chosen few. There are tricks, techniques and theories that, when studied, can make a person funnier. When put into practice, these skills can help with self-confidence, public speaking and communication skills. While some reading and watching of stand-up routines is required, the majority of the class focus will be on creating and sharing original humor with your classmates. The seminar culminates in a live comedy showcase where you will share your newfound humor skills with the world.

About the Instructor: Gavin Jerome has been a professional entertainer for well over 20 years. He has worked with the likes of Jerry Seinfeld, Paul Reiser and Steve Harvey. For the past decade, Gavin has been providing humor workshops for companies and associations nationwide. His extensive standup comedy experience plus many years of leading workshops on humor in the workplace makes him most qualified on creating and sharing comedy. Peter Orazem, University Professor of Economics, has been a student of Gavin’s, and has served as the Teaching Assistant for all ISU Comedy College classes. He performed at the first American Economics Association standup comedy session in San Francisco.

Full Semester HON 323B, section 2, The Churchill Principle: How Physical Space Shapes Everything, R 12:40-1:30pm, Gerdin 3164, 1 Credit, Full Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, Reference # 0643010 - CANCELED

About the Course: Have you ever thought that your home layout is contributing to feelings of isolation? Or that congresses’ seating arrangement impacts what laws get passed? The Churchill Principle focuses on the theory that the way humans design physical spaces has an eventual and lasting impact on everything. This seminar will look at a variety of ‘physical spaces’ and explore their potential and perceived effects on individuals and society. Meetings will involve examination of famous buildings, common spaces, and various theories to spur discussion and debate on their effects. Students will be challenged to analyze, assess, and improve a space of their choice through a progressive case study and present their findings to their peers. The goal of the seminar is to help students to understand the affects that physical spaces have on everything we do and the process for inspiring potential change.

About the Instructor: Dr. Austin Haytko is currently an Academic Advisor in the Ivy College of Business. A Vermonter by birth and an Iowan by transplant, he recently relocated to Ames. Austin started his career and love for philosophy and Higher Education in as a mathematics major at the University of Vermont. Since then, he has earned a Master’s degree in Higher Education form Northeastern University and a Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership from Concordia University Chicago. Austin has worked as an Academic Advisor for 7 years and has research focused on perceived value, video game culture, and higher education.

First Half Semester HON 323C, Sketchnoting, learn to take visual notes and develop your own visual voice, M 11:00am-12:50pm, Location TBD, 1 Credit, First Half Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, Reference # 0864005

About the Course: In this seminar students will be introduced to sketchnoting as a creative and non-traditional visual note-taking methodology fostering active listening and synthesis. Students will learn to create their own visual libraries as they pertain to select subject and will be encouraged to practice visual notetaking during their lectures and study note development. Note: no prior sketching or visualization skills are required!

About the Instructor: Verena Paepcke-Hjeltness, IDSA is an Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at Iowa State University and Education Director and Board Member at the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). Paepcke-Hjeltness has worked both in Germany and the U.S. as an industrial designer with a focus on aviation and transportation design. She has been an educator for more than 15 years, teaching in Germany and the U.S. at The Ohio State University, Savannah College of Art and Design, Drexel University, University of Texas at Austin and Iowa State University. She received her B.A. (Design Diploma) in industrial and environmental design from University of Applied Sciences, Potsdam, Germany and her M.F.A. in industrial design from The Ohio State University. Her research focuses on the diffusion of design thinking and doing practices in design and non-design-oriented disciplines, with a focus on exploring visualization as a gateway to learning, comprehension and creative confidence. She frequently facilitates workshops on sketchnoting, design thinking and strategic planning in both academia and industry. Since 2015 she has introduced sketchnoting to approximately 1,500 students, faculty and staff at Iowa State University and beyond.

First Half Semester HON 323D, Exploring Environmental Issues through Documentaries, Asynchronous, Virtual, 1 Credit, First Half Semester, Enrollment Limit: 17, Reference # 0862005

About the Course: In this online seminar we will explore current issues related to overpopulation, overconsumption, industrial livestock production, climate change, and species extinction. We will analyze these issues through award-winning documentaries, online lectures, readings, online discussions, and final group projects. You will gain a better understanding of some global environmental problems, learn how to reduce your ecological footprint, and practice your critical thinking skills via documentary critiques.

About the Instructor: Lidia R. Skrynnikova is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management. She has taught all levels of undergraduate courses including Animal Ecology and Wildlife Management, Introduction to Renewable Resources, Foundations in Natural Resource Policy and History, and Controversial Issues in Natural Resource Management. She also developed new courses for WLC and NREM: Environmental Issues in Modern Russia, Influential Environmental Thinkers in Russia and the U.S., and Seminar on Social Justice and Environmental Sustainability.