Top row from left to right: Dimas Abreu Archanjo Dutra and Robin Hensel; Bottom row from left to right: Amy Hirshman, Adam Komisaruk and Ana Claudia Sant’Anna
Each academic year, the Honors College welcomes a new cohort of faculty fellows to help its students to seek out new knowledge and connections, explore diverse ideas and apply what they learn to real-world problems.
The special topics courses are open to all Honors College students – including first-time freshmen.
The 2024-25 Honors College Faculty Fellows and their courses are:
Dimas Abreu Archanjo Dutra, teaching assistant professor of mechanical, materials and aerospace engineering, Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
"Exploring Robotics" is an exploration of robotics, its applications, and implications for society. Students will acquire a level of robotics literacy to become active participants in the rollout of robots to more fields as these technologies become universal. At the end of the course, students will envision a future for robotics in their field of study.
Robin Hensel, teaching professor for the Fundamentals of Engineering Program, Statler College; Amy Hirshman, associate professor of anthropology, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
As part of “People-Friendly Design,” students will explore techniques for human-centered design. They will hone critical thinking skills and develop skills in problem scoping, problem definition, and divergent and convergent thinking to help create, test and communicate innovative design solutions to human problems perceived within the university community.
Adam Komisaruk, professor of English, Eberly College
Books are more than just the words they contain – they are one of our oldest and most powerful technologies. During “Material Texts,” students will develop a consciousness of books as objects and a self-consciousness of the ways we interact with them. The hands-on exploration of the book in its many material dimensions—artistic, historical, economic, legal, technical, scientific—will culminate in each student creating a book of their own.
Ana Claudia Sant’Anna, assistant professor of resource economics and management, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
Discover the dynamic world of sustainable investments by exploring the crucial intersection between business strategies and environmental responsibility. “Sustainable Investments” will uncover the private sector's role in promoting sustainability, examining key factors such as carbon markets, green finance, corporate sustainability initiatives, and environmental social governance. Students will gain essential skills to understand and analyze the impact of sustainable investments on businesses, the environment and society.