Lobotomy to LSD: Research Exploitation of Especially Vulnerable Children During the 20th Century in the United States

Dr. Newman recently co-authored a book called "Against Their Will" about the exploitation of children in medical and psychological experiments throughout the 1900s. She also frequently gives conference presentations about the rights of children as research participants. After discussing the forces at play in the last century that may have led researchers astray, and presenting the ethical principles that should guide researchers, she will give a brief summary of the book "Against Their Will" and highlight some of the key research studies that were exposed in the book in areas such as radiation, vaccination, diet, psychological treatment, etc. Dr. Newman will also speak of research misconduct in which researchers fabricated or fudged data (e.g., the Wakefield study regarding a link between autism and vaccines) with serious ripple effects.
Dr. Judith Newman

A Balanced Introduction

The past few decades have seen the emergence of the "Mindfulness Revolution" in mainstream American popular culture. Hospitals, prisons, daycare centers, college campuses ... mindfulness meditation is seemingly everywhere these days. In fact, since the inception of Buddhism nearly 2500 years ago, Buddhists have understood various facets of their tradition to be sources of health and healing. But how established are the links between meditation and physical health? Dr. Salguero will give an overview of the history, contemporary practice, and academic study of mindfulness meditation practice. He will situate the contemporary focus on the health benefits of meditation within the global history of Buddhism and medicine, and will outline the many rich and complex Buddhist approaches to healing that have been (and still are) used globally, and will suggest directions for further historical and clinical research beyond meditation.
Dr. C. Pierce Salguero

Political Activism, African American Women, and Religion

In historical and narrative works, the sociopolitical activism of African American women has often been linked to religiosity as a resource providing both inspiration and organizational skills. Very little empirical evidence exists, however, to corroborate these finds. Utilizing recent survey data collected from African American women residing in the Philadelphia area, this program examines the ways in which various dimensions of religiosity intersect with their communal and political activities. Presentations can be modified to cover such issues as (1) the “spillover effect” theory (i.e. the popular assumption that Black women acquire certain church-based skills that are subsequently transferred to the political arena; (2) differences and similarities in traditional Black vs. White denominations relative to Black women’s political activism of the Black church and its influence of African American women’s political behavior.
Dr. Valeria G. Harvell

STEM to STEAM

What is STEAM? It's what you get when you stir ART back into the STEM disciplines...and if you want to know what that's like, look no further than Plato, Leonardo da Vinci, William J.J. Gordon, and Paul Graham. it's not a new idea to mash-up art and technology, but an idea once abandoned by curriculum designers is now being revived. explore the current state of STEAM and how this contemporary movement can be engaged.
William Cromar

Understanding Women's Sexuality Through the Years

Phases in life such as marriage, motherhood, and menopause affect the way women show their sexuality and their sexual encounters, desire, and desirability.  As women progress through the years and experience (or fail to experience) these emotional and physical transformations, the way they feel about their sexuality changes as well. The purpose of this research is to show how different life transitions function as turning points or influences in women’s sexuality. This research is based on in-depth, face-to-face, individual interviews with 95 women diverse in age, marital status, parental status, race, and social class.
Dr. Beth Montemurro

Using Lessons from the Past to Understand a Post-9/11 World

Rebuilding lives and restructuring our senses of meaning have been major concerns for many Americans since the September 11 attacks on our country. In an attempt to understand the ways in which survivors of previous horrific experiences have restructured their shattered lives and sensibilities, the Transcending Trauma Project at the Council for Relationships has been conducting interviews with more than three hundred Holocaust survivors, their spouses, children, and grandchildren to try to understand the methods by which individuals cope, adapt, and recreate their lives after experiencing traumatic events. The lessons learned can be both useful and inspiring as we face the on-going turbulence in contemporary society.
Dr. Hannah Kliger

Wrestling with Contemporary Issues

Join a philosophy professor in examining the difficult dilemmas presented by contemporary society and its rapid advancements in medical and scientific technology. Consider the impact controversial issues—such as cloning, privacy rights, euthanasia, neuroethics, and reproductive options—might have on your own life and relationships and on the future of society in general.
Dr. Gary Calore