Faculty Interdisciplinary Collaboration
This page is designed to help CMU faculty form teaching teams across disciplines. If you would like to explore a team-teaching opportunity posted below, please email the submitting faculty member directly.
If you would like your idea for a Milestone course posted here, please submit the "Team-Teaching Interest Form."
Submissions will be reviewed and posted by staff. Once submitted, postings will remain until the submitting faculty member sends a request to [email protected] asking that the posting be removed.
Faculty Seeking Team-Teaching Partners
Faculty Member
Margot Becktell, Associate Professor of Biology | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- Plant Biology
- Plant Anatomy
- Plant Physiology
- Mycology
- Senior Thesis
Areas of Interest:
- Botany
- Horticulture
- Plant Pathology
- Art
Possible Topics/Themes:
- Plants in Literature
- Politics of Food/Agriculture
- The Art of Botany
- Plants and People
Course Vision:
- Plants are everywhere. They provide aesthetic beauty, but also serve many important purposes and functions in our everyday lives. Plants have served, and continue to serve, an integral role in our societies. Plants and people have co-evolved and we owe much of our current existence to plants. Integrating plant biology into several different courses seems like a possibility.
Posted:11/16/15
Faculty Member
Carrie McVean Waring, Professor of Biology | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- Anatomy & Physiology
- Pathophysiology
- Nature & Philosophy of Science
- Animal Behavior
- Microbiology
Areas of Interest:
- Plagues
- Ecosystem destruction and how/why these occur
Possible Topics/Themes:
- How society/culture changes
- susceptible to disease (plagues)
- destroy ecosystems
- how society adapted
- Look at viruses, bacteria, genetics, components of ecosystem, immune function
Course Vision:
Cover plagues and disease. What was thought to be the source, how cause was determined and how it was dealt with (Bubonic plague and rats; Malaria and swamps. Look at ecological disasters - deforestation, the dust bowl, famine. Examine role of man & the environment.
Posted:11/16/15
Faculty Member
Stephanie Matlock, Instructor of Biology | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- Anatomy of Physiology
- General Human Biology
- Desert Ecology
- Human Osteology
Areas of Interest:
- Desert Ecology
- Field Journals
- Animals, Plants
- Art
Posted:5/18/16
Faculty Member
Zeynep Ozsoy, Assistant Professor of Biology | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- Cellular Biology
- Attributes of Living Systems
- Principles of Genetics
- General Human Biology
- Protein Chemistry
Areas of Interest:
- Biological Control agents
- Molecular Identification/classification
- Biochemical basis of Diapause response
- DNA Repair
- Genetics
Possible Topics/Themes:
- Biocontrol agents
- Invasive species vs. immigration through history
- Cancer biology
- Cancer in literature
Course Vision:
- An investigation of how 'newcomers' are accepted in nature and human history.
Posted:11/16/15
Faculty Member
Richard Vail, Professor of Business | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- Business Strategy
- Management Theory
- Operations Management
- Personal Finance
- Theory and Practice
- Decision Making
- Computer Simulation
- Historical Change
- Evolution of Ideas
- Conflict Management
- Personal Finance
- Game Theory
- Chaos Theory
- Complex Systems
- Grounded Theory
- Modeling
- Financial crisis
- Simulation of Individual Decisions
- Sustainability
- Citizenship
- Strategy (Organizational, Political or Military)
- Healthcare as a Business
Posted:5/17/16
Faculty Member
Georgann Jouflas, Instructor of Business | [email protected]
Areas of Expertise:
- Entrepreneurship
- Accounting
- Basic Business Skills
Possible Topics/Themes:
- Adulting
- The emotional and business-side of becoming an adult
- What it takes to be innovative
Posted:5/17/16
Faculty Member
Michael Conklin, Lecturer of Business | [email protected]
Areas of Interest:
- Free Speech
- Negotiations, Persuasion
Posted: 5/18/16
Faculty Member
Suzanne Kenney, Instructor of Chemistry | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- Principles of Chemistry
- Chemistry and Society
- Environmental Chemistry
- Chemistry Labs
Areas of Interest:
- Chemistry of Art (ceramics, painting)
- History of Chemical applications
- Medicine and Chemistry
- Food
Course Vision 1:
- Chemistry of art, with a focus on ceramics or painting. Make paints or glazes to use on actual projects, talk about electromagnetic spectrum (color), oxidation states of metals (different color glazes), bonding and properties of clays, safety (MSDS; toxic metals; anding/particulate matter); redox reactions in kiln. Possibly weekend workshop to do hand on work in chemistry lab and art studio (create art and write paper on chemistry aspects of art project)
Course Vision 2:
- Explore how Chemistry (specific elements and compounds) was involved in changing history of world
Course Vision 3:
- Medicine-use health sciences as introduction to chemistry concepts
Course Vision 4:
- Biology/health (food science)-chemistry of food and cooking
Posted: 11/16/15
Faculty Member
Russ Walker, Professor of Environmental Science and Technology | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- Sustainable Building
- Pollution Monitoring
- Water Quality
- Atmospheric Science
Areas of Interest:
- Urban Planning
- Sustainable Building
- Environmental Protection
- Risk Assessment
Possible Topics/Themes:
- Are the favorable effects of urbanization (opportunity for advancement, economies of scale, social and artistic ferment, environmental advantages of growth upward instead of outward…) in balance with the adverse effects of urbanization (poverty, crowding, crime, pollution, reliance on non-local resources…)? If not, how can we manage urbanization to create a more desirable balance?
- History, politics, social and environmental issues, and the overarching issue of sustainability viewed through the lens of urbanization
Course Vision:
- In 2012 the fraction of world population living in cities surpassed 50% for the first time and this fraction is only expected to increase. Can cities be changes and growth managed to promote sustainability and public welfare (in all its different facets)?
Posted:11/16/15
Faculty Member
Labecca Jones, Instructor of English | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- English Composition 111
- English Composition 112
- Intro to Creative Writing
- Scientific Writing
Areas of Interest:
- Science/technical writing
- Science and Narrative
- Food
- Violence and Media
Course Themes/Vision 1:
- Science/Technical Writing in Different Disciplines
- This class would be structured for varying disciplines whose students' needs additional experience reading and writing in their field. The class would be created for students who have declared their major and taken 60-80 credit hours and are transitioning from general studies to coursework focused on their specific major. Specialists in each field could be brought in to discuss the kinds of reading, research, and writing they do as part of their career.
Course Themes/Vision 2:
- The Rhetoric of Food, Health and Wellness
- Food is such an important part of our lives, but it's also an industry. The class would focus on the rhetoric surrounding food including advertisements, labeling, nutrition, environmental concerns and marketing for different demographics of the American population. It would be run as an interactive study where students are expected to read, study, and participate in conversations and politics, surrounding food. It may also include diet fads, vitamins, and supplements.
Course Themes/Vision 3:
- How American news media frames and discusses violence; How we are lead to discuss or avoid communicating about violence depending on the type.
- This class would focus on the complexity of the rhetoric of violence. It will cover how the media responds to violent events including anything form mass shootings to armed robbery and domestic disturbances. It would also concentrate on firearms and other weaponry, with a discussion on regional (broken down into urban and rural communities), socioeconomic status, hate crimes, domestic violence, hunting, and may also discuss the relationship between gun/weapon violence and illegal substances.
Posted:11/16/15
Faculty Member
Kate Belknap, Instructor of English | [email protected]
Areas of Interest:
- Field journaling
- Deserts
Possible topics:
- Art: sketching
- Desert Ecology
- Natural History
- Hydrology
Posted: 5/17/16
Faculty Member
Eli Hall, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- Typography I
- Graphic Design I
- Graphic Design II
- Screen Printing
Areas of Interest:
- Visual Communication
- Sociology
- Nature
- UX (user experience)
- Parenting
- Design
- Increasing will power
Possible Topics/Themes:
- Visual Influence of Teens World Wide
- Marriage of Print and Digital
- Hierarchy-How it needs to be understood
- The importance of user experience
Posted:11/16/15
Faculty Member
Sarah Swedberg, Associate Professor of History | [email protected]
Recently-Taught Courses:
- LGBT Studies 101
- US History
- Early American Republic
- American Civil War and Reconstruction
Course Vision 1:
- Aids and Society
- When the AIDS crisis hit in the United States, the government was slow to respond. Since then, AIDS has become a global health care crisis. This course would examine the relationship between AIDS and society.
Course Vision 2:
- Food
- We need food to survive, but human beings have created entire cultures around food preparation and eating. This course would examine the cultures of food and could include such inquiries such as: What are the gender relationships involved with food gathering and preparation? What relationship exists between food and religion or spirituality? What role does food play in globalization? What political and social effects come from food shortages?
Posted:10/14/15
Faculty Member
Lisa Driskell, Assistant Professor of Mathematics | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- Intro to Proofs
- Linear Algebra
- Calculus
Areas of Interest:
- Voting/ gerrymandering
- Excitable cells (heart)
- Fun Math -- Knot Theory, Fibonacci, Infinity, Golden Ratio, Neuroscience (neurons)
Possible Topics/Themes:
- Voting Theory (gerrymandering)
- Game Theory
- Patterns in nature
- Infinity
- Anatomy, Art and DaVinci
Posted:11/16/15
Faculty Member
Dan Schultz-Ela, Associate Professor of Mathematics | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- Mathematics for Elementary Teachers
- College Mathematics
- Technology for Mathematics Educators
Areas of Interest:
- Math modeling - patterns, trends, forecasts, influences
- Math and Earth Sciences
- Infinities and self-referential systems
Possible Topics/Themes:
- Modeling of spread of disease
- Patterns in art - symmetry, perspective, proportions from math viewpoint
- Mathematics of music - description, compression of digital files, patterns
- Mathematical description of the world - Zero's paradox
- Mathematics education
Posted:11/16/15
Faculty Member
Bill Tiernan, Professor of Physics| [email protected]
Areas of Interest:
- Physics - Sciences, Public Policy
- Galileo, Einstein, etc: overturning our view of the universe, our place
- Building models to understand our world
Posted: 5/17/16
Faculty Member
Dennis Tobin Jr., Lecturer of Process Systems Technology | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- Introduction to Process Technology
- Process Technology II: Systems
- Safety, Health and Environment
- Capstone
Areas of Interest:
- Manufacturing
- Industrial Technology
- Technology Integration
Possible Topics/Themes:
Faculty Member
Bethany Weber, Assistant Professor of Psychology | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- Decision making
- Memory and Cognition
- Sensation and perception
- General Psychology
Areas of Interest:
- Cognition
- Decision making
Possible Topics/Themes:
- Thinking about probability
- Philosophy of mind
- Political societal decision making
Posted:11/16/15
Faculty Member
Eliot Jennings, Assistant Professor of Public Administration | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- Introduction to Emergency Management
- Hazard Preparedness and Mitigation
- Disaster Response and Recovery
- Public Administration
- State and Local Governments
- Public Budgeting
- Public Management
- Ethics in Public Administration
- Public Personnel Management
Areas of Interest:
- Public Finance
- Natural Disasters
- Technological Disasters
- Technology in Emergency Management
Possible Topics/Themes:
- Famines and drought disasters
- Bio/Chemical disasters
- Business continuity and emergency management
- Natural hazards and emergency management
- History of disasters
- Journalism and disasters
- Public health disasters
- Psychology of disasters
- Special populations in disasters
- Schools and disasters
Course Vision:
- "Emergency management is the discipline and profession of applying science, technology, planning and management to deal with extreme events that can injure or kill large numbers of people, do extensive damage to property, and disrupt community life." (Drabek and Hoetmer, 1991). As such emergency management is very multi and interdisciplinary field. The science aspect of emergency management incorporates both the hard sciences and social sciences. All phases of emergency management (preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation) incorporate a multitude of disciplines in order to enable public, non-profit and private organizations and individuals to effectively deal with natural and technological hazards. As well, emergency management can be approached from examining very specific hazards and how emergency managers deal with the threats posed by these hazards. These courses would allow for professors from multiple disciplines to draw upon their disciplinary knowledge and expertise to integrate and synthesize their knowledge and methods into one course.
Posted:11/16/15
Faculty Member
Olga Grisak, Assistant Professor of Radiologic Technology | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- Principles of Radiologic Exposure
- Digital Imaging
- Imaging Equipment (Physics)
- Radiation Biology
- Computed Tomography
Areas of Interest:
- Radiation Biology
- Medical Physics
- Patient Care
Possible Topics/Themes:
- History of Radiology
- Application of Forensic Radiology in Criminal Justice
- Computer-Aided Diagnosis in Medical Imaging
Course Vision:
- Medical radiology has existed for over a century. Starting from discovery of x-rays by Dr. Rontgen in 1895, radiology had evolved, quite often under necessity dictated by major historical events, such as WWI.As the radiologic sciences have advanced over the years, they became more accurate and relevant for investigating crimes and gathering evidence. Computer-aided diagnosis is entering the radiology mainstream. It utilizes computerized techniques for advances image processing, image feature analysis, data classification, and quantitative computations to assist radiologists and technologists in their medical decision-making processes.
Posted:11/16/15
Faculty Member
Patti Ward, Professor of Radiologic Technology | [email protected]
Course Vision:
- Art and Health Sciences-drawing bones, muscles, bacteria, viruses, etc.
Posted:11/16/15
Faculty Member
Luis Silva-Villar, Professor of Spanish | [email protected]
Area of Interest:
- Language and Linguistics
- Journalism
Possible topics:
- History
- Politics
- Music
- Latin America
- Culture
Posted: 5/17/16
Faculty Member
Mayela Vallejos-Ramirez, Professor of Spanish | [email protected]
Area of Interest:
- Spanish Literature
- Mexican Revolution
- Women's Literature
- Cooking and Literature
- Latin American Theater
- Spanish Theater
- Chorotegan Pottery with a study abroad component
Faculty Member
Jennifer LaBombard-Daniels, Assistant Professor of Teacher Education | [email protected]
Recently Taught Courses:
- Methods of Teaching Science & Social Science
- Classroom Management for K-12
- Teaching as a Profession
- Pedagogy and Assessment
- Methods of Teaching Secondary Science: Secondary and K-12
Areas of Interest:
- Social Science
- Science
- Class Management
- Foundations Assessment and Pedagogy
Possible Topics/Themes:
- STEM
- Experimental Learning/Journaling
- Educational Theory
- How to run a club
- Intro/PD on what it is and benefits
- Flipping the classroom
- Grant writing for educators
- Crafting and coloring as therapy
- Animal therapy
Posted:11/16/15
Faculty Member
Jeanine Howe, Associate Professor of Theatre | [email protected]
Recently-Taught Courses:
- All Dramatic Literature Courses (beg. to advanced)
- Michael Chekhov Acting Technique
- Playwriting
- Directing
- Stage Movement
- Theatre History
Areas of Interest:
- HIV/AIDS and the social and cultural stigma created by it
- Performance Art
- Devised Theatre Pieces
- The Solo Performance
- Playwrights and their relationship to culture (any era)
- Vaudeville
- The Living Newspaper
Possible Topics/Themes:
- HIV/AIDS and the social and cultural stigma created by having it - could include study of plays like "Angels in America, "The Normal Heart" "As Is," etc.
- Creating a full media Performance Art Piece
- Creating a Contemporary Living Newspaper Show dealing with current political events/people
Course Vision:
- Theatre Arts is a flexible medium and can be used to teach about anything.
Posted:11/11/15