Course Descriptions

Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3

Session 1 Courses

BASEBALL AND CULTURE
A baseball field is called a diamond, and the sport is diamond-like in its multi-faceted nature.
Originally seen as the quintessence of American culture, it is now a worldwide game; once segregated, it now embraces players of every kind. It has its own chronicled history, yet it is also suffused with myth and legend. It is played with passion, but ruled by statistics. Baseball has its own symbolic code, its own system of signs, and its own language. Chance and luck, sport and business all meet on the field. Mathematics and physics describe it, as do art and poetry. We will examine this many-sided sport through a variety of lenses—fiction, poetry, journalism, films, television—always keeping in mind that it is “just a game.”
–Roy Gottfried

FRIENDS AND ENEMIES IN ANCIENT GREECE
Kanye West and 50 Cent; Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie: friends, enemies, or frenemies? And what do these 21st-century celebrity relationships have to do with Aristotle? In this course, we’ll explore ancient conceptions of friendship and loyalty, and we’ll examine the consequences that can arise from strategic interactions with one’s enemies. We’ll expand our analytical reading skills through our use of sources such as Homer’s Iliad, Euripedes’ Medea, and Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus, and, of course, we’ll touch upon our personal experiences and observations to inform our discussion about the everyday relationships that can have profound effects on social institutions. Come prepared for close reading and open discussion, and we may even achieve Aristotle’s conception of the highest order of friendship: “good people alike in virtue helping each other become better.”
–Susan Ford Wiltshire

HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY
This course will familiarize students with the history of the Christian religion, beginning with its roots in Messianic Judaism, moving through its status as an illicit, licit, and then favored religion of the Roman Empire, up to the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. We will explore the experience of ancient and medieval Christians in order to establish a basis of comparison for reflection upon its modern practice, especially as it is seen in the United States. Historical issues will be considered alongside theological developments to provide students with a contextual account of the variety of beliefs and practices. Although the majority of our class time will be spent looking at Western Christianity (particularly the Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions), we will consider the impact of Eastern Orthodox forms of Christianity as well. Students who register for this course should be prepared to read and discuss difficult and thought-provoking primary material in a classroom environment that is open-minded and respectful.
–David Dunn

INTRODUCTION TO TECHNOLOGY
In the world of nanotechnology, less is more. This course is designed to introduce students to the broad field of science and engineering at the atomic scale through cutting-edge examples and hands-on experiences in self-assembly, surface science, molecular engineering, nanomaterials fabrication, and nanobiotechnology. We will ask and explore the following questions: What makes certain molecules self-assemble into useful nanoscale structures? How do you convert solar energy to electrical power by using a protein? How do you design a surface to specifically detect a virus? Can we create materials that contain as much surface area as a football field in a single gram? In very little time you will discover the answers to these and other problems in the science of small things.
–Kane Jennings

ANIMATED FILM STUDIES
From Toy Story to Chicken Run, from A Bug’s Life to Wallace and Gromit, many of the most successful animated films hold appeal for far more than just the Saturday morning cartoon set. Buried within the scripts that tickle funny bones of all ages, these films touch upon profound sociopolitical themes. In this course, we will use the tools of formal film analysis in conjunction with readings from The Communist Manifesto, The Condition of the Working Class in England, and The Organization Man to root out the political and social ideas operating throughout these films. By the end of this course, you will have stretched your conception of animated films “to infinity and beyond.”
–Christian Long

SHOUTS AND WHISPERS: FINDING YOUR VOICE
Writers are often told, “Write what you know.” Certainly, subject matter is important, but it is the author’s use of voice that is arguably the most important choice in writing. After all, whether one is writing fact or fiction, there is no story without voice. In this course, budding writers will have the opportunity to explore and develop their individual voices, while carefully considering their own approaches to and assumptions about the craft of writing. Through daily creative and expository writing practice, a wide range of readings, and group discussion and critique, we will build both the confidence and the skill base necessary to “tune in” to our writer’s voice. From shouts to whispers, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it that matters.
–Jan Harris

MATH AND MUSIC
Math is everywhere in music, from Brahms to the Beatles, Bartok to Ben Folds. Exploring the meeting point of mathematics and music opens up both worlds as expressions of beauty and wonder. This course will explore set theory, musical scales, matrices, serialism, compositional techniques, and the Fibonacci sequence, among other topics, helping students to reach a synthesis between the fields of math and music by the end of the course. Listening examples from various genres (classical, jazz, rock, etc.) will be an integral part of the classroom experience. Hands-on games and activities, including a musical composition written by the students using techniques learned in class, will allow you to refine your ideas about what music is and how it relates to math. A musical background is helpful but not required.
–Dawson Gray

THE MAGIC OF WORDS
Believe it or not, the dream of all kings, wizards, and magicians is the same. Be it through bestowing great honors, inflicting great punishments, or merely speaking “open sesame,” they seek power through language. From this perspective, magic is the bridge that spans the gap between thought and action, evidenced when we wish for something to come true, invoke someone whom we would like to have with us, or summon something from another reality (“my kingdom for a horse”). This course applies the magic of thinking to thinking about magic. Naturally, we will perform an array of experiments, including “time travel,” wish fulfillment, and mentalism. Along the way, we’ll explore the intersection of poetry, magic spells, mathematical codes, and language theory.
–Robert Barsky

HOW TO THINK LIKE AN ANTHROPOLOGIST
Through studying and debating case studies from various cultures—from the Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea to the Q’eqchi’ Maya of Guatemala and the Dobe’ Ju/’hoansi of the Kalahari Desert in Africa—we will learn about theories of culture, cultural relativity and the limits of objectivity, the practice of ethnographic fieldwork, and how local economies balance reciprocity and market exchange. While our intensive study will certainly teach us about other cultures in the world, perhaps the most important lesson will be for us to learn to look at (and talk about) our own cultures in new and exciting ways.
–Avery Dickins

Session 2 Courses

HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY
This course will familiarize students with the history of the Christian religion, beginning with its roots in Messianic Judaism, moving through its status as an illicit, licit, and then favored religion of the Roman Empire, up to the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. We will explore the experience of ancient and medieval Christians in order to establish a basis of comparison for reflection upon its modern practice, especially as it is seen in the United States. Historical issues will be considered alongside theological developments to provide students with a contextual account of the variety of beliefs and practices. Although the majority of our class time will be spent looking at Western Christianity (particularly the Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions), we will also consider the impact of Eastern Orthodox forms of Christianity as well. Students who register for this course should be prepared to read and discuss difficult and thought-provoking primary material in a classroom environment that is open-minded and respectful.
–David Dunn

FILM STUDIES: COMIC BOOK ADAPTATIONS
“Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound...” The language of comic books resonates outside the visual medium, but it is the images that leave indelible impressions upon readers. This course will delve into the visual rhetoric of super hero comics like Batman, X Men, and Spiderman as well as graphic novels such as League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, V for Vendetta, American Splendor, and Ghost World. We will then see how this visual rhetoric and the meanings attached to it persist in the cinematic adaptations of these comics. After acquiring a grounding in the basics of film as an art form, we’ll turn to critical voices including Karl Marx, Anthony Easthope, and Andrew Ross to understand how and why film adaptations of comic books differ from films adapted from novels, and why comic book adaptations encounter different levels of popular appeal and critical prestige.
–Christian Long

EYES ON THE SKIES: ASTRONOMY
Every night you can be an eyewitness to events that transpired millions of years ago, just by looking at the stars. This introduction to astronomy will combine cosmology—the study of the universe and humanity’s place in it—with hands-on observational techniques. Students will design experiments and collect and analyze data at the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory. We will use a variety of approaches: daytime sun observation and study, naked eye observation, spectral analysis, radio astronomy, astrophotography, computer simulation, and a nighttime telescope lab where students will learn to assemble and use 8” Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes. Traveling through millions of years of history and light years worth of space, students will leave with a greater understanding of their own place in the here and now.
–Billy Teets, with contributions from David Weintraub

DEAD MEN'S TALES: FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY
Dead men do tell tales. The field of forensic anthropology uses knowledge of human development to aid in reconstructing information from areas as diverse as archaeological digs to crime scenes. In this course, you will work with a large collection of human skeletal remains from archaeological and modern contexts, and complete a detailed examination of the human skeleton with an emphasis on identification of both complete and fragmentary skeletal elements. This will provide you with a solid understanding of normal adult skeletal anatomy, from which we will also examine methods for estimating age, gender, stature, and biological affinity from the skeleton as well as criteria for examining pathologies and trauma. Throughout the course, you will learn the application of osteological techniques within the fields of bioarchaeology and anthropological research.
–Carrie Anne Berryman

HANDS-ON ROBOTICS
From Star Trek’s Commander Data to Futurama’s Bender, robots have shaped our conception of
technology in the future. But what is the state of robotic technology today? In this overview course we will study the history of robots as well as the component fields of mechanical and electrical engineering. This course will also examine the conception of the behavior- based robot. We’ll also gain plenty of hands-on experience – conducting experiments and even building our own robots. Students will also have the opportunity to visit and study in Vanderbilt School of Engineering facilities such as the world-renowned Cognitive Robotics Lab.
–Mitch Wilkes

BIT BY BYTE: STORYTELLING IN THE DIGITAL AGE
From the invention of the written word to the development of cinema, storytelling has become increasingly high-tech. For many years, those who aspired to wide-scale distribution of their stories were often stymied by lack of access to the necessary equipment—be it a printing press, a phonographic recorder, or a Kinetoscope. Fortunately, 21st century professional storytelling technology is increasingly affordable and accessible. This class will place these tools in students’ hands, and we will use them to create art, podcasts, film and more. We’ll explore the various media used by storytellers past and present, discovering how media affects narrative and how the relationship between author and audience changes as a result of that choice. Paint or pixels; vectors or video—you’ll choose the narrative and make the creative decisions, adding your story to the digital world.
–Nathan Poole and Jake Wilson

NANOTECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
In applied science and engineering, the next big thing isn’t big at all. Nanotechnology explores our ability to manipulate miniature worlds and promises to revolutionize how we interact with our own world. This course will introduce students to the broad field of science and engineering at the atomic scale with a focus on two global issues—energy and health. Under the guidance of faculty members from the Vanderbilt Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, students will embark upon a journey through matter as we know it. Our hands-on activities will help answer questions such as “How can new lifesaving drugs be made more effective?” and “How can we create a protein to convert solar energy into electrical power?”
–Greg Walker, with contributions from Richard Haglund, James Dickerson, Todd Giorgio, David
Cliffel, Jim Davidson, and Kane Jennings

MATH AND MUSIC
Math is everywhere in music, from Brahms to the Beatles, Bartok to Ben Folds. Exploring the meeting point of mathematics and music opens up both worlds as expressions of beauty and wonder. This course will explore set theory, musical scales, matrices, serialism, compositional techniques, and the Fibonacci sequence, among other topics, helping students to reach a synthesis between the fields of math and music by the end of the course. Listening examples from various genres (classical, jazz, rock, etc.) will be an integral part of the classroom experience. Hands-on games and activities, including a musical composition written by the students using techniques learned in class, will allow students to refine their ideas about what music is and how it relates to math. A musical background is helpful but not required.
–Dawson Gray

WHALEHUNTING: BEGINNING THE NEXT GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL
It only took Herman Melville the better part of one summer to write Moby Dick, and Jack Kerouac famously bragged that he wrote On the Road in just three weeks. We hope to give those literary giants a run for their money. Often, aspiring novelists are daunted by the scope of the task in front of them. In this class, students will hone the arsenal of tools necessary for successful completion of a writing project of extended length. We will talk about conquering writer’s block, structuring narratives, developing characters, and manipulating plots. Most importantly, students will be given the opportunity to get started on their own voyage to the next great American novel.
–Jan Harris

Session 3 Courses

THE WESTERN CANON
The word canon means simply “rule” or “measure.” Hence, the notion of a “Western canon” would suggest that we will be studying texts that set the bounds by which Western civilization recognizes itself, traditionally called “the classics.” The trouble is that the term Western is relative to the position of the speaker. If one is standing in China, then France is western. If one is standing in Alaska, is China western? Additionally, massive immigration, cultural cross-fertilization, and the waning authority of traditional Western power structures further complicate our notions of Western civilization. Thus, this “great books” course is something of a Trojan Horse. Some texts will be selected based upon their perennial significance, including the Bible, Plato, Augustine, Dante, Machiavelli, Locke, and Paine. Others, like the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Qur’an, will serve to destabilize our concept of Western civilization (for example, by showing its indebtedness to the East). Less widely read, but not less important figures such as Marx, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Dostoyevsky, and Wiesel will help us moderns come to terms with the legacy of
Western civilization and its role in contemporary life. Since we will avoid the standard fare of most high school curricula, students should be independently motivated to digest difficult material usually encountered for the first time in rigorous college courses. We will also spend time in daily seminar discussions, where we will come to terms with the content of the reading, evaluate its historical significance, and consider its contemporary relevance. Students will spend the final days of class developing constructive, argumentative theses that they will present and defend before their peers.
–David Dunn

SPECIAL TOPICS IN MATH
This course offers a unique opportunity for highly motivated students to expand their knowledge and comprehension of math. Students will spend part of their time working independently on a math area of their choosing (Algebra II, Pre-calculus, or Calculus, depending on prior experience). As students progress, they will be asked to demonstrate their increased competence through brief tests administered by the instructional staff, who will always be available to provide individual guidance and feedback. In addition, students will participate in whole-class discussions and activities that introduce topics from advanced disciplines such as linear algebra, combinatorics, logic, and game theory. Students will leave the class with a sampling of these higher-level topics, a more advanced understanding of their chosen math area, and an increased understanding of how math is used in the world today. Algebra I and Geometry are prerequisites for this course.
–Dawson Gray

FILM STUDIES: SHAKESPEARE ON SCREEN
The works of William Shakespeare are firmly enshrined in the studies of literature, theatre, psychology, and even American culture. Often overlooked, however, is their contribution to film. What lessons do Shakespearean adaptations offer when they are presented on the big screen? Do these lessons differ from those gleaned from the plays as written literature? If so, why? To begin to answer these questions, we will combine the tools of literary analysis honed in reading Hamlet, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, and The Taming of the Shrew with the skills of formal film analysis developed by our viewings of Shakespearean adaptations from such directors as Orson Welles, Bas Luhrman, and Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. Students will leave with enhanced critical reading skills, in addition to more keenly developed abilities to analyze and synthesize ideas across a variety of genres and media.
–Christian Long

THE GREATEST NOVEL EVER?
Don Quixote is widely considered the first modern novel, but is it also the greatest novel ever written? A 2002 survey of the world’s most respected authors concluded as much, and now VSA students are invited to decide for themselves. Through a team of narrators, Miguel de Cervantes tells the fascinating tale of a country gentleman turned knight errant, a man who puts his reading of the romances of chivalry into practice. He is off-kilter, certainly, but there is method in his madness. Running parallel to the adventures of Don Quixote is the strange and intriguing story of the creation of the modern novel, which Cervantes integrated into the very text of his greatest work of fiction. His manner of presentation is never dry and academic, but rather, always exciting, baffling, and clever. The course will begin with an introduction to the many contexts of Don Quixote, along with a reading and discussion of several short stories and other background materials. Our centerpiece will be the close reading and detailed discussion of the novel. Students will have the opportunity to participate actively in group discussion, to consider how scholars have studied Don Quixote, to add their own writings to the critical dialogue, and to reflect on the influence of Don Quixote on the development of the novel as a form of literature. Students will even do some creative writing in a “quixotic” vein. Entertaining, delightfully exasperating, and potentially life-changing, come discover why, in the world of literature, “Nobody doesn’t like Don Quixote.”
–Edward Friedman

TO BE OR NOT: EXISTENTIALISM TODAY
Existentialism has been variously identified as a philosophy, literary movement, psychology,
political agent, and an attitude of sullen teens. It asks what does it mean to make a choice, and how do our choices create meaning in the world? Is “Freedom,” as Janis Joplin put it, “just another word for nothing left to lose”? In our three weeks together, we will examine how novels, plays and philosophical essays of the classic existentialists—Simone de Beauvoir, Jean- Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus—confront the modern condition, especially with regard to the dynamic of freedom, social responsibility, and the construction of identity and selfhood. We will consider the themes that emerge from these works, directed by our own interests as well as by these authors’ obsessions. Such themes will undoubtedly include the condition of the self within a social world constructed through gender, race, national allegiances, and economic and technological contingencies. We will then explore how the ideas of these influential thinkers mold and find new expression in various contemporary writers and artists. Texts will include Camus’s The Fall and Myth of Sisyphus, Sartre’s No Exit and The Wall (no relation to the Pink Floyd movie, but we’ll probably look at
that as well), De Beauvoir’s The Women Destroyed, Anouilh’s Antigone, as well as poems by Margaret Atwood and music by Bob Dylan.
–Mark Schoenfield

ANTHROPOLOGY IN THE AGE OF GLOBALIZATION
The science of anthropology has traditionally been concerned with studying the diverse cultures and practices of the world’s people. But what happens in an era of globalization, when people in Nashville, Guatemala City, and Beijing all drink grande lattes and eat Big Macs? In this course, we will investigate the phenomenon of globalization and ask what it means for indigenous peoples in Latin America and elsewhere. In the process, we will situate today’s globalization in a historical context, explore theories of culture and cultural relativity, and learn how economies are embedded in culture by applying a substantive economic approach to case studies. We will examine how globalization affects inhabitants of developing countries, and how individuals in these societies resist globalization or use it to their advantage. The course will culminate in a hands-on ethnographic study in which you will apply the methodology of sociocultural anthropology to your own research.
–Avery Dickins

HANDS-ON ROBOTICS
From Star Trek’s Commander Data to Futurama’s Bender, robots have shaped our conception of technology in the future. But what is the state of robotic technology today? In this overview course we will study the history of robots as well as the component fields of mechanical and electrical engineering. This course will also examine the conception of the behavior-based robot. We’ll also gain plenty of hands-on experience – conducting experiments and even building our own robot. Students will also have the opportunity to visit and study in Vanderbilt School of Engineering facilities such as the world-renowned Cognitive Robotics Lab.
–Mitch Wilkes

THE TRAVEL WRITER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY
In ancient times, cartographers would mark uncharted areas with “hic sunt dracones,” creating an air of intriguing mystery through the statement “here be dragons.” Modern mapping has eliminated many of the mysteries of world geography, yet travel to new places still holds both mystery and allure. Travel writing, however, remains an often-misunderstood subject matter. Perhaps this is because it defies strict classification. In this class we will examine how travel writing is an amalgam of many genres—journalism, memoir, essay, cartography, and more. Aspiring writers will have the opportunity to learn how these different styles of writing can combine to change the way we perceive the world. We will begin our journey by reading about travel writing, exploring new places (literally and figuratively), and discussing and critiquing our own writing. As the term progresses, we will move beyond the boundaries of traditional journalistic travel writing and discuss the philosophical implications of the ways in which we conceptualize information about “distant places.” For example, we’ll question how technology, from ancient maps to the Internet, has changed the way we conceive of far-off destinations. Modern travel writer Tom Miller has said that the finest travel writing describes what’s going on when nobody’s looking. Indeed, the travel writer is part chameleon, part anthropologist, and part adventurer—but above all else, a writer. Pack your bags for the trip of a lifetime, and don’t forget your notebook!
–Jan Harris

MED SCHOOL 101
Spend three weeks this summer immersed in learning about human organ systems, emerging public health issues, and what it means, practically and ethically, to practice medicine in today’s world. Vanderbilt Summer Academy and the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine have partnered to bring a bit of the med school experience to highly qualified high school students who aspire to a career in medicine. Bringing an integrated curriculum to the study of medicine, Med School 101 will utilize small group discussions, laboratory exercises, traditional lectures, and Problem Based Learning—an exciting approach in which students will learn to analyze and to diagnose case studies of real medical conditions. This course will also utilize the available resources of the Vanderbilt School of Medicine—from faculty lectures to Vanderbilt labs.