Inter-college faculty Seminar in Humanities and Sciences (ISHS)

A forum for discussion and interaction among faculty at UMass-Boston. Faculty from different disciplines and colleges come together to focus on topics of common interest, exchange ideas, renew their intellectual energy, and advance their work in a spirit of adventure and collaboration.

Spring '08
Teaching Across Divides

This faculty seminar will focus on the challenge of teaching courses that link humanities or social sciences to natural sciences, but we can expect that this may lead us also to link past to present; image to text; theory to practice; campus to community; and to bring diversity (ethnic/gender/sexuality) into areas usually thought of as neutral.

Depending on the interests of participants the areas to discuss and the overall theme of the seminar can be pulled in many directions. We may end up as peer observers or co-teachers as we pilot new classes and activities. In any case, we can look forward to the cross-disciplinary links, new friendships, and actions (including steps into risky spaces!) that grow out of the seminar discussions.


National Geographic

Participants

(as of 12/20/07)

Tara Ashok, Biology & Anthropology
Chris Bobel (co-leader), Women's Studies
Arthur Eisenkraft, Director, Center for Science and Math in Context
Libby Fay, English & Director of the Research Center for Urban Cultural History
Laura Hansen, Sociology
Fadia Harik, Quantitative Reasoning, CPCS
Scott Maisano, English
Arthur Millman, Philosophy
Susan Moir, Director of the Labor Resource Center in the College of Public and Community Service
Louise Penner, English
Steve Rudnick, Director, Environmental Studies Program
Ninian Stein, Environmental Studies Program
Peter Taylor (co-leader), Director, Science, Technology & Values & Graduate Program in Critical & Creative Thinking


Session times and topics

Biweekly, for 1.5 hours, Weds. 3-4.30 (changing to 2.30 after first meeting if it suits everyone better).
1/30, 2/13, 2/27, 3/12, 3/26, 4/9, 4/23, 5/7

Last update 24 Jan 08.