Humanities and Social Sciences

9-12th graders  |  Session A  |  8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

“You shouldn’t do that!” “Why?” “Well, because it’s wrong!”

You engage in ethics every day in conversations like these! Ethics is about what is right or wrong, good or bad, and the values that should or shouldn’t guide how we live. Are these values pleasure, friendship, happiness, achievement, knowledge, justice, or something else? Are all of these important? Are some more important than others? Does it depend on the
situation? Ethics can be found all over the modern world in art, sports, films, social media, government, education, healthcare, etc. In all of these places, there are questions about what is right or wrong, good or bad, and what values should matter.

This course explores the ethical issues and values within all of these topics. In this course, students will learn various ethical theories and discuss their applications to these topics.

The aim of this course is to develop students’ understanding of ethics, and to engage them in philosophical reflection and argumentation so that they can develop their own thoughts on what values they think should guide how they live as well as thoughtful positions on ethical issues in the modern world.

Instructor: Ashley Labodda, Department of Philosophy

Magical Realism

9-12th graders  |  Session A  |  8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

The Idea Lab: A Creative Problem-Solving Experience

9-12th graders  |  Session B  | 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Students can join members of the Barbara J. Burger iZone Team for a week of creativity and problem-solving! In this hands-on camp, high school students will learn the formal Creative Problem-Solving (CPS) process, a proven framework for turning ideas into action. Throughout the week, participants will explore every stage of the process: identifying real-world problems, building empathy with users, brainstorming imaginative solutions, developing prototypes, and pitching their ideas to others. Guided by iZone’s spirit of collaboration, students will develop essential future-ready skills, such as creative problem solving, critical thinking, and adaptability, so they can feel equipped to tackle any challenge, all while embracing one of iZone’s favorite values: play!

By the end of the course, students will:

• Understand and define complex, real-world problems using techniques for problem clarification and empathy building.
• Generate and evaluate multiple creative ideas through structured brainstorming and divergent thinking.
• Develop and prototype solutions that demonstrate creative thinking, collaboration, and the ability to communicate ideas effectively.
• Simplify the essence of complex, real-world problems to generate stakeholder buy-in.

Instructor: Samantha Monaghan, iZone Curriculum Design Specialist and  Library staff, iZone River Campus Libraries

Environmental Science: Uncovering the Connection between Environment and Health

9-12th graders  |  Session B  | 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Explore the dynamic relationship between our environment and health in this engaging one-week workshop. From the basics of epidemiology and toxicology to pressing issues like water quality, air pollution, and climate change, we’ll delve into the critical factors shaping our well-being. Through lectures, interactive discussions, and hands-on activities, you’ll gain insights into how these elements intertwine, and develop innovative approaches to safeguarding our planet and ourselves. Join us on this transformative journey towards a healthier, more sustainable future!

Instructors: Faculty, Environmental Medicine

Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare

9-12th graders  |  Session B  | 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Ethical and moral dilemmas in the healthcare field impact everyone, including patients, family members, clinicians, communities and the population. Many of these complex issues arise at the bedside, but others occur as a result of social and economic difficulties. It is here that the application of bioethics can provide a framework for understanding these issues. In this course, students will engage in case discussions, participate in mock ethics committees, and explore current events in order apply these theories and principles of bioethics to real life situations. Such topics include the patient-clinician relationship, end-of-life care, organ transplantation and donation, and public health.

Instructor: Nicholas R. Mercado, DrPH, MCHES, HEC-C, assistant professor,  Department of Health Humanities & Bioethics

Introduction to Journalism

9-12th graders  |  Session B  | 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

This course will give students real-world experience in reporting stories on deadline, under the supervision of a professional journalist from New York City with more than a decade of experience. You will learn the basics of news reporting and then get to practice writing, interviewing and visual storytelling in the field. You’ll learn how to spot and develop a story, how to work well under deadlines, how to use your phone as a reporting tool and how to get strangers to open up to you. We’ll also discuss how to begin and navigate a career in journalism.

By the end of this course, students will:

• Have a completed article with your own original reporting.
• Have experience reporting and interviewing on deadline.
• Practice writing, photography and making videos.

Instructor: Jason Silverstein, visiting instructor.

Jason Silverstein is the supervising politics producer for the CBS News social media team, working with correspondents in New York City and Washington to cover national politics for a digital audience.