Scribner Seminar Program
Course Description
In the News: Science Sound Bites
Instructor(s): Shannon Stitzel, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Science is everywhere in the media today, in the headlines of newspapers and magazines,
on the evening news, and even featured in our art and entertainment. Now more that
ever, we are inundated with different sources of scientific information, all of which
subtly influence our personal and societal perspectives on issues of the day. But
what is fact and what is media hype? In this seminar, students will examine four topics
that have recently been in the news: global warming, alternative fuels, viral pandemics,
and the exploration of Mars. We will explore these topics via pop culture (films),
books, newspapers, magazines, and other sources, and examine how our perspectives
on these issues shift or change during the process. We will discuss the political,
societal, environmental , and ethical issues that arise from each topic and learn
to express thoughtful opinions about them in writing.