2018 Scholars Retreat

STS Student Workshop Titles and Descriptions

1) Food in AtlantaAccess and Impact

Presented by: Claire Barnes (19C, Philosophy and Religion)

Description: No previous knowledge is necessary; all are welcome. This session will
explore the complexities of food access in Atlanta, as well as discuss the ways in which
Atlanta communities are impacted by lack of food access. This session will primarily
work on mapping food insecure areas in Atlanta, and leave students with the resources to
get involved with the sustainable agriculture movement in Atlanta.

2) Ballers Teaching Ballers: Data Analytics Vs. the Eye Test On and Off the Court

Presented by: Gabe Baskin (19C, Political Science and Sociology) & David Nifong (19C)

Description: Scholars will learn about two competing spheres within basketball: Data
analytics and the eye test. Scholars will explore the data revolution in the NBA and
analyze what happens when numbers conflict with conventional thought. We will also
look at the intersectionality between player evaluation and race. Moving beyond
basketball, scholars will discuss where they see this conflict in todays world including
climate change and post truth America.

3) Lullwater: Emorys Not-So-Hidden Gem!

Presented by: Ellen Dymit (19C, Environmental Sciences and Biology)

Description: Come discuss the fascinating history, research, ecology, and overall wonder
of Emory University's 135-acre nature preserve, Lullwater! Learn about past and ongoing
research that has been conducted in the forest as well as its conservation concerns, wild
and wacky stories, and basic field ecology such as plant and animal identification. At the
end of the program, your newfound naturalist skills will be put to the test via fun trivia
and activities. Hopefully this session will inspire you to take advantage of the beautiful
nature preserve that we have in our own backyard!

4) Keeping the "YOU" in your Interviews

Presented by: Willi Freire (19B, Political Science and Business Administration)

Description: This workshop will be centered around strategies to best convey your
personal story during a formal, professional context, such as interviews, networking
sessions, and beyond. Having experienced the urge to be authentic, while still being
 professional, in hopes of finding that right "fit" has inspired me to relay some helpful tips
to my fellow peers. The main takeaways of this session will be understanding the
importance and gravity of your own personal narrative, while having taken in some key
strategies to nail that "Who are you?" question or the "Walk me through your resume."
plead, which are quite frequent and can be quite impactful, if answered thoroughly and
clearly.

5) The Score Behind the Screen

Presented by: Jacob Germany (20C, Music)

Description: This seminar will discuss the elements that compose a film score, the music
that accompanies a film. We will explore the history and evolution of film scores as well
as watch some movies like Jaws, E.T., Star Wars, and more! So please silence your cell
phones as we divulge into the wonderful world of music and film.

6) Emory is Actually Located in the City of Atlanta: the 2017 Atlanta Elections

Presented by: Angela Jiang (19C, Environmental Sciences)

Description: This month, Atlantans elected two women out of nine mayoral candidates to
a runoff, elected what was essentially an entirely new city council, and annexed Emory
University into its boundaries. What could this all possibly mean for us?? What were the
feisty, questionable, and defining moments that led up to such a crowded race? And what
are the biggest issues at stake that we at Emory now have a say in? All this and more as
we celebrate what is hopefully a stronger relationship between our university and the city
we should call home.

7) Mummy Talk: Introduction to Middle Egyptian Hieroglyphs

Presented by: Leah Neiman (18C, Ancient Mediterranean Studies)

Description: More than just pretty symbols on a coffin, Egyptian Hieroglyphs combine
art, language, and an ancient understanding of the cosmos. The glyphs an author choses
to spell a word contribute as much to the text's meaning as the words themselves. Middle
Egyptian began being used during the Middle Kingdom (c. 2025 BCE), and continued to
be used for monumental inscriptions through into the New Kingdom, even after it was no
longer a spoken language. In this workshop we will explore how the language functions
primarily in funerary contexts, and participants will learn the basic unilateral
(monosyllabic) signs. Participants will learn how to write their own names in hieroglyphs
and challenge themselves to translate an offering formula commonly found on coffins
from this period.
8) Mind/Body: The Co-Dependence of Methodologies to Understand the Way Things
Are

Presented by: Amanda Obando (19C, Interdisciplinary Studies)

Description: Have you ever wondered why the constellation Orion is paired up with the
image of a dude with a club? If not, have you ever wondered why we do labs for the
sciences? Or, why we write papers for Dance or Film? Maybe you haven't but I have, and
have come to realize that the mind and body are inseparable to fully understand and know
about the world around us and within us. My research in Interdisciplinary Studies focuses
in this perceived dichotomy through the fields of Movement Studies, Philosophy,
Anthropology, Film (Photography), Philosophy, and consequentially, Religion. The focus
of this STS is to understand this dilemma through thought and action by creating a visual
project on the spot! Specifically, we will tackle the seemingly unrelated topics
of improvised movement and astronomy/physics by thinking and doing them, and
creating evidence for their relationship with photography and a projector. Come along if
you're resonate with any of these fields!