What makes something visually stunning? Is it the thrill of chasing something bigger and better, or is it the experience of something small and relatable? 

Do video games make us violent or do violent people gravitate to video games? Can video games make us smarter or are they making our minds weaker? Those questions make up only a small piece of what psychologists have to say about how video games impact our behavior.

Are you interested in understanding and addressing one of the most critical issues of our time? Enroll in “Solving the Climate Crisis – a Science-Based Approach to Climate Adaptation and Mitigation” to gain a solid foundation in the science of climate change.

While ADHD has often been understood as a disorder that individuals must overcome in order to be successful, some researchers have begun to examine how ADHD traits can be the source of great creativity and innovation.

This course will focus on reading of contemporary graphic novels, a form with a voice made through juxtaposing visual art and written text. Our readings will focus on unique demands this voice places on readers, writers/ artists, and how a form first known for pulp science fiction and melodrama now engages in “culture work” by telling stories about race, gender, addiction, sexuality, censorship, and terrorism through apocalyptic narratives.

Climate change isn’t just happening “out there,” but right here in the Commonwealth as well. This class will focus on communities in Virginia that are being impacted by sea-level rise and other changes associated with a warming world. How are they experiencing climate change and how are they responding?

All kids play, right? It seems spontaneous, often unstructured, and even though we say “kids need time to play,” we don’t pay a lot of attention to what kids DO when they play.

We don’t have to look far today to find scientific issues viewed as controversial or with distrust—vaccines, artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and climate change, just to name a few.

This class delves into a different kind of war—not one of guns and bombs but a centuries-old battle over what history should be taught and commemorated. While I’ve always been passionate about studying history, it wasn’t until my years teaching high school history in Southeast Dallas that I began questioning the content mandated for our students. Why, for instance, did my students need to know about WWI Medal of Honor recipient Alvin York but not about Tulsa’s “Black Wall Street”?

In Arabic culture, food transcends the simple act of nourishment to become a vital thread in the fabric of daily life. It is a cultural touchstone, reflecting a rich tapestry of history and tradition that varies across different regions of the Arab world. Hospitality is a cornerstone value, and meals are a profound expression of warmth and generosity.