Honors Colloquia

Colloquia (pl.), Colloquium (sg.)

An Honors Colloquium is an interdisciplinary three-credit course uniquely designed by Tech faculty and proposed to the Honors Council.  Although Honors Colloquia engage students in challenging subject matter using thought-provoking approaches, they are generally accessible to intellectually curious Honors Program students from any major.  

Honors students are required to complete two Honors Colloquia (or one Colloquium and one Honors Directed Study) as part of their in cursu honorum requirements.  Students conducting research for Chemical Engineering Distinction in the Major (DITM)  may substitute DITM for one Colloquium by arrangement with the Honors Program director.

Proposed Honors Colloquia for Fall 2013

Goose Beans: Culture, Agriculture, and Mythology      Dr. Michael Best, Agriculture

Medicine, Management, and the Contemporary Healthcare System      Dr. Melissa Geist, Nursing

Re-Imagining Ireland: Irish Literature Without Leprechauns     Dr. Rita Barnes, Honors 

 

Honors Colloquia for Spring 2013

The Brain: A Modern Perspective         Dr. Ed Lisic, Chemistry

Ancient Greek           Dr. Steven Frye, Interdisciplinary Studies

 

Past Colloquia

• The Presidency  Drs. Lori Maxwell and Jennifer Anderson (Political Science), Dr. John Jonakin (Economics), and Dr. Melissa Geist (Nursing).  Fall 2012.

• Service Learning        Dr. Theresa Ennis (Interdisciplinary Studies).  Fall 2012.

• Latin Language and Culture     Mr. Michael Clark (Music, Honors Program). Spring 2012.

• Research Across the Disciplines    Dr. Rita Barnes (Honors Program).  Spring 2012.

• Clean Air, Sustainability, and Climate Change   Dr. Lenly Weathers (Civil Engineering).  Fall 2011.

• Issues in STEM Education    Dr. Sally Pardue (Mechanical Engineering and STEM Center).  Fall 2011. 

• The Fallout of Civilization: (Post) Colonial Issues in Francophone Africa     Dr. Debbie Barnard (French). Spring 2011.

• Science in the Postmodern Era: A Geoscience Perspective    Dr. Michael Harrison (Earth Sciences). Spring 2011.

• Space-Time Physics    Dr. John Shriner (Physics).  Fall 2010.

• Irish Literature and the Materials of Contemporary Irish Culture      Dr. Rita Barnes (English).  Fall 2010.
• How We Know What We Know in the Sciences      Dr. Stephen Robinson (Physics) and Dr. Andrew Hetzel (Mathematics). Spring 2010.
• Fundamentals of the Latin Language   Mr. Michael Clark (Music). Spring 2010.
• The Brain: A Modern Perspective     Dr. Ed Lisic (Chemistry).  Fall 2009.
• Sustainability in a Crowded World    Drs. Mark Stephens and Jon Jonakin (Economics).  Fall 2009. 
• Innovative Green Product Development   Dr. Ismail Fidan (Manufacturing and Industrial Technology), Dr. M. Meral Anitsal (Marketing), Dr. Ismet Anitsal (Marketing), Dr. Michael R. Allen (Mathematics), Dr. Bonita Barger (Decision Sciences and Management). Spring 2009.
• Service Learning   Dr. Theresa Ennis, Curriculum and Instruction. Spring 2009.
• Honors Interdisciplinary Research Colloquium   Dr. Rita Barnes (Honors Program). Fall 2008.
• The U.S. Presidential Election: Politics, Media, and the National Imagination   Dr. Lori Maxwell (Political Science), Dr. Kurt Eisen (English), Dr. Russ Witcher (Journalism). Fall 2008.
• Food in a Global Society   Dr. Michael Best (Agriculture). Spring 2008.
• Becoming the Dalai Lama: Rhetorical Dimensions of a Modern Selfhood    Dr. Yun Ding (Speech). Spring 2008.
• Nature and Culture in American History: 30,000 BCE to the Present     Dr. Katherine Osburn, History. Fall 2007.
• Microbes and Mankind: An Historical Perspective    Dr. Sue Goss, Biology. Fall 2007.
• A History of Terrorism     Dr. Jeffrey Roberts, History. Spring 2007.
• Irish Literature in Postcolonial Context: Not Your Leprechauns and Druids    Dr. Rita Barnes, English. Spring 2007.
• J.R.R. Tolkien     Dr. Ken Craven, English. Fall 2006.
• Creativity  Dr. Sally Pardue, Mechanical Engineering. Fall 2006.
• Fundamentals of the Latin Language      Mr. Michael Clark, Music Therapy. Spring 2006.
• The Brain: A Modern Perspective    Dr. Ed Lisic, Chemistry. Spring 2006.
• Solitary and the Sacred: The Pilgrim Way. Dr. Ken Craven, English. Fall 2005.
• Society and the Environment: Conflict, Responsibility, and Opportunity. Dr. Dennis George, Water Center. Fall 2005.
• Mysticism and Crazy Wisdom, East and West. Dr. Connie Hood, English. Spring 2005.
• Sustainability of the Environment. Dr. Katherine Osburn, History. Spring 2005.
• Artificial Intelligence. Dr. Doug Talbert, Computer Science. Fall 2004.
• Culture of the Body. Dr. Rita Barnes, English. Fall 2004.
• Political Satire. Dr. Lori Maxwell, Political Science. Spring 2004.
• Appalachia. Drs. Michael Birdwell and Ada Haynes, History and Socioloy. Spring 2004.
• Public Law Seminar. Dr. Sharon Whitney, Political Science. Fall 2003.
• Privilege and Prejudice. Mr. Jamie Mells and Dr. Cindy Webster, Minority Affairs and Counseling Center. Fall 2003.
• Banned Books. Dr. Connie Hood, English. Spring 2003.
• Recombinant DNA. Dr. John Harris, Biology. Spring 2003.
• Afghanistan: Understanding the Current Crisis. Dr. Jeffrey Roberts, History. Fall 2002.
• Society and the Environment. Dr. Dennis George, Water Center. Fall 2002.
• Space Time Physics. Dr. John Shriner, Physics. Spring 2002.
• Service Learning. Dr. Ada Haynes, Sociology. Fall 2001.
• Recombinant DNA. Dr. John Harris, Biology. Spring 2001.
• Mysticism. Dr. Connie Hood, English. Spring 2001.
• What is Feminism?. Dr. Rita Barnes, English. Fall 2000.
• The Human Brain. Dr. Ed Lisic, Chemistry. Fall 2000.
• Society and the Environment. Dr. Dennis George, Water Center. Spring 2000.
• Irish Culture and Literature: 19th and 20th Centuries. Dr. Kelly Hood, English. Fall 1999.
• Social Movements & Political Activism. Dr. Katherine Osburn, History. Fall 1999.
• Religion and Politics in the US, Latin America, and the Middle East. Dr. A. Stein, Political Science. Spring 1999.
• Nature's Diversity. Dr. Robyn Riel-Nail, Health and Physical Education. Spring 1998.
• Conflict & Conflict Resoltuion Since 1945. Dr. Jeffrey Roberts, History. Fall 1997.
• Native American History. Dr. Heide Weidner, English. Fall 1997.
• Society & the Environment. Dr. Dennis George, Water Center. Spring 1997.
• Great Ideas of the Western World. Dr. Peter Field, History. Fall 1996.
• The History & Music of China. Dr. Howard Brahmnstedt, Music. Fall 1996.
• East/West: Mysticism. Dr. Connie Hood, English. Fall 1996.
• Spacetime/Physics. Dr. John Shriner, Physics. Spring 1996.
• The History & Music of China. Dr. Howard Brahmnstedt, Music. Fall 1995.
• Race Relations. Dr. Kranz, Counseling. Spring 1995.
• Native American History. Dr. Heide Weidner, English. Spring 1995.
• European Military History. Dr. Jeffrey Roberts, History. Fall 1994.
• Race Relations. Dr. Kranz, Counseling. Spring 1994.
• Critical Thinking. Dr. Barry Stein, Psychology. Spring 1994.
• Race Relations. Dr. Kranz, Counseling. Fall 1993.
• Transcendentalism. Dr. Helen Deese, English. Fall 1993.
• Women's Studies. Dr. Karen Ray, English. Spring 1993.
• Religious Mythology: Joseph Campbell. Dr. Wes Henry, Philosohpy. Fall 1992.
• Artificial Intelligence. Dr. Kick, Decision Science. Spring 1992.
• SpaceTime/Physics. Dr. John Shriner, Physics. Spring 1991.
• Southeast Asia. Dr. William Brinker, History. Spring 1991.
• Jung. Dr. Troelstrup, Psychology. Fall 1990.
• Religious Mythology: Joseph Campbell. Dr. Wes Henry, Philosophy. Spring 1990.
• Creativity: Creative Writing. Dr. Connie Hood, English. Fall 1989.
• The Myers-Briggs and Its Applications. Dr. Connie Hood, English. Spring 1989.
• Arms Control & Nuclear Strategy. Dr. Michael Gunter, Political Science.
• Classical Greece. Dr. William Schrader, History. Fall 1988.
• Crisis in Education-Reform Proposals in the 1980's. Drs. Christensen & Neufeldt, Education. Spring 1988.
• Mathematics: The Man-Made Universe. Dr. Dixon, Mathematics. Fall 1987.
• The Literature of Science. Dr. McRae, English. Spring 1987.
• Issues in Science and Technology. Dean Lerner, Arts & Sciences. Fall 1986.
• The New Genetics. Dr. Harris, Biology. Spring 1986.
• Vietnam Revisited. Dr. Brinker, History. Winter 1986.
• Sigmund Freud. Dr. Troelstrup, Psychology. Fall 1985.
• Napoleon Bonaparte. Dr. Fernandex, History. Spring 1985.
• The Pursuit of Peace. Dr. Myers, Secondary Education. Winter 1985.
• Country Music. Dr. Akenson, Elementary Education. Fall 1984.
• Martin Luther. Dr. Schrader, History. Spring 1984.
• Orwell's "1984": Fiction or Prophecy?. Dr. Myers, Secondary Education. Winter 1984.
• The New Genetics. Dr. Harris, Secondary Education. Fall 1983.
• Tolkien & Fantasy Literature. Dr. Myers, Secondary Education. Spring 1983.
• Conservatism in the 1980's. Dr. Neufeldt, Secondary Education. Winter 1983.
• Health and the Heart. Dr. Bell, Health and Physical Education. Fall 1982.
• Toynbee and Diplomacy. Dr. Brinker, History. Spring 1982.
• Aging in America. Dr. J. Myers, Secondary Education. Winter 1982.
• The Upper Cumberland: A Model for the Study of Regional Development and Identity. Dr. Homer Kemp, English. Fall 1981.
• The New Genetics. Dr. Harris, Biology. Summer 1981.
• The Enlightenment. Dr. Schrader, History. Spring 1981.
• Climatic Change: Past and Future. Dr. Mills, Geology. Fall 1980.
• The South and the Regional Experience. Dr. Stumpf, History. Spring 1980.
• The Meaning of Einstein. Dr. Culp, Physics. Fall 1979.
• Sigmund Freud. Dr. Troelstrup, Psychology. Summer 1979.
• The Structure of Modern Revolutions. Dr. Dickinson, History. Spring 1979.
• Booker T. Washington. Dr. Neufeldt, Secondary Education. Winter 1979.
• World War II. Dr. Lukas, History. Fall 1978.
• Women's Conflicts, Past, Present, and Future. Dr. Giesbrecht, Psychology.
• The Scientific Look at Man and His Universe. Dr Culp, Physics. Spring 1978.
• Karl Marx. Dr. Stephenson, Political Science. Winter 1978.
• American Civil Religion. Dr. Ethridge, Sociology. Fall 1977.
• Leonardo da Vinci. Dr. Schrader, History. Summer 1977.
• Martin Luther. Dr. Schrader, History. Spring 1977.
• Sigmund Freud. Dr. Troelstrup, Psychology. Winter 1977.