Faculty-led discussion-based courses for freshmen. Small class sizes. 1–2 credits. Credit/no credit.
Learn “shoulder-to-shoulder” with UW faculty as they share their passion for subjects that interest them most. Explore big ideas, sample an unfamiliar discipline, learn about leadership and enjoy community with a small group of students.
Ileana Marin, affiliated with Jackson School of International Studies, has published and taught courses on world literature and art. Relying on her expertise in interdisciplinary studies (ranging from history and politics to arts in oppressive regimes), she believes that programs abroad as well as Curriculum Seminars are eye-opening for the UW students, and a turning-point in their lives and careers. |
I co-teach an experiential course that gives students the historical and cultural context of the music they are going to hear at Benaroya Hall, prepares them for the encounter with classical music, and guides them through the musical compositions thus helping them articulate an informed critique. I also teach a comparative literature course that explores artistic trends and ideologies in Romanian literature, art, and film from avant-garde and surrealism to socialist realism and postmodernism, focusing on major contributions to the world cultural patrimony. Participating in the UW Translation Studies group and the Readings from the Heart of Europe club, and collaborating with Language Learning Center, I share my expertise in Romanian studies with the academic community interested in Eastern Europe. |
Having gained a lot of experience in teaching experiential learning courses for Honors and leading Exploration Seminars abroad for CHID, I realize that a direct experience with an artistically diverse environment helps the students understand linguistic, social, and cultural differences and inspire them to think how they may produce a positive impact on their immediate surrounding first, and then expand to do more. A Collegium Seminar gives me the opportunity to interact with freshmen and plant the seed of learning about the world and its cultural richness starting with Seattle. To understand critically and to experience firsthand cultural diversity are the premises of any leadership engagement. Furthermore, the course I propose as a Collegium Seminar opens the road to cultural practices that could stir students’ creativity and hone analytical skills during the college years and would stay with them for the rest of their lives. |
It is the interdisciplinary approach which I use in my courses to provide students with multiple lenses though which they can look at texts, artworks, or their own experiences. By teaching students how to master close reading irrespective of the genre or medium of the work, I help them hone their analytical skills in order to become confident critical thinkers, able to defend their interpretations and positions. |
In the last decade, Seattle has become one of the most prominent cultural centers in the US. We will explore the history of Seattle and its cultural diversity by visiting two museums, attending a concert at Benaroya Hall, meeting young activist poets, reading well-known local authors, and having a conversation about the decisive role of arts in creating public awareness about ecological and social issues.
José Alaniz, associate professor in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures and the Department of Comparative Literature (adjunct) at the University of Washington–Seattle, published his first book, Komiks: Comic Art in Russia (University Press of Mississippi) in 2010. His research interests include Death and Dying, Disability Studies, Film Studies, Eco-criticism and Comics Studies. His current projects include Death, Disability and the Superhero: The Silver Age and Beyond and a history of Czech comics.
I teach mainly Russian literature in the department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, and courses on comics and film in the Department of Comparative Literature.
I am passionate about Disability Studies on this campus, and see the Collegium Semninar as a good venue to promote it to incoming students!
I enjoy hearing my students' fresh perspectives on the material I teach.
Since its publication in 1895, H.G. Wells’ first short novel The Time Machine has exhilarated and disturbed readers with its stark modern vision of technology, the future of mankind and its relation to time. In an era of climate change, mass extinction and other human-caused accelerations of natural processes on a global scale, Wells’ story, written at the dawn of science fiction, finds renewed relevance today. We will closely read The Time Machine, view its film adaptations, and follow its influence on philosophy, apocalyptic thought, the science fiction genre and popular culture up to the present day.
I am an Associate Professor at the Center for Digital Art and Experimental Media (DXARTS). Originally from the UK, I am also a practicing artist who works predominantly with installation, video and data-driven art forms. My work has been exhibited around the world, notably at ZKM, the Prix Ars Electronica and the Toronto International Film Festival/MOCCA.
I am an artist and an Associate Professor at the Center for Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DXARTS). I make work across a wide range of platforms – video, installation, online, sculpture, and public art. At UW I teach studio art classes covering Video, Big Data, Physical Computing and the Internet.
I’m teaching a seminar because I don’t often get to work with freshmen - it’s great to be able to work with students before they become too specialized. I’m looking forward to hearing fresh ideas and perspectives, and helping to get them thinking differently about the relationship between art and technology.
Most of what I teach involves making art using emerging technologies. I like the challenge of figuring out what those technologies represent for us as human beings, and inventing methods for building art with them. In some cases, students are more familiar with the technologies than I am, which means I am always learning too.
How is art different after the Internet? The class looks at work being done by artists using the Internet and assesses ways in which the Internet has influenced and changed more traditional art forms. It considers the shifting role of the museum and gallery in relation to the Internet, and it asks, what skills does an artist need today? Students will view and discuss new approaches to art that the Internet has opened up. As well as short weekly readings/viewings and participation in discussion, students will complete a short written assignment in which they will speculate about future possibilities for art, after the Internet.
Brinda Jegatheesan is Associate Professor in Educational Psychology. She specializes in the Psychology of Child- Animal Interactions with a Cross-Cultural focus. Her research is comparative international.
I am an Associate Professor in Educational Psychology. My specialization is in the psychology of child-animal interactions. I work with shelters, wild life foundations and other animal organizations in providing children with opportunities to learn and develop mindfulness, compassion and a reverence for life through exposure, experiences and interactions with animals.
Advice to freshmen: Learn about a new area that impacts lives positively; make a difference in the lives of children and animals by applying your new knowledge; learn that the natural world has deep life lessons for children in their every life and well-being.
I love teaching about this area because students leave my lectures learning new things never learned before and they understand deeply the tremendous impact animals have on the lives of children.
How do animals impact children in their everyday life? What are the different ways children encounter animals? Why are interactions with animals important to children’s development and health? This seminar will provide an understanding of how children’s lives are enriched by the love and companionship of a pet. Topics include the role pets and therapeutic animals play in children’s health and development, animal-assisted therapies, how young children think about animals and cultural attitudes towards animals. The course is discussion-based and you will learn via classroom and on-site, using visuals and discussions with guests who work with children and animals.
Professor Howard is a former prosecutor and judge who has taught evidence and other trial-related skills all over the United States, as well as in Hong Kong, in Ireland, and in Africa. In addition to her formal teaching, Professor Howard writes and speaks nationally on the art of trial advocacy and has appeared on several television programs as a legal commentator.
I teach aspiring trial lawyers how to prepare and try cases in the courtroom.
Make sure to take one class your first year that excites you — a class that you are so passionate about that you would take even if you weren't receiving credit. Spend some one-on-one time with your professors. Visit them during office hours and get to know them. You'll be surprised how approachable we are and how much we want to help our students. We really do teach because we love to teach and we want to help our students grow and succeed. There are no stupid questions.
As a former prosecutor and judge, I have the highest respect for our jury system and I am fascinated by the interplay of law and psychology in the presentation of a case to a jury.
In this seminar, we will examine how scientific and technological advances have changed forever the discovery, collection, analysis, preservation, and presentation of evidence, before and during trial. We will also discuss how these changes impact bias and discrimination in the trial process. Students will learn how a judge determines whether expert scientific opinions are admissible, how social media has influenced jury selection, how advanced technological presentation options have presented both opportunities and obstacles to trial lawyers, how juror access to information on the internet has created invisible avenues of digital "evidence" that can influence jury deliberations, and how mass media coverage of trials can influence the outcome and threaten juror privacy. In addition, we will discuss the impact on jurors of the prevalence of CSI-type television shows and movies that may mislead jurors as to the current state of science, affecting jurors' assessment of evidence presented.
I am a Pharmacologist by trade. I run a small lab that studies the molecular pharmacology of the G-protein coupled receptors, which are targeted by ~40-60% of all medicines. I teach Medical, Pharmacy, Graduate and Undergraduate students about how drugs are used to treat disease.
I joined the UW in 2005 in the Department of Pharmacology and obtained tenure in 2012. I run a small NIH funded lab (~10 people) that studies the molecular pharmacology of the G-protein coupled receptors. I teach medical, pharmacy, graduate and undergraduate students. I sit on various committees and help run Departmental functions. Typical stuff.
Three pieces of advice for freshmen: study hard; study what you love; don't forget to have fun!
I am a Pharmacologist. I obtained my BS in Biology/Pharmacology from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, the birthplace of Problem Based Learning. My passion is to merge PBL with modern technology to educate young people interested in Health Sciences about Pharmacology. In the past I introduced podcasts and PBL format to pharmacy and medical students. Currently I am coding an iPhone app that will provide study tools to Health Care professional students. My future goal is to create an Undergraduate Pharmacology co-op program that prepares students for careers in the Pharmaceutical sciences by providing internships in the public and private sector.
Are you interested in drugs? Steroids. Heroin. Anti-histamines. Viagra. Antibiotics. Marijuana. Chemotherapeutics. Aspirin. Methamphetamine. Cough syrup. Insulin. Cocaine. Do you wonder why they work? How they are discovered? Where they come from? The way we study them? What they do in the body, and what the body does to them? How they are regulated by the government? This seminar will introduce you to the wonderful world of Pharmacology, or the science of drugs. If you aim to attend Medical/Pharmacy/Dental school, or are just curious about drugs, please join us for an engaging discussion!
Originally from Germany, I came to the United States to obtain a Ph.D. degree. My research interests include medieval and early modern German and Yiddish literature and culture. I am currently working on a book project concerning the adventures of an Arthurian knight across different languages (Yiddish and German) as well as across different media (manuscripts, prints, wall paintings, comics) from the 13th to the 21st centuries.
I am teaching German literature and culture, historic linguistics, and the richness of the Middle Ages!
You are not alone. Get to know your peers! Humanities majors offer a high employability, so embrace your interest in the humanities! Read the syllabus!
I get to teach students about medieval literature featuring King Arthur, dragons, and singing dwarfs on horsebacks, while also exploring our common human need of telling stories! I love it!
In pop culture, the Middle Ages are often portrayed as a “Dark Ages” and a time lacking diversity. This seminar will provide you with a new understanding of the “not-so-dark” Middle Ages through the lens of diversity. It will help you critically review how you understand and perceive diversity by learning about medieval ways of coexisting within heterogeneous societies. Additionally, you will learn to critically evaluate your own opinions and ways to keep an open mind in your learning experiences. Come and learn from the Middle Ages with fellow freshmen and build your leadership skills for a successful time at UW!
Since 2001, I've enjoyed teaching undergraduates about how power and privilege play out in our own society, on the global theater, and in the stories we tell and write.
Why do I love teaching? The newness and freshness of students!
I love teaching for the ways I myself continually learn. I love the earnestness and curiosity of my students. And I love facilitating dialogues about tough, meaningful topics that make us rethink ourselves and the ways we move through the world.
Why have TED talks become the gold standard of presentations? What do innovative TED presenters do that we might learn from? In this seminar, we will screen TED, Pecha Kucha and Ignite! talks in order to discuss the ideas of each presentation, analyze why and how the video effectively conveys the speaker's points and extrapolate and imagine how we too might try on various speaker and presenter tools to be more effective communicators.
As 'head of distributed media' I collect, preserve, and make moving image media and sound recordings accessible at the Libraries Media Center. Before coming to the UW I was Archivist at the UCLA Ethnomusicology Archive, a Junior Fellow at the Library of Congress' American Folklife Center, and a drummer for sundry sonic projects.
I collect and provide access to audio/video/film collections in the Libraries.
The students. They inspire me and--more importantly--seem to inspire each other as they go out on their own and bring back to the class examples of NW music that they believe should be archived and preserved.
I love to teach about NW music and ethnomusicology because the two come together in such a great way: NW music is kaleidoscopic in both it's historical and contemporary natures, and ethnomusicology gives us the tools to document and think about issues embedded in and around these sonic expressions.
Is there a Seattle Sound? Would it be grunge, that vintage punk-infused and plaided rock aesthetic of the early 1990s? Or is Seattle music really as a constellation of sounds that represent the diversity of those who have called this city home? In this class we explore the latter (grunge included), beginning with early accounts of Coast Salish music, moving into Jackson Street Jazz, Hendrix, garage rock, early hip hop, and ending with today. Along the way we interrogate the term “Seattle Sound” by highlighting musical innovators and leaders whose works have been both marginalized and appropriated.
Brinda Jegatheesan is Associate Professor in Educational Psychology. She specializes in the Psychology of Child- Animal Interactions with a Cross-Cultural focus. Her research is comparative international.
I am an Associate Professor in Educational Psychology. My specialization is in the psychology of child-animal interactions. I work with shelters, wild life foundations and other animal organizations in providing children with opportunities to learn and develop mindfulness, compassion and a reverence for life through exposure, experiences and interactions with animals.
Advice to freshmen: Learn about a new area that impacts lives positively; make a difference in the lives of children and animals by applying your new knowledge; learn that the natural world has deep life lessons for children in their every life and well-being.
I love teaching about this area because students leave my lectures learning new things never learned before and they understand deeply the tremendous impact animals have on the lives of children.
Why does dance matter? What impact does dance have on our well-being? This seminar will provide an understanding of how dance enhances physical, cognitive and emotional well-being, promotes artistic, creativity and aesthetic development and an understanding of-cultural and historical influences on communities. Topics include non-verbal communication, artistic and embodied creative expression, dance as therapeutic enhancing developmental, physical and psycho-social change, mind-body awareness and an ability to process and respond to sensory information. Guest speakers/dancers, performance artists, documentaries, explorations of dance and arts across cultures and its significance in human thought and expression will be studied.
Professor Marc D. Binder joined the faculty of the Department of Physiology & Biophysics in the UW School of Medicine in 1978. His research laboratory currently focuses on studying the biophysical properties of motoneurons and their alterations in mouse models of human neurological disorders, as well as elucidating how the functional coupling and cooperative gating of voltage-gated membrane channels affect the excitability of nerve and muscle cells. Though Professor Binder’s primary teaching responsibilities lie within the medical school, he has enjoyed participating in the Collegium Program over the last several years, offering a diverse series of courses including neuroscience, film history, the origins of money and finance, and ideas that changed the world.
I am a Professor of Physiology & Biophysics in the UW Medical School. In addition to heading a research laboratory, I serve as the Director of the Institutional Training Grant for Neurobiolgy funded by the National Institutes of Health, that provides funding for UW graduate students engaged in neuroscience research. The work in my lab focuses on understanding how individual nerve cells generate electrical impulses. My teaching responsibilities include courses in human physiology, cell physiology and neuroscience, predominantly for graduate and professional students. A number of undergraduate students have pursued independent research in my laboratory.
Three pieces of advice for freshman: Find out who the best UW professors are and take their courses regardless of the subject matter. Never skip class. And, if you're not playing a sport, be sure to add an exercise or work out period to your daily schedule.
What do I love about teaching? What could be more interesting than understanding how our brains work?
"Wherever there is life, there is contradiction, and wherever there is contradiction, the comical is present.” (Søren Kierkegaard, 1846). Through directed readings, video clips and class discussions, we will explore the comedic tradition as expressed in literature, theater, cinema, television and spoken word. In addition, students will be encouraged to develop their own comedic voice in both written and oral presentations.
My career has been inspired by a drive to understand how the brain works. This has involved a wide range of studies with non-human primates and neural network modeling, which are described on our website: https://depts.washington.edu/fetzweb/
I am doing neuroscience research in the Primate Center. Our research is described on our website: https://depts.washington.edu/fetzweb/
I'd like to communicate the excitement of brain research and ways to get involved.
The brain is the most exciting research area because of all the many fundamental functions it performs and the continuing pace of new discoveries.
The neural networks in our brains effortlessly perform common miracles of perception, movement, consciousness and thinking. Neuroscientists have learned much about the neural mechanisms underlying cognition and behavior. This course will explore the operation of brain mechanisms in different manifestations, such as generating volitional movements, making decisions, creating and appreciating art, normal and altered consciousness, controlling brain-computer interfaces, etc. The class will discuss experimental strategies to probe the brain, such as recording neural activity in behaving animals, neural network modeling, etc.
Bill Talbott received a UW Distinguished Teaching Award in 2011. He is the author of "Which Rights Should Be Universal?" (Oxford University Press, 2005) and "Human Rights and Human Well-Being" (Oxford University Press, 2010). The Korean translation of "Which Rights Should Be Universal?" was named Korean Human Rights Book of the Year by the Korea Human Rights Foundation in 2011.
I teach courses in ethics, political philosophy, and epistemology. I am on the Steering Committee of the UW Center for Human Rights.
Freshman year is a time for openness and exploration. A freshman seminar is a fun way to explore an area that you may not be familiar with.
I love giving students an opportunity to think about questions of ethics or justice or human rights or even questions about what it is rational to believe. I also like opening up new possibilities that you might not have thought of before.
This seminar will provide you an informal introduction to philosophy at the University of Washington. In this seminar, you will learn about some of the major areas of philosophy, you will read about some of the important philosophical issues in each of the major areas, and you will have an opportunity to discuss those issues in an informal setting.
Beth Traxler received her Ph.D. in biology from Carnegie Mellon University where she studied the mechanism of DNA processing during bacterial conjugation. Her postdoctoral research on the assembly and structure of membrane proteins was done at Harvard Medical School in the laboratory of Dr. Jon Beckwith.
The research in Dr. Traxler's laboratory focuses on the genetic and biochemical analysis of protein folding and function. The lab uses two different models found in Gram negative bacteria. One interest is the characterization of ATP binding cassette (ABC) proteins in the Escherichia coli cytoplasmic membrane. This work focuses on the maltose (MalFGK) transporter as a model of the in vivo folding process for heteromeric membrane proteins complexes in general and for proteins of the ABC superfamily in particular. This analysis has led the lab to propose a novel model for the mechanism of membrane protein folding, in which a final complex can assemble in non-ordered process from a variety of intermediate complexes. In addition, the lab is characterizing the specificity of protein-protein interactions among the many ABC transporter subunits expressed in a bacterial cell. A second interest of the lab focuses on the processing of DNA and on membrane-based events during late stages of bacterial conjugation. Bacterial conjugation is an efficient way to transfer genetic information among prokaryotes and accounts for the dissemination of many antibiotic resistance determinants among pathogens. The analysis exploits the well-characterized F plasmid of E. coli as a model and aims to characterize the mechanism of DNA processing and DNA transfer through the cell envelope during conjugation.
Recently, the lab has been involved in the development of materials for nanotechnology. Different proteins characterized in the lab’s genetic analyses are being engineered by the addition of polypeptide sequences that bind to various inorganic compounds. Those inorganic compounds can be arranged in predictable structures, based on the self-assembly properties of the substrate proteins. Examples include using different DNA binding proteins to organize inorganic nanoparticles along a DNA guide.
Diversity Issues in Science has been taught by Dr. Traxler since 2005. It is a seminar course focused on discussion of how people of different ethnic/social groups or nationalities experience “research” and how research impacts peoples’ lives. Issues include what informed consent for research means, how different people perceive ethical research, and how politics can inform and affect scientific research.
Nancy Jecker is a Professor at the University of Washington, School of Medicine, Department of Bioethics and Humanities. She holds adjunct appointments in the Department of Philosophy and School of Law. She is the editor (with Albert Jonsen and Robert Pearlman) of Bioethics: An Introduction to the History, Methods, and Practice and the author (with Lawrence Schneiderman) of Wrong Medicine: Doctors, Patients, and Futile Treatment. Her articles have appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Hastings Center Report, The American Journal of Bioethics, and the Journal of Value Inquiry, and other publications.
I am trained as a philosopher and have been on the faculty in the UW School of Medicine for over 25 years. I teach and write about ethical issues that arise in the health care setting. I regularly teach courses on Ethical Theory (BH 402/PHIL 412); Justice in Health Care (BH 474/PHIL 411); Philosophical Problems in Bioethics (BH 420); and An Introduction to Bioethics (BH 411). My department offers a popular undergraduate minor in Bioethics and the Humanities.
Cast your net wide. Explore things you've never heard about so that you can be stretched and grow as a person. Find your passion. Don't settle. Do good. Once you figure out what subjects you care most deeply about, find a way to use this to contribute to the world around you.
I love seeing undergraduates become seriously engaged and excited about ethical questions. I enjoy watching students debate controversial topics, especially when they are asked to defend a position they do not agree with.
Should physicians help terminally ill patients end their lives? Is abortion ethically permissible? Should we allow couples to "design" their children? How should scarce medical resources be distributed? Should animals be used in research? These are the kinds of questions you will actively explore in this seminar. Using a case-based approach, this class develops your skills of ethical analysis and argument in practical contexts. You will interact with guest speakers from UWMC and learn how ethical issues are handled in real world settings. Whether you are planning a career in health care or science, or simply want to be an informed consumer, don’t miss this seminar!
I grew up in South Carolina, and never left the US South until I went to East Germany as an exchange student for a year shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall. After majoring in philosophy and math in college, I spent several years living abroad in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Russia, before returning do graduate studies in Eastern Classics and German literature. Now I'm delighted to live with my family in the beautiful Pacific Northwest!
My teaching and research are devoted to understanding how people come to know one another and get along (or don't). I want to understand in the moral problem of sympathy in the arts and in our lives. I also interested in performance and how we moderns use the classics to shape our own identities.
I'm teaching this Collegium Seminar because revolutions both excite me (we need change now!) and scare me (was all that death and trauma necessary?). I want to understand more about how and why revolutions work, both historically (under specific social conditions) and philosophically (in general).
I love exploring big, important questions together with students. Instead of feeding students answers that they have to regurgitate, I want to learn alongside my students in common endeavor as we try to grapple with how to understand the world and how to live our lives.
In 2019, Hong Kong protesters began chanting: “The Revolution of Our Times!” (时代革命). But what does that mean? What do revolutions have in common? How are they different? What determines whether a revolution will succeed or fail? Every week, we will examine one revolution through a work of art (film, song, narrative, drama, comics). We will listen to the Broadway hip-hop musical Hamilton about the American Revolution and observe tactics of recent Hong Kong protesters. Between these historical extremes, we will read and watch works about revolutions in France, Haiti, Russia, China, Iran, etc.
Brinda Jegatheesan is Associate Professor in Educational Psychology. She specializes in the Psychology of Child- Animal Interactions with a Cross-Cultural focus. Her research is comparative international.
I am an Associate Professor in Educational Psychology. My specialization is in the psychology of child-animal interactions. I work with shelters, wild life foundations and other animal organizations in providing children with opportunities to learn and develop mindfulness, compassion and a reverence for life through exposure, experiences and interactions with animals.
Advice to freshmen: Learn about a new area that impacts lives positively; make a difference in the lives of children and animals by applying your new knowledge; learn that the natural world has deep life lessons for children in their every life and well-being.
I love teaching about this area because students leave my lectures learning new things never learned before and they understand deeply the tremendous impact animals have on the lives of children.
The course is discussion based and students will learn through an online hybrid synchronous & asynchronous learning format. How do animals impact us in our life? How do we impact the lives of animals? What are the different ways we encounter each other? What are the various ways we impact each other, both positively and negatively? Why are interactions with animals important to us in our learning, development and health? What is animal-assisted therapy in schools, hospitals, prisons & juvenile detention facilities, nursing care facilities. This course is interdisciplinary in nature and enhances your knowledge and learning via different disciplines such as psychology, education, medicine, veterinary medicine, animal studies, social work, and public health. The course will be run as an online seminar using a hybrid synchronous and asynchronous discussion based learning format.