Journeys of Discovery HONORS 115

"The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes."
Marcel Proust

Start your journey into the college experience with one of these innovative one-credit seminars for entering honors freshmen and explore, with one of our top teachers, one of the many fascinating subjects taught at the university.

Designed specifically to enhance your first-year experience at NMSU, "Journeys of Discovery" are a great way to start your university career. Taught by regular faculty members and limited to 15 students, "Journeys of Discovery" courses allow first-year honors students to interact in a smaller setting and connect with a faculty member. "Journeys of Discovery" are offered both fall and spring semesters.

"Journeys of Discovery" courses meet weekly for one hour or every other week for two hours. The courses are open to honors-eligible freshmen. All "Journeys of Discovery" courses are listed under HON 115.

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Fall 2008 courses Hon 115 – 1 credit

Section 1 (CRN 35722): The Art of Scientific Discovery Dr. Elba Serrano, Biology
Tuesday, 4:00-4:50 pm
Conroy Honors Center 206

"The Art of Scientific Discovery" will explore how the creative process is manifested in science. We will draw on the lives and achievements of scientists to reveal scientific inquiry in action and to examine the roles of inspiration, tenacity, opportunity, adversity, and chance in scientific discovery.

Dr. Serrano is a neurobiologist and biophysicist. Her research program, funded by the National Institutes of Health, focuses on the development of sensory systems and the brain. Dr. Serrano has received the NMSU Roush Award for Excellence in Teaching and a AAAS International Lectureship in Science and Engineering.

Section 2 (CRN 38607): Sacred Writings and Political Authority: Christianity and Islam Compared Dr. Greg Butler, Government
Wednesday, 2:30-3:30 pm
Monagle Hall 3300

This seminar looks at politically relevant New Testament passages in the context of ancient Roman civilization with a comparative examination of relevant sections of the Koran within the cultural context of the rise of Islam. The seminar also looks at contemporary world events in light of these traditions.

Dr. Butler teaches in the areas of political theory and American government. His current research interests include nineteenth-century American political thought and the role of religion and morality in contemporary liberal thought and practice.

Section 3 (CRN 38456): You Say You Want a Revolution: The Music of the Beatles Dr. James Shearer, Music
Monday, 4:30-5:30 pm
Conroy Honors Center 008

The entire history of the Beatles, from their start in Liverpool right up through "Let It Be." Along the way we consider how the group evolved from a live bar band to one of the best studio groups of all time. We also look at the films, talk about changes in how the band was marketed, and wrap up with the legacy the Beatles left in the music world.

Dr. Shearer teaches both jazz and classical music history and tuba/euphonium for the NMSU Music Department. He has recorded with the El Paso Brass, Eastman Wind Ensemble, the Creole Jazz Band, and The Great American Tuba Show. He has written two textbooks, Jazz Basics and Classical Basics, for Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co.

Section 4 (CRN 38457): Emotional Minds Dr. Timothy Ketelaar, Psychology
Wednesday, 4:00-4:50 pm
Monagle Hall 3300

This course will explore the idea that many aspects of our emotional lives (e.g., our moral intuitions, our aesthetic tastes) have a "design" that is often outside of our awareness. We will review the research on emotion and social decision-making with the aim of turning certain philosophical mysteries (e.g., Why do we feel our emotions? Why do some of our emotions show up on our faces?) into scientific questions amendable to the methods of the social sciences.

Dr. Ketelaar is an assistant professor in the Psychology Department. His research combines evolutionary social psychology, experimental economics, and game theory to explore the role of emotion in social judgment and decision-making.

Section 5 (CRN 35911): Engaging your Inner Chile: Getting Fired Up about Food Systems through Service Learning Dr. Connie Falk, Ag Econ and Ag Business
Thursday, 2:30-3:30 pm
Conroy Honors Center 008

This is a service learning courses that helps students get engaged in important local social issues. The course focuses on global and local food systems and looks at the effectiveness and viability of community-based organic agricultural distribution.

Dr. Falk is a professor in agricultural economics. She is a Returned Peace Corps volunteer from Honduras and continues to take students on spring break study tours to Latin America. Her research interests focus on rural economic development, organic agriculture, Community Supported Agriculture, and agricultural cooperatives.