Simpson Colloquium

Why do some Americans hold false beliefs about politics and policy issues, and why are those beliefs hard to change?  In this class, we will learn how psychological factors and the nature of today's media make us vulnerable to misinformation or "fake news."  We will see how voters are misled by political rhetoric, TV advertising, and viral news on social media.  You will then play the role of an investigative journalist by fact checking (and debunking) fake news in real time in the 2020 Iowa Caucus campaign.

Meet your instructor
Kendron Bardwell
Professor of Political Science, Department Chair of Political Science, Division Head of Social Science

Kedron Bardwell serves as a professor, mentor, and internship supervisor, working closely with students to achieve their professional goals. He also represents Simpson College in the Simpson/RABA Research poll and remains active in political science by conducting surveys and assessing political attitudes.

His political commentary has been cited in national news outlets like the New York Times, CNN.com, USA Today, The New Yorker, and NPR.

Both technology and society are changing rapidly.  New technologies drive changes to society, but society can also influence the direction of technological change.  This course will explore the future of technology, particularly what is possible over the next 20 to 30 years, and how it may change society as we know it.  Just as important, we will discuss how individuals and groups can (and should) influence the evolution of these technologies.  Just a few of the topics we will cover include future directions in space exploration, the creation of intelligent agents and robots and how we will interact with them, and how new genetic research will change the human life span.

Meet your instructor
Carolyn Brodie
Assistant Professor of Computer Science

Carolyn Brodie joined the Department of Computer Science as an Assistant Professor in the fall of 2018. Before this she was an adjunct professor in the Computer Science department at Simpson for seven years.  She received her B.S. degree from Iowa State University in Computer Engineering and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  She worked for IBM both as a Research Staff Member at the IBM Watson Research Center in New York and as a software developer and software development manager in IBM’s Federal Systems Division in Maryland. Her research interests are in the area of Human Computer Interaction.  In particular she is interested in how to leverage emerging technologies to design systems that solve real user problems in real-world domains.

A survey of recent popular culture reveals that we are in a dystopian fervor.  Our political situation seemingly reflects this as well, with both the LEft and Right lamenting our current situation.  This class asks: Well, how did we get here?  What have we lost by emphasizing dysfunction?  Where does utopian thinking lead us?  Utopian thinking was one of the fundamental elements of the Enlightenment project.  Works by Thomas More and Francis Bacon helped to establish its parameters.  Later, Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Edward Bellamy outlined many of the projects that reformers would pursue in the 20th century.  However, with the wartime horrors of that century, and American liberalism's need to distinguish itself from other imperial projects during the Cold War, utopian thinking largely fell out of favor.  This class seeks to revisit the history of utopian thought, rediscovering and considering afresh its potential and its pitfalls.  From religious precedents to more recent countercultural visions, we will explore both the ideas of utopian thinking and the forms in which it emerged in words, images, and communities.  Along the way, we'll revisit our own values and ethical frameworks and consider how utopian thinking might help us negotiate a world of competing interests and values.

Meet your instructor
J.J. Butts
Associate Professor of English

I enjoy teaching a wide variety of courses in American literature, culture, and film, while specializing in modern, contemporary, and multiethnic literature.  Prior to joining the English faculty at Simpson in 2011, I worked at Wartburg College, Syracuse University, American University, and several schools in New York City, including Hunter College and the Fashion Institute of Technology.  I have published articles on depictions of public housing in New Deal guidebooks and on urban collective novels, and an essay on African American documentary texts in the 1940s was just published in African American Review. My current book project, Building in the Valley of Ashes: Community and Development in New Deal Era Urban Literature, highlights the promotion of narratives of community, modernity, and development in New Deal documentary texts and literary responses by African American and Jewish writers from the 1930s to the 1950s.  I am one of the founding organizers of MUCH: The Midwest Undergraduate Conference in the Humanities and also serve as the book review editor for The Space Between: Literature and Culture, 1914-45, a journal of interdisciplinary scholarship focusing on the period between the World Wars.

Outside my teaching and scholarly activities, I enjoy spending time with my family; pursuing outdoor activities including hiking, biking, and climbing; exploring Iowa’s cultural, culinary, and musical resources; and playing various stringed instruments (primarily the banjo).

The United States places a high importance on the pursuit of happiness, yet in study after study, many other countries outrank the U.S. on measures of happiness. In this course, we will examine global happiness from ten different cultural perspectives, ranging from “happiness is failure” in Iceland to “happiness is not thinking” in Thailand to “happiness is home” in the U.S. Through readings, films, and activities, we will discover the wide variety of routes to happiness. Do you think you know what will make you happy? You might be surprised!

Meet your instructor
Tricia Calkins
Professor of German

Patricia Calkins has taught at Simpson College since 1997. She has taken students on semesters abroad eight times and on numerous May Term experiences. Helping students to respectfully interact with new cultures and people is one of her passions. She works towards the inclusion of all people into the Simpson community and is particularly interested in serving those who are culturally and linguistically different from the majority culture of Iowa. She is spearheading the development of an English as a Second Language program at the college as part of these efforts.

You will use critical thinking skills to learn about the U.S. policies that removed American Indians, forcing them to walk from Tennessee to Oklahoma - "Indian Country," causing 1/4 of the tribe to die along the way. Through a social justice lens, we will study the factors that led up to the Indian removal. We will travel by van over an extended fall break to the original home of the Cherokees in Tennessee and across the Trail of Tears to the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. Only the most adventurous students should select this course. There is a fee of $500 for travel & food costs for the trip (you may apply for student financial aid).

Meet your instructor
Carolyn Dallinger
Professor of Criminal Justice and Social Work, Chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice

Prior to coming back to teach at her alma mater, Simpson College, Carolyn served as a social worker serving disabled children and abused women and children; as an Executive Director of a domestic violence agency; as a supervisor of Human Rights Investigators; and as a Human Rights Attorney. Carolyn thrives in bringing these various experiences into the classroom to benefit her students.

The path has been a popular metaphor for life. It is full of twists and turns, choices and roads not taken. Often the journey takes you someplace you did not seek and it challenges you to grow in ways you did not anticipate. This course will explore the metaphor of the path in various cultures through the study of literature, art and film. We will think critically about cultural perspectives and values throughout our studies and seek to trace our own life's path and the possibilities that lay before us. What better time to think about your path than when you begin the new adventure at Simpson College? Hopefully your eyes will open to all the possibilities that lie ahead and allow you to make informed decisions about your journey. 

Meet your instructor
Tracy Dinesen
Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Department Chair of World Language & Culture Studies, Professor of Spanish

Tracy Dinesen serves as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs aiding all students at Simpson College to persist to graduation by coordinating retention and student success efforts across the college. She is a mentor, teacher, and advisor that enjoys working closely with students from all backgrounds and identities. Dr. Dinesen assists students in learning more about their personal strengths and working purposefully to achieve their goals. She is passionate about Spain and Spanish culture and she incorporates projects, creative ideas and rich cultural interactions into her classes.

If everyone is a few paychecks away from being homeless, then how do some people dig out of debt and others don't? What is social privilege, and what role does it play in the cycle of poverty? Why do some people almost inherently know how to access social welfare resources (food stamps, debt repayment options, housing help, etc.) and others don't? Students in this class will examine issues related to poverty, privilege, homelessness, and drug use. Activities will include a visit to a homeless shelter, a project dealing with personal finances, and engagement with several guest speakers who work directly with those in need.

Meet your instructor
Amy Doling
Professor of Biology and Department Chair of the Department of Biology and Environmental Science

Amy Doling moved to Indianola in 2002 after completing graduate school, and she teaches microbiology, immunology, principles of biology, and biochemistry seminar. She also teaches a May Term class entitled The Political and Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and works very closely with Iowans living with HIV. Dr. Doling shares her home with two slobbery and naughty basset hounds named Miles and Baxter and always has a visiting dog or three.     

This course explores walking, including its history and recent research on the remarkable benefits of walking. We will read about walking and at least once a week we will actually walk through parts of Indianola. Reflection on our walks will help us learn to become careful readers and thoughtful writers. We will also participate in a service project close to campus (walking to the site) to become better acquainted with the community and invest ourselves in its welfare. 

Meet your instructor
Jan Everhart
Professor of Religion, Department Chair

Jan Everhart arrived at Simpson in 2003 after completing a mid-life Ph.D. She works with students from many disciplines and teaches several interdisciplinary classes. She mentors students in a variety of fields including ministry.

Course participants will learn the basics of financial literacy and develop vital financial management skills. The goal is for all class members to be able to think critically about their own consumption decisions and the trade-offs of spending versus saving or investing. In short: All the things you wish you’d been taught about money, and the things you actually need to know!
 
More broadly, we will examine how money is treated in popular culture, including movies and music. In addition, we will study some of the strategies, appeals, and execution tactics that advertisers use to influence the decision process when consumers compare insurance, credit cards, and other financial products and services.
 
Topics covered will include some or all of the following: setting up a budget; student loan debt; leasing versus buying a car; credit cards; signing rental agreements for apartments; home mortgages; buying life insurance; investing in the stock market; credit scores; and 401K and IRA retirement plans.

Meet your instructor
Mark Green
Professor of Management

Dr. Green is Professor of Management. He teaches courses in management, marketing, advertising, international marketing, and entrepreneurship and innovation. He has also been a Visiting Professor at the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business where he has taught undergraduate and MBA sections of International Marketing. During the 2011-2012 academic year, Dr. Green taught international marketing for the Consortium of Universities for International Studies (CUIS) in Paderno del Grappa, Italy. He directed Simpson's Semester in London program in 1997 and again in 2017.

Have you ever taken a forest bath? When was the last time you unplugged and went on a walk in the woods? Did you know hugging a tree might lower your blood pressure and improve your mood? Current neuroscience research is taking us back, far back in time and suggesting a multitude of physiological benefits to immersion in nature. Following the work of Dr. Eva Selhub and Dr. Alan Logan, in this course, Your Brain on Nature will look at the effects that both nature and technology have on the brain's functioning and one's overall well-being. Your Brain on Nature offers an antidote to technology addiction through scientifically proven, nature-based methods for reducing stress, improving cognitive powers, and boosting the efficiency of exercise. And,we'll go on hikes! 

Meet your instructor
Marcy Hahn
Director of Graduate Teacher Education Programs, Assistant Professor of Teacher Education

Several years ago, Los Angeles Times journalist Charles McNulty wrote, “Eco-consciousness is on the rise in the arts, from mainstream films [to] popular music.” Just as art and life cannot be separated, neither can people from place. In this course, we will explore how culture, nature, and the arts are all connected. We will take on topics from animal rights and pollution to the appreciation of natural beauty and our fears of environmental apocalypse. Some pieces we might respond to include plays such as The Kentucky Cycle by Robert Schenkkan, short fiction from James Morrow, and popular films like James Cameron’s Avatar and Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds.

Meet your instructor
Mimi Kammer
Assistant Professor of Theatre, Women’s and Gender Studies Faculty, Research and Creativity Symposium Co-Chair

Mimi Kammer arrived at Simpson College in the fall of 2013. She teaches literature, history, and directing classes, and directs one production each year. Plays directed for Simpson College include The Women of Lockerbie, Marisol, Pericles, Playhouse Creatures, and The Bald Soprano. She also teaches in the Women’s and Gender Studies program and frequently assist students with their writing and research projects for the annual Research and Creativity Symposium, which she co-chairs. Actively involved in theatre and dance since the age of three, Mimi has taught and performed in America and abroad in Italy, Germany, and St.Kitts/Nevis. She has also presented research in national and international conferences in the U.S., Denmark, South Africa and Canada. A former actor, her favorite roles include Agnes in Agnes of God, Phebe in As You Like It, Cordelia in King Lear, and Portia in Merchant of Venice. She is originally from eastern Pennsylvania and currently resides in West Des Moines.

Is it better to stick to your first impulse than go back and change multiple choice test answers? Does memory work like a video camera? Do we use only 10% of our brains? Do people really repress traumatic memories that can be recovered later? In this course, we will discuss what scientific research has to say in answer to questions such as these. You will discover that many people believe things that just aren’t true, and you’ll learn how to critically evaluate evidence to determine what the truth is. In addition, you will have the opportunity to apply the research on learning and memory to your own lives, and you will thus be able to discover which study strategies are most effective for you.

Meet your instructor
Sal Meyers
Director of Faculty Development, Professor of Psychology

I became a professor because I love learning and I love creating meaningful learning opportunities for others.  As a professor of psychology I help students learn to think like social psychologists.  Social psychology is the use of scientific theories and research methods to understand and explain how people’s thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and interpretations of their social worlds are influenced by characteristics of social situations and by other people.  People influence us intentionally and unintentionally, even when they are not actually with us, and even when we are not consciously aware of being influenced.  I also help students learn how to generate their own questions, systematically gather data to answer those questions, use statistical tools to analyze their results, and share the answers they’ve uncovered with others – that is, I teach statistics and research methods.

Over the years, I have taken many students to the Midwestern Psychological Association (MPA) conference in Chicago to present the results of their own research.  MPA accepts proposals from 80-85% of the undergraduates who submit proposals.  So far, 100% of the Simpson students who have applied have been accepted.  Three times in the last six or seven years Simpson students have even won the Psi Chi Regional Research Award.

When I’m not focused on teaching and learning, I enjoy relaxing with my pets.  I have 5 cats and 2 hamsters.  The hamsters, each in his or her own aquarium, serve as entertainment for the cats – kitty TV.

Baseball originated before the American Civil War and long dominated US sports. Though today its popularity is waning, the sport still has a global reach and plays an important part in the landscape of American sports. The course will address a number of topics pertaining to baseball, including:
• The history of baseball.
• The barriers that affected African Americans in baseball during the post-Civil War era and the effect of Jackie Robinson and Curt Flood on the game and society.
• The impact of women in executive roles in professional baseball and those who have played the game, such as the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
• Fundamentals and strategies for playing the game.
• The importance of statistics in baseball. This involves learning how to calculate traditional statistics (e.g., batting average and earned run average) and baseball’s new statistics (e.g., weighted on-base average and fielding independent pitching).
• Creating and managing fantasy baseball teams and leagues.
Students will have the opportunity to speak with baseball players, coaches, and analysts. Students will also attend an Iowa Cubs baseball game.

Meet your instructor
Jon Nachtigal
Assistant Professor of Sport Science & Health Education

Jon Nachtigal is an assistant professor of Sport Administration. He received his Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico in Sport Administration, his MBA from Colorado Technical University and his B.A. in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His research interests encompass several facets of sport administration, including analytics in sports, the effect of handedness in sports and risk management issues in sport.

Prior to joining the faculty at Simpson, Jon was an assistant women's softball coach at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges and taught sport administration at the University of New Mexico.

Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other (John F. Kennedy). What is leadership? What leadership opportunities are available for me? How can I develop my leadership skills? In this course we will investigate these questions, and critically examine theoretical and popular approaches to leadership. We will also explore issues of power, gender, culture, and ethics in leadership. Course materials will have great range from theoretical perspectives to what we can learn from Santa Claus about leadership. Readings, experiential exercises and self-reflection will aid students in understanding and articulating their personal values, practical definition, and philosophy of leadership. Students will apply their refined leadership skills in leading themselves, others, and their communities.

Meet your instructor
Barb Ramos
Professor of Education, Chair of the Teacher Education Department

Barb Ramos brings her experiences as an elementary teacher and elementary counselor to her work with students. She believes that teaching and learning should be a fun, collaborative, and engaging experience.

What would happen to the Earth if the Sun suddenly switched off?  How high can a human throw something? How many unique English tweets are possible?  Using the book “What If?” (by Randall Munroe, the creator of the webcomic xkcd) as a jumping off point, we’ll use some completely ridiculous but very amusing questions to explore what makes a ‘good’ question, how to find useful information to answer those questions, and how we can use mathematical tools to answer questions on all kinds of interesting topics.

Meet your instructor
Katherine Vance
Assistant Professor of Mathematics

Katherine Vance teaches a broad range of mathematics courses, from College Algebra and calculus to senior-level courses for math majors.  She also supervises undergraduate research and serves as an academic advisor.  She remains active in knot theory research and is actively involved in the Iowa Section of the Mathematical Association of America.

Financial literacy is essential in meeting the financial challenges of the 21st Century.  This course is designed to empower students with knowledge and enable them to analyze their personal financial decisions, evaluate the costs and benefits of their decisions, recognize their rights and responsibilities as consumers, and apply the knowledge learned in school to financial situations encountered later in life.
 
We will utilize mass media, TV shows, and social media content to explore topics such as how to create and use budgets, to purchase/lease a car, how to rent or buy a home, how to buy major appliances, how to choose and insurance/investment broker, and how to plan/pay for major life events like marriage, education, and retirement. The course is designed to be enjoyable, relatable, and a stepping stone to future financial success.

Meet your instructor
John Walker
Assistant Professor of Management

John Walker serves as a professor, advisor, and business mentor, engaging with students to achieve their business and entrepreneurial goals.  He works closely with the Edwards Entrepreneurship Center and the Emerge@Simpson Program, helping students start and develop businesses.  He is also the faculty advisor to the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization.

He is an active member of the metro business community and enjoys developing personal business ventures.

If you love to argue with your parents, this is the course for you! Students will learn principles of debate, including research, argumentation, cross examination, and refutation. Students will also apply their skills in real-world, spontaneous argumentation, complete with analytical tools to engage in discussion and analysis with friends, co-workers, and colleagues in a variety of disciplines, but with a focus on current events. The course emphasizes civil, reasoned discourse - true persuasion does not occur as a result of shouting, demeaning your opponent, or lying. 

Meet your instructor
Spencer Waugh
Director of Speech and Debate

Spencer Waugh started Simpson’s Debate Team in 2011, and added the speech component in 2013.  Simpson now has a comprehensive program that includes six different styles of debate and over a dozen individual events. Mock Trial was added in 2016.  Spencer spends several weekends a year traveling with Simpson’s speech and debate team.  The team practices two evenings each week.  Practices start late August and the season wraps up early April. All Simpson students are welcome and encouraged to join the team.  Simpson College won the National Pi Kappa Delta Debate Tournament in 2016 and again in 2018.

Mindfulness is a way of attending to the experience of the present moment in a way that  is fully aware and without judgment.  This course provides you with an introduction to mindfulness, both through reading, writing, and contemplation practices. You will read and write about the benefits of present-mindfulness to your studies, work, and relationships.  You will learn how the study of mindfulness can foster greater resilience, especially during challenging times. You will also learn individual and group practices designed to increase understanding of self and others by identifying and limiting distractions, slowing and concentrating time, and achieving wakefulness and calm. The goal of all of these practices is to reduce stress and distraction by gaining control of one’s breath and one’s thinking with the added results of greater confidence and freedom. We will also explore the historical roots of mindfulness and meditation, contrasting the technique of mindfulness meditation in the past with its more contemporary versions.

Meet your instructor
Ann Woldt
Assistant Professor of Theatre

Ann Woldt is an assistant professor and head of the departments Recruitment and Educational Outreach program.  She teaches classes in acting, voice, and arts management. As head of the departments educational outreach, she is in charge of recruitment for the department and our annual High School Theatre Festival.   She also direct every year for Theatre Simpsons mainstage season.   Recent directing credits include, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, These Shining Lives, and Noises Off. In addition to teaching and directing, she has worked as a professional voiceover artist and actor for the past 20 years where she has been featured in numerous national, regional, and local radio and television commercials as well as documentaries and audiobooks.