Binghamton University Scholars Program

Course Offerings

Summer Session 2011

and

Fall 2011

Professor William Ziegler, Director

Summer 2011

SCHL280E: Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Environmental Issues

Instructor: Professor George Catalano, Professor of Bioengineering

Gen-ed: C and H

Term I: May 31-July 1

Distance Learning Course

Taking Sides will present the arguments of leading environmentalists, scientists, policy makers and reflect a variety of viewpoints. For each issue, we shall set the stage with introductory material and a post-script summary. The debate will then begin with the readings argued in a “yes” or “no” format. The course will require students to analyze opposing viewpoints and reach considered judgments and will thus develop critical thinking skills.

Required Texts

  • Taking Sides, 11th edition, Thomas Easton, McGraw-Hill Press, 2007
  • Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor, Leonardo Boff and Philip Berryman, Orbis Books, 1997

.

This course will use Blackboard extensively. All assignments will be made via the Drop Box feature in Blackboard. The format is one of Distance Learning so there will be no official class meetings. All correspondence will be electronically through Blackboard as well.

Instructor Biography:

Dr. George Catalano received hisPh.D in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia. He is currently Professor of Bioengineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Binghamton University. He is the former Director of the Binghamton University Scholars Program at BU. Dr. Catalano is the author or coauthor of several books including Engineering and Society: Working Towards Social Justice, Engineering Ethics: Peace, Justice, and the Earth (2006) and Engineering, Poverty, and the Earth (2007). He has been a professor at the US Military Academy, the Air Force Institute of Technology and others. He served as a Captain in the US Air Force and as a NASA Fellow. Dr. Catalano has over thirty archival journal articles in engineering science, engineering education and ethics, more than 80 reviewed conference proceedings, and over one hundred national and international conference presentations. He has served as Principal Investigator on over $900,000 in funding, primarily from U.S. government agencies.

Fall 2011 Course Offerings

SCHL280A: Peace - A Historical Perspective

Instructor: Professor George Catalano, Professor of Bioengineering

Tuesday and Thursday 4:25-6:00

Gen-ed: H and J

4 credit hours

The UN General Assembly unanimously proclaimed the first decade of the 21st century to be a Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence. Students will be challenged to confront the issues of peace and non-violence through a careful consideration of the works of many of the most important writers and activists. A partial list of the authors includes:

  • Barbara Deming
  • Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Mahatma Gandhi
  • Daniel Berrigan
  • Dorothy Day
  • Joanna Macy
  • Hildegard Goss-Mayr
  • Cesar Chavez
  • Buddha
  • Thomas Merton
  • Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • Albert Camus

Instructor Biography:

Dr. George Catalano received hisPh.D in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia. He is currently Professor of Bioengineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Binghamton University. He is the former Director of the Binghamton University Scholars Program at BU. Dr. Catalano is the author or coauthor of several books including Engineering and Society: Working Towards Social Justice, Engineering Ethics: Peace, Justice, and the Earth (2006) and Engineering, Poverty, and the Earth (2007). He has been a professor at the US Military Academy, the Air Force Institute of Technology and others. He served as a Captain in the US Air Force and as a NASA Fellow. Dr. Catalano has over thirty archival journal articles in engineering science, engineering education and ethics, more than 80 reviewed conference proceedings, and over one hundred national and international conference presentations. He has served as Principal Investigator on over $900,000 in funding, primarily from U.S. government agencies.

SCHL 280E: Food, Nature, and Culture: The Making of the World

Food Economy

Instructor: Professor Dale Tomich, Professor of Sociology

Tuesday and Thursday 10:05-11:30

Gen-ed: G and J (Note: at this time, the J designation is still pending)

4 Credit Hours

The food human beings eat is perhaps the most direct expression of their natural being and dependence on nature. Yet what humans eat and how they eat it is profoundly linked to culture and history. Through a treatment of selected food products (e.g. wheat, rice, maize, sugar coffee, tea) this course examines the formation of a world economy over the past 500 years. It seeks to understand howchanges in the production, distribution and consumption of food, organized through the formation of integrated world markets, have affected environment, social organization, and cultural meanings and created global interdependencies.

Instructor Biography:

Dr. Dale Tomich is Professor of Sociology and History. He has written extensively on world-economy, Atlantic slavery, and plantation agriculture in the Americas. He has been visiting professor at various universities, including the graduate program in social anthropology at Brazil's National Museum, in the history departments at Princeton University, the University of Paris, and the University of São Paulo, and in development studies at the University of California Berkeley,

SCHL280D: Technology and the Impact of Solar Energy

Instructor: Professor Roger Westgate, Vice Provost and Professor of Electrical &

Computer Engineering

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 2:20-3:20

Gen-ed: J

4 Credit Hours

Advances in solar energy generation have begun to replace conventional fossil fuel energy sources. During the next five years, the costs of solar systems are expected to reach "grid parity" where they will compete economically with other sources including wind and nuclear power. In this course, the technologies and the policies that led to these advances will be discussed. Students will consider the economic and environmental changes that will occur. They will also have an opportunity to work with actual solar photovoltaic and solar thermal systems.

Instructor Biography:

Dr. Charles R. Westgate received his Ph.D from Princeton University. He is currently Director of the Binghamton University Center for Autonomous Solar Power, Vice Provost for Compliance, and Bartle Professor at Binghamton University. He is the former Dean of the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science at BU. Dr. Westgate is currently Professor Emeritus at Johns Hopkins University where he served as professor, associate dean for part-time programs in engineering, associate dean for academic affairs, department chair and interim dean of engineering.

SCHL280C: Psychosocial Development across the Lifespan

Instructor: Dr. Elizabeth Carter, Executive Director of Student Services

Monday, Wednesday, Friday3:30-4:30

Gen-ed: S

Human psychological growth and development. Selected life span issues from infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and aging. Methods, results, and theories considered.

Instructor Biography:

Dr. Elizabeth Carter is the former Interim Director of the Binghamton University Scholars Program. She currently oversees the following departments at Binghamton University:

International Student Scholars Services

Services for Students with Disabilities

Discovery

New Student Programs (orientation)

Center for Civic Engagement

TRIO – Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Veterans Services

Educational Opportunity Program

Transfer Student Initiative

SCHL280F / PHIL 201B Plato & Aristotle

Instructor: Professor Anthony Preus, Distinguished Teaching Professor - Philosophy

Tuesday and Thursday 8:30-9:55am; and Scholars Discussion Wed. 8:30-9:30 am

Gen-ed: H and C

4 Credit Hours

NOTE: This particular Scholars course is cross-listed with PHIL201B. Scholars will attend the lecture portion of this course with non-Scholars. However, Scholars will have a different set of expectations than non-Scholars (not additional work, but different work) including a special discussion section on Wednesdays from 8:30-9:30 am where Scholars meet exclusively with Professor Preus.

Introduction to Greek Philosophy to 323 BCE. Brief introduction to philosophy before Socrates; more extensive study of Socratic dialogues and Plato’s philosophy; general introduction to Aristotle’s ethics, politics, theory of language, science and metaphysics. For majors and non-majors. Many short quizzes, weekly reading reports, revised for portfolio. Two or three oral presentations, with peer critiques. Two lectures, one discussion section per week.

Instructor Biography:

Dr. Anthony Preus received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University and the MA degree from Oxford University where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He has been at Binghamton University since 1964 where he holds the highest faculty rank as Distinguished Teaching Professor of Philosophy. Dr Preus is also the Master of College in the Woods and Secretary of the Society for Ancient Greek Philosophy. He is the author of The A to Z of Ancient Greek Philosophy; "Aristotle's Life and Works" for the Oxford UP online encyclopedia; several other books and many articles. Dr. Preus edits the series in Ancient Philosophy at the State University of New York Press. He can be reached at ;

SCHL 127: Developing the Scholar Within:

How to Think Like Leonardo daVinci

Instructor: To be announced

Thursdays 4:25 – 5:25 pm

Gen-ed: none

1 Credit Hour

Incoming Binghamton Scholars students will learn and develop powerful new

strategies for tackling challenges both timely and timeless, including open-ended

problem solving, critical and creative thinking, self-expression, goal setting and

balancing life’s myriad of competing interests. As a model for developing young

scholars, the principles described by Leonardo daVinci shall be discussed and

practiced in a highly student-centered learning environment. The principles are:

  • An insatiably curious approach to life and unrelenting quest for learning
  • A commitment to test knowledge through experience and persistence, and a willingness to learn from mistakes.
  • The continual refinement of the senses.
  • A willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox and uncertainty.
  • The development of balance between science and art, logic and imagination.
  • The cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, fitness and poise.
  • Recognition of and the appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things and phenomena.

In addition, other elements of the course will include:

  • Introduction to the various support systems in place for BU students including the HealthCenter, the CounselingCenter, the DiscoveryCenter and tutoring
  • Presentation on the multiple opportunities available for study abroad and internships.
  • Guest presentations form an array of faculty scholars from throughout the university
  • Presentations and discussions led by upper class students in the Scholars program
  • Discussion of the various components of the Scholars program from the freshman year to the final year project.
  • Leadership development through the successful completion of an open-ended team based design project.

Text:

  • Michael Gelb, How to Think like Leonardo daVinci, Delacorte Press: New York, New York,
  • Michael Gelb, How to Think like Leonardo daVinci: Personal Workbook, Delacorte Press: New York, New York,

SCHL 227: Leadership and Achieving Goals - (1 Credit Hour)

Instructor: n/a

Day/Time: n/a

Gen-ed: none

1 Credit Hour

Note: SCHL 227 will only be offered in the Spring semester of each academic year. SCHL227 will not be offered in the Fall semester.

Binghamton Scholars students will learn and develop powerful new strategies for tackling solving open-ended design problems. Solving design problems in a team format will enable students to develop both their leadership and teamwork skills. The development of both critical and creative thinking skills is addressed. A formal design methodology shall be introduced which consists of the following seven universal design principles:

  • Acceptance
  • Definition of the problem
  • Analysis or breaking up the problem into smaller parts
  • Brainstorming or ideation (i.e. searching for alternatives)
  • Idea selection
  • Idea implementation
  • Evaluation of the solution

Students will work to identify, analyze, design, implement, and participate in a leadership service project. The project may involve activities that take place off campus. Each section of the course will work on separate projects. Projects are typically not announced until the first week of classes.

There will be two (2) oral presentations assigned. The first will describe the problem to be solved and the approach to be taken by the team. The second will occur at the end of the term and describe the implemented solution and evaluate the effectiveness of the result. In addition, a final report will be required which documents the entire experience.

Text: (optional)

The Universal Traveler: A Soft-Systems Guide to Creativity, Problem-Solving, and the Process of Reaching Goals, Don Koberg, Jim Bagnall, Crisp Publications.

SCHL 395: Worlds of Experience – Scholars Independent Study

Registration by permission of the Scholars Director.

Day/Time: n/a

Instructor: n/a

Gen-ed: n/a

Variable Credit

A topics course for students enrolled in the Binghamton University Scholars Program. Under the sponsorship and supervision of a faculty adviser, students choose an experiential learning activity from a variety of credit-bearing internships and a wide range of other applied-learning venues, including field study, some facets of study abroad, applied research, clinical experience, community service, studio experience in the arts, internships, laboratory research assistantships, and student teaching. Students complete and file an application form with the Scholars Program Office and obtain the approval of the Scholars Program Director.