IN FOCUS Seminar Series | Northwestern SPS - Northwestern School of Professional Studies

IN FOCUS Seminars

Investigating the Power of Ethics: Are There Two Sides to Every Issue? 

Instructor: Mark Sheldon
Program Dates: June 17 – 28, M–F  (no class June 19th)
Time: 9:15 AM- 12:45 PM CST

Course Description  

One could argue, as John Stuart Mill did in 19th-century England, that democracy depends on respect for reasoned argument and rational discourse. This course will introduce moral and political theory in the form of literature selected for balance and diverse perspective. For example, one of the cases that we will analyze is the aftermath of the Nikolos Cruz decision in Florida where the jury imposed not the death penalty but life without parole in the Parkland School shooting. Many were appalled, taking the view that there are some circumstances where the death penalty seems to be the only appropriate punishment. Others disagreed, claiming that the values of our country and Constitution prohibit or should prohibit the imposition of death as a form of punishment. You will be introduced to high-level writing that reflects thoughtful attempts to deal rationally with topics that too often are used as vehicles of division and political advantage. Issues include: affirmative action, the treatment of animals, hate speech and censorship, physician assisted death, abortion, and the just allocation of scarce medical resources, particularly in the time of Covid-19. Our frequent mature structured discussions and presentations will create intellectual stimulating conversations with diverse student perspectives to share ideas and analysis. By the end of the course, you will develop an understanding of the nature associated with the controversial topics focused in the course. You will also acquire an understanding of how good arguments are constructed, how to further defend a stance, and how to subject good criticism.  

Academic Coursework and Activities

By the end of this course, you will:

• write a brief essay and give a group presentation. 
• debate different positions set out in assigned readings. 
• attain consideration of relevant real-life examples or court cases.
• be placed in small groups to discuss, conduct research, and present their findings on Friday.
• take a field trip. Previous field trips have included: Science and Industry and Holocaust Museum in Skokie, IL. 

“I learned a lot about different ethical dilemmas and was able to challenge my beliefs by listening to the teacher's and other students' perspectives. ” 2023 CPP Participant 

Instructor Biography  

Distinguished Senior Lecturer Emeritus in Philosophy and currently faculty in the Medical Ethics and Humanities Program, Feinberg School of Medicine. He received his PhD from Brandeis University, where he was awarded a Sachar Fellowship to study at Oxford University. He has served as Adjunct Senior Scholar at the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics at the University of Chicago, and Senior Policy Analyst at the American Medical Association. Formerly Professor of Philosophy and Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Indiana University (Northwest campus) and Indiana University School of Medicine, he currently serves as adjunct faculty and ethicist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Sheldon has published and presented talks on a variety of issues including informed consent, confidentiality, the forced transfusion of children of Jehovah's Witnesses, children as organ donors, disclosure, and the use of Nazi research.  

So You Want To Be A Rocket Scientist? Aerospace Engineering  

Course Description

Do you want to build a spaceship? Do you want to break the sound barrier? In this class, you will begin to learn how to do both. 

Aerospace engineering is a complex discipline which represents the ultimate synthesis of fluid dynamics, materials design, control systems, physics, and engineering decision-making. This synthesis has enabled the accomplishment of feats considered by earlier generations to be completely impossible. Over the course of this two-week class, you will learn many of the key principles which will allow you to conquer the next wave of challenges faced by aerospace engineers of the present and future.  

Academic Coursework and Activities

By the end of this course, you will: 

• recognize common engineering parameters which guide the design process of air- and space-craft.
• examine how existing aircraft have been designed, and what principles led to the implementation of those design factors.
• implement principles of aerospace engineering into a novel aircraft design.
• describe and interpret the results of aerospace engineering tests using the language of the engineering design process.
• understand selected readings from textbooks.  e.g. Deep Space Propulsion by K.F. Long.  Introduction to Flight by Anderson & Bowden.
• apply conservation of energy and momentum principles to determine engineering requirements to generate lift and accomplish extraterrestrial travel.
• interpret experimental (e.g. wind tunnels) and modeling data on air flow around aircraft, to inform design decisions.
• design dissections of Mercury-Atlas-7, Apollo 11, the Wright Flyer, and F-22 Raptor aircraft, to extract guiding principles for aerospace design.  

Through the exploration of key aerospace engineering concepts such as propulsion, interactions between air flow and aircraft geometry, and stability control mechanisms, you will develop an appreciation for the design considerations which lead to the differences between passenger aircraft, military aircraft, and even interplanetary spacecraft. The course will lead you through some of the early, historical breakthroughs in air- and space-flight to develop a conceptual vocabulary for how these types of flight are achieved.    

The class consists of lectures, readings, videos, group discussions of novel problems and decision-making processes in the design of your aircraft, group work, quizzes and writing assignments.  As you study more recent innovations in the aerospace field you will integrate your findings into the design of your own model aircraft.

Instructor Biography

Dr. Jeremy Keys is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Northwestern University. Professor Keys has a diverse research background, having completed his PhD in Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University, and having done research on cancer cell biology, the biomechanics of bone metastases, and automotive component design. Professor Keys has taught courses at Northwestern on principles of System Dynamics, Engineering Design and Manufacturing, and the Senior Capstone Design Course for Mechanical Engineers where he has supervised projects on a variety of topics, including the design of satellites in low earth orbit. 

Game Theory and Practice  

Instructor: Scott Ogawa
Program Dates: June 17–28, M–F (no class June 19th)
Time: 9:15 AM - 12:45 PM CST 

Course Description   

Why do candidates focus on such a small group of voters? Why do trees have such big trunks? We will examine the answers to these questions through the lens of game theory.  You will apply tools of game theory to a wide range of domains, including economics, politics, and biology. We may even dabble in less serious stuff like sports and, well, games!  Whenever possible we will play games with a focus on the concept of Nash equilibrium and how to find it using a bit of mathematics. We will also investigate how well theory matches practice. We will not be learning how to play chess or poker, though if you enjoy games like this you will still likely find this course particularly interesting. Some of the games we will play are The Prisoner’s Dilemma, The P-Beauty Contest, The Battle of the Sexes, and The Ultimatum Game. You will be involved in frequent small group and class discussions that will enable effective problem-solving, critical thinking, and peer interactions. Specific topics will include: rationalizability, backward induction, commitment, and evolutionary stability. You will acquire a better understanding of strategic interactions as they take place all around us.  

 Academic Coursework and Activities

•  solve and present solutions to problem sets.
  
• create your own game and have the opportunity to play it in class.
• participate in structured discussions.
• collect data and analyze results. 
• use mathematics to derive the equilibrium in games played with peers. 
• model real-world scenarios, apply newly acquired theories and solution concepts to economics, politics, and biology.

“The course and lecture is overall super engaging and fun. The professor educated us in a way that makes the knowledge most accessible to us.” 2023 CPP Participant 

Instructor Biography

Scott Ogawa's research focuses on the economics of education and the decisions of students and teachers. He has applied the techniques of experimental economics to ask whether students who pay more for their education put forth more effort. More generally, he is interested in the behavioral effects of price on product utilization. He has been a fellow for the Searle Center for Teaching Excellence. Prior to attending graduate school, Scott taught high school math and economics at Lakeside School in Seattle. Scott sits on the AP Microeconomics Development Committee.  

Time, Space, and The Future: Quantum Mechanics and Relativity

 Instructor: Andrew Rivers  
Program Dates: June 17-28, M-F (no class June 19th)
Time: 9:15 AM- 12:45 PM CST

Course Description 
In our world of intuitive everyday experience we travel together along a shared “time river” agreeing on what is happening now and when events happened in the past. We live in a world of predictable cause and effect - knowing the precise physical conditions, we can apply laws of physics and predict what happens next. According to our current theories of the physical world neither the shared time river nor the straight lines between cause and effect have basis in reality. In this course we will take a tour of the ideas that led us to a new scientific view of the world - theories that turned our intuitive understanding of reality on its head. We will examine the two foundational and revolutionary theories of modern physics - relativity and quantum mechanics exploring paradoxes that illuminate the contradictions between our intuitions and the world “as it is”. Quantum mechanics and general relativity have been enormously successful - making accurate experimental predictions, suggesting new phenomena and leading to technological development that revolutionized the world. Despite unprecedented success, uncertainty remains. Theoretical physicists still disagree on the foundations of quantum mechanics and how to resolve matters such as wave-particle duality, entanglement and the measurement paradox. Experimentalists continue to test the accuracy of General Relativity in observations of black holes and gravitational waves, looking for clues and tiny discrepancies. Additionally, in their current forms, the quantum mechanics and general relativity are incompatible with each other. The next generation of scientists may resolve these paradoxes and disagreements about the nature of reality. In this course we will examine the big questions and debate the road ahead.

Academic Coursework and Activities

• research a current scientific experiment or theoretical model, analyze the topic through the lenses explored in class, refine research topic, collaborate with professor and TA, and present research findings to the class.
• view in-class demonstrations used to elucidate concepts. For example, we will build our own spectroscopes, explore light interference, and use class interactive demonstrations to explore physics concepts.
• take a field trip to Adler Planetarium and to the Dearborn Observatory for nighttime observing.
• attend guest presentations from Northwestern experts.
• attend an invited panel of Northwestern undergraduates to discuss their experiences of scientific research at Northwestern.
• know scientific concepts supported by on-line readings and interactives organized on Northwestern’s Canvas Learning Management System.

“Professor Rivers is an excellent professor, and his lectures and slides were clear and sparked interest and wonder in me towards physics, even more than I already had. He was also highly approachable and always available to answer questions.” 2023 CPP Participant

Instructor Biography
Dr. Andrew Rivers joined the Northwestern University Physics department in 1999 and has since taught a courses in physics and astronomy including the introductory physics sequence, Modern Cosmology, and Highlights of Astronomy. Andrew was awarded the Weinberg College Distinguished Teaching Award in 2008 and has been named to the Associated Student Government faculty-administrator honor roll 6 times. Andrew serves as a Weinberg College adviser and has been active in Northwestern's Residential College (RC) system, serving as Faculty Master of the Cultural and Community Studies RC from 2004-2009. He assisted in development of the Gateway Science Workshop program in physics and has worked on other curricular innovations within the Northwestern community. Andrew's Ph.D. research included a large scale radio survey of the so-called "Zone of Avoidance": his project revealed 20 previously unknown nearby galaxies.

So You Want to Be a Lawyer: Legal Analysis and Communication  

Instructor: Maurine J Berens 
Pprogram Dates: June 17 – 28, M-F (no class June 19th)
Time: 9:15 AM- 12:45 PM CST

Course Description    
The American legal system is premised on the idea that legal rules are subject to creation, change, and interpretation. In our common law system, government actors and private citizens alike take part in the process of defining the legal principles and understanding how those principles apply to resolve disputes and controversies. In this intensive seminar, you will learn the fundamentals of creative legal interpretation, the cornerstone of law school learning, and the legal profession. This process of interpretation and re-interpretation of legal ideas (often called “thinking like a lawyer”) is what you learn through the Socratic dialogue in law school and must master to succeed on law school exams, and it serves as the foundation for oral and written communication in all areas of legal practice. You will preview the experience of law school and be introduced to strategies for student success on the pre-law and law school levels.  

Academic Coursework and Activities

• hone your critical thinking skills as you work on a client-based legal problem and communicate your analysis of how the law applies to the client’s problem in a clear, concise written form.
  
• develop teamwork and collaboration skills by working in groups inside and outside of class.
• argue your case in a moot court.
• learn practical perspectives on future careers in the law and insight into how the legal system operates.
• understand the unique ways that lawyers communicate with other lawyers, clients, and judges.
• take a field trip. Field trips may include: a visit to a law firm or legal clinic to meet with practice lawyers, the Federal Courthouse, or the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.

“I enjoyed learning from the professor very much. Throughout the course, they invited judges, lawyers in practice, and law school students which really gave me perspective into what it is like to pursue career in law. The setup of the class was meant to mimic the law school environment which allowed us to experience what it is like ahead of time.” 2023 CPP Participant 

Instructor Biography

Maurine Berens is a Clinical Associate Professor of Law at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. She has been a professor for fifteen years. Professor Berens worked as a Cook County Public Defender and as a senior attorney at a legal services agency advising low to moderate income families. She is a graduate of Second City Improv Conservatory and Annoyance Theater, is a certified mediator and is a continuously aspiring musician.  

CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION! Public Speaking, Persuasive Presentation, and Beyond 

Instructor: Daniel Moser
Program Dates: June 17 – 28, M-F (no class June 19th)
Time: 2:00 PM – 5:30 PM CST 

Course Description  

Through this university level course, the desired goal is that you discover and improve upon your own communication style and through practice, learn how to hone that style for academic success and professional development within the vast and diverse forum of public speaking. The class is a laboratory in which you will be encouraged to speak publicly about issues that concern you, to share information that interests you and has relevance to a larger audience, and to translate the public speaking forum in terms of your own professional pursuits. 

In this course you will: 

• build a powerful and dynamic presence and become the best version of yourself.
• effectively communicate and achieve persuasive influence. 
• increase your confidence and self-awareness.
• discover strategies for personal and academic success. 

You will use the PREP and START Methods to answer questions, Monroe's Motivational Sequence to persuade, and explore non-verbal body language and the “performance of self” to become an engaging public speaker.  Becoming aware of your physical and vocal qualities while overcoming nervousness and analyzing your audience will build your skillset to fully engage the crowd.  Improving your critical listening and storytelling skills and learning how to structure a clear message adds to your public-speaking toolbox.

Academic Coursework and Activities  

By the end of this course, you will: 

• engage with speech texts and videos.
• practice interviewing and pitch sessions.
• deliver persuasive speeches.  
• enjoy the art of conversation. 
• participate in a culminating activity which will be sessions on speed-interviewing where you practice the art of answering questions while fine-tuning the short story of you, your elevator speech. 

Through short speeches, engaging lectures, personalized coaching sessions, and team-building group projects, each student will receive personalized attention tailored to the realities of academic success. Students will leave the workshop with increased technical and soft skills in effective communication: non-verbal body language, critical listening, storytelling, leadership presence, managing anxiety, and structuring a clear message through visual design.  

We will explore on-campus speakers and other events regarding our class goals at the Chicago Cultural Center and/or the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. 

Instructor Biography 

Dr. Daniel Moser specializes in the art and science of communications training for professionals in finance, business, engineering, design, and advanced technical fields. His unique expertise lies in the performance and presentation of self in everyday life and work. He holds a PhD in Performance Studies from the School of Communication, Northwestern University where he lectures in communication studies and directs programs in advanced professional and presentation skills at The Graduate School, McCormick School of Engineering and in the School of Professional Studies Business Leadership Program. His corporate consulting clients include Apple, BP, Goldman Sachs, Reckitt, Lockheed Martin, and Gilead Pharmaceuticals. 

It’s a Matter of Life and Death: Bioethical Decision-Making 

Instructor: Mark Sheldon
Program Dates: July 1-12, M-F (no class July 4th)
Time: 9:15 AM -12:45 PM CST

Course Description  

On a seemingly daily basis, we are confronted by stories in the media that focus our attention on various issues in bioethics — the social, philosophical, and legal issues in medicine and the life sciences. Many of these issues stand powerfully at the center of our political discourse. Some of these issues stem from the development of new technologies — when does life begin, when does it end, when should it end? Other questions relate to the increasing cost of medical care — who should receive a heart transplant, what is our responsibility to the millions of individuals who do not have health insurance, should medical resources be allocated based on age? And then there are issues specific to the doctor/patient relationship — what should doctors tell and not tell patients, how much confidentiality should be protected by the doctor/patient relationship? In this thought-provoking seminar, students will expand their ability to analyze the ethical questions surrounding these types of challenging social issues.  

Academic Coursework and Activities

The main objective of this seminar is to enable you to develop insight into and appreciation for the way philosophical analysis and argument can contribute significantly to clarifying the ethical and conceptual issues in these very complex matters.   

Class discussion, activities, and group work are emphasized. Important and timely readings will drive class discussion topics, with brief lectures providing context. Topics will be intellectually, emotionally, and psychologically complex and discussions will strive to devote time to thoughtful exploration and reflection, consideration of different perspectives, and strengthening active listening skills. 

Instructor Biography

Distinguished Senior Lecturer Emeritus in Philosophy and currently faculty in the Medical Ethics and Humanities Program, Feinberg School of Medicine. He received his PhD from Brandeis University, where he was awarded a Sachar Fellowship to study at Oxford University. He has served as Adjunct Senior Scholar at the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics at the University of Chicago, and Senior Policy Analyst at the American Medical Association. Formerly Professor of Philosophy and Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Indiana University (Northwest campus) and Indiana University School of Medicine, he currently serves as adjunct faculty and ethicist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Sheldon has published and presented talks on a variety of issues including informed consent, confidentiality, the forced transfusion of children of Jehovah's Witnesses, children as organ donors, disclosure, and the use of Nazi research.  

Abnormal Psychology: Analyzing Life with Mental Illness

Instructors: Sebnem Ture
Course Consultant: Alissa Chung
Program Dates: July 1 - 12, M-F (no class July 4th)
Time: 9:15 AM – 12:45 PM CST

Course Description 

How do people experience, remember, and navigate life with mental illness? How does popular media—such as films, TV series, books and TikTok—shape the public narrative of mental health? This course will explore psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia, anxiety, and personality disorders, as well as affective disorders like depression and bipolar disorder, and discuss how one might narrate these real-life experiences. As we look at the different characteristics, diagnosis, and the treatment of these disorders, we will examine case studies, individual narratives, and scholarly articles. We will also look at portrayals of mental illness in film, distinguishing between accurate and misleading depictions. This course will include timely issues, including the criminalization of mental disorders and societal biases related to race, gender, and culture.

Academic Coursework and Activities

By the end of this course, you will:

• possess a well-rounded understanding of several common psychiatric disorders, informed by both scientific research and real-life experiences.
• define, describe, and distinguish between several major types of psychiatric disorders serving as a foundational knowledge for more advanced skills in careers in mental health (e.g., clinical psychology, psychiatry, social work, psychiatric nursing, medicine, and neuroscience).
• develop the ability to critically analyze how mental health is depicted in media, recognizing its influence on societal attitudes.
• grasp the complexities of current debates surrounding mental health, including the social, cultural, and gender context of diagnosis and treatment of the various disorders.
• successfully construct a fictional narrative that encapsulates the medical, societal, and personal dimensions of living with a mental health condition.

This course is an open-discussion based seminar centered on reading about mental illnesses, with a focus on firsthand quotes and patient stories. You will enjoy Interactive lectures exploring the symptoms, diagnostic criteria, and available treatment options. For example, the viewing and analysis of selected clips from the film Infinitely Polar Bear (2014) provides an accurate portrayal of bipolar disorder, contrasted with scenes from the TV series Empire (2015) to illustrate common inaccuracies. Collaborative group activities will include responses to a set of prompts related to the video clips or topics discussed in class. As a small group, you will also develop a narrative about a fictional individual living with one of the mental health conditions covered in the course. Creativity in presentation is encouraged.

Instructor Biographies

Sebnem Ture (she/her) is a doctoral student in the Personality, Development, and Health program at Northwestern University, working with Professor Dan McAdams, the founder of narrative identity. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from a leading Turkish university, graduating at the top of her class. Subsequently, she relocated to the United States to pursue advanced studies at the master's and doctoral levels. In addition to her core studies, Şebnem holds a minor in Communication and Design and is a media enthusiast. Prior to entering graduate school, she gained experience as a radio host and contributed articles to various local newspapers. Her research primarily focuses on personal life narratives. She explores how individual differences along with the cultural and historical context influence psychological health, through the lens of personal narratives.

Dr. Chung is the course consultant for this course:

Alissa Levy Chung is a clinical and developmental psychologist who received her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota (Institute of Child Development and Clinical Psychology). She is joining the department as an Associate Professor of Instruction. Her early research focused on the intergenerational transmission of parenting and the role of early experience in the development of psychopathology. For the past several years, she shifted her focus to teaching and was an award-winning teacher as a member of the adjunct faculty in the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern, teaching courses in developmental and clinical psychology. Previous teaching experience also included participating in the development of and teaching classes in the infant mental health specialty program at Erikson Institute in Chicago. For the past 21 years, Alissa has been a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice, working with children, adolescents, adults, and families throughout Evanston, Chicago, and the North Shore. She is active in the Evanston public schools and has been a special education advocate for families. 

Join the AI-driven Revolution in Medicine!

Instructor: Ariel Chandler
Program Dates: July 1 – 12, M-F (no class July 4th)
Time: 9:15 AM - 12:45 PM CST

Course Description  

Medicine in the United States is the most expensive in the world, but we are not keeping patients healthier than peer countries. However, there is real opportunity to radically transform how medicine is delivered through big data, AI, and technology. Discover if this could be the career path for you! This course will be a hands on learning experience of the application of AI and big data in medicine. Together as a class we will explore the current industry, basics of data science and Structured Query Language (SQL) through interactive labs using real data, AI/advanced analytic approaches, and a final group presentation. Students will also learn how to ethically use AI programs like ChatGPT to jumpstart their learning and generate code.

No programming or data science experience is required. The course is geared towards both students learning programming/working with data for the first time, as well as experienced students looking to advance their skills. Students are expected to bring their own laptops that are capable of downloading software.

Academic Coursework and Activities

By the end of this course, you will:

• know various career paths and the skills to be successful working at the intersection of medicine and AI and big data.
• understand the basics of working with data, including SQL, how to solve problems using data, and advanced analytics approaches.
• attain professional skills such as teamwork, collaboration, presentations, and communication approaches to different audiences.
• recognize groundbreaking applications, industry trends, and famous failures of how AI and big data is being used medicine.
• learn how to work with data and the basics of SQL through labs with structured problem sets, generate new code with the help of ChatGPT and Google, and complete a group project using real life medical data.

This course will include lectures and class discussions on Al & big data in medicine, SQL labs, group work creating SQL queries, exploring datasets, and creating presentations. You will work in a group to define a problem in medicine that can be solved using data, the approach, the data, results, and next steps. Over the course of 2 weeks you will develop a professional presentation, which will be given on the final day of class.

Instructor Biography

Ariel Chandler has spent her career using big data and analytics to improve medicine. She is currently the Director of Strategic Analytics at Optum Tri-State in NYC and a professor of Healthcare Data Literacy and SQL at Northwestern’s Health Analytics Master’s program.

In the past decade, through consulting and research, she has worked with over 30 healthcare systems, numerous insurance companies, and prestigious research institutions in areas including healthcare delivery and operations, public health, genetics, and network science. She earned a PhD in Health Informatics from Northwestern, and a BS in Cell Biology from Tulane.

Brains in Distress: Exploring Clinical Neuroscience Anatomy

Instructor:  Justin Brown
Program Dates: July 1 - 12, M-F (no class July 4th)
Time: 9:15 AM- 12:45 PM CST

Course Description  

What is the doctor looking for when she asks you to say “aaaah”, or shines a light in your eye, or taps your knee with a reflex hammer? Did you know that all three examples test the function of your brain and nervous system? In this class you will learn about your brain and nervous system through the perspective of medical biology. You will learn to use clinical reasoning to better understand the functions of the brain and nervous system by associating damage/disorder of specific structures with specific patient symptoms. We will use neuroscience as a tool to explore the broader topic of clinical reasoning and the critical thinking skills required for medical diagnosis.

Academic Coursework and Activities

This course will include lectures on clinical neuroanatomy, discussion of clinical case studies, and videos of brain dissection. Through these methods, you will learn how neurons communicate with each other, and how neurons are grouped into structures that play roles in various functions such as movement, language, and sensory perception. You will analyze basic clinical case studies, and through this process you will better understand the types of symptoms that a patient might report when part of the brain or nervous system is functioning abnormally. 

By the end of this class, you will be able to:

• describe the electrical and chemical signals that neurons use to communicate.
• describe the organization of the central and peripheral nervous systems.
• define basic clinical vocabulary terms.
• describe the symptoms associated with damage to various parts of the nervous system.
• analyze basic clinical case studies related to injury / disorder of the brain or nervous system.

Instructor Biography

Dr. Justin Brown is a Professor of Instruction at Northwestern University in the Department of Neurobiology. He earned his PhD in Neuroscience from Stanford University, and his BS in Physiological Sciences from UCLA. Dr. Brown has taught at all levels of the undergraduate curriculum including courses that help first-year students develop college success skills, and several courses for the Neuroscience Major, including introductory neuroscience, neuroanatomy, and the neurobiology of homeostasis. As an instructor and academic advisor, Dr. Brown is interested in developing students’ ability to think critically about scientific information and he is committed to helping students succeed in college.

How to Get Away With Murder: Forensic Chemistry 

Instructor: Shelby Hatch 
Program Dates: July 1 – 12, M-F (no class July 4th) 
Time: 9:15 AM- 12:45 PM CST

Course Description   

How does someone get away with murder – or not? This course will explore forensic chemistry techniques from those used by Sherlock Holmes to modern spectroscopic methods. Like Holmes, as amateur forensic chemists, you will solve murders by investigating clues left at crime scenes.  You will learn the basics of forensic chemistry through a series of murder mysteries both fictional and factual. Throughout the course, we will alternate between the theoretical underpinnings of various analytical methods and utilizing those same methods to solve murders. We will read books, watch films, examine court documents, take field trips, and welcome forensics experts into our classroom. 

Examples of forensic chemistry techniques we will study in this course are analyzing samples taken at a fire to find the cause; illustrating different fingerprinting techniques; using trace metal analysis to connect bullets to the manufacturer and/or specific weapon; identifying paper through spectroscopic techniques; analyzing pigments from documents and taking samples from car accidents; using multivariate analysis; identifying tools from their steel composition. You will evaluate analytical techniques and use statistical and multivariate methods to distinguish complex chemical traces collected from crime scenes. You will also critically analyze results obtained with different methods with respect to selectivity, specificity, and sensitivity. 

 Academic Coursework and Activities

By the end of this course, you will:

• attend classes taught as a combination of lecture, discussion, group work, individual projects, and “armchair analyses.” In class, the primary focus will be on how forensic chemistry is (or can be) used to solve each of the murders presented.  
• complete and present an individual project to the class and submit a final report.
• recognize the chemistry that undergirds methods used to analyze findings secured at crime scenes (such as fingerprints, paint, and chemical residues).
• explain the chemistry involved in the analysis of chemical substances used in possible criminal activities and be able to use these analytical techniques.
• utilize the principles of the instrumental analytical techniques presented during the course.
• virtually visit crime scenes and laboratories.
• meet guests (e.g., medical examiner, forensic anthropologist).
• study and present a particular aspect of forensic chemistry not otherwise included in the course, learning about a forensic method in another area of science – e.g., DNA analysis or forensic genealogy, and/or exploring another “case study” (factual or fictional).

“I enjoyed meeting new people from all over the world and being able to experience the Northwestern campus. The class was very fast paced and an interesting learning environment.” 2023 CPP Participant 

Instructor Biography  

Shelby Hatch (she/her/hers) is a scientist focused on the intersections of chemistry, sustainability, and social justice. Shelby is a Weinberg College Adviser and an Associate Professor of Instruction in the Department of Chemistry. She has taught a variety of undergraduate chemistry courses - introductory lab classes, first year seminars, courses for non-scientists, and a capstone laboratory course for chemistry majors - plus firesides on the chemistry of beer & the chemistry of chocolate. Her research involves environmental justice and Youth Participatory Science, which centers and involves students in the entire research process, from creation of a hypothesis through disseminating results once data has been collected and analyzed. Since 2017, she has been a lead collaborator on a National Science Foundation grant Teachers and Students Synergistic Learning Through Youth. Shelby studies the distribution of heavy metal contamination in Chicago in relation to where low socio-economic status and communities of color are located. She enjoys teaching undergraduate chemistry courses that incorporate sustainability and environmental justice into the curriculum. Shelby is also very passionate about teaching in the Northwestern Prison Education Program (NPEP). She developed a course and compiled an open educational resource textbook for her NPEP chemistry courses, has taught at Stateville Correctional Center, and is currently teaching at Logan Correctional Center (Fall Quarter 2022). She received her BA from The College of Wooster and her PhD from The University of Rochester. 

Are You Ready? Writing for College Success

Instructor: Charles Yarnoff
Program Dates: July 15 - 26, M-F
Time: 9:15 AM – 12:15 PM CST

Course Description  

Are you a high school student interested in improving your writing to help prepare yourself for college? This course teaches practical strategies for writing at the college level. You will learn about the conventions of writing in a range of academic disciplines, close analysis of texts, research-based persuasive essays, and techniques for drafting and editing your papers. The seminar will incorporate examples of high-level readings and writing assignments from various Northwestern University courses, along with handouts on editing techniques. Through creative exercises, peer editing, and discussion of thought-provoking articles and stories, you will develop advanced critical thinking skills and learn to communicate your ideas clearly and persuasively.

In addition to preparing yourself for writing papers in college, you will have the opportunity to work on producing a draft and revision of your college admissions essay. By reading examples of successful essays, you will learn methods for presenting college admissions officers with a compelling picture of who you are as an individual.  

Academic Coursework and Activities

By the end of this course, you will:

• Write a draft and revision of an essay analyzing the short story "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas".
  
• Write a draft and revision of your college admissions essay.
• Hear about college writing from NU faculty and student guest speakers.
• Take a field trip to the Northwestern University library to learn about research resources available to college students.

“I loved not only my professor, but my class. I got to spend a lot of time drafting my college essay, and it made me feel every prepared, especially given that I am going into my junior year. ” 2023 CPP Participant 

Instructor Biography

Charles Yarnoff, who received his PhD from Northwestern University, teaches a wide variety of undergraduate writing courses, including Intermediate Composition, Writing and Speaking in Business, and Freshman Seminars. 

He was named a Charles Deering McCormick University Distinguished Lecturer, an award recognizing faculty members who “have consistently demonstrated outstanding performance in classroom teaching.” He has been voted to the Associated Student Government faculty honor roll three times, has been nominated for the freshman advising award, and has received the Distinguished Teaching Award from Northwestern's School of Professional Studies. 

Dr. Yarnoff especially enjoys teaching students who are preparing for and starting out in college. He has been a freshman advisor in Weinberg College at Northwestern since 2000, and is the academic director of the Summer Academic Workshop, a writing seminar for incoming Northwestern freshmen. He has taught InFocus seminars in the College Prep Program since 2014. 

So You Want to Be an Engineer? Biomedical Signals and Circuits

Instructor: Nicholas Marchuk   
Program Dates: July 15 – 26, M-F 
Time: 9:15 AM – 12:15 PM CST

Course Description  

Hack your biometric signals by designing and building circuits that measure directly from your body.  

Learn analog electronics, data acquisition, and programming, and how biomedical engineers use these tools to create systems to track our body and analyze our health. Build circuits that pick up the tiny signals on your skin, amplify the important parts, and visualize classic signals like ECG and EMG. Then write code to analyze the signal and use it to display biometrics, or control motors for a custom prosthetic! In each class you will learn about circuit design and use electronic tools to build and test biomedical systems, ending with a final project demonstrating a new bio device of your own invention.  

This course will include brief lectures, readings, tutorials, discussions, and a wide array of hands on lab sessions, based on Northwestern's "Lab in a Backpack" methodology.

Academic Coursework and Activities

In this course, students will understand basic circuit design and analysis, conduct electronics lab exercises, explore physiology and biomedical signals, and utilize Fourier analysis and filter design. 

By the end of the course, you will: 

• design and analyze analog electronics (resistors, capacitors, open amps).
• use electronics prototyping tools (multimeter, oscilloscope, power supply).
• understand data acquisition and programming in python. 
• create laboratory documentation.
• tour of the Rogers Lab.

Instructor Biography 

Nick Marchuk is a senior lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at Northwestern University. Nick runs the Mechatronics Design Lab, and teaches a variety of classes in electronics, programming, mechatronics, and design. Nick is the cocreator of the nScope, a portable electronics lab tool that enables students to learn electronics with hands on, design driven experiences. 

So You Think This Stuff Is Easy? Using the Science of Psychology to Raise a Virtual Child 

Instructor: Alissa Levy Chung
Program Dates: July 15 - 26, M-F
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM CST 

Course Description  

Have you ever wondered what makes someone a good parent or if your parents are doing things “right”? There is actually a science to parenting, but a lot of what parents worry about (violin lessons or trumpet? Travel soccer or club? Should I get an SAT tutor or enroll in a prep class?) has very little to do with how well their children develop. In this class, you will learn about research on parenting and get a chance to try it yourself with the My Virtual Child program. You will create your own virtual child, name your child, and raise your child to adulthood. Will your child resemble your personality, appearance, or not? Will you be nurturing? Strict? Indulgent? You will be asked a series of questions along the way, make decisions for your child and each decision will slowly shape the trajectory of your child’s life.   

You will work in small groups, each choosing a different kind of parenting style to learn the consequences of different kinds of decisions. Your choices will be grounded in research; we will also analyze the flaws in our research, such as limited information on parenting and child development outside of the U.S. Through these analyses, you will comprehend the science of parenting, how to think about your childhood experiences the way a psychologist would, and how parenting may differ in meaningful ways in other cultures. You will also receive writing and scientific thinking feedback from your professor.  

Academic Coursework and Activities

By the end of this course, you will:

• create a group presentation of the journey you experienced with your children. As a class, we will write to the company that produces the program to suggest areas of improvement. 
• raise a virtual child: guided group work and discussion to apply class findings to raising a “real” child.
• use lectures, discussions, video examples, examine popular books and films to examine parenting and child development.
• write responses to discussion questions.
• participate in child observation (condition permitting).

 “It's a very intriguing course with a passionate professor that made it extremely engaging.” 2023 CPP Participant 

Instructor Biography

Alissa Levy Chung is a clinical and developmental psychologist who received her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota (Institute of Child Development and Clinical Psychology). She is joining the department as an Associate Director of Clinical Training. Her early research focused on the intergenerational transmission of parenting and the role of early experience in the development of psychopathology. For the past several years, she shifted her focus to teaching and was an award-winning teacher as a member of the adjunct faculty in the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern, teaching courses in developmental and clinical psychology. Previous teaching experience also included participating in the development of and teaching classes in the infant mental health specialty program at Erikson Institute in Chicago. For the past 22 years, Alissa has been a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice, working with children, adolescents, adults, and families throughout Evanston, Chicago, and the North Shore. She is active in the Evanston public schools and has been a special education advocate for families.

So You Want to Create a Graphic Novel? Drawing and Visual Design

Instructor: Ozge Samanci
Program Dates: July 15 - 26, M-F
Time: 9:15 AM - 12:15 PM CST

Course Description  

This course will teach basic drawing and design skills and you will learn how to use effective storytelling images for arts, business, and communications. These types of storytelling images can be used for making graphic novels or webcomics or even creating business proposals. Participants will practice with both analog tools (drawing and collage) and digital tools (Photoshop and Google Sketch up) that can be combined in telling stories or communicating research. The course will be particularly useful for participants who would like to follow a path in comics, graphic novels, illustration, animation, art direction, design, visual communication, advertisement, and photography.

Academic Coursework and Activities

By the end of this course, you will:

• understand what makes an image effective, expressive, impressive.
• utilize strategies to avoid ordinary, boring, monotonous drawings and designs.
• use digital tools in the service of your creativity without getting lost in the wide possibility of special effects and filters.
• obtain a delicate balance between digital tools and analog methods.
• learn the major names in graphic storytelling and explore various comics, graphic novels, webcomics.
• discover your connection to drawn images and develop basic design skills.
• gain an understanding of analog drawing and illustration materials and in-depth use of Photoshop techniques.
• develop skills to communicate complex concepts visually for artistic expression, communications, and business.

You will learn techniques to create a portfolio piece. You will complete design and drawing assignments, participate in critique sessions, and individually present a design work. You will attend the lectures and labs. You will draw with pencil, brush, ink, nib and develop your Photoshop skills that will free you from the fear of making mistakes with analog tools. The final project (portfolio piece) may include a comics story, information visualization piece, storyboard or a comics essay derived from research. No drawing or software skills are required for taking this course, but participants must be willing to practice drawing through a range of assignments. You do not need to be an artist to take this course.

Instructor Biography 

Özge Samanci, media artist and graphic novelist, is an associate professor in Northwestern University’s School of Communication. Her interactive installations have been exhibited internationally, including Siggraph Art Gallery, FILE festival, Currents New Media, The Tech Museum of Innovation, WRO Media Art Biennial, Athens International Festival of Digital Arts and New Media, Piksel Electronic Arts Festival, ISEA among others. Her autobiographical graphic novel Dare to Disappoint (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2015) received international press attention and was positively reviewed in The New York Times, The Guardian, Slate along with many other media outlets. Dare to Disappoint has been translated into six languages. Her drawings appeared in The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, Slate Magazine, The Huffington Post, Airmail, Guernica, The Rumpus. In 2017, she received the Berlin Prize and she was the Holtzbrinck Visual Arts Fellow at the American Academy in Berlin.

So You Want to Be a Doctor? 

Instructor: Sarah B. Rodriguez  

2 timeframes to choose from: 

Course Description  

What does it mean to be healthy, what is medicine, what does the practice of medicine look like in the United States, and how may the practice of medicine change in the future? By framing this course around these fundamental questions, we will explore what it means to be a medical professional, why someone chooses to become a doctor, what the path to medical school consists of, and what it is like to go to medical school. Additionally, we will analyze how health care is paid for in the United States as well as alternative models for funding health care. Further, we will consider the importance of medical ethics, what characteristics frame medical professionalism, and how doctors know what they know. We will consider what it means to be healthy and the importance of non-physiological factors (social, cultural, and environmental) on one’s health. Ffinally, we will consider where medicine is (perhaps) heading in the future. Because the practice of medicine involves critically analyzing information and working in teams, you will be analyzing materials from a variety of sources and working on team-based projects.  

Academic Coursework and Activities

• write a 2-page paper talking about two insights you gained from the course, with supporting materials (lecture, readings, etc.).
  
• describe the variety of methods used in medical research.
• appraise the importance of socioeconomic impacts on health and illness.
• become familiar with using medical journal indexes and critically reading medical journal articles and case studies.
• articulate the importance of working in teams to solve a problem.
• outline possible routes regarding the future of medical practice.

“By the very nature of the course, every day the entire class was either a demonstration, a practical application, or both, which really helped to immerse me in the topic.” 2023 CPP Participant

Instructor Biography 

Sarah B. Rodriguez is a medical historian who focuses on the history of women’s health, clinical practice, and ethical clinical research. In 2020 she published her second book, The Love Surgeon: A Story of Trust, Harm, and the Limits of Medical Regulation. Her next project will concern the history of maternal health, especially maternal mortality, as a global health concern.  

Student Protest: Past and Present

Instructor: Jeff Rice 
Program Dates: July 15 - 26, M-F
Time: 9:15 AM - 12:15 PM CST 

Course Description  

Colleges have functioned as a safe place to explore political as well as intellectual issues and to combine theory into practice through protest.  Students are forming their moral and political views through intellectual adventures; out of which comes political engagement including protest.  It is a sign of hope, of participation in the process of history. 

We can trace student protest back as far as Abelard in the 12th century, but this course will begin in the sixties and the ever-important fight for free speech on college campuses.  From there we saw activism over Vietnam, Civil Rights, Women’s rights, the Environment et alia. Today, we have protests over guns, abortion, censorship, marriage equality, trans rights, police brutality, environmentalism, black lives matter, and many other issues representing a myriad of political views from left to right.

This class will set out, through engagement with original documents, pamphlets, videos etc. to make sense out of these movements. Within their historical context and reflecting a coherent world view. Students will be encouraged to place these events in context and debate the issues.  Should students have the right to take political views publicly on campus? 

Academic Coursework and Activities

By the end of this course, you will:

• understand the historical and current impact of student protests.
• debate in a class that celebrates and appreciates free speech, responsible speech, and a diversity of views.
• tour the Northwestern campus, visiting historical locales of key protests over the years.

The culminating project will be for you, as a group, to create a declaration which encompasses a philosophical and political standpoint.      

Instructor Biography 

Jeff Rice is a Senior Lecturer in Political Science and African Studies. He has been at Northwestern since 1968 as an entering freshman and has been associated with the University in one way or another since then. He pursued graduate work at the University of Edinburgh in African Studies after completing a dissertation entitled "Wealth Power and Corruption: A Study of Asante Political Culture". He returned to Northwestern full time in 2001 teaching in the History and Political Science Departments and became a Weinberg College Academic Adviser. He retired from that position in August 2018 and is presently teaching full time in Political Science. His courses have included West African History, History of the 60's in the U.S., Marx & Weber, Politics of Africa, Military Strategy, the Politics of Famine, Student Protest and Free Speech, and Africa in Fact, Fiction and Film.

So You Want To Build a Robot? Mechatronics and Electromechanical Design

Instructor: Nicholas Marchuk   
Program Dates: July 29 – Aug. 9, M-F
Time: 9:15 AM – 12:15 PM CST

Course Description  

Robotics is a multidisciplinary challenge. It requires knowledge in electronics, mechanics, programming, control systems, prototyping, and debugging. In this course you will be presented with a task that must be completed by building an autonomous mobile robot, competing against another robot simultaneously trying to complete the task first. You will design your robot in CAD and rapid prototype it with 3d printed and laser cut components. You will create electrical subsystems, solder and test them, and integrate them with a microcontroller. You will program the microcontroller to read sensors and control actuators to complete the task. And you will test, debug, and iterate the design, leading up to a dramatic bracket style competition with your classmates! 

Academic Coursework and Activities

By the end of this course, you will: 

• use computer aided design to simulate parts, and rapid prototyping tools to produce them.
• breadboard circuits to read sensors and control actuators, and solder them into permanent designs.
• program algorithms in C and python to control your robot.
• learn the iterative process of robot design. 
• understand the need for proper documentation in a complex engineering project.
• attend a potential field trip. Previous field trips include a tour of the Northwestern Center for Robotics and Biosystems.

This course will include brief lectures, readings, tutorials, discussions, and a wide array of hands-on lab sessions, based on Northwestern's "Lab in a Backpack" methodology. 

This is a course in the field of mechatronics, or electromechanical design, containing: 

• computer aided design and rapid prototyping. 
• electronics design and prototyping.
• microcontroller programming in C and python.
• version control with git. 

Instructor Biography 

Nick Marchuk is a senior lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at Northwestern University. Nick runs the Mechatronics Design Lab, and teaches a variety of classes in electronics, programming, mechatronics, and design. Nick is the cocreator of the nScope, a portable electronics lab tool that enables students to learn electronics with hands on, design driven experiences. 

"A Beautiful Mind:" Becoming A Clinical Psychologist

Instructor: Cheyenne Bates
Course Consultant: Alissa Chung
Program Dates: July 29 – Aug. 9, M-F 
Time: 9:15 AM– 12:15 PM CST

Course Description  

What makes a clinical psychologist unique from a psychiatrist or other licensed therapists and counselors? Well, there are a few things! In this course, you will become familiar with the ins and outs of clinical psychology, including the history and development of the field, the current strengths and limitations of clinical psychology as a practice, and the different schools of thought that drive clinical assessment and intervention approaches. By engaging in role play with other students, writing brief reflections based on class discussions and watching excerpts of clinical psychologists in action, you will begin to think like a clinical psychologist and gain critical skills that will give you a jumpstart in your future course material and career, if you decide a profession in mental health as a clinical psychologist may be the right fit for you.

Academic Coursework and Activities

By the end of this course, you will: 

• learn about the training required to become a clinical psychologist and the career opportunities available.
• explore what work can be done during your undergraduate education to increase your chances of becoming a competitive applicant for graduate school programs in clinical psychology.
• create a proposal for how to amend the current DSM-5 diagnostic system (group activity).
• discuss videos of a variety of therapy sessions found in popular tv shows and films.
• possess a better understanding of what your experience may be like in a clinical psychology graduate program as you consider a prospective career in the field.

This course consists of assigned readings, lectures, class discussions, group exercises, brief writing reflections and group presentations. For your final project, your small group will be assigned a mock client case and will use a specific approach to discuss and demonstrate how you would handle the case and formulate diagnoses based on your case presentation.

Instructor Biography 

Cheyenne Bates received her B.A. in psychological science from Cal State University San Marcos in 2021 and is currently in her third year of the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Northwestern University. In addition to her clinical training, Cheyenne engages in research on how individual differences within racial/ethnic identity and personality traits influence leadership and psychopathology outcomes. Since beginning her graduate studies, Cheyenne has served as a teaching assistant for Introduction to Clinical Psychology three times and received the Florence Sales TA of the Year Award for her performance in the course. As a first-generation college student, Cheyenne has developed a personal and professional commitment to decreasing barriers of academic achievement for aspirational students facing marginalization—a passion that is demonstrated through her current and former roles as a peer mentor to fellow graduate students, a group leader in the Northwestern Office of Diversity and Inclusion Summer Research Opportunity Program, and a mentor in the Chicago Scholars high school leadership development program.

Dr. Chung is the course consultant for this course:

Alissa Levy Chung is a clinical and developmental psychologist who received her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota (Institute of Child Development and Clinical Psychology). She is joining the department as an Associate Professor of Instruction. Her early research focused on the intergenerational transmission of parenting and the role of early experience in the development of psychopathology. For the past several years, she shifted her focus to teaching and was an award-winning teacher as a member of the adjunct faculty in the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern, teaching courses in developmental and clinical psychology. Previous teaching experience also included participating in the development of and teaching classes in the infant mental health specialty program at Erikson Institute in Chicago. For the past 21 years, Alissa has been a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice, working with children, adolescents, adults, and families throughout Evanston, Chicago, and the North Shore. She is active in the Evanston public schools and has been a special education advocate for families.