Byrne Seminars

Professor: Kriston O'Brassill-Kulfan (History)

Description: This seminar will explore how the formation of the US as a democratic republic in the late eighteenth century has been commemorated over the past 250 years. Together, we will ask what we are learning about 1776, and about 2026, from the commemorations taking place this year. We’ll explore public historical interpretations of the nation’s founding at specific reflective moments, including the 1876 Centennial and 1976 Bicentennial, and how Americans have understood the histories, sources, truths, myths, and cultural developments they represent. Public history is a discipline and series of methods that aims to democratize access to historical sources and analytical interpretations of the past for diverse publics, not just a select few inside an ivory tower. But the discipline itself has often chosen positivist celebratory narratives over the complexity and nuance that evidence-based historical understanding requires. How are public historians wrestling with the challenges of telling the story of the creation of a notional participatory democracy in a climate of unequal access to the full benefits of citizenship and civic engagement? Can learning about the nation’s past galvanize individuals and communities in their own democratic praxis? This seminar will explore these questions through academic readings, popular media, site visits, and guest lectures from active practitioners in the field. It will be rooted in the NJ Historical Commission’s Semiquincentennial Interpretative Framework, based on recent scholarship about the founding era as well as community engagement around how we all make meaning out of this history in a year of revolutionary commemoration.

Course Number: 01:090:101:55

Professors: Charles R. Senteio and Tawfiq Ammari (Library & Information Science)

Description: This seminar offers first-year students an opportunity to explore how individuals and communities participate and shape in democracy, even when they are not formally represented within it. Across the course, students will examine how movements toward racial equity often provoke resistance, backlash, and retrenchment, while also exploring how people influence democratic processes outside of formal participation such as voting. Drawing on a current, community-engaged research project in New Brunswick—Invisible Voters, Visible Democracy—students will engage with real-world civic questions and local partnerships, including collaboration with Lazos América Unida. This course is offered in collaboration with the Rutgers Democracy Lab (RDL), which operates as a “Think and Do Tank” connecting students, faculty, and community partners to address real-world challenges and strengthen democratic engagement. As part of this collaboration, students will attend two RDL events (selected based on their schedules and interests) and complete a public-facing reflection (e.g., blog post, short video, or podcast-style piece) that connects course concepts to lived civic experiences. With student permission, selected work may be shared through RDL programming.

Course Number: 01:090:101:65

Professor: Jonah Siegel (English)

Description: “I plead the Fifth,” “my First Amendment rights,” “the Second Amendment.” We know or think we know what these words mean because the Constitution has shaped national debates for centuries. Our fundamental understanding of what our freedoms are is bound up in concepts that document enshrines. And yet, recent events have shaken longstanding confidence in the words that have governed us since the founding of our nation, that have defined the limits of government power in relation to the public. The controversies bound to arise in the relationship between the power of the government and the rights of individuals always come down at some point to debates about language. This course will have as its goal a careful reading of the two founding documents of our democracy, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It will look at a few anticipations of those documents in the philosophical and political debates of the day, and include reading of some later works on the way language and politics interact that offer lessons for today, including George Orwell’s 1984.

Course Number: 01:090:101:05

Professors: Joseph Heckman (Plant Biology)

Description:  Food policy should be based on science and “the will of the people”. This seminar examines the history of dairy farming since the time of the American Revolution. Imported livestock transformed the social ecology of the new nation. The War of 1812 and the British blockade of rum from the Caribbean was pivotal in changing dairy farming. Distillery waste fed to cows degraded milk quality in NY City. The philanthropy of Nathan Strass attempted to correct the “milk problem” by promoting pasteurization. Alternatively, Dr. Henry Coit, founded the American Association of Medical Milk Commissions for producing clean and healthy “Certified Milk”. Pasteurized and unprocessed Certified Milk coexisted as some states began mandating pasteurization. In New Jersey, the famous Walker Gordon Dairy operated as a model Certified Milk dairy up until 1971. Since 1999, the Real Milk Campaign has attempted to legalize raw milk in all 50 states. Increasingly states are reversing mandates and permitting food choice. The Raw Milk Revolution and Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Food Rights by journalist David Gumpert documents the social dynamics. The Raw Milk Institute in 2011 set high standards of safety for producers. Growing numbers of pasture-based raw milk dairies and customers are creating a new national dairy policy. A modern concept of a “Raw Milk Ordinance” has been proposed to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., US Secretary of HHS. In 2026, the USDA dietary guidelines were revised to recommend eating unprocessed foods. School lunch programs now include whole milk.

Course Number: 11:090:101:04

Professor: Hongyoung Kim (Kinesiology and Health)

Description: Sport and Democracy in Practice looks at how democratic values (e.g., responsibility and accessibility) are negotiated through sport. In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, students will explore how rules and sport organizations historically shaped who gets access to participation, whose voices count in decision-making, and how risk is distributed across sport. Concepts covered in the seminar will blend sport management and exercise science by pairing questions of sport governance (e.g., policies, leadership, and ethics) with evidence on the body (e.g., injury prevention, concussion, heat safety, training load, and recovery). Through hands-on, discussion-based learning, students will analyze real cases and data from collegiate, professional, recreational, and youth sport. The goal is to empower students with critical thinking on sport as a civic institution and to propose evidence-based solutions that promote fairness and wellbeing.

Course Number: 01:090:101:24

Professor: Min Kwon (Music)

Description: This seminar invites students to explore American identity through music, culture, and history using the national song America the Beautiful as a starting point. Led by concert pianist and Rutgers professor Min Kwon, students will examine how artists, composers, and communities reinterpret national identity through creative expression. Through listening, discussion, short writing reflections, and creative projects, students will encounter newly commissioned piano works written by living American composers as part of the America/Beautiful national commissioning project. The seminar will also explore the historical and literary origins of the song, including poet Katharine Lee Bates and composer Samuel Ward. Students will investigate how art reflects social values, cultural diversity, and civic ideals while gaining insight into how large-scale artistic projects are conceived and realized. No musical training required.

Course Number: 01:090:101:59

Professor: Elif Sendur (English Writing Program)

Description: What does American democracy promise, and who has historically been included in those promises, and who has been left out? This seminar examines democracy both as a political system and as a visual and cultural practice shaped by law, media, protest, and everyday life. Using American cinema as our primary lens, where American myth is constantly written and rewritten, we will explore how different groups have been represented as “the people,” and how others have been rendered invisible, marginal, or expendable. Beginning with foundational cinematic myths of law and legitimacy via the early life of Abraham Lincoln in  Young Mr. Lincoln, the seminar moves through films that depict democratic deliberation (12 Angry Men), structural exclusion (Killer of Sheep), counter-publics and community-based politics (Black Panthers), protest and dissent (Hair), democratic breakdown (Taxi Driver), and queer political visibility (Milk). Moving across courtroom dramas, documentaries, musicals, and urban cinema, we will examine how images shape public understandings of citizenship, belonging, and political participation in the United States, while attending to the historical, social, and political conditions that gave rise to them.
You will engage with film clips, archival materials, newsreels, and contemporary media in order to develop critical tools for evaluating how American democratic ideals are represented, challenged, and mobilized in public life. A museum visit (the Museum of American Revolution /the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia ) will invite you to reflect on how democratic histories are preserved, narrated, and contested within cultural institutions. The course ends in a student-designed project that encourages you to translate historical and cinematic analysis into forms of civic imagination, asking how democratic participation, responsibility, and collective life might be practiced in the present through a public-facing short visual essay or written work.
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:60

Professor: Derek Shendell (Environmental and Occupational Health and Justice)

Description: This Byrne Seminar will focus on selected NJ communities with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/NJ Department of Environmental Protection designated Superfund or abandoned hazardous waste sites now also potentially impacted by climate change, including extreme weather events and natural disasters year-round. Discussions will incorporate an interdisciplinary perspective across public health, environmental and engineering sciences, socio-demographic factors, and justice issues. 

Course Number: 01:090:101:27

Professor: Yanhong Jin (Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics) and Mingwei Liu (Management and Labor Relations)

Description: The modern workplace is experiencing a profound transformation, fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, automation, and the prevalence of remote work. These technological innovations and work mode changes reshape business operations, workforce dynamics, and skill demands. This seminar course aims to a) examine the impact of these changes on firm productivity, labor outcomes, and society as a whole and b) identify essential skills needed to respond, adapt, and thrive in these dynamic and ever-evolving environments. The goal is to enable first-year students to build a strong foundation in understanding workplace changes while identifying and developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills relevant to their future careers.

Course Number: 11:090:101 section 13

Professor:  Casimir Kulikowski (Computer Science)

Description: Most recently AI has become notorious for what is expected from ChatGPT and its Large Language Models, frequently able to generate remarkably sensible comments and answers to questions. Yet it also makes clumsy mistakes like inventing fictitious people and references to back-up its texts, while generating fake images is a major activity on the web. Deep Learning methods of artificial neural networks that draw on enormous amounts of data is being hyped as a panacea for solving a wide range of problems, with companies are promoting  self-driving automobiles, drones, investment strategies, and even medical diagnosis. But the hype and fatal accidents with self-driving vehicles have many wondering whether the next “AI Winter” will come soon - when enthusiasm and funding from industry and government dries up as result of AI not delivering on its promises. Critical human abilities of “thinking” visually and metaphorically present tremendous challenges for AI, and ethical and social problems abound. This seminar will take a look at how AI has evolved, and just how far today’s novel techniques can be pushed – and whether or not they might hope to deliver on the claims that robots will outstrip humans with their smart behaviors in our lifetimes and whether a “singularity” is coming, where machine intelligence is able to surpass living beings routinely.

Course Number: 01:090:101 section 34

Professors: Miriam Jaffe and Lauren Fanelli Teague (English)

Description: This seminar invites students to study the vibrant past of “new-age” mysticism. Blending theories of pop-culture wellness with reflective exploration of traditional practices, we will trace how Tarot (a card-based system of imagery used for reflection, storytelling, and divination) and Reiki (a Japanese spiritual tradition centered on meditative, energy-work techniques) evolved to become part of our present-day therapeutic and spiritual landscapes. Critical discussion relating to astrological horoscopes, Kabbalah, journaling, and sound baths will contextualize Tarot and Reiki with other healing modalities. Students will gain guided, experiential exposure to Tarot card-reading methods and Reiki-inspired energy-work activities, which we will respectfully approach as cultural and historical practices. Together, we’ll explore why these alternative spiritualities captivate modern audiences and how they shape meaning, identity, and community in the 21st century.

Course Number: 01:090:101 section 43

Professor: Ginger Gold Schnitzer (Director of Education and Strategic Initiatives; Eagleton Institute of Politics)

Description: America’s turning 250—and like any big birthday, it’s the perfect moment to celebrate, reflect, and ask some honest questions about how things are really going. This seminar takes a lively, hands‑on tour through the strengths, stumbles, and future possibilities of American democracy. In this seminar you will: Create a “Democracy Inventory” to assess what aspects of our democracy function well today and which feel outdated, strained, or in need of repair. Trace the long fight over belonging-- who gets to be part of “We the People”—and how has that changed? Analyze states as laboratories of democracy-- how do governors and state governments shape our democracy for better or worse. See what happens when science meets politics: (Or… doesn’t.) We’ll unpack why facts alone rarely win the day. Decode polling and “public opinion”: How polls really work, why they’re often misunderstood, and why “The American People” might be more myth than reality. Explore why young people matter: We’ll look at youth activism, voting trends, barriers, and what motivates young people to step in and shape the future. Expand your idea of civic power: Voting is just the beginning. Learn how to organize and advocate. Turn your passion into policy: you’ll pick an issue you care about, map the decision‑makers, craft policy options, and pitch a solution. By the end, you won’t just understand American democracy at 250—you’ll have the tools to help shape what it becomes next.

Course Number: 01:090:101 section 57

Professors: Anette Freytag (Landscape Architecture) and Maria Kennedy (American Studies)

Description: This seminar explores the Hudson Valley as a crucible of American literary, artistic, and environmental imagination with a special relationship between the urban metropolis of New York City and the natural landscapes it is connected to through the river’s majestic corridor. Beginning with early literary classics of the Hudson Valley such as Washington Irving’s Sleepy Hollow, the course examines the historical impact of first nations, Dutch, and the colonial, Revolutionary, and early nationhood periods, asking how America began to shape an idea of itself through its encounter with the river’s geography, natural resources, and cultures. The course then explores the development of important artistic, agricultural, and architectural movements by Hudson River School artists and shapers of the landscape such as Andrew Jackson Downing, Frederic Church, and Calvert Vaux. Finally, we introduce the impact of tourism and environmentalism as outgrowths of the artistic and environmental ethos of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and which continues to respond to the desires of Americans today. A one-day field trip extends the readings into the landscape itself, with visits to key sites where students may experience the ongoing legacies of these artists, writers, thinkers, and entrepreneurs and ask how the Hudson River continues to respond to the changing imagination of American Landscape today.

NOTE: this seminar has a required day-long field trip to the Hudson Valley.

Course Number: 11:090:101:08

Professor: T. Corey Brennan (Classics)

Description: This seminar will investigate the social function of athletics and athletic arenas in the Greek and Roman worlds and explore the influence of antiquity on the way we play and view sports today. Particular attention will be paid to the architecture of athletic facilities. Students will trace developments in the construction of ancient gymnasia, horseracing tracks, running stadia, the amphitheater (a quintessential Roman building) and their modern analogues. Rome’s Colosseum and the Rutgers Stadium will be discussed in detail.

Course Number: 01:090:101 section 44

Professors: Geeta Govindarajoo (Chemistry and Chemical Biology) and Jenevieve Delossantos (Art History)

Description: When do you see Art History and Chemistry come together? They have been hand-in-hand all along! We can explore the following questions: 1. What do we learn about the people, period, and places that surround art objects when we closely examine the chemical processes used to create them/their materials? 2. In what ways did the state of chemistry knowledge at a particular time provide possibilities or limitations to the artists/artisans/architects engaged in making? (i.e., the availability and portability of pigments, the stability of materials over time, or how the natural world impacts the longevity of certain materials, etc.) 3. How might we consider the significance of chemical makeup in the long-term care of objects at cultural institutions?  This seminar will also involve field trips to the Zimmerli Museum – the field trips will be during class time.

Course Number: 01:090:101:38

Professor: Andrew Egan (Philosophy)

Description: Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and Claude are transforming how we work, learn, and create—but what actually are these systems, and how should we use them? This seminar explores AI from three angles. First, we'll demystify the technology: how do large language models actually work, and what does that tell us about what they can and can't do? Second, we'll examine ethical and social questions: bias, misinformation, labor displacement, environmental costs, and the concentration of power in the tech industry. Third, we'll tackle practical questions that matter for your life as a student: When does using AI help you learn, and when does it shortcut the learning you came to college to do? How should you think about academic integrity in a world where AI can write essays and solve problem sets? Through hands-on experimentation, discussion, and reflection, you'll develop both a clearer understanding of the technology and practical strategies for engaging with it thoughtfully. The course culminates in a personal AI policy and plan—a document articulating your own principles and practices for using AI during your undergraduate career. No technical background is required; students from all majors are welcome.

Course Number: 01:090:101:46

Professor: Chloe Hawkings (Entomology)

Description: Social behavior is one of the most interesting animal behaviors where we see a shift from competition to cooperation. We must wonder what conditions are necessary for such behavior to evolve. Social insects such as ants and bees make a remarkable model for studying this behavior as they exhibit the highest order of social organization. Understanding this behavior can not only work to understand insects within our environment but can help us understanding human social traits and the complexity of altruism.

Course Number: 11:090:101:10

Professors: Allyson Salisbury (Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources)

Description: Board games have grown in popularity and number in recent years, with many games featuring themes and concepts borrowed from biology. Beyond being a fun way to hang out with friends, board games can be an effective teaching tool in classrooms. Games can facilitate experiential modes of learning, and they can also increase motivation to learn. In this course, we’ll discuss and play biology-themed board games. We'll explore the intersection of board games and biology education to better understand what makes an effective educational board game and evaluate the potential classroom uses of popular biology-themed board games. 

Course Number: 11:090:101:07

Professor: Milton Heumann (Political Science)

Description: We begin with reading a journalistic account of criminal justice in Chicago. This is followed by a more general discussion of criminal justice across many cities. Next a prosecutor, defense attorney, and judge speak to the seminar and share their experiences with particular emphasis on their most memorable cases and with their most poignant insights from their careers working in the courts. Students have the opportunity to carefully question the speaker, and test hypotheses derived from the readings against the speakers’ experiences. 

Course Number: 01:090:101:32

Professor: Isaac Vellangany (Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics)

Description: In today’s diverse and interconnected world, the ability to connect with people from different backgrounds is a must-have skill. Whether in college, the workplace, or everyday life, understanding different cultures helps us build stronger relationships, avoid misunderstandings, and thrive in a global society. This course introduces first-year college students to Cultural Intelligence (CQ)—the ability to adapt and interact effectively across cultures. Through interactive discussions, case studies, self-assessments, and real-world applications, students will gain a deeper understanding of cultural frameworks such as Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions, Hall’s High- and Low-Context Communication, and Trompenaars’ Cultural Model. The course also emphasizes the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in fostering cross-cultural relationships

Course Number: 11:090:101:11

Professors: Evelyn Wang and Paul Ocampo (Dance)

Description: This course will explore the diverse dances, traditional arts, and cultures of Taiwan, the Philippines, and neighboring countries, while also examining the body-mind relationship in Tai Chi. Through these movement practices, students will learn traditional arts and cultures using training and modalities that are enjoyable, interactive, and informative. This seminar is designed for students who wish to expand their understanding of wellness and various movement practices as an emblem of cultural identity and an expression of social order. Along with the practice of dance and Tai Chi, we will taste some traditional foods associated with the respective festivities. The food serves as a conduit for a holistic experience to a deeper comprehension of Asian cultural arts and heritage. This seminar will also include a field trip to New York City to expand one’s appreciation of performing arts.
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:25

Professor: Mark DiGiacomo (English)

Description: Since its founding more than 100 years ago, the Walt Disney Company has revolutionized the medium of animated film and brought joy to millions. At the same time, this corporate giant has been accused of greed and cultural imperialism, and the political implications of its films have been criticized by both the left and right. In this seminar, we will critically enjoy Disney animation while thinking critically about it. Students will gain exposure to a range of interpretive methods for the analysis of film and popular culture. Although our focus will be on animated film, students will select a Disney cultural product of any kind (film, TV show, toy, theme park ride, etc.) to research and analyze in their final reflection paper. 
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:06

Professor: Nicholas Bello (Animal Science)

Description: “Globesity” is the term used by some to describe the worldwide impact of obesity. Several treatments are available for obesity, but do any of them work? In this seminar, we will explore the causes and consequences of obesity and current treatment strategies. Through hands-on experiments, we will analyze neural pathways that control food intake and body weight and examine how obesity drugs work. We will explore obstacles to long-term treatment and efficacy standards of the FDA.
 

Course Number: 11:090:101:14

Professor: Sunita Chaudhary (Director of Research Education, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey) 

Description: In this seminar learn how the most recent discoveries through cancer research are being translated into cutting-edge treatments for cancer patients. New approaches utilizing computer-assisted diagnostics, medical imaging and statistical pattern recognition allow for a more accurate diagnosis of a range of malignancies. Comprehensive genomic profiling of tumors through next-generation sequencing technologies offers the promise of personalized cancer therapy with targeted drugs. We will discuss the innovative immunotherapy approaches that are being utilized to harness the immune system in the fight against cancer and translational clinical trials that are being tested to study novel drugs in patients. 

Course Number: 01:090:101:28

Professor: Frederick Curry (Dance)

Description: In response to the dramatic increase in reported levels of anxiety in society, there is a deepened appreciation of embodied approaches to wellness.  In this seminar, students will embody Pilates Mat exercises originally developed by Joseph Pilates (1883-1967) and Clara Pilates (1882-1977) as evolved through the contemporary, student-centered, evidence-based approach of Polestar Pilates.  Physically, Pilates Mat exercises increase range of motion, strength, flexibility, coordination and alignment. Emotionally, Pilates Mat offers strategies for self-regulation and social-emotional wellness.  Both physical and emotional benefits will be addressed in the seminar.  Variations and modifications of exercises and integration of props will be used to help students address their individual needs.

Course Number: 01:090:101:04

Professors: Shama Khan (Genetics)

Description: This course provides a broad overview of the multidisciplinary field of medical genetics and genetic counseling with an emphasis on key roles that these healthcare professionals play in patient care. Ethical issues, public health initiatives, and future directions of this exciting specialty will also be highlighted. A special focus will be placed on the responsibilities of geneticists and genetic counselors in different hospital, industry and public health settings, as well as how these roles directly impact patient care. This seminar will be an interactive, case-based experience to introduce the students to the field of medical genetics and genetic counseling. Various health care genetics professionals will be invited on select weeks for informative and engaging panel discussions.  This is the perfect seminar for someone considering a profession in healthcare and public health!

Course Number: 01:090:101:62

Professors: Yuriy Ivanov and William Grubb (RWJMS-Anesthesiology)
 

Description: Chronic pain affects more than 50 million Americans and remains one of the most misunderstood conditions in healthcare. In this seminar, first-year students will step directly into the pain clinic environment to explore how chronic pain shapes patients’ quality of life, functioning, identity, and relationships. Through guided clinical observation, one-on-one teaching, and reflective discussion, students will examine how empathy influences patient care, communication, trust, and treatment outcomes. Designed for students curious about medicine, psychology, neuroscience, or human experience more broadly, this course offers a rare hands-on glimpse into the lived reality of chronic pain and the importance of compassion in medical practice.

Course Number: 01:090:101:07

Professor: Karl Matthews (Food Science)

Description: This course provides a window into the world of food microbiology and food science. We will explore popular trends and myths related to food microbes. Discussions will center on topics including probiotics, double-dipping, food safety myths (the five-second rule), and how to avoid foodborne illness when traveling. Finally, we will address the issue of food additives/antimicrobials in the context of food safety.

Course Number: 11:090:101:02

Professor: Triveni Kuchi (Rutgers Libraries)

Description: With emerging information and communication technologies, the plethora of information constantly generated is overwhelming. Such an information environment directly affects the way you discover, keep, use, or re-use information for your research. How do you manage your bazillion files? What organizing schemes or strategies for managing information are out there? What works, what doesn’t, and why? This course will focus on understanding what information management entails; and how it requires an active, deliberative selection among alternatives, and a critical and habitual pursuit of analyzing and re-categorizing information. Through readings, class discussions, hands-on labs, and guest speakers, students will reflect, analyze, compare and use information organizing schemes or tools for managing a variety of different types of information. Final presentations will allow each student to creatively explore particular information management tools that are used at either the organizational or the individual level.

Course Number: 01:090:101:52

Professor: Mark Robson (Plant Biology; Dean of the School of Graduate Studies)

Description: There are almost eight billion people in the world today and the population will grow to close to ten billion by 2050.  Almost eighty five percent of the population live in developing countries.  One of the challenges for this ever-growing population is providing a secure food supply.  We will discuss the trends in global food production and the technology used to increase global food supply. We will also explore the ever-growing global obesity epidemic – while there are 900 million under nourished people in the world there is a larger number of people, close to 1.4 billion, who are overweight.  Finally, we will look at the overall health of the global population, their jobs, their lifestyle, and the relationship to global environmental health issues, in particular those dealing with problems such as water and air pollution, food production and safety, and infectious and occupational diseases. Professor Robson will share experiences from developing countries in Southeast Asia and West Africa. Case studies and current research will be used as illustrations.

Course Number: 11:090:101:06

Professor: Aayush Visaria (Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research)

Description: How do everyday choices around food, movement, sleep, and stress actually shape health, energy, and performance? This Byrne Seminar introduces you to Lifestyle Medicine, an evidence-based internal medicine specialty focused on preventing disease and optimizing well-being through daily behaviors. Using an interactive, hands-on format, you will explore how nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and sleep affect metabolism and cause disease. You will get a chance to participate in culinary medicine demonstrations with a hospital executive chef and dietitian, explore movement and body composition technologies to assess visceral fat around your organs, learn about novel stress-reduction exercises, and reflect on sleep tracking. To make it as individualized as possible, we will also give you the opportunity to track your own behaviors through the sessions using several wearable devices and have group reflections on health hacks that work or do not work for you. Additionally, you will interact with lifestyle medicine clinicians and resident physicians, gaining insight into how these principles are applied in real-world healthcare and community settings. No prior science background is required, just curiosity and a willingness to engage. Ultimately, this seminar will empower you with practical skills and scientific understanding to make informed choices regarding your own health and perhaps a career in the health professions.

Course Number: 01:090:101:63

Professor: Paul Meers (Plant Biology)

Description: Biotechnology has been perceived and portrayed in various ways by Hollywood and filmmakers around the world. In this course, we will explore the occasionally wide gap between public perception and the way science really "works." Students will view and discuss the portrayal of bio- and nanotechnologies in popular movies from this country and possibly some select international films. Misconceptions and accurate portrayals will be analyzed to introduce students to a basic understanding of the latest exciting work in rapidly emerging areas such as genomics and epigenetics. Students will present thumbs up/thumbs down science movie reviews as a required assignment.

Course Number: 11:090:101:03

Professor: Bryce Nickels (Waksman Institute of Microbiology)

Description: This seminar examines decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on school closures, public health interventions, and institutional behavior. It emphasizes how uncertainty, cognitive bias, and incentive structures shape real-world decisions. Through discussion, case studies, and student-led presentations, students will learn to evaluate evidence and identify systematic biases, with the goal of developing the skills needed to improve decision-making in careers spanning science, policy, and public service. Co-taught by David Zweig, an independent journalist and author of An Abundance of Caution, the seminar integrates scientific, policy, and journalistic perspectives, using his reporting as a central framework to examine pandemic-era decision-making.

Course Number: 01:090:101:56

Professors: Minge Xie and Linjun Zhang (Statistics)

Description: Have you ever wondered how artificial intelligence (AI), like ChatGPT, understands language, recognizes patterns, or makes predictions? More importantly, how confident can we be in the decisions made by AI systems? This seminar explores the statistical foundations behind AI, focusing on the principles that drive machine learning (ML) and large language models (LLMs). We begin with compelling stories about the origins of statistics and data science, tracing how these fields have evolved to power today’s AI technologies. Students will learn key statistical concepts such as estimation, hypothesis testing, and prediction—essential tools for assessing the reliability of data decisions. Through hands-on activities and real-world examples, we will explore how these methods help train and evaluate ML models, ensuring their accuracy and possible biases. Additionally, we will discuss critical challenges in AI, including data privacy, algorithmic fairness, and ethical concerns surrounding AI safety. Can AI truly be unbiased? How do we measure its trustworthiness? The seminar is designed for undergraduate students who are interested in statistics, data science and AI. It encourages curiosity and critical thinking about the role of data in shaping the intelligent systems we interact with every day.

Course Number: 01:090:101:30

Professors: Brandon Alderman (Kinesiology and Health)

Description: Stress is something every college student experiences—before exams, during busy weeks, when trying to keep up, or when pressure comes from many directions at once. But what actually happens inside your body during these moments? This Byrne Seminar explores how the brain and cardiovascular system work together to respond to everyday challenges. Students will learn how common experiences such as juggling deadlines, feeling evaluated or judged, and engaging in physical activity can influence heart rate and blood pressure. Through discussion, case examples, and hands-on demonstrations, the course introduces how scientists study brain–body regulation and why stress can sometimes help us adapt and other times place strain on the body over time. As part of the seminar, students will participate in guided demonstrations that allow them to observe changes in cardiovascular signals across situations like resting quietly, solving challenging problems, slow breathing, and light physical activity. These activities focus on recognizing patterns and understanding how the body prepares for challenge, not on assessing individual health. The seminar concludes by examining scientific evidence on how behaviors such as reframing stressful situations, physical activity, and meditation can influence stress-related physiology. Rather than offering stress-management advice, the course emphasizes understanding how the brain regulates the body and what this reveals about stress, health, and resilience.

Course Number: 01:090:101:63

Professor: Mark Pierce (Biomedical Engineering)

Description: This seminar will introduce students to the science and measurement of color. We will learn about how objects attain their color and how color is quantified. We will describe how color is detected and perceived by the human visual system and by other species with different visual processing. We will learn how color is determined by digital camera sensors and conveyed to us via digital displays. Students will bring these concepts together by using their cell phones to take a picture of their skin and use Matlab software to quantify its color, match their skin color to the Pantone Skintone Guide, and predict the concentrations of tissue components (e.g. blood, melanin,...) that are responsible for their skin's perceived color.

Course Number: 01:090:101:50

Professor: Derek Shendell (Environmental and Occupational Health and Justice)

Description: This course addresses indoor air and environmental quality (IEQ or IAQ) problems and mitigation approaches. The course examines major sources, commonly identified pollutants (exposure agents or risk factors for acute and chronic adverse health effects), and factors determining pollutant concentrations in indoor environments. The course also examines health risks associated with various IAQ problems in contrast to other relevant types of health risks (from outdoor air, etc). Risk management options and recommendations, including regulatory and technical approaches, will be reviewed and discussed.  

Course Number: 01:090:101:26

Professor: Lily Todorinova (Rutgers Libraries)

Description: In this course, we will develop an understanding of information as a commodity, with a richly contested value for both individuals and societies. This course will engage with different types of information inequalities, such as those between economically rich/poor societies, as well as situations where information is restricted or censored. From the level of societies, information is politically and economically charged. The ubiquity of information technology in the West makes it easy to overlook the persistence of vast areas of information poverty in the world. This global digital divide of access to technology and information literacy, continues to threaten human rights, development goals, and political stability. Information also has a private and personal value. We will examine case studies of how governments and corporations quantify information and what this means about our own information “worth.” In addition to class discussions, we will develop information literacy skill s and use scholarly resources available through the Rutgers University Library to explore these topics.

Course Number: 01:090:101:47

Professors: Chloe Hawkings (Entomology) and Benjamin Lintner (Environmental Science)

Description: Understanding global climate dynamics is an essential part of adapting our society to be more sustainable. As climates change around the world, insects can be a useful model to assess these ecological impacts. Insects are the most diverse group of animals on the planet and provide necessary ecosystem services in all terrestrial environments. As temperatures change it is important to assess how insects adapt. Insects intersect with humans in many ways which can change as a result of climate change. Understanding the dynamics of pests and focusing on the abundance of insects in tropical environments can aid our understanding of ecosystem health. In this seminar we focus on the mechanics of climate change and look at the effect on insect populations.

Course Number: 11:090:101:01

Professor: Rachael Shwom (Human Ecology)

Description: Sustainability seeks to balance three core pillars: environmental protection (conserving resources, reducing pollution), social equity (fairness, community well-being), and economic viability (long-term financial health).  You may have heard AI uses a lot of water or energy.  Or you may have heard that AI is going to help solve environmental problems.  But how does it perform on all three dimensions of sustainability?  And what can we do to collectively make sure it uses resources responsibly, promotes harmony between people and nature, and ensures lasting prosperity and a healthy planet?  Engage with short readings, expert guest speakers, exploratory case studies, and a semester event to explore this fast-evolving technology, its impacts for our world, and the options to manage it.

Course Number: 11:090:101:05 

Professor: Ronald Quincy (School of Social Work)

Description: In this seminar students will work on capacity building projects with the co-instructors to support several civil society and nonprofit organizations in Kenya. Students will engage with the Mandela Washington Leadership Fellowship Alumni on their Civil Society Organization Projects in Kenya through the use of electronic media (e.g. Skype). The seminar will engage students with Johnson & Johnson leaders based both in the U.S. and in sub-Saharan Africa about best practices in managing and leading African Civil Society Organizations. Students will take a trip to the U.N. to attend an international conference related to African Civil Society Organizations.

Course Number: 01:090:101:33

Professor: Robert Bartynski (Physics & Astronomy)

Description: Breaking news: New technology dominates global relations and our personal lives. This is today’s reality. But new technologies depend on “Critical Materials”- lithium for batteries, new materials for solar cells, superconductors for quantum computing, new conductors for energy transmission, rare earths for efficient energy generation and storage, energy efficient silicon for AI applications. As a consequence, Critical Materials become bargaining chips in geopolitics, world economics and trade.  This seminar series will examine Critical Materials from their geographic origins to the technological advances they drive and the broader societal implications they present.  Topics and discussions are designed for students considering careers as diverse as science and engineering, economics, finance, business, and government.  The course will include instructor and student led discussions with AI input and examples of “periodic table to new technology” successes as well as visits to major experimental facilities that illustrate the “materials to technology” pipeline.  The team of instructors has extensive experience in the field including academic and industrial research and development.  The goal is to prepare the participant to be both a technology-savvy student and a technology-literate citizen (consumer, investor, voter)!

Course Number: 01:090:101:39 

Professor: John Pavlik (Journalism & Media Studies)

Description: Understanding the nature and impact of digital technology on media and society is the focus of this seminar. Students examine the changing nature of media in the digital environment, including social media, and their consequences, especially implications for civility, democracy, journalism and beyond. 

Course Number: 01:090:101:22

Professors: Lauren Neitzke Adamo and Cathleen Doherty (Earth & Planetary Sciences)

Description: The goal of this seminar is to explore, examine, and discuss some of the most important and potentially life altering geoscience issues affecting our society.  Through a mixture of guest lectures, field trips, class discussions, and hands-on in class activities; students will learn about topics such as climate change, the search for oil and other natural resources, sea-level rise, the exploration of the moon and other extraterrestrial planets, and more!  This course will provide a space for students to discuss these topics with leading experts in the field, as well as examine how some of this science is communicated to the public with trips to local natural history museums and discussions with formal and informal educators.

Course Number: 01:090:101:20

Professor: Simon Wickhamsmith (English Writing Program)

Description: Look out of your window and find something which has not been crafted, sown, destroyed, manipulated, or imposed by humans. Are we really the most powerful, the most intelligent species? (And what do we mean when we talk about power and intelligence, anyhow?) If we keep quiet, and listen instead, if we stop trying to do something, and observe instead, we will notice that, at the same time as we try to adapt the world around us, the world around us is undergoing its own process of adaptation. But rather than thinking of opposition - of imposition versus adaptation, of humans versus nature - we could instead look at how we fit into what the Potowatomi environmental scientist Robin Wall Kimmerer calls the “democracy of species”. This course will ask you to look at the world in a new way, neither to condemn our human species, nor to elevate nature for sentimental reasons, but in order to consider how we can refine our perception of where we, as individuals and as a species, fit in alongside, and enjoy the company of - inter alia - wood and water, tarantulas and tardigrades, cats and cassowaries, the common cold and the Covid-19 virus. 

Course Number: 01:090:101:37

Professor: Aaron Mazzeo (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)

Description: Pulp-based paper has conveyed information with printed lettering, diagrams, and illustrations for hundreds of years. In these conventional formats, the flipping or turning of pages has required human manipulation. Recent research efforts are beginning to add life and active functionality to paperbased structures in the form of mechanical grippers, manipulators, and locomotors. In this hands-on seminar, students will review state-of-the-art research in paper-based robotics (i.e., paperbotics) and active origami, and then exercise creativity to build paper-based machines that will be capable of motion and interaction with humans. By also planning the aesthetics of their projects, participants in this seminar will go beyond building gadgets to craft functional pieces of art. 

Course Number: 01:090:101:16

Professor: Gina Sideli (Plant Biology)

Description: This seminar investigates the dynamic world of plant breeding, exploring how humans have harnessed the power of natural and artificial selection to shape our everyday plants. Through a combination of lectures, hands-on activities, and reflective discussions, students will gain a foundational understanding of scientific principles, techniques, and impacts of plant breeding on society. The course begins with an exploration of plant diversity, examining plant types, fruits, grains, seeds, and tubers to understand how selection drives variation. Students will then investigate the principles of artificial selection, by collaborating in groups to simulate controlled plant crossings. A basic overview of genetics, genomics, and gene-editing will highlight the tools used to accelerate breeding efforts, complemented by a hands-on activity performing DNA extractions from strawberries. Finally, students will explore the role of sensory science in cultivar development, participating in a grape sensory evaluation to understand how consumer taste and preference influence breeding decisions.

Course Number: 11:090:101:09

Professors: Hylke De Jong and Pilar Rau (Anthropology)

Description: From an anthropological perspective, Play is serious business. Games, competitions, and sports are activities in which risk and randomness abound, and yet are constrained by rules and carefully isolated from normal everyday life, as “play.” Play in Prehistory and the Present thinks critically about Play in society. We will use anthropological and archaeological theory and methods to examine structured and spontaneous play cross-culturally and its physical residues in the past to make sense of human activities that are frivolous, serious, and often both. We will explore diverse cases, from baseball magic, gambling, and football hooligans to ancient forms of play that blur the boundaries of sport, religious ritual, and warfare, as well as contemporary non-Western examples. Anthropology and archaeology frameworks will help us analyze topics such as superstition, magic, luck, ritual, competition, fate, wealth, communal violence, nationalism, and social hierarchies and divisions in familiar sports and games. Students will apply these insights and learn about anthropological research by designing their own ethnographic projects that observe and analyze the sport or game of their choice.  As a group we will observe and analyze a Rutgers home game (football in the fall or basketball in the Spring).

Course Number: 01:090:101:45

Professor: Megan Lotts (Rutgers Libraries)

Description: Play can create a dynamic narrative that promotes engagement and community, as well as fosters creativity and problem-solving which are crucial to innovation.  Play also builds strong communication and social skills, and these skills can be helpful when creating knowledge, performing scholarly research, or engaging with one’s peers. Play can be all-inclusive, encourage exploration and cross-disciplinary collaboration, as well as a chance to embrace failure as a positive part of learning. Developing creativity and problem-solving skills are experiences that are often lacking in higher education and yet a skill that many students are familiar with and will need in their future careers. This course will look closer at play, why it is an important part of our everyday lives, as well as its presence in higher education. This course will involve readings, creating games, keeping a play journal, field trips, and more. 
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:48

Professor: Can Uslay (Marketing) and Gary Minkoff (Management and Global Business)

Description: In an era where global challenges demand more than traditional business solutions, this seminar empowers students to bridge the gap between profit and purpose through the lens of the Tri-Sector Mindset. By integrating the fundamentals of entrepreneurship with innovative social impact strategies, participants will learn to navigate the complex intersections of the public, private, and social sectors. The course provides hands-on experience with cutting-edge tools—including the Tri-Sector Innovation (TSI) Canvas, and GenAI—to design, refine, and market business models that create macro-value. Through contemporary case studies and a focus on entrepreneurial marketing, students will identify opportunities and develop sustainable business models, culminating in a competitive "Shark Tank" pitch where they must demonstrate their ability to scale impact without compromising financial viability.
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:40

Professors: Andrea Spaeth and Morgan Murray (Kinesiology and Health)

Description: Many young adults face challenges with attentional focus. This impacts academic performance as well as social interactions. The use of social media and stress related to recent global events has increased the prevalence and severity of this issue. This course will discuss attentional focus as a construct (class 1) and how it is impacted by social media use (class 2) and stress (class 3). In addition, we will learn and practice several evidence-based techniques that improve an individual’s ability to focus and sustain their attention (class 4: mindfulness, class 5: progressive relaxation, class 6: structured scheduling and minimizing distraction, class 7: slow reading, class 8: active listening). We will also conclude by exploring how several commonly-used substances impact attentional focus (class 9: caffeine and other stimulants and class 10: alcohol and cannabis). Concepts covered in the course will span neuroscience, physiology and psychology. The goal is to empower students with knowledge and tools to improve their ability to focus their attention in a variety of settings.
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:29

Professors: Chiara Sabina and Victoria Banyard (School of Social Work)

Description: A look at the daily news, classes on human history, and the lived experiences of people in our communities and families often show us that adversity, stress, oppression are all around us. But so are strengths and resilience. Resilience science is the study of factors that lead to well-being and thriving in spite of difficulties. This course will introduce students to the science of resilience, an interdisciplinary area of study that includes ideas from across the social sciences including psychology, social work, public health, history, sociology but also has connections to literature and art. Students will learn how researchers define and study strengths and resilience. They will learn what practices and factors promote thriving and well-being. Students will practice applying some evidence-based practices in their own lives through both in-class active learning activities and course-long project of their own choosing. Class meetings will be enhanced by guest speakers who teach and practice well-being enhancing strategies. Emphasis in this seminar will be on learning about strengths across the human social ecology include those that are within individuals, in relationships, and in communities.
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:23

Professors: Amy Miele and Brianna Livelli (Student Affairs)

Description: This course provides an introduction to the principles of restorative justice (RJ) and its application to everyday life. In this course, we will focus on the roots, history, and foundations of restorative justice practices, while also engage in and learn how to craft your own RJ circles, and explore how to listen for needs, identify harm, and begin the journey towards repair. This course also provides you with an opportunity to engage with trained RJ facilitators, who will join some of our classes with intention. 
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:18

Professors: Yanhong Jin (Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics) and Mary Wagner (Pharmacy)

Description: Both science and experience suggest that our diet directly correlates with our brain function and how we feel. When we eat nutrient-dense foods, our brains function on a higher level – meaning we can learn, think, and memorize information in a greater capacity. An appropriate diet improves cognitive function and overall wellness. Yet, mindful eating is influenced by socioeconomic factors and behavioral factors. In this seminar, students will explore and learn about issues related to food and health such as: a) the impact of food on personal health; b) innovative and sustainable agriculture that supports the environment; and c) the way food access and affordability impact the social determents of health. This seminar will also discuss the potential health complications and environmental consequences related to our current eating styles and introduce the concept of mindful eating. The course will be an adventure where students are empowered to explore, observe, and document their eating behaviors and their connection to food through self-discovery and active learning. This information may lead the students to become inspired to work with their community to address issues of food justice. 
 

Course Number: 11:090:101:12

Professor: Celeste Domsch (Associate Professor, Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences, School of Health Professions)

Description: Stuttering is a complex speech phenomenon where speakers are unable to produce fluent speech, despite knowing exactly what they want to say. Around the world, 1% of adults stutter; stuttering occurs in multiple spoken languages and even American Sign Language. There are a number of myths about stuttering, including that it is caused by anxiety, poor parenting, or trauma. Historically, supposed (but ineffective) cures for stuttering have included surgery on the tongue and talking with rocks in the mouth. This seminar will examine what contemporary research has uncovered about stuttering, including differences in the genes and the brains of people who stutter and people who do not. We will analyze the controversial “Monster” study, where children were told that they stuttered when they did not, and note its long-lasting impact on those children and the field of speech-language pathology (SLP) in general. Finally, we will trace the evolution in speech therapy from a desire to “cure” stuttering to one which supports resilience and strong communication skills in all speakers, regardless of their fluency.
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:49

Professor: Mimi Phan (Rutgers University Center for Cognitive Science)

Description: As students, we're constantly drowning in information. And with all this knowledge coming from every angle, there's one big question that keeps popping up: how do we know what's real and what's been edited or made up? The primary aim of this course is to foster scientific literacy through evidence-based evaluations of contemporary scientific trends. The course will begin with an introduction to fundamental statistical concepts, followed by sessions on formulating effective questions and surveys of various scientific methods, including laboratory experiments, scientific programing, and data analysis techniques.  A planned field trip to The Museum of Illusions (NYC), a venue dedicated to illusions,  will provide a perfect real-life challenge to our perceptions, asking if we can truly believe what we hear, feel, and see. Class sessions will delve into fundamental scientific concepts, such as: Evaluating the accuracy of graphical representations; Understanding the nature of artificial intelligence (AI); Exploring the potential for computers to possess cognitive abilities; and Investigating the capacity of animals to retain memories of other individuals.

Course Number: 01:090:101:19

Professors: Daphne Munroe (Marine and Costal Sciences) and Yanhong Jin (Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics)

Description: This course examines aquaculture as a central pillar of the blue bioeconomy, integrating economic, ecological, environmental, technological, and social perspectives. Students are introduced to the blue bioeconomy as a framework for sustainable growth based on aquatic biological resources, with aquaculture positioned as the primary driver of future seafood supply amid rising global food demand and stagnating capture fisheries. Through a combination of lectures, in-class group exercises, scientist panel discussions, and an overnight field trip to the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, the course emphasizes systems thinking and real-world applications. Students analyze aquaculture value chains and market structures; assess environmental externalities and circular bioeconomy solutions; and explore policy and technological perspectives. The course culminates in student presentations focused on emerging technologies, policy challenges, and future pathways for aquaculture within the blue bioeconomy.

Course Number: 11:090:101:15

*NOTE: This seminar has a mandatory overnight field trip to the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory. All student expenses are covered by the Byrne program. 

Professor: Doyle Knight (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)

Description: The seminar describes the history of Russian civilian and military aircraft from the 20th and 21st Century.  The organization of aircraft design bureaus and production facilities under the Soviet Union, and their reorganization under the Russian Federation are discussed.  Individual aircraft design bureaus and their aircraft are described with emphasis on aerodynamics and performance.

Course Number: 01:090:101:12

Professor: Enver Koray Akdogan (Materials Science and Engineering)

Description: This seminar brings students and a faculty mentor together in an intimate, discussion-driven setting to reflect critically on ideas of central importance to science and engineering in the twenty-first century. Through guided dialogue and interdisciplinary exploration, students will examine foundational concepts that shape technological progress, ethical responsibility, innovation, and the evolving relationship between science, engineering and society. The seminar introduces students to the nature of the scientific enterprise as a systematic, evidence-based pursuit of knowledge about the natural and social worlds—guided by curiosity, intellectual integrity, analytical rigor, and ethical responsibility. Students will explore how disciplined inquiry, creative problem-solving, and principled experimentation drive discovery and societal advancement. Beyond technical understanding, the seminar emphasizes that sustained and structured inquiry is not merely a professional obligation but a deeply meaningful intellectual endeavor—one that can cultivate purpose, resilience, and a lifelong appreciation for learning. Through reflective discussion and critical analysis, students will begin to see science and engineering not only as career paths, but as powerful human pursuits that shape the future.

Course Number: 01:090:101:41

Professor: Rachel Lyons (4H Youth Development)

Description: Why does Rutgers exist, and who is it really for? This Byrne Seminar invites you to explore the story behind Rutgers as New Jersey’s land-grant university and what that means for students today. Land-grant universities were created to make higher education more accessible, practical, and connected to real-world problems. In this course, you’ll learn how that vision began with the Morrill Acts and how it continues to shape teaching, research, and community work at Rutgers. Through engaging discussions, interactive activities, and a required field trip to a Rutgers research farm or marine field station, you’ll see the land-grant mission in action. We’ll explore how Rutgers researchers study issues like food systems, the environment, youth development, and public health, and how that work reaches communities across New Jersey through outreach and Extension programs. The course will also take an honest look at the complex history behind land-grant universities, including how Indigenous lands were used to fund these institutions and what universities are doing today in response. Whether you’re interested in science, the arts, education, business, health, or public service, this seminar will help you connect your academic interests to Rutgers’ public-purpose mission and better understand how your education fits into a much bigger story.
 

Course Number: 11:090:101:12

Professor: Arnold Glass (Psychology)

Description: Ask me to tell you the story of my life, and I will weave an answer based on what I best remember of my experiences. But are all of my memories true? Did they really happen? Thirty years ago human memory was believed to be the result of some sort of recording device in the brain. We now know that autobiographical memory is a narrative that is constantly being rewritten. So, some of our memories of past experiences are in fact false. In this seminar, we will examine the popular theories of memory of the past hundred years and the scientific evidence of today. We will consider the new view of memory as something malleable and its implications for society.  
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:08

Professor: Rasha Abadir (Mathematics)

Description: Have you ever wondered why some math problems suddenly “click” while others feel almost impossible to navigate? Optimization plays a critical role in real-world systems, from GPS routing to sustainable engineering, yet learning how to solve optimization problems can be highly challenging. The Optimization Lab: Math Learning Research in Motion offers students an authentic, hands-on research experience that explores not just what answers students find, but how they think. In this seminar, students will work as researchers rather than traditional problem solvers. Using a rich dataset of real-time video recordings of former students tackling applied optimization problems, students in this seminar will become learning scientists. Rather than focusing solely on numbers and equations, students will learn about what it means to conduct research, get introduced to qualitative research methods, collaboratively formulate research questions, and use professional transcription and coding tools to identify themes and patterns by analyzing video data. The seminar emphasizes the full research process, guiding students in translating their findings into a formal research paper, academic poster, and presentation.
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:64

Professor: Marjoris Regus (Music)

Description: This course is an introduction to codeswitching-the linguistic practice of mixing two or more languages within a single speech act or discourse- and the popular music genre Reggaetón. Reggaetón began as a 1980’s Spanish-language undercover art form created by socially and economically oppressed Afro-descendant Panamanian youth. The genre’s evolution and popularity has continued to grow beyond Spanish-speaking Caribbean communities. The presence of the ‘dembow’ African-based rhythm and Caribbean Spanish (the most stigmatized of all Spanish varieties both internal and external to the Spanish-speaking world) express diglossic identities of AfroLatinx youth in marginalized neighborhoods in the U.S. and abroad. For this class, we consider reggaetón music as an excellent lens through which to examine distinct domains of codeswitching- linguistically, behaviorally, and musically, as well as a facet of AfroLatinidad. Furthermore, we will discuss the (non)inclusion of Spanish language and Afrocentric-influenced music in U.S. popular culture by way of reggaetón. Class sessions will be organized around lectures, discussion posts (via-Canvas), music listening, film viewings, and readings. Issues of race, racism, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, education, and language will be discussed as factors that impact AfroLatindad and the celebration or rejection of Blackness. Throughout the course we will have guest lectures by (Afro)Latinx musicians and Latinx studies scholars. 

*Please note: This course will be taught in English, Spanish, and Spanglish. Readings will be in English and Spanish. All music and video material will be in Spanish as well as Spanglish.
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:36

Professor: Trip McCrossin (Philosophy)

Description: The problem of evil, as Susan Neiman has described it, is the perniciously difficult to satisfy “need to find order within those appearances so unbearable that they threaten reason’s ability to go on,” as when (at times incomprehensibly) bad things happen to (at least relatively) good people, and (at least relatively) good things to (at times incomprehensibly) bad people. Central to her watershed perspective on the problem are two related propositions. She proposes, on the one hand, that midway through the Enlightenment, the problem of evil developed, in addition to the traditional theological version—according to which human reason strains, in the above “find order” spirit, to reconcile conspicuous human suffering with faith in divine wisdom, power, and benevolence, which either makes or allows it to happen—a more secular version as well. Here, while it’s no longer in response to suffering’s ostensibly divine origin, reason strains similarly nonetheless, so much so as to call into question, as the theological version does already, reason’s very ability to make the order it so fervently desires. She goes on to propose, on the other hand, that in response to both versions of the problem primarily two competing perspectives arise, which competition defines us still today, beginning with the public rivalry between Rousseau’s and Voltaire’s, the former insisting that “morality demands that we make evil intelligible,” the latter that “morality demands that we don’t.” The seminar is designed to have participants work together to identify and elaborate the various ways in which these competing perspectives endure in philosophy and popular culture.
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:35

Professor: Andrea Baldi (Italian)

Description: The seminar addresses the representation of walking in Western cultures. Rooted in the everyday, in ordinary gestures, the experience of walking is pivotal to the shaping of our experience of place. Strolling relates to our most immediate way of staying in the world, examining and describing it. In the wake of modernity, the new urban subjects have fashioned walking as a style of apprehension and appropriation of their surroundings. Through their “rhetoric of walking,” their choices of itineraries, passers-by devise their own maps of the city, appropriating its spaces. As it constitutes a primary way of relating to others and perceiving the environment around us, walking is a recurrent motif in literary and cinematic texts. Since antiquity, this practice has been prominently recorded in literature as a paradigm of a dynamic relationship with the outside world, often leading to detachment from the mundane sphere, and prompting reflection and introspection. Such observation of our living space is culturally encoded and, with its shifts and transformations in the course of time, reflects changing attitudes and customs, highly influenced by social and economic factors. Walking through the city is also, and foremost, codified by gender, as demonstrated by the various models of flânerie, in which the gender identity of the passer-by shapes the observation of urban space. Walking sets in motion essential processes regarding reflection, knowledge, and writing. It is, ultimately, a call to participation in the world, as well as a process of cognitive discovery, moving from the outside to the inside. In the seminar we will explore these fascinating issues, analyzing an array of captivating literary and visual texts. Because of street harassment, traversing the public space can also instill feelings of unease and fear. We will look into this issue, discussing readings and visual artefacts. Thus, we will raise and ponder questions about our own experience of walking in the metropolis.
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:53

Professor: Doaa Rashed (Language Institute) and Howaida Wahby Eraky (English)

Description: This seminar brings domestic and international students together to develop the intercultural communication skills essential for success in a diverse academic community. Through collaborative learning, structured reflection, and experiential activities, students explore how culture, language, identity, and worldview shape communication and relationships. The course incorporates the DEAL Model of Critical Reflection. Students will Describe their experiences, examine them through intercultural frameworks, and Articulate Learning that demonstrates growth in cultural awareness and global citizenship. Students engage with a wide range of English accents, communication styles, cultural traditions, and global perspectives. Topics include cultural norms, religious and holiday practices, communication barriers, cultural appropriateness, and the impact of identity on daily interactions. Throughout the semester, students build a first year ePortfolio that documents their learning, reflections, and development using the DEAL Model. 
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:58

Professors: Philosophy Department Faculty

Description: Philosophy, among the oldest of disciplines, is naturally concerned with longstanding questions: To what extent is the world as it appears to us? Can we be free in a universe governed by natural laws? What does it take to know something is true, as opposed to merely believing it? Are their virtuous ways to pursue happiness, and are there better ways to organize societies in order to achieve this? And so on …. At the same time, Philosophy is alive with an ever-expanding array of novel variations — new questions that arise in light of new ways of understanding, for example, the structure of language, cognition, law, and probability. Rutgers has long been blessed with a top-tier Philosophy department, animated by renowned experts regularly contributing on both fronts. Led by a rotating cohort of them, seminar participants will explore, conversationally, not only what it’s like to do philosophy, generally speaking, but what it’s like to do so on the cutting edge.
 

Course Number: 01:090:101:31

Professor: Melinda Rushing (Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy)

Description: Why is AI so WEIRD—Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic? Modern AI models are powered by data, yet the sources of those data are often narrow and biased. Because these models are primarily developed in Western societies, they tend to reflect Western logic and cultural assumptions. Communities outside the WEIRD framework are significantly underrepresented, leading to skewed models that fail to capture global diversity and cannot accurately predict trends for most of the world. This seminar explores strategies to broaden representation and create AI tools that serve a truly global population. You will learn how AI models function, examine the roots and consequences of WEIRD-ness, and discover practical approaches to designing AI applications with worldwide relevance. Through class discussions and real-world experiential learning activities, you will begin to understand how you can help balance the AI industry.

Course Number: 01:090:101:42

Professors: Sylvia Chan-Malik and Carla Cevasco (American Studies)

Description: American Studies explores the United States in all its contradictions—its ideals and injustices, its cultural influence, and its changing identities. From early America to 9/11, from the blues to rock ’n’ roll to hip hop, students examine how race, Indigeneity, migration, empire, diaspora, and culture have shaped American life. At Rutgers, American Studies emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches that bring history, politics, culture, and lived experience into conversation. Rather than asking “What is America?” this course invites students to ask a deeper question: “Why is America?” Offered in conjunction with the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, this seminar introduces students to the field of American Studies through direct engagement with Rutgers–New Brunswick faculty. Each week, a different professor addresses the question “Why is America?” from their own research perspective, giving students a window into how scholars approach U.S. culture, race, ethnicity, gender, and religion from multiple angles. Students will learn from our distinguished faculty, including Professor Carla Cevasco on food, the body, gender, and race in early America; Sylvia Chan-Malik on Islam in the United States and the intersections of race, gender, and religion; Allan Punzalan Isaac on Asian American, comparative ethnic, and postcolonial studies; Andrew Urban on migration, labor, consumerism, and digital humanities; Jimmy Sweet on Native American and Indigenous histories; Maria Kennedy on food, folklore, and public humanities; and Louis Masur on the Civil War, American political culture, Bruce Springsteen, and the American Dream.

Course Number: 01:090:101:54

Professors: Lauren Snedeker (School of Social Work; Director of the Certificate on Aging and Health) and Meki Singleton (Urban-Global Public Health)

Description: Women play many roles and wear many hats throughout their lives. As they age through young adulthood, middle age, and their older years, they accumulate responsibilities, but they leave few of their previous roles behind. In this course, we will examine women’s longevity and the cultural, sociological, economic, and political implications of lifelong roles in their own families and in their environments. While this course will examine the negative influences of sexism, racism, ageism, health and economic disparities, and challenges facing women throughout their lifespans, it aims to equally highlight best practices in women’s aging through positive examples, accomplishments, health successes, role models, and opportunities for aging women.

Course Number: 01:090:101:61

Professor: John Evans (Dance)

Description: This seminar will help you focus on finding calm in your life while joining the ranks of busy college students. Through the study and practice of yoga, we will explore how to build a stronger mind-body connection. This seminar will assist you in learning how the practice of yoga can support a happy and healthy life. Through centering and breathing techniques, strengthening and stretching yoga postures, and simple meditations, students will begin to gain a better sense of well-being. We will investigate mindfulness trainings and yoga sequences throughout the ten-week seminar. 

Course Number: 01:090:101:17