Welcome Week Micro-Seminars 2024

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Distributed systems are a powerful tool that enables scaling storage and computation power at relatively cheap costs. Young students are typically exposed to computer science through HCI, robotics, or algorithms. They still get exposure to distributed systems until they take advanced courses in college. This seminar aims to give freshman students exposure to distributed systems early on. This course is composed of lectures on why distributed systems are important, and why working with distributed systems is hard but fun. It will also give the opportunity for students to try out distributed systems on a real cluster of servers.

** Expected learning outcomes **
- Introduction to distributed systems: how it is used in today’s web services, big data analytics, and deep learning.
- Experience the power of distributed systems in scaling capacity and reducing latency.
- Learn challenges in using distributed systems.
- Some examples of research problems in distributed systems.
- First-hand experience with distributed systems on real server clusters.

** Day 1 syllabus **
- Introduction to distributed systems
- Use cases of distributed systems
- History of how distributed systems changed the world
- Activity: Remote Procedure Call (RPC) intro

** Day 2 syllabus **
- Challenges in distributed systems
- Some research examples
- Activity: Build your own distributed system with RPC.

** Target audience ** Any students interested in computer science and want to learn about the area of distributed systems. Some activities will require programming experience in Python or C++.

Lead By: Professor Seo Jin Park

Seo Jin Park has been an Assistant Professor at the USC Computer Science Department since 2023 Fall and co-lead the USC Networked Systems Lab. Before joining USC, he spent a year at Google Systems Research Group. He completed my postdoc at MIT CSAIL with Prof. Mohammad Alizadeh. He received a PhD in Computer Science from Stanford University in 2019, where I was advised by Prof. John Ousterhout. His research has been centered on lowering the latencies of networked systems, ranging over in-memory storage, consensus protocol, datacenter overload control, byzantine consensus, etc.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Interested in a career in Mental Health? Now what? This micro seminar is designed for students interested in the intersection of mental health or healthcare. Students will learn about the effectiveness of interdisciplinary teams in improving patient care and addressing healthcare inequities and explore models of integrating behavioral health care. Examples of various roles mental health professionals hold in these settings will be explored in small groups.

Learning Objectives:
1. Examine the history of mental health care within broader health systems in the United States.
2. Identify definitions of integrated care.
3. Examine how integrated care addresses health disparities and social inequities that have historically inhibited access to quality healthcare.
4. Examine the various mental health roles that exist in integrated care settings.
5. Identify 3 USC resources to support development of one of these career paths

Day 1 Course Plan: Mental Health and Integrated Care Presentation on history of mental health in healthcare and definitions of integrated behavioral health care Group Activity: Defining Social Determinants of Health and exporting impact on healthcare inequities. Discussion on pros and cons of integrated behavioral health care models

Day 2 Course Plan: Roles in the Field of Mental Health Presentation on interdisciplinary teams and roles within the field of mental health Discussion on communication skills within interdisciplinary teams Group Activity: Exploring Roles within mental health Exploration of USC resources to support development of one of these career paths

Target Audience: The seminar is intended for anyone interested in community building, health, mental health, psychology, or wellbeing.

Lead By: Professor Elizabeth Ronca

Elizabeth (Liz) Ronca, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Clinical Instructor at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Keck School of Medicine, and Behavioral Health Consultant at Student Health Services. Ms. Ronca received her Master of Social Work (MSW) from Boston College in 2012. She has extensive experience working as a clinical social worker in the specialty area of primary care-mental health integration as well as crisis intervention. Ms. Ronca's clinical expertise includes interdisciplinary teamwork in the delivery of patient-care. She has assisted in the implementation of several new integrated care programs in primary care, women's health and pediatric settings. In 2023, she presented alongside colleagues at the American College Health Association annual conference on interdisciplinary patient care response to substance use screening in university health settings. Ms. Ronca also sees clients for psychotherapy in private practice. Her clinical interests include trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness and embodiment, depression, trauma, anxiety, social justice and liberation health frameworks. As a mental health provider, Ms. Ronca is passionate about ending mental health stigma, increasing access to mental health care and approaching mental health treatment as an essential part of one’s overall health and wellbeing.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Narrative Medicine is an academic discipline intended to increase physicians’ capacity to understand and respond to their patients’ experience of illness. The practice of Narrative Medicine develops narrative competence, “the ability to acknowledge, absorb, interpret and act on stories” Students will participate in narrative medicine workshops with two creative works with common themes of life transitions. Exploring their own and others’ responses will increase awareness of the ways that stories can provide a way to bear witness to and validate individual and collective experiences and respond with creativity and self-awareness (Loy & Kowalsky 2024).

Objectives Participants will:
- Engage in a reflective writing exercise and discussion of responses ,.
- Identify ways that stories can enhance understanding of others and of oneself
- Reflect on the experience of beginning college inspired by a close reading and discussion of a passage from Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, and a painting by Matthew Wong.

Target audience: Students considering a career in healthcare, interested in creative expression, desiring to learn about transition to adulthood, or curious about narrative work.

Day One Plan

Introduction, Overview. (10 Minutes) Ice Breaker: The most delicious thing you ate? (15 minutes) Close Reading: discussion (20 minutes) Reflective Writing (10 minutes) Prompts: Write about a tree Write about possibilities. Write about letting go of something. Sharing/Discussion (25 minutes) focusing on craft and language Author and Context (3 minutes) Closing (7 minutes)

Day Two Plan

Overview. (5 minutes) Ice Breaker: How did you come to be here today? (10 minutes) Close Reading (20 minutes) Reflective Writing (10 minutes) Prompt: Write about a journey. Write about being in between. Write about where you’re going. Sharing/Discussion (25 minutes) Author Context (3 minutes) Closing (15 minutes): Reflections on the experience

Lead By: Professor Karen Rogers

Dr. Rogers Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at USC Keck School of Medicine, Director of Post-Doctoral Training at the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and a student of Narrative Medicine. Her interests include clinical training, professional self-care, and impacts of childhood trauma, adversity and loss.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

With such an intense emphasis on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) over recent years, its actual intention has been lost, partly due to “DEI fatigue.” Furthermore, key events over the past few years, influencing the resurgence of DEIA activities and discussions, have been nearly forgotten - provoking the question "How Did We Get Here?"

This micro-seminar is intended to level set the true intentions of DEIA, dispel misperceptions, and establish a solid foundation from which USC students can carry into their interactions on and off campus.

Day 1 will cover DEIA history, terminology, and concepts.

Day 2 will focus on how to conduct meaningful conversations with peers, ultimately with the intent on fostering a greater sense of inclusion for the remainder of 2024 and beyond.

Lead By: Professor Christopher Riddick

While Atlanta, GA is where he resides, Christopher Riddick, EdD is a proud son of Gates, North Carolina. He has fifteen years of experience in the management consulting industry. He is currently a Principal Technical Advisor for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) at Logistics Management Institute (LMI), headquartered in Tysons, Virginia where he is responsible for leveraging his subject matter expertise to influence employee engagement and improve organizational culture. Prior to LMI, Professor Riddick served as a Principal and Head of Client Experience at ReadySet, a boutique DEIA consulting firm. Professor Riddick received both his Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy Analysis and Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also holds a Master of Science in Education degree from Indiana University. He completed his Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California in 2017 where his dissertation focused on barriers to racial and ethnic staff diversity in nonprofit organizations.

In addition to his academic degrees, Professor Riddick has a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace Certification from the University of South Florida Muma College of Business as well as a Change Management Advanced Practitioner Certification from the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. He also has a Certificate in Education Policy Research from Duke University. Professor Riddick has continued his affiliation with USC, currently serving as an adjunct assistant professor in the Organnizational Change and Leadership Doctor of Education program where he teaches a variety of doctoral level courses focused on organizational change as well as DEIA. Professor Riddick is a devoted Tar Heel. He serves as a member of the UNC School of Education’s Board of Visitors and the UNC School of Government Foundation Advisory Board. He recently concluded service as a member of UNC’s Board of Visitors and the university’s Alumni Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity. Professor Riddick’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion was recognized by his alma mater, where he was the alumni recipient of the 2022 Carolina Diversity Award. But, most importantly, Professor Riddick is a devoted husband and father of three. He is a lover of music, bacon, and bourbon and enjoys quality time with friends when any or all three are present.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

As students embark on their journey at USC, they may feel a mix of excitement and anxiety about the changes ahead. This micro-seminar aims to explore essential communication skills that help students understand themselves and others better. Any freshman interested in learning how to express themselves honestly and listen with empathy is welcome!

Day 1: Learning about communication that blocks compassion Basics of speaking and listening using Non-Violent Communication (NVC) The NVC model: observation, feeling, needs, request

Day 2: Applying and practicing NVC using Grok Cards

Lead By: Professor Min-Kyoung Rhee

Min-Kyoung Rhee, PhD, serves as an instructional assistant professor at Davis School of Gerontology. Her research focuses on exploring various social determinants of health disparities, as well as understanding the mechanisms of these determinants, particularly among ethnic minority older adults. Her future research aims to expand knowledge on promoting the health and mental health of ethnic minority older adults, as well as their access to services. She also plans to conduct intervention studies addressing the unique and culturally specific needs of ethnic minority older adults. In terms of teaching, she instructs undergraduate and graduate courses at the School of Gerontology, and also leads the General Education Seminar for freshman students at USC.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

This micro-seminar will be a review of my personal experiences in the NASA Space Shuttle and Space Station programs and the ongoing efforts at SpaceX in commercial human spaceflight. Along the way, I will share lessons learned about inspiration, determination and the underrated importance of having fun. I will also provide an overview of what is to come in the near future for human spaceflight and facilitate a discussion with the students about where they think we should go next in this field.

Lead By: Professor Garrett Reisman

A NASA veteran who flew on all three Space Shuttles, Dr. Garrett Reisman was selected by NASA as a mission specialist astronaut in 1998. His first mission in 2008 was aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour which dropped him off for a 95 day stay aboard the International Space Station after which he returned to Earth aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. His second mission in 2010 was aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis. During these missions, Garrett performed 3 spacewalks, operated the Space Station Robot Arm and was a flight engineer aboard the Space Shuttle. Not only was he an astronaut, but Garrett was also an aquanaut serving as a crewmember on NEEMO V, living on the bottom of the sea in the Aquarius deep underwater habitat for 2 weeks. After leaving NASA in early 2011, he joined Elon Musk at SpaceX where he served in multiple capacities most recently as the Director of Space Operations.

Garrett stepped down from his full-time position at SpaceX in May of 2019 and in June 2019 he became a Professor of Astronautical Engineering in the Viterbi School at USC. He also continues to support SpaceX and Vast Space as a Senior Advisor. Garrett attended the University of Pennsylvania and Caltech where he received his Ph.D in 1997.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Cultivating Healthy Relationships: Key to a Positive College Experience aims to educate students on the importance of cultivating healthy relationships, with a focus on minimizing gender and power-based harm on college campuses. This micro-seminar will provide practical strategies and foster discussions on creating an inclusive and respectful environment. The context of this seminar is set against the backdrop of increasing awareness about the impact of gender and power dynamics on personal and community well-being in educational institutions. By the end of this seminar, students should have a deeper understanding of how to build and maintain healthy relationships, recognize and address gender and power-based harm, and feel empowered to contribute to a positive college experience.

Expected learning outcomes:
1. Identify the characteristics of healthy relationships and recognize unhealthy dynamics.
2. Understand the influence of power and gender on interpersonal interactions.
3. Develop strategies to promote respectful and equitable relationships.
4. Apply conflict resolution and communication skills to real-life scenarios.
5. Create personal action plans to contribute to a positive and inclusive college environment.
6. Name specific resources to prevent, respond to, and learn about gender and power-based harm at USC.

Day 1: Foundations of Healthy Relationships and Understanding Power Dynamics
- Understanding Healthy Relationships
- Exploration of Gender-and Power-Based Harm Dynamics
- Case Study Analysis

Day 2: Practical Skills and Action Planning
- Empathy, Communication, and Conflict Resolution Workshop
- Developing Personal Action Plans
- Resources and Opportunities for Further Learning

Target audience: The seminar is intended for anyone interested in cultivating healthy and respectful relationships, seeking to enhance their interpersonal skills and contribute to a positive campus culture, and curious to understand and address gender and power dynamics within the educational environment.

Lead By: Professor Sarah Randazzo

Sarah Randazzo (She/Her) is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Keck School of Medicine of USC. Her clinical specialty centers on the experiences of gender and power-based harm, with a focus on relational and sexual violence. She has six years of experience as a mental health clinician, speaker, and professor of Counseling Psychology. Her new course PBHS 307 "Dynamics of Power and Gender-Based Violence" will be offered by the Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences Department in Spring 2025.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

The goal of this micro seminar is to led students through their internship journey, from finding an internship to making the most of their experience using psychological skills. The seminar will discuss topics such as networking, writing a learning plan, communicating with supervisor and coworkers, expressing gratitude, using emotions effectively, staying in contact with supervisor after the internship is finished, and understand how to apply soft and hard skills learned in different environments.

Learning Outcomes After attending to the micro-seminar, students will be able to:
1. Create and write a learning plan.
2. Acquire networking skills to make connections to find an internship.
3. Increase their communication skills to work with their supervisors and coworkers.
4. Maintain professional relationships with their supervisor after the internship is ended.

Target audience The micro-seminar is open to everyone that is taking an internship or is planning to do in the future.

Day 1 Activity How to Write a Learning Plan Students will learn how to write a Learning Plan, including setting goals, (cognitive development, general skill development and personal development goals), identifying obstacles, and looking for possible solutions.

Day 2 Activity Role-Playing Communication Scenarios Students will participate in role-playing exercises to practice conversations with supervisors and coworkers, in difficult situation focusing on effective communication, and using emotions in a positive way.

Lead By: Professor Francesca Romana Puggelli

Dr. Francesca Romana Puggelli has over 25 years of teaching experience at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She has taught a diverse range of courses, including Psychology of Communications, Social Psychology, Organizational Psychology, Psychology of Advertising, Media Psychology, Psychology of Tourism, and Mass Media Communication. She earned her Master of Science in Advertising Management and her Ph.D. in the Psychology of Public Service Advertising at the Università Cattolica di Milano (Italy). She has been teaching at Master of Applied Psychology at USC, for nine years courses of Psychology of Interactive Media and Applied Internship.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Day 1: Understanding Food Insecurity in L.A. In 2023, 3 in 10 households in L.A. experienced food insecurity.

This microseminar explores questions such as “What is food justice?”, “What is food apartheid?”, and “Why should the intersection of food and sustainability concern USC students?” We will discuss these terms and examine local efforts to bring about positive change in nearby schools and neighborhoods. Next, we will delve into the historical background of the area surrounding the USC campus and explore how South L.A. became a “food desert.” This area is characterized by an abundance of fast-food restaurants, vacant lots, and liquor stores, but a scarcity of grocery stores. Students will learn about the historical factors, such as supermarket redlining and white flight, that contributed to this situation. We will examine how limited access to healthy, affordable food impacts the physical and mental health of South L.A. residents, contributing to issues like obesity and diabetes, which disproportionately affect underserved Latinx and other minority communities.

Day 2: Grassroots Solutions and Student Involvement

On the second day, we will explore local environmental and policy solutions to address food insecurity in L.A. Students will learn about the efforts of organizations to tackle these inequities through school gardens, urban farms, and social enterprises. I will highlight opportunities for students to volunteer with organizations such as Garden School Foundation, and FEAST. At the end, we will visit the student-run USC Garden to showcase the efforts of USC students to grow food and connect with nature on campus. By the end, students will have a deeper understanding of the challenges and solutions related to food justice and sustainability in Latinx Los Angeles, and be inspired to contribute to positive change.

Students who are interested in food and social justice, Los Angeles' Latinx communities, and volunteering should attend.

Lead By: Professor Sarah Portnoy

Sarah Portnoy is a professor, documentary film creator/producer and food justice activist. She teaches classes on Latinx food culture and food justice in Latinx communities and beyond in the departments of Latin American and Iberian Studies and American Studies and Ethnicity. Her publications include her book Food, Health, and Culture in Latino Los Angeles, articles in the L.A. Times and numerous academic publications.

Since 2022, Dr. Portnoy has been making documentary films centered around Mexican grandmothers’ stories of food and migration. The 2022 film “Abuelita’s Kitchen: Mexican Food Stories” delves into the food-centered narratives of ten abuelas from various backgrounds—indigenous, mestiza, Afro-Mexican, and Mexican-American—who have preserved and adapted Mexican culinary traditions within the vibrant mosaic of Los Angeles. In 2023, Dr. Portnoy received a National Endowment for the Humanities Media grant to create a series of short documentaries entitled “Abuelitas on the Borderlands.” The films take place in Tucson, El Paso, San Diego and Los Angeles and feature the stories of Borderlands abuelas and their unique Mexican food culture. These films explore how individual, regional, national and transnational identities are shaped and negotiated through the food practices and cultures unique to grandmothers living—and cooking—in distinct Borderland cities. Dr. Portnoy has been interviewed about her work on Good Morning America, KCRW, Telemundo Noticiero and has screened “Abuelita’s Kitchen” throughout the U.S. and Mexico. For more about Dr. Portnoy’s work and films, see her website, https://www.sarahportnoy.org/

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Hydrocarbon-fueled Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs), including reciprocating-piston engines, gas turbines and rockets, have been the preferred form of shaft power and thrust for land, water, air, and space travel for over 100 years. Particularly with respect to automobiles, many technical and legislative attempts to eliminate ICEs have been made – but in favor of what?

Day 1: the reasons why ICEs are ubiquitous and the challenges associated with replacing them with “something else” will be reviewed. Real reciprocating-piston and gas turbine engines will be disassembled and the function of key components explained.

Day 2: New trends in fuel, engine, and vehicle technology will be discussed (e.g., battery electric vehicles, biofuels, Fischer-Tropsch fuels, hydrogen fuel cells) with an emphasis on identifying the "least environmentally irresponsible" systems for a given application.

The seminar is targeted towards students with an interest in energy and environmental issues associated with transportation systems. A Socratic dialog, rather than a one-way teacher-to-student delivery of information, will be employed.

Lead By: Professor Paul Ronney

Paul Ronney is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at USC. Prof. Ronney received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Berkeley, an MS in Aeronautics from Caltech, and a Sc.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT. He held postdoctoral appointments at the NASA Lewis Research Center and the U. S. Naval Research Laboratory and a position as Assistant Professor at Princeton University before assuming his current position at USC. He was also a Payload Specialist Astronaut (Alternate) for Space Shuttle Missions STS-83 and STS-94 in 1997. Professor Ronney research areas include micro-scale combustion, turbulent combustion, internal combustion engines, microgravity combustion and fire spread. He has had experiments flown on three Space Shuttle missions. In recognition of his achievements he is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Combustion Institute, an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a recipient of the National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award and the Combustion Institute Distinguished Paper Award.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Explore the science behind altruism, volunteerism, compassion and its impact on individuals both physically, psychologically, and behaviorally at an individual and community level. Students will be introduced to local and national resources for supporting individuals, communities, and systems. This micro seminar will highlight Los Angeles County’s forgotten farming history, food insecurity, food deserts, the Watts Labor Community Action Committee, and MudTown Farms. Students will also learn about Food Forward, a nonprofit organization fighting hunger, food waste, and climate change by rescuing surplus produce. Participants will have the opportunity to register for a Food Forward harvest at a local orchard, with 100% of the harvest donated to a local hunger relief organization.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the historical context, theoretical, and philosophical foundations of altruism.
2. Identify the motivations behind altruistic behaviors and the social, cultural, religious, and psychological factors influencing them.
3. Examine the impact and benefits of altruistic behaviors on brain function, biology, physiology, personal wellness, social relationships, professional settings, and communities.
4. Develop practical skills for effective volunteer engagement and implementation.
5. List three local resources for volunteer engagement.

Day 1: What Drives Us to Help Others? What’s the Impact?
- Presentation on the science behind altruism and its physical, psychological, and behavioral impacts.
- Screening of the Emmy-nominated documentary "LA Foodways".
- Discussion and exploration of the impacts of service on individuals and communities.

Day 2: Utilizing Skills and Decision-Making
- Introduction to local and national resources for supporting individuals, communities, and systems.
- Group activity: How can Trojans help? Students will create roadmaps for community engagement in small groups and share their plans at the end of the session.

Target Audience: This micro seminar is intended for anyone interested in altruism, service, resilience, community building, health, psychology, or wellbeing.

Lead By: Professor Juliet Pappas

Juliet Pappas, MSW, LCSW, holds a BA in Women's Studies and Sociology from Scripps College in Claremont, CA, and an MSW from UC Berkeley. With over 20 years of clinical experience as a licensed psychotherapist, she joined USC as a founding faculty member of the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences PBHS UPC Clinic in 2019. Beyond her professional role at USC, Juliet actively volunteers with several community organizations, including Food Forward, Union Station Homeless Services, and Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

This seminar will use food as a lens to analyze the unique political, economic, and cultural landscape of Los Angeles. Through a discussion of a series of famous LA foods, we address the political factors that shape how Angelenos eat.

Day 1 will be dedicated to understanding LA’s place in the global food system, exploring the ecological footprint of California agriculture and tracing the path of agricultural commodities across the US-Mexico border.

Day 2 will be devoted to the food ecosystem of South Los Angeles, analyzing the politics behind food deserts and immigrant entrepreneurship. Class activities include field trips to the USC Teaching Garden and to the storied Mercado La Paloma.

Students interested in the social sciences, foodies, and those eager to learn more about local culture are welcome!

Lead By: Professor Brian Palmer-Rubin

Brian Palmer-Rubin is Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations. His research and teaching focus on the Political Economy of Development and the Politics of Food and Agriculture, mainly in Mexico

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Overview: Being able to talk about yourself and your work in an authentic way is one of the most powerful tools a filmmaker or artist can possess as they embark upon their studies and career. This seminar will begin a conversation about what authenticity means, how to recognize it in others and foster it in yourself, and how to harness and utilize your authentic voice as you pursue creative and professional goals. The seminar will focus largely on filmmakers, but is open to other creatives - fine artists, performing artists, etc.

Expecting learning outcomes:
- Assess authentic voices in established filmmakers/artists and yourself
- Communicate effectively and succinctly about yourself and your creative work
- Offer concise, supportive, and constructive feedback

Day 1:
- Introduction to the concept of authenticity & how to assess it in others ----- Case studies & class suggestions: Filmmakers & artists who produce work that feels like an authentic extension of themselves
- Discussion: How to foster your own personal sense of authenticity ----- Identity, creative vision, and point of view ----- Harnessing and utilizing your authentic voice
- Discussion: Making an impression by talking about yourself and your work in an authentic way
- Discussion: Offering feedback to others
- Workshop: Breakout groups of 2-3 students practice pitching themselves and their creative work to each other & offering feedback
- Assignment: Complete “authenticity worksheet” & prepare a 2-3 minute verbal “pitch” of yourself and your creative work, to be presented on Day 2.

Day 2:
- Micro-pitches & feedback: Students will verbally present a 2-3 minute overview of themselves and their work, followed by brief & concise feedback from the group.

Target audience: Incoming School of Cinematic Arts students & any interested creatives – fine artists, performing artists, etc.

Lead By: Professor John Palmer

John Ira Palmer is a producer and director, and a founding partner of Projected Picture Works with Sean Penn and John Wildermuth. He teaches in the Film & Television Production division at USC School of Cinematic Arts. Palmer produced the upcoming SEPTEMBER 5 (directed by Tim Fehlbaum, starring Peter Sarsgaard & John Magaro), as well as ASPHALT CITY (directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, starring two-time Academy Award winner Sean Penn & Tye Sheridan, Cannes 2023). Other producing credits include FLAG DAY (directed by Sean Penn, starring Dylan Penn & Sean Penn, Cannes 2021), AL IMAM (directed by Omar Al Dakheel, Vimeo Staff Pick, National Geographic release, KCET Fine Cut’s top documentary prize winner), THE DARE PROJECT (directed by Adam Salky, follow-up to the beloved queer short DARE, Frameline & Outfest 2018), and CONTRA-INTERNET: JUBILEE 2033 (directed by Zach Blas, Berlinale 2018). Palmer was a production executive for Projected Picture Works titles including DADDIO (directed by Christy Hall, starring Dakota Johnson & Sean Penn, Telluride & Toronto 2023) and SUPERPOWER (documentary about Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and the War in Ukraine, Berlinale 2023).

As a director, Palmer’s most recent project is the Outfest 2023 Audience Award winner OUT OF THE CORNER OF OUR EYE, funded by National Endowment for the Arts and commissioned by SCI-Arc Channel for their Queer Perspectives series. The film was recently featured at the Detroit Institute of Arts for the Mighty Real/Queer Detroit international biennial. He also directed ELWOOD TAKES A LOVER, which screened at festivals worldwide and was an official selection of The American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase at Cannes 2019. His experimental short films have been shown at festivals and venues such as Outfest, Frameline, REDCAT, Blum & Poe, and Pacific Film Archive. Palmer has curated film series and programs for American Cinematheque, Echo Park Film Center, and San Francisco Art Institute. As a consultant for Sundance’s Documentary Film Program and Concordia Studio, he has helped identify the next generation of documentary filmmakers. Palmer earned his MFA in Film & Television Production at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and his BFA in Fine Arts at San Francisco Art Institute. Before attending USC, he spent nearly a decade as an entertainment marketing executive and producer, overseeing campaigns for studio films and network series. Outside of filmmaking, Palmer is dedicated to community-based service. He served as Chief of Staff at CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) throughout its Covid-19 response–which included offering vaccines and testing throughout the United States, Navajo Nation, Brazil, India, and Haiti–and during its initial months in Ukraine, Poland, and Romania offering shelter, resources, and services to refugees from the Russo-Ukrainian War. While studying at USC, Palmer co-founded the Our Voices speaker series under the School of Cinematic Arts’ Diversity & Inclusion initiative with inaugural speakers John Singleton, Cheryl Boone-Isaacs, and Andrew Ahn. For over a decade, Palmer also volunteered as a crisis counselor and training mentor for The Trevor Project, dedicated to suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ+ youth.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Designed for freshman who want an interactive, fun, and thought-provoking experience focusing on understanding controversy, strategies for both sides of protests, legal and Constitutional rights, crisis communication, and the actions of passionate people on college campuses. Why do people protest? What makes protests effective? What are your actual Constitutional rights? How do you convince the press, social media, and the public take your side? Through simulations, debates, and other activities, we will explore the strategies and actions of protest from the perspective of Psychology, Communication, Journalism, and Law.

The class will develop a deeper understanding of the actual meaning of our rights to Free Speech and our right to Peaceful Assembly. Students will learn how to talk with police, what to say to authorities, and how to be effective with the press. Teams will produce crisis communication strategies and conduct a mock press conference.

ACTIVITIES: Through simulations, student teams will participate in strategic planning for protesters and for organizations anticipating being protested. Teams will plan protester and protestee activities and actions, public statements, demands, and will participate in arbitrations and mediations, engaging with police, and act as communication professionals to create engaging narratives for the press on behalf of both sides of the conflict.

Day 1: Strategy and planning. Students will discuss what they believe to be their rights to assembly/protest and free speech, and what they think are best practices for protesters and for organizations being protested. Then, through a series of simulations, teams will take on both sides of the conflict, make tactical decisions and demands, engage with police, and engage in arbitration.

Day 2: Press Conference. Using faculty as consultants, Teams will develop Communication and PR strategies, learn to talk with journalists/reporters, plan strategic use of social media, and conduct a press conference.

Lead By:

Professor Karen North

Karen North, PhD, is a clinical professor at USC’s Annenberg School. She is a recognized expert in digital social media and in psychology. Her primary interests including social networks, product (app) development, online privacy and safety, the Dark Web, digital business strategy, Artificial Intelligence, brand building, and crisis communication & reputation management. She regularly appears as an expert on national, international, and local news. Trained as a clinical and social psychologist, with considerable experience in federal policy and practice, she previously worked in the White House (Clinton Administration) and before that on Capital Hill where she focused her efforts on domestic policy issues and the emerging digital world (including rolling out the WWW).

Professor Michael Overing

Michael Overing, J.D. is a practicing lawyer and Adjunct Professor at the Iovine and Young Academy of USC and also USC’s Annenberg School. He teaches legal issues to undergraduate and graduate students, with favorite classes focusing on First Amendment rights and on digital and social media law. He is also a well respected debate coach. Michael’s legal areas of expertise include First Amendment rights, digital media law, business law, and arbitration/mediation. Michael is the author of several publications and presentations, including “Understanding BitTorrent and the Law,” and “The Legal Twists in Securing a Homeland.”

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

This is the number one question asked during a health care program's admissions interview. A genuine response requires authentic experiences and purpose. More than just being interested in the field, aspiring health care students need awareness of the field's importance and a plan to contribute.

This seminar is for students who want to be difference-makers, thinkers, and innovators for sustainable solutions in health care. We will use eye care as the model for our discussion, but the lessons can be applied to any health care field. How can future eye care professionals help put an end to blindness? As the burden of blindness increases worldwide, we need dynamic ways to propel access to care, educate communities, deliver services, and create solutions for the world to see. I will discuss how you can plan your journey, gain work and research experience, find mentors and resources, and share my perspectives from over 12 years of clinical practice. So how will you answer your admissions interview question? Let's start here.

Day 1 What is your interest in health care? My career background The state of worldwide eye care Most important eye diseases Health care system: services, access, disparities How can we improve health care? How can we create sustainable solutions? Brainstorm solutions as a group Telemedicine and artificial intelligence

Day 2 Why diversity matters in health care What makes a strong candidate? Why do you want to do this? What is your purpose? Create a plan to be ready to apply Gaining work and research experience Finding mentors Advice on personal statements and interviews How will you answer the admissions interview question?

Lead By: Professor Kent Nguyen

Kent Nguyen, OD, FAAO is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at the USC Roski Eye Institute. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Integrative Biology from University of California, Berkeley and his Doctor of Optometry degree from Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University. His practice involves examining patients in primary care, contact lenses, and ocular diseases. He has presented multiple lectures to the USC community on the importance of healthy vision. He strives for quality eye care with confidence, compassion, and enthusiasm. Dr. Nguyen also has a passion for working to recruit more undergraduates into choosing careers in eye care/research to help ensure a diverse workforce to meet the future needs of our nation (and the world) in promoting health, diagnosing and treating diseases affecting the eyes.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Overview: This micro-seminar explores the synergies between academic and creative pursuits, using the instructor's experience as both a writing professor and professional DJ as a case study. We'll examine how seemingly disparate passions can inform and enrich each other, leading to a more fulfilling college experience and future career. Students will learn strategies for time management, skill transfer, and personal growth while pursuing diverse interests.

Expected Learning Outcomes: By the end of this seminar, students will:
1. Understand how to balance academic and creative pursuits
2. Develop strategies for time management and skill transfer
3. Identify ways their diverse interests can enrich their academic experience
4. Learn to apply creative thinking to academic challenges
5. Gain confidence in pursuing multifaceted personal and professional paths

Day 1:
1. Introduction: The myth of the single-track career
2. Case study: Professor by day, DJ by night
3. Discussion: Identifying your academic and creative interests
4. Exercise: Mapping connections between different pursuits
5. Reflection and Q&A

Day 2:
1. Recap and group sharing
2. Time management strategies for balancing multiple interests
3. Skill transfer: How creativity enhances academic work and vice versa
4. Group activity: Designing a "remixed" college experience
5. Discussion: Overcoming challenges in pursuing diverse interests
6. Conclusion: Setting goals for a balanced, innovative college life

Audience: This seminar is ideal for students who: - Have diverse interests beyond their major - Want to balance academic pursuits with creative passions - Seek strategies for time management and personal growth - Are interested in unconventional career paths - Want to enrich their college experience through interdisciplinary thinking Whether you're an aspiring scientist who loves poetry, a business major with a passion for music, or simply curious about integrating diverse interests, this seminar will provide valuable insights for your academic journey.

Lead By: Professor Christopher Muniz

Christopher Muniz is a Writing Professor at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, where he has taught since 2017. He holds a PhD in Literature and Creative Writing from USC. Professor Muniz embodies the spirit of the innovative scholar, balancing his academic career with a successful career as a professional DJ. His unique background allows him to bring insights from both the scholarly and creative worlds to his teaching, helping students explore the intersections of academic rigor and creative innovation. As both an educator and artist, he is committed to pushing the boundaries of knowledge and fostering creativity across disciplines.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

OVERVIEW: Homelessness is an obvious problem in Los Angeles that can be seen on a daily basis, especially for those of us who live, work or go to school at UPC/DTLA. The government and civic non-profits implement a variety of interventions to support and house people, including creating affordable housing. This seminar will explore these interventions from a professional social work perspective, and will also share a case study demonstrating how the public school district LAUSD created housing for its low income employees on its campuses, the first initiative of its kind in the US.

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES:
(1) Students will develop a professionalized understanding of the causes of, and successful interventions to prevent or solve, homelessness.
(2) Students interested in creating positive change in their community will be further empowered to continue on that path by the previously unthinkable results of the case study shared.
(3) Students will be introduced to nuts-and-bolts skills needed to effectively create change, including framing, action research, collaboration across stakeholders, and working within a bureaucracy.

DAY ONE PLAN: Overview and discussion of homelessness in L.A., and the various (successful and unsuccessful) implementation tactics used to interact with this social injustice.

DAY TWO PLAN: Presentation of an interesting case study that created affordable housing on active public school campuses, with particular focus on effective tactics that are useful to reform many different social problems in addition to lack of housing.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Students interested in professionally understanding social problems and in effectively helping create social change. Also, students interested in easing homelessness in L.A.

Lead By: Professor Sam Mistrano

SAM MISTRANO joined the faculty as an adjunct in 2004 and was elected to full-time status in 2011. He teaches both on campus and in the online Virtual Academic Center, and was voted the 2016 Jane Addams award by students; a link to his resulting commencement address is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RCFXryt_RQ. Mistrano specializes in policy practice, organizational leadership, and fundraising. He was a senior facilities project manager for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) from 2008 through 2010, where he created on-campus affordable housing for lower-income teachers and staff by leveraging district-owned land to form public-private partnerships. There are four resulting projects. Before joining LAUSD, Mistrano was director of the state-wide agency Housing with Heart, which provides job training, education and case management services to more than 5,000 low-income families living in affordable housing throughout California.

Previously, he was deputy executive director of the Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing, where he helped draft state legislation, reform the statewide tax credit allocation system worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and worked on numerous local and regional efforts to simplify and fund the production of affordable housing. He also served as founding executive director of the Human Services Alliance, which helped create social service policy at the regional and state level by organizing hundreds of non-profit agencies in Los Angeles County to impact welfare, healthcare and child care for low-income families. During this time, Mistrano was named one of the 25 most effective young executive directors in the nation by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, and one of Los Angeles' most effective advocates by L.A. Weekly. Mistrano started his career at the ACLU’s National Legislative office in Washington, D.C., from which he transferred to Los Angeles to become the ACLU’s legislative director in Southern California. He holds a juris doctor degree from the University of Minnesota Law School and is a licensed member of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey bar associations. Mistrano graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a B.A. in Political Science.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Editing genes has the potential to cure devastating human diseases, but this powerful technology still has limitations and ethical considerations. In this seminar we will explore gene expression and applications of gene editing. Biologists can use an understanding of gene expression to learn how cells develop, how they acquire specialized features, and what goes wrong when genes are mutated. Identifying the underlying genetic causes of human disease can help to diagnose, treat, and even cure patients. Modifying genes has been used for many years in scientific research, however the discovery of customizable CRISPR/Cas9 mediated gene editing has rapidly expanded the tool kit for studying and treating diseases. The gene editing revolution has begun, but how is research translated from a laboratory into humans? How do doctors test gene editing to erase diseases? How much does it cost to get a disease cured and will insurance cover it? Students who attend will learn the basic biology involved in gene expression and gene editing to prompt discussions on the applications and implications of gene editing.

Part 1 Concept mapping: How are genes expressed? Short lecture:
- Description of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing
- Gene editing for disease modeling Discussion:
- What happens when genes are mutated?
- What are examples of diseases that have known genetic contributions?

Part 2 Concept mapping: What is gene therapy?
- Review of how gene therapy is portrayed in the media Short lecture:
- Intro to gene therapy Discussion:
- What can future researchers/doctors investigate to establish better disease therapies?
- What are the ethical concerns around altering human genes?

The target audience will be incoming students from any major but may be appealing to students enrolled in biological sciences and biomedical engineering majors or students interested in a minor in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.

Lead By: Professor Louise Menendez

Dr. Menendez is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at the University of Southern California. Her interest in regenerative medicine began as an undergraduate researcher at UC Santa Cruz where she received her Bachelors degree in neuroscience and she learned the importance of basic research to inform medical practices and the innovation of therapeutics. As a graduate student at USC, she performed research to better understand the lack of regeneration in the mammalian auditory system. This led to the establishment of an in vitro model of inner ear cells to facilitate studies on this sensitive cell population and the completion of her Ph.D. in neuroscience. She became passionate about developing effective ways to communicate science. This motivated her to seek out professor positions after graduate school. Her teaching experience spans across two community college districts in the greater Los Angeles area where she worked as an Adjunct Professor and more recently at USC where she now teaches full time at the Keck School of Medicine in the department of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

This seminar will be an interactive discussion of What's Hot in Videogames Right Now in industry, culture, and the university. We will discuss and debate the topic from the perspective of trends in videogame products, design techniques, and advice to students seeking to prep for success in game design courses. In addition we will talk about diversity and inclusion in games and the evolving state of “bro culture” in game industry.

Day 1 Agenda Meet and Greet / Socially Awkward Icebreaker Lenses on What’s Hot in Video Games x7 / discussion What you will learn at USC Games Interactive Exercise: Make X Into a Game Ninja Dev Techniques for those Wishing to Build a Career in Games Optional: QuanticFoundry’s Gamer Motivation Survey

Day 2 Agenda Designing Engaging Experiences - Flow Theory - Intrinsic Motivation – Autonomy, Competence, Relatedness - Nine Principles of Community Design Interactive Exercise: Make X a Better Game Discussion: Review / Discussion / Gossip re the 5 Most Interesting Game Dev Techniques and Happenings in Industry Ask Me Anything Optional: Interesting People Exercise

Target Audience: Students interested in making games, playing games, and being part of the game community at USC

Lead By: Professor Chris Swain

Chris Swain is a game designer, startup founder, and USC professor. He co-founded the Electronic Arts Game Innovation Lab at USC and was one of the original game faculty at the university. Chris has led over 50 games in industry for companies that include: Microsoft, Sony, Disney, Activision, Warner Brothers, and many others. His projects have won dozens of design awards. His thesis students have gone on to win multiple Game of the Year Awards in industry. In 2021, Chris co-founded Proof of Learn, Inc. which raised $15M to make Metacrafters a social learning / game community built using Web3 principles and blockchain technology. Chris writes about games and speaks at events around the world including at GDC, E3, SIGGRAPH, Korean Game Conference, University of Tokyo, Cambridge University, The Sorbonne, Harvard University, MIT, and many others.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

The MicRo Seminar Creating Common Ground: Using Communication Techniques to Reduce Conflict and Build Relationships is designed to help students identify the six causes of conflict and learn six communication techniques to create common ground to diffuse the conflict created by differences.

Expected Learning Outcomes:
1. Discover the six Ps that create conflict.
2. Learn six communication techniques to create common ground.
3. Practice the communication skills in a role play skit.
4. Identify ways nature communicates peace and resolve conflict.
5. Integrate sustainability into communication to create common ground and promote peace.

Day 1 Causes of Conflict and Creating Commonalities
A. Icebreaker Exercise: Similarities and Differences (15 Minutes)
B. Review the Six Ps of Conflict (15 minutes)
C. Using Communication to Create Common Ground (15 minutes)
D. Creating and Communicating Common Ground (40 minutes)
E. Final Thoughts (5 minutes)


Day 2 Peace Offerings: Communicating Common Ground Through USC Sustainability Resources
A. Meet at classroom for a walking tour to the USC Peace Garden.
B. Arrive at the USC Peace Garden and receive an introduction to the Garden (10 minutes)
C. Discuss how nature can break down barriers that create divisions (15 minutes)
D. Reflecting How to Become A Common Ground Communicator (20 minutes)
E. Peace Offering (20 minutes)
F. Commitment to Communicating Common Ground (10 minutes)

Target audience: This course is designed for students with an interest in discovering the causes of conflict and developing communication skills to reduce conflict.The course is applicable to all majors.

Lead By: Professor Stephanie Westmyer

Stephanie A. Westmyer, Ph.D. is an Adjunct Faculty for Annenberg’s School of Communication, Alumna of USC’s Gould School of Law, and Training Specialist Staff Member for Marshall’s School of Business. Stephanie teaching the COMM 204 Introduction to Public Speaking course for Annenberg. She earned a Masters in Dispute Resolution and a certificate in Business Law from Gould and a Doctorate Degree in Communication from Kent State University. Stephanie also works as a Training Specialist for the Experiential Learning Center at USC's Marshall School of Business. Stephanie is a Certified Trainer in Workplace Conflict with Mediation Training Institute. She combines her dispute resolution knowledge and training experience to create and present conflict resolution and mediation training workshops to college students, corporate executives, and community members.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

This micro-seminar focuses on “reading,” discussing, and experiencing the geographic, urban and symbolic aspects of the University Park Campus (UPC). Students will connect their previous experiences and knowledge situating themselves in the built environment with their initial responses to the campus as both a physical and a symbolic space. We will discuss the history of the campus, the scale and architecture of its built environment, the interplay between landscape and hardscape, and the various potential meanings of the visual references to Troy and ancient Greece embedded in its geography.

The seminar will be structured in two parts. In the first we will explore the history of UPC’s physical geography, and ground it in the seminal 1960-1965 campus master plan that continues to define the layout of the campus today. In the second we will focus on a selection of visual representations related to Troy and ancient Greece on campus. Both parts will be structured around thematic discussions accompanied by short walking tours.

Day 1 discussion and walking tour will consider:
• How do we, with our personal histories and backgrounds, respond to and situate ourselves within the architecture of UPC, with its mix of historic revival styles, mid-century modernism, and contemporary collegiate gothic?
• Is there a relationship between the different physical textures of the academic “quads,” based on the 1960-65 master plan, and the perceived educational and social roles of the disciplines?

Day 2 discussion and walking tour will consider:
• How might we interpret references to the history and mythology of Troy and the Trojan War that dot UPC, particularly within the context of their 20th and 21st century modes of visual representations?

Target audience: Those interested in the history of the university and in the social and visual contexts of urban geographies.

Lead By: Professor Ruth Wallach

Ruth Wallach is the Associate Dean for Social Sciences and Humanities Libraries at the USC Libraries and the Academic Director of the Master of Management in Library and Information Science graduate program. She has published on the history of Los Angeles and on the function of public art and ornament in contextualizing urban spaces.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

From special collections to brilliant gems, USC offers a trove of valuable resources, and knowing what's available (or where to ask when you don't) will help make the most of your experience.

In this two-day seminar, you'll be introduced to bright spots on and near campus as we walk and talk together, taking brief breaks along the way to write your own thoughts, questions, and impressions. We'll draw on this writing during the second day to compose a collaborative poem called a renga, with step-by-step directions for guaranteed success. A traditional form from Japan, the renga relies on the linking of voices and has served as a means of experiential connection for over seven hundred years.

By the end of our time together, you'll have a list of go-to resources on (and near) campus; future possibilities for fun, learning, and support; a personal record of your first days as a USC undergrad; a souvenir poem; and a circle of new Trojan pals. All are welcome!

Lead By: Professor Marci Vogel

A first-generation scholar, wholehearted writer, and lifelong Californian, Marci Vogel currently serves as an instructor in USC's Department of English. Her courses in poetry, translation, fiction, and narrative across genre are designed to engage Trojans of all majors with curiosity, creativity, and connection.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Yay! You did it! You’re in college! So now what?! USC life will no doubt be a new and exciting chapter filled with life-changing experiences, challenges, and opportunities. This seminar is all about unearthing your inner capacity to truly be present for all that is coming your way, both the big and the small. How do we find the beauty in our ordinary, everyday experiences, especially when we feel overwhelmed with coursework and exams? How do we find a sense of home in ourselves, especially when we are homesick for family and friends? How do we befriend ourselves in the midst of critical thoughts telling us we aren’t smart, attractive, or good enough? Together we’ll explore mindfulness and contemplative practices to help you cope with difficulty, experience deeper connection, savor more joy, and cultivate self-compassion to guide and support you in living your best life at USC (and beyond!)

Day 1 - What goodness has been here all along? We’ll explore practices for uncovering inner sources of joy that, like hidden treasures, our brain’s negativity bias can often fail to see. Through gratitude and mindfulness practices, we’ll get to the heart of the ways meaningful connection helps us overcome challenges and have a chance to workshop ways to approach difficulties you are facing today.

Day 2 - How can I be my own best friend? Do you sometimes feel like your own worst enemy, constantly pointing out your flaws or comparing yourself to others? Through compassion practices, we will learn how to befriend our inner bully. We’ll also explore how wonder, awe and beauty can transform the ordinary into extraordinary.

If you struggle with anxiety and not feeling good enough, or if you want to experience a sense of community and share vulnerably with others, this is the seminar for you!

Lead By:

Professor Martin Vitorino

Martin Vitorino, Ph.D. (he/him) teaches stress management and mindfulness in the PEMBH Department at USC as well as through Mindful USC. He also facilitates meditation groups for trans/non-binary communities. He shares contemplative practices from a justice and equity lens, with the intention that these tools might help us heal internalized systems of oppression and resource us to actively transform the world around us.

Professor Kiel Shaub

Kiel Shaub, Ph.D. (he/him) teaches stress management in the PEMBH Department at USC. He is also the Academic Curator for the EXL Lab @ USC, a new experience-based program initiative within the USC Dornsife Office of Experiential and Applied Learning. As AC, Kiel develops, designs, and leads dynamic experiential and maker-focused programs and events, convening USC Students, Faculty, and the Lab’s non-academic partners around a common vision of connecting learning to experience.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” – C.G. Jung

Did you know that the more you know yourself, the better you can relate to others, be an effective leader, and be a more successful student? Self-reflection and increased self-awareness can have a profound impact on positive thinking, learning motivation, and self-regulation for college students (Wang, Chen, et al., 2017), but most students do not find the time for this important practice. Join us as we learn about the benefits of self-awareness, and the endless ways in which we can incorporate self-reflection for better self-awareness into our daily lives.

Day 1 plan:
- Why is self-awareness important?
- Activity: My story until now

Day 2 plan:
- How do I want to practice self-reflection this year?
- Activity: Crafting my USC story Target audience: first-year and transfer students, or any students interested in building self-awareness and self-reflective skills.

Lead By:

Professor Ashley Uyeshiro Simon

Ashley Uyeshiro Simon is the Course Coordinator and a professor for OT-100 THRIVE: Foundations of Well-Being, a course designed for students, by students, to promote well-being and mental health among undergraduates. She also teaches OT-101 Caring for Your Self, a course dedicated to learning about self-care and behavior change through personal application to daily life, and OT-340 Animal and Human Interconnections in Daily Life. Her current scholarly and teaching interests are in the field of college student mental health and wellbeing. Prior to teaching, Dr. Uyeshiro Simon helped people with chronic health conditions change their lifestyle habits and routines for health promotion, function, and quality of life. She completed her BA in Psychology, her MA in Occupational Therapy, and her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy all at USC.

Professor Diego Lopez

Diego Lopez earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology and Minor in Occupational Science from the University of Southern California, as well as received both his Master of Arts and Doctorate of Occupational Therapy degrees from USC. During his doctoral residency at Los Angeles City College, Dr. Lopez focused on implementing and building occupational therapy services in the Office of Special Services to assist students with stress management, time management, study skills, test anxiety, and other skills associated with promotion of college students’ health and wellness. He is currently teaches undergraduate level courses such as OT 100: THRIVE: Foundations of Well-Being; OT 213: A Life of Play; and OT 250: Introduction to Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

This will be very open, two day conversation about life in public service.

On day 1, I'll do some biography of my times working in Congress, in the National Security Council and serving as Vice Chair and Chair of the National Intelligence Council, as well as my times trying to influence policy from outside, at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Council on Foreign Relations and RAND. I will draw some lessons and invite questions of all sorts.

On day 2, we'll do some role play in concrete situations of foreign policy making.

The seminar should be of interest to students interested in public service, as well as those interested in the making of national security policy.

Lead By: Professor Gregory Treverton

Gregory F. Treverton stepped down as Chair of the National Intelligence Council in January 2017. He is Chair, Global TechnoPolitics Forum and senior adviser to the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and a professor of the practice of international relations and Spatial Sciences at the University of Southern California. Earlier, he directed the RAND Corporation’s Center for Global Risk and Security and before that its Intelligence Policy Center and its International Security and Defense Policy Center. He has served in government for the first Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the National Security Council and Vice Chair of the National Intelligence Council. He has taught at Harvard and Columbia universities, in addition to RAND, been a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and deputy director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. He holds an AB summa cum laude from Princeton University and an MPP (Master’s in Public Policy) and PhD in economics and politics from Harvard. His latest books are Telling Truth to Power: A History of the National Intelligence Council, (edited, with Robert Hutchings), Oxford University Press, 2019; and National Intelligence and Science: Beyond the Great Divide in Analysis and Policy, (with Wilhelm Agrell), Oxford University Press, 2015.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Your voice is your most valuable communication tool and can be pivotal in getting you what you want in life. Still, most people have never received training in how to maximize their vocal potential. Many believe that the voice you are born with cannot be changed. This couldn't be further from the truth! The vocal muscles are like all other muscles in the body and they can be strengthened. Did you know that the way you use your voice can make you sound more or less competent to potential employers? Research has also shown that using your voice in specific ways can actually improve your mood! Working on your voice could help you make friends or ask someone out on a date! Does giving a presentation make you nervous? Do you not like the sound of your voice when you hear it on a recording? This course will be valuable to all students, no matter what their field of interest.

Students will learn exercises that they can practice to improve vocal tone, power, and endurance. Students will be given the opportunity to work on both their speaking and singing voices. The voice has been called the muscle of the soul. When you train your voice, you will often make leaps forward on your inner journey as a person. There couldn't be a better way to start your college experience than by training your voice!

Day 1 Syllabus: Introduction to proper breathing, vocal clarity, melody, pacing, resonance, and articulation. Students will practice exercises as a group and have the opportunity to receive individual coaching.

Day 2 Syllabus: Application of skills learned on Day 1 to real-world situations. Students will then have the opportunity to take their voice training to the next level with an introduction to singing!

Lead By: Professor Melissa Treinkman

Melissa Treinkman is an assistant professor of musical theatre vocal performance at the University of Southern California, where she teaches voice and vocal pedagogy. Melissa holds a doctoral degree in voice and her voice research has been published in international journals. She is an active professional singer and an associate editor of the Journal of Singing, where she is the author of the "Vocal Point" column.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

OVERVIEW AND CONTEXT OF THE TOPIC To introduce students to the vibrant field of accounting and its impact on society and the global economy; have students meet their future employers as recruiting will start the first day of the seminar

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES Upon completion of the micro-seminar, students will have a better understanding of
1) the accounting profession;
2) the impact of ESG (environmental, social/sustainability and governance) and artificial intelligence,
3) key topics being tackled by the Securities and Exchange Commission in its oversight of public companies);
4) ethics and its importance in accounting and business;
5) commons myths and misconceptions about the accounting profession;
6) future trends in technology and robotics; and
7) accounting as a vibrant profession and
8) how to successfully navigate the recruiting process

DAY 1 SYLLABUS / ACTIVITIES/COURSE PLAN

Meet with firm recruiters, be provided firm contact information, get an overview of the profession and the firms, and students to be presented the fall 2024 recruiting calendar for internships and various other programs;

DAY 2 SYLLABUS / ACTIVITIES/COURSE PLAN

Discussion on the following topics-artificial intelligence and robotics impact on the accounting and business world; ESG and the impact on the profession; ethics issues in business and accounting; the “new accounting” profession; and exposure to risk management. Student organization representatives will welcome students and encourage membership. Academic advisers will address questions regarding the Leventhal School of Accounting

TARGET AUDIENCE: WHO SHOULD CONSIDER ATTENDING THIS SEMINAR? All students are welcome as the accounting firms currently recruit from a multitude of majors including but not limited to accounting, business, engineering, environmental studies, computer science, economics, real estate, mathematics, and various science and other majors.

Lead By: Professor Zivia Sweeney

Professor Zivia Sweeney, CPA, is a Professor of Clinical Accounting in the Leventhal School of Accounting. Currently she serves as Athletic Department faculty mentor, Faculty Advisor for Accounting Society, NABA, and the NAACP student chapter. In 2023 Professor Sweeney a) received a grant from PricewaterhouseCoopers to author case studies and promote student recruitment to public accounting and b) was the keynote speaker for Andersen public accounting firm’s domestic and international offices on DEI issues and c) consults on a major community project involving a land trust established for redevelopment of a historic Los Angeles area. Professor Sweeney has received several teaching and mentoring awards. Included are two faculty awards from the USC Student Affairs Office (Outstanding Faculty of the Year by the USC Greeks and the Faculty Trojan Excellence Award from the Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs), Evan C Thompson Faculty Mentoring and Leadership Award, Golden Apple teaching award, National Greek Honor Society recognition as one of USC's outstanding professors whom they admire most, USC Parents Association Steven B. Sample Teaching and Mentoring Award (Honorable Mentioned recipient) and NABA Professor of Honor Award.

Professor Sweeney has served on numerous Leventhal, Marshall, and university committees. They include Chair of Marshall Clinical Faculty Committee, Chair of Leventhal Academic Appeals Committee, Marshall Communications Committee, Marshall Centennial Planning Committee, USC Mentoring Committee, Leventhal Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, USC Climate Change Committee on DEI, and USC Homecoming Committee. She also served as the Leventhal School Summer Leadership Program Executive Director and as a Marshall DEI Fellow, Prior to joining the faculty at USC, Professor Sweeney served in several senior management roles within the public corporate and non-profit arenas including Chief Financial Officer, Vice President of Finance, and Corporate Controller. Her areas of expertise include strategic planning and budgeting, mergers and acquisitions, and accounting/finance operations for manufacturing, healthcare, and non-profit organizations. She is a PriceWaterhouseCoopers alumnus and graduate of USC (BS) and (MBA). She served for a number of years as a member of the University of Southern California’s Leventhal School of Accounting Advisory Board.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Overview This micro-seminar will explore the exciting and rapidly evolving field of stem cell biology and its implications for regenerative medicine. Over two sessions, students will gain foundational knowledge about stem cells, their origins, the techniques used to study them, and the ethical considerations surrounding their use. The second session will focus on the therapeutic potential of stem cells and introduce students to ongoing research at USC. This seminar aims to equip first-year students with a basic understanding of the field and inspire interest in research activities at USC.

Expected Learning Outcomes By the end of the seminar, students will:
1. Understand the history and development of stem cell research.
2. Distinguish between embryonic and adult stem cells and their origins.
3. Be familiar with the techniques used to study stem cells.
4. Comprehend the ethical debates related to stem cell research.
5. Recognize the potential therapeutic applications of stem cells.
6. Gain insights into current stem cell research and opportunities for involvement at USC.

Day 1 Title: Introduction to Stem Cells and Their Study
• Welcome and Introduction
• History of Stem Cell Research
• Embryonic vs. Adult Stem Cells
• Origin of Embryonic Stem Cells
• Techniques in Stem Cell Research
• Ethical Considerations
• Q&A and Wrap-Up

Day 2 Title: Therapeutic Applications and Research Opportunities
• Key points and takeaways, questions from previous session
• Therapeutic Potential of Stem Cells
• Latest Discoveries at USC
• Pathways to Research at USC
• Programs, labs, and opportunities
• Q&A and Wrap-Up

Target Audience: Who Should Consider Attending This Seminar? This seminar is ideal for:
• First-year students with an interest in biology and regenerative medicine.
• Students curious about science policy and ethical considerations in research.
• Individuals seeking to pursue research activities and opportunities at USC.
• Those looking to gain foundational knowledge in a cutting-edge scientific field.

Lead By: Professor Francesca Mariani

Dr. Mariani is an Associate Professor at the Keck School of Medicine’s Broad Center for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine. With a strong background in stem cell biology, skeletal biology, and embryology, she leads a research team dedicated to understanding how cells make the correct decisions to build and repair the skeleton. Trained in Gail Martin’s lab, a co-discoverer of embryonic stem cells, Dr. Mariani's research encompasses the fundamental properties of pluripotent stem cells both in vivo and in vitro. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to education, she received the prestigious Associates Award for Teaching Excellence, the highest teaching honor at USC, last year.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Day 1: We will examine recent worlds that have taught us lessons in sustainability or lack thereof (worlds of caution) such as: Furiosa, Blade Runner, Twisters, Don't Look Up, Her, Star Trek, and more. We will also examine trends and changes in examining climate change in film. We will review Elinor Fuch's Tiny Planet essay and do a Tiny Planet exercise of our own. Students will write a short scene on a world of their own creation through a prompt and striving to write via the 5 senses.

See Tiny Planet example with Stranger Things, albeit slides may change for specific references to this class: (https://www.canva.com/design/DAFkaDUu9hI/zAcBcA5oazuIQaCvvF_rUg/edit?utm_content=DAFkaDUu9hI&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

Day 2: Scenes will be reviewed in class and resources on sustainable filmmaking will be provided. The idea of the thematic question will be introduced. The group will also brainstorm on thematic questions for their protagonist that could integrate sustainability world building and heighten on what they laid out in their scenes for a larger piece, helping them find a hook for a full screenplay.

This seminar is wonderful for anyone curious about the screenwriting major or minor at USC as well as anyone interested in learning world building takeaways for their writing.

Lead By: Professor Lindsay Stidham

Lindsay Stidham holds an MFA in screenwriting from the American Film Institute and teaches screenwriting at USC's School of Cinematic Arts. She has overseen two screenplays from script to screen as writer/ producer: SPOONER starring Matthew Lillard (SLAMDANCE) and DOUCHEBAG (SUNDANCE) both released theatrically. Most recently Lindsay sold WITH LOVE, YOUR SWEETLY SALTED. She is currently adapting the book SEX WITH STRANGERS by Micheal Lowenthal for producer Nadia Leonelli, writing a sci-fi rom com, and working on female-focused bio pics. Lindsay also directed the short film DREAM SKIN MASK, winning the Decentralized Pictures iPhone Initiative to illustrate the filmmaking capabilities of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Lindsay has also developed unique screenwriting courses for USC, Sundance Collab, and the creative executive staff at Disney Animation.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

We live in truly remarkable times. Yet, the story of digital transformation is not only one of excitement and success, but also one of anxiety and fear. The increasing disparities among both corporations and individuals are seeding frustration, dissatisfaction and unrest, with implications running rampant across our political, social and economic systems. By accelerating digital transformation, we have exacerbated differences and created new challenges. This class will address how business and law address societal issues. “Sustainability, Digital Platforms and the Intersection of Business, Law, and Policy” is focused on the opportunities and challenges created by the digital transformation of our economy, and the emergence of digital networks and artificial intelligence (AI) as a foundation of the modern firm.

The course is based on a framework for understanding how firms create, capture and deliver value. As our economy is gradually rebuilt on our new digital foundations, industries are increasingly colliding with “digital” firms, and the way value creation, capture and delivery works is being transformed.

We will address how platforms can aid in sustainability.
1. Class 1 – Overview on platform economics and platform value capture.
Reading - case study: Cashify: Supporting the Transition to a Circular Economy By: Rashmi Kumar Aggarwal, Poonam Garg, Harsahib Singh

2. Class 2: Ecommerce and Sustainability – overview of platform marketing strategy and then discussion focused on inclusion Reading - Case study: SparqU and the Colorado Paradox By: Candace Ruiz, Cristin Cornell Tarr

Lead By: Professor Daniel Sokol

D. Daniel Sokol is the Carolyn Craig Franklin Chair in Law and a Professor of Law and Business at the USC Gould School of Law and Marshall School of Business (marketing department). He serves as faculty director of the Center for Transnational Law and Business and the co-director of the USC Marshall Initiative on Digital Competition.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

The ability to visually communicate information is a critical skill that can be applied across an endless assortment of disciplines and professional practices. Whether you are trying to make a convincing argument, relay information to stakeholders, or simply make sense of data you are collecting through research, understanding the practical applications of visual design principles is important for a successful outcome. This micro-seminar will introduce you to the fundamentals behind communication design with a focus on quantitative information design. By the end of the second session students will have a much more thorough understanding of what makes a successful chart, how graphs can be manipulated to distort data, and how to properly spot deceptive visuals.

DAY ONE:
- A lecture on the principles of information design as well as classic contributors to the field across several centuries and cultural backgrounds.
- A group workshop on selecting the optimal chart type for a collection of data.

DAY TWO:
- A lecture on deceptive ways charts can (and have) been used and how to properly spot when a visual is being misleading.
- A group workshop on spotting charts with poorly chosen graph models or when a graph has been intentionally designed to deceive, and then how to redesign the chart to be accessible, legible, and accurate.

Lead By: Professor Aaron Siegel

Aaron Siegel is a media artist, designer, and technologist with a concentration in computational information design. His creative endeavors are inspired by interesting data sets, interfaces, and urban environments. He utilizes data visualization as a medium to explore complex systems, aiming to create aesthetically pleasing representations of data while fostering scientific empiricism. His work strives to display relationships and correlations within information systems that would remain unseen from any other perspective. He has created work for various institutions including the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Electroland, Directed Play, the MIT SENSEable City Laboratory, Facebook, and Fabrica. He has exhibited work in Los Angeles, San Jose, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Reno, Memphis, Indianapolis, Seattle, New York, Guadalajara, Madrid, Trieste, Heidelberg, Singapore, Rome, and Dubai.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

As we continue to gain more and more understanding of the function of the brain and its relationship to behavior, we have been increasingly able to define and describe previously mysterious cases in the fields of neurology and psychiatry.

This course will explore unique disease entities and clinical cases in the field and review relevant research and the ability to study these disorders.
1. Review some of the most unique neurologic and psychiatric disorders in the field in the context of historical description, pathophysiology, ethics of treatment and research in the field
2. Understand the technology utilized in the fields of neurology and psychiatry
3. Understand the clinical approach to “mystery cases”
4. Gain understanding of the resources available to undergraduate students to study medicine in the pre-medical setting

Day 1 Syllabus:
1. Course introduction and learning objectives
2. Case 1: Anti-NMDAr encephalitis a. Disease entity and history of the disease b. Pathophysiology c. Similar cases and the emerging field of autoimmune encephalitis d. Treatments and ongoing research
3. Case 2: Kleine-Levin Syndrome a. Disease entity and history of the disease b. Presumed pathophysiology c. Treatments and ongoing research

Day 2 Syllabus:
1. Case 3: Huntington’s Disease a. Disease entity and history of the disease b. Pathophysiology and neuro-radiographic findings c. Implications and ethics of genetic testing in families of affected family members d. Treatments and ongoing research
2. Case 4: Down Syndrome Regression Disorder a. History of psychiatric disturbances in cognitively normal and abnormal individuals b. Presumed brain localization/pathophysiology c. Ethics of treatment of the psychiatric patient d. Ongoing research
3. Research In the field and involvement as an undergraduate a. How to become involved in research/shadowing as an undergraduate b. Is medicine right for me?

Lead By: Professor Jonathan Santoro

Dr. Santoro serves as the Director of Neuroimmunology and Demyelinating Disorders Program and Director of Research for the Neurologic Institute at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. He is also an Associate Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. Dr. Santoro completed his undergraduate, masters, and medical degrees at Tulane University. He completed residencies in pediatrics and child neurology at Stanford University which was followed by sub-specialty training in neuroimmunology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Santoro is one of only a handful of national clinician-scientists who treats neuroinflammation in children. His research focus is the role of interferons in the development of neuropsychiatric disease. In addition to his clinical and research activities, Dr. Santoro advocates for persons with disabilities at both the state and federal level through the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Neurology.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

With 650 miles of crisscrossing freeways and an incredible volume of cars, Los Angeles is known as a car-centric city. And yet, LA is also a thriving city of bicyclists, who bike for myriad diverse reasons: from loving beach rides to affordability to living out commitments to environmental and social justice. In this micro-seminar, students will learn both how bicycling has prompted critical inquiry into how we live, in ways that have made biking a key “spoke,” if you will, in environmental and social justice movements; as well as how to ride safely and joyfully across LA. Students across all majors interested in urban design and city planning, environmental and social justice and grassroots organizing, LA history, bicycling, and how to enjoy tooling around LA on two wheels will enjoy this micro-seminar.

Day 1: riding for joy and justice: biking as critical inquiry & response
• 3-3:30pm: meeting each other & meeting bikes
• 3:30-4:30pm: how biking links to environmental and social justice, focus on LA people, organizations, and history

Day 2: biking safe and smart at USC & across LA
• 10-11am: SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER, Aaron “Lil Bill” Flournoy, owner of Lil Bill’s Bike Shop. Lil Bill’s has been a strong part of the USC community for 40 years. Mr. Flournoy will demonstrate bike safety and discuss biking history at USC and Los Angeles. Learn more about Mr. Flournoy and Lil Bill’s Bike Shop here: https://lilbills.info/about-me/
• 11-11:30am: closing reflections & plans to ride in the Heart of LA CicLAvia on Sun Oct 13, 2024

Lead By: Professor Alisa Sanchez

Alisa Sánchez is an Associate Professor (Teaching) of Writing in the Writing Program at the University of Southern California. She received her Ph.D. from UC Berkeley in Rhetoric with an emphasis in Gender and Women’s Studies and is a recipient of Fulbright and Ford Foundation grants. Dr. Sánchez’ writing courses focus on interdisciplinary explorations of the law and vital social issues. She serves as a writing mentor for undergraduate researchers and is deeply committed to the project of transforming higher education to be more just, equitable, and radiant. For 15 years, biking has been her main way of ambling around, now mostly in South LA.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

I started teaching engineering at a very young age. I have been teaching, advising, and mentoring engineering students for over four decades. I discovered that many brilliant students want to major in engineering, but have no clue what engineering is! This seminar can be beneficial to all students.

It starts (Day 1) by covering history of engineering and engineering education. It covers engineering disciplines and careers, emphasizing on the great benefits of receiving a degree in engineering.

In Day 2, the seminar discusses how to succeed in engineering education and in life in general!

This seminar is open to all incoming students. It can benefit those who have decided to major in engineering, those who have selected a major other than engineering, and those who are still undecided.

Lead By: Professor Oussama Safadi

Dr. Safadi has been teaching at USC since 1991. He is Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Practice. He has developed and taught over a dozen courses in applied mechanics and applied mathematics. Professor Safadi has beaen the recipient of numerous awards, including the Northrop Grumman Excellence in Teaching Award and more recently, the 2022 Engineers' Council Distinguished Engineering Educator Achievement Award. Professor Safadi is a USC CET (Center for Excellence in Teaching) Distinguished Faculty Fellow.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

This course is a mini version of a course taught for over 12 years at the law school. It is intended to be an introduction for students interested in any area of law or public policy. The course also will be of interest to students who may become involved in startups, who might sometime in the future submit applications for various types of research or other projects, or for anyone who has just wondered how to read a contract.

Day One will be a cram session on the basics of contracts (offer, acceptance, etc.) as well as common errors. A simplified version of a contract will be used to highlight the usual structure of a contract and how virtually anyone can read and understand a contract of almost any type.

In day two, students will have assigned to them ahead of time several types of contracts (website terms of use, credit card agreement, apartment lease, etc.) and will be asked to give a short (one-minute or less) oral summary of what they thought of that contract. After that, the instructor will take the class through each of those contracts and point out different approaches that were used and why those approaches likely were used. By the end of this second session, students should never be afraid of reading and understanding the basics of virtually any type of contract, whether it be long or short, formal or informal.

Lead By: Professor Michael Roster

Michael Roster formerly was managing partner of Morrison & Foerster’s Los Angeles office, co-chair of the firm’s Financial Institutions Practice Group worldwide, resident in both L.A. and D.C., and a member of the firm’s policy committee. In 1993, Roster was appointed general counsel of Stanford University, Stanford Medical Center and Stanford Management Company. He subsequently was executive vice president and general counsel of Golden West Financial Corporation. Roster also has served as chair of the Association of Corporate Counsel, chair of the Stanford Alumni Association, steering committee co-chair of ACC’s Value Challenge, and chair of two start-up companies. He currently teaches Contract Drafting and Analysis at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law and is a director of MDRC in New York, a nonprofit organization that evaluates the effectiveness of government and other programs affecting lower income families and individuals.

https://sites.google.com/view/michael-roster and https://gould.usc.edu/lecturer/profile/roster-michael/

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Social Justice is about fair and just relations between individuals and society, ensuring equal access to wealth, opportunities, and privileges. Substance abuse is a social justice issue, deeply rooted in cultural and social identity struggles in modern America. It should not be viewed solely as a criminal or public health issue. Key reasons for this include lack of support for addicted individuals, abuse linked to sex, gender, and age, adverse life experiences, socio-economic inequalities related to the drug trade, and innocent victims harmed by those under the influence. Structural violence refers to social arrangements that harm individuals and populations, becoming embedded in political and economic systems. The U.S. has fought a 40-year war on drugs, particularly crack cocaine and opioids. This war, along with the criminalization of drug use, isolation, and homelessness, has created dangerous environments for people. To provide students with alternative perspectives on addiction:

Day 1: Crack Cocaine, the War Against Drug Users Focus: Socio-political environment of the 1980s, leading to the Crack epidemic and the new War on Drugs, resulting in a rise in incarceration. Activity: Critique media images from the 1980s and 1990s in small groups.

Day 2: OxyContin, the War Against the Drug Manufacturer Focus: Development of "pain" as a diagnosis and the pharmaceutical industry's response, leading to higher potency opioids to meet patient demand. Activity: Critique media images from 2000-2020 in small groups.

Target Audience Anyone interested in the history of addiction, law, justice, and science.

Lead By: Professor Terry Church

Dr. Terry David Church is currently an Assistant Professor in Regulatory and Quality Sciences at the University of Southern California, Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. He is Assistant Director of Pharmacy Undergraduate Programs. Prof. Church's academic focus is on application of pharmaceutical regulations, patterns of addiction, disaster management, and education and training. His areas of interest and expertise include history and geography of drugs, biorepository regulation and ethics; drug addiction and regulation of controlled substances; regulatory practices for continuity and disaster planning; and policies and ethics for academic research.

Dr. Church received his Doctor of Science and Master of Science in Regulatory Sciences from the University of Southern California. He earned a Master of Arts in Cultural Anthropology from Temple University. His doctoral thesis evaluated regulatory practices for continuity and disaster planning for biobanks in the United States. Dr. Church is a faculty fellow of the USC Center for Excellence in Teaching and Director of the Education and Training Consortium of the Institute for Addiction Sciences. He serves as Co-Director of the STAR science educational program with BRAVO Medical Magnet High School of Los Angeles and USC.

After receiving his Master’s degree from Temple, Dr. Church worked at the University of Pennsylvania’s Office of Human Research as the Operations Director for research. He initially worked to help implement human subjects research protections and monitor all clinical trial activity ongoing and planned. He then took a position at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center as Program Manager. He was responsible for all research, clinical, and community activities for Women’s Cancers, Translational Cancer Research, and Adolescent and Young Adult Cancers. For well over ten years, Dr. Church managed the operation and development of Investigator Initiated Trials.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Can law enforcement compel you to unlock your phone using Face ID without your consent? The Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution says that: “No person . . . shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself . . .” When you hear about someone “pleading the Fifth,” this is what they mean. U.S. citizens don’t have to provide testimony that they think could incriminate them. Courts have recently struggled in applying this principle to situations when police have a warrant for a person’s phone but can’t access it without a passcode or biometrics like a fingerprint or face. Can the owner of that phone be compelled to unlock the contents within?

On day one, we’ll discuss Schmerber v. California, a 1966 case where the U.S. Supreme Court found that the involuntary withdrawal of blood in a DUI case did not violate the defendant’s Fifth Amendment privilege, and Fisher v. United States, a 1976 U.S. Supreme Court case that held that a defendant could be compelled to produce potentially incriminating tax documents.

On day two, we’ll discuss two state supreme courts reaching seemingly opposing results: in 2018, the Minnesota Supreme Court in State v. Diamond held that the Fifth Amendment did not prevent a defendant from being compelled to provide a fingerprint to unlock a seized cellphone. But in 2020, in Seo v. Indiana, the Indiana Supreme Court held that a defendant could not be compelled to give the password to her locked cell phone without running afoul of the Fifth Amendment. We’ll discuss the above cases in a Socratic-style dialogue to try to make sense of how the Supreme Court’s prior rulings have resulted in such wildly different interpretations.

Pre-law students, debaters and anyone interested in civil rights is encouraged to join.

Lead By: Professor Antonio Elefano

In 2024, Antonio Elefano was awarded the USC Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching, the highest honor for teaching given at USC. That same year, he received his second USC Mentoring Award for Mentoring Undergraduates (his first was in 2019). Antonio Elefano joined USC's Writing faculty in the fall of 2014. Before coming to USC, he was a corporate litigator in New York City and a writing fellow/visiting assistant professor at the University of Houston.

A graduate of Yale Law School and the author of Legal Writing for the Undergraduate from Wolters Kluwer/Aspen, he is the Writing Program's legal writing specialist, teaching WRIT 340: Moot Court, WRIT 320: Competitive Moot Court (focused on oral argumentation), WRIT 340: Advanced Writing for Pre-Law Students (which he teaches as an Introduction to Legal Writing) and WRIT 440: Advanced Legal Writing. He is the faculty advisor for Southern California Moot Court (which in 2024 was named the top school in the country in appellate brief writing), Phi Alpha Delta (USC's pre-law fraternity), and the Survivor Support Community at USC. Elefano is also a fiction writer whose stories have been published in The Los Angeles Review, 236 and The Journal. In August 2014, his story "Italy" was one of Buzzfeed's "29 Short Stories You Need to Read in Your Twenties."

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

This microseminar is targeted toward incoming students interested in learning about gardening, sustainability concepts and nature-based wellness interventions in a neighborhood garden space. The centerpiece of this microseminar is the UPC Peace Garden, a revitalized land parcel that is has been transformed into an edible garden and wellness space near campus. Students will engage in on-site experiential learning at the UPC Peace Garden and will have the opportunity to practice gardening skills and see firsthand how environmental sustainability and biodiversity concepts and processes are unfolding there.

On Day 1 students will:
o Learn and practice gardening skills at the UPC Peace Garden
o Tend to various fruit trees and vegetable plants o Work on projects in small groups and socialize with peers

On Day 2 students will:
o Learn concepts in biodiversity and why we need native plants
o Engage in a nature-based craft activity

The target audience for this micro seminar includes:
-Students interested in learning about growing food, environmental sustainability and community-based programs. -Students interested in having a hands-on learning experience in a garden atmosphere with plants, soil and other elements of the ecosystem.
-Students who would like to learn about gardening opportunities that they can participate in while a student at USC.

Lead By: Professor Camille Dieterle

Camille Dieterle, OTD, OTR/L, Associate Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy, is an occupational therapist specializing in health promotion, environmental sustainability and the prevention of chronic health conditions. She teaches courses to graduate and undergraduate students in the areas of health promotion, environmental sustainability, and Lifestyle Redesign®, an occupational therapy intervention for prevention and better self-management of chronic conditions. Dr. Dieterle is board certified in Lifestyle Medicine, a certified yoga instructor and a certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

College can be an exciting and stressful time. Students with various intersecting identities and backgrounds are navigating a novel system. This increased freedom and independence may come with opportunities and challenges. Fortunately, students who develop and use specific strategies, skills, and routines are more likely to navigate challenges more effectively during college and in the future. This micro-seminar will introduce a decisional matrix and model of emotions that can be utilized when challenges arise. The seminar combines presentation, discussion, videos, music, activities to provide information on research-based coping skills, and orientation to USC's Student Union and Peace Garden. Students should be prepared to listen and participate with curiosity in this inclusive and respectful environment.

Learning Objectives: Describe a model of emotions Explain options for responding to a variety of emotions Identify specific behaviors for effectively responding to common problems and stressors Name 3 resources at USC that can support student resilience

Day 1 Course Plan: Understanding a Model Emotions Introduction and small group activity to outline components of emotions Presentation and discussion describing model of emotions Small group discussion applying model to various emotions (fear, anger, sadness, joy, happiness)

Day 2 Course Plan: Utilizing Skills and Decisional Matrix Presentation of various options for responding to emotions and challenging situations Discussion in small groups of how to apply decisional matrix to common situations Presentation on research related to mindfulness, building positive emotions, and changing behaviors to effectively respond to emotions. Small group discussion and in-class practice of coping skills including mindfulness, attention shifting, tracking, and building positive emotions using sounds, visual media, laughter, and group activities. Walking tour of two points of interest at USC: Peace Garden and Student Union.

Target Audience: The seminar is intended for anyone interested in resilience, community building, health, psychology, or wellbeing.

Lead By: Professor Michelle Dexter

Michelle Dexter is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. She holds a master’s in Physiology and Biophysics and a doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Dr. Dexter is a Diplomate of the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies and trained Mindful Self-Compassion teacher. She is the Director of Curriculum and Academic Programs in the Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences. Prior to this position, Dr. Dexter was an attending in the anxiety clinic and testing psychologist in the Office for Center for Accessible Education at UCLA.

Dr. Dexter has extensive training and expertise in the areas of clinical interventions, teaching, supervision, and research. Her clinical interests are in the areas of mindfulness-based, empirically supported treatments for OCD and anxiety disorders. Her teaching has focused in the areas of research methods, clinical competencies, and the cultivation of resiliency skills for adolescents and young adults. Her research focuses on decreasing mental health disparities and treatment outcomes within college populations. Dr. Dexter is also engaged in faculty development and serves as a co-chair of the department’s Mentoring Program. She is a fellow of USC's Center for Excellence in Teaching and has served on the University's Committee for Teaching and Learning for the past two years.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Language learning opens doors to new cultures, perspectives, and opportunities. This micro-seminar introduces students to second language acquisition (SLA) and best practices for mastering a new language. We will explore key theories, practical techniques, and the cognitive and social benefits of bilingualism. Through interactive discussions and activities, students will gain a deeper understanding of how languages are learned and the cultural richness they bring. Expected

Learning Outcomes: - Understand fundamental theories of second language acquisition. - Identify effective language learning strategies and practices. - Appreciate the cultural and cognitive benefits of multilingualism. - Develop a personalized language learning plan.

Day 1: - Introduction and Welcome: Overview of the seminar and objectives. - Icebreaker Activity: Share experiences or interests in language learning. - Introduction to SLA: Key concepts and the importance of learning languages. - Bilingualism and Cognitive Benefits: Benefits of being bilingual. - Language Proficiency Levels: Explanation of proficiency levels (e.g., ACTFL) and their relevance in academic and professional settings. Impact on career opportunities and communication. - Language in the Workplace: Exploration of language skills in various professional fields and global business importance. - Q&A and Discussion

Day 2: - Welcome and Recap: Review key points from Day 1 and reflections. - Language Learning Strategies: Effective strategies, including immersion, interaction, and multimedia resources. - Memorization Techniques: Techniques like spaced repetition, mnemonic devices, and visualization with examples. - Interactive Workshop: Practice language learning strategies and memorization techniques. - Developing a Personalized Learning Plan: Create personalized language learning plans, set goals, and identify resources. - Q&A and Closing Remarks

Target Audience: Ideal for incoming first-year students curious about learning new languages and cultures, interested in cognitive and social sciences, or planning to study abroad. Also suitable for anyone looking to enhance communication skills and cultural competence.

No prior language learning experience required.

Lead By: Professor Evgeny Dengub

Evgeny Dengub is a Teaching Professor at the University of Southern California, where he is also the Director of the Russian Language Program and the Director of the Center for Languages and Cultures. In addition, he holds the position of Associate Director at the Middlebury College Russian Language Summer School. Dr. Dengub has received multiple awards and honors throughout his career. He is a two-time winner of the Best Contribution to Language Pedagogy Prize from the American Association of Teachers of Slavic and Eastern European Languages (AATSEEL) for his Russian language textbooks Etazhi and Panorama. He also earned the 2019-2020 Kenneth W. Mildenberger Prize Honorable Mention from the Modern Language Association (MLA) for his co-editorial contributions to The Art of Teaching Russian. Evgeny Dengub’s research projects encompass a wide range of topics, including the effect of ungrading practices on students’ learning and motivation, the survey of students’ perspectives on online language learning and teaching at universities across the U.S., and the exploration of authenticity in the language classroom.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

On April 4, 2023, a songwriter called ghostwriter977 released “Heart On My Sleeve” on TikTok and other platforms. While likely composed by a human, the song’s two featured vocals are AI-generated imitations of the vocal styles of Drake and The Weeknd, both of whom are represented by Universal Music Group (UMG). Within days of being released, “Heart On My Sleeve” was pulled down by YouTube and other platforms at the behest of UMG. This removal was requested not on the basis of the track’s vocal imitations, but rather its sample of producer Metro Boomin’s “tag” or identifying phrase. Yet initial media reports decried this song as the beginning of the end for human-composed music. “Heart On My Sleeve” exposes contemporary legal, ethical, and moral debates on authorship, originality, and the very nature of musical intellectual property (IP).

This seminar will rely on “Heart On My Sleeve” as a starting point for exploration of other recent music IP disputes, from Dangermouse’s The Grey Album (2004) to the Bridgeport v. Dimension Films appeal (2005), and from the “Blurred Lines” decisions (2013 and 2018) to the “Thinking Out Loud” verdict (2023). Participants in this seminar will obtain comprehensive understanding of US copyright protection for music compositions and sound recordings, as well as the lacunae of that protection, particularly for style and voice.

Day 1 will begin with a discussion of “Heart On My Sleeve” and a survey of the current state of AI in music. We will compare copyright protection of sound recordings with that of compositions.

Day 2 will examine how courts have treated musical style, and whether vocal style merits property protection. We will conclude with a class discussion of whether “Heart On My Sleeve” is in fact an infringing work.

Target audience: those interested in music, AI, and/or law

Lead By: Professor Joanna Demers

Prof. Joanna Demers teaches classes on popular and experimental music since 1970. She has published academic books on music and intellectual property as well as aesthetics, and currently writes fiction dealing with philosophy and the arts.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

It has taken billions of years of evolution to go from the first single-cell organism to human beings. Yet we are now entering an era of rapid and self-directed evolution, driven by the ability to precisely re-engineer the genome and direct stem cell fate. These advances have the potential to alter what it means to be human and raise a host of ethical and moral issues of how this technology will be used and who will have access to it. What will humans look like in 1000 years? Will there be super-humans with enhanced abilities and intelligence? What will human reproduction look like? Will we still need mothers and fathers? Will science one day make us disease-free and immortal? The convergence of gene editing and stem cell advances are poised to make these science fiction ideas a reality.

Session 1: We will introduce the latest advances in genome editing and synthesis, and how stem cell research allows these changes to be stably inherited.
Topics include:
1. Techniques to clone humans
2. Human genome editing through designer nucleases (e.g. CRISPR/Cas9)
3. De novo synthesis of the human genome
4. Ethical and moral questions of altering the human genome

Session 2: We will introduce how stem cell research is altering human reproduction and aging.
Topics include:
1. Generating eggs and sperm from stem cells
2. Using stem cells to make babies from infertile or same-sex couples
3. Making babies outside the womb
4. Gaining immortality through stem cell-mediated whole-body rejuvenation

By participating in this micro-seminar, students will be introduced to cutting-edge concepts in genetic engineering and stem cell biology, and how convergence of these fields has the potential to dramatically change what it means to be human.

The session is for students interested in biology, science fiction, bioethics, and philosophy.

Lead By: Professor Gage Crump

Dr. Gage Crump is a founding member of the Broad Stem Cell Center at USC, director of the PhD Program in Developmental Biology, Stem Cells, and Regenerative Medicine, and Interim Chair of the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. His lab studies the development, maintenance, and regeneration of the head skeleton using zebrafish, mouse, and human systems. His lab has established a number of models of human birth defects in zebrafish, including for craniosynostosis, craniofacial dysmorphologies, arthritis, and black bone disease, and is using these to understand the developmental bases of craniofacial disease. His group was also the first to demonstrate regeneration of jawbone, joints, and ligaments in adult fish, with lessons learned from this highly regenerative vertebrate being used to devise new treatments for bone loss and arthritis in patients.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

In your college classes, you're going to encounter hundreds of new people, many of them with vastly different life experiences and values than your own. The philosopher Emmanuel Levinas called these meetings “encounters with the face of the Other”; he believed that, when we confront new people, their vulnerability, their singularity, and their presence as a subjective being calls to us, and demands that we engage with them. But how can we make sure we engage in the right way – ethically and responsibly – without compromising who we are?

This microseminar will provide you with an understanding of what modern philosophers have to say about ethical encounters, and will then give you the opportunity to engage with them to develop your own understanding of responsible interaction, and your own practice that will allow you to apply it in your academic career.

On Day 1, we will learn about the big ideas of modern ethical philosophers including Emmanuel Levinas, Simone Weil, and Ludwig Wittgenstein, and then put their theories to the test by roleplaying a series of fun and thought-provoking moral dilemmas that will test the practical application of their concepts.

On Day 2, we will consider the related ideas of Iris Murdoch, Martha Nussbaum, and Elaine Scarry, who have argued that the best way to practice attending to the unique lives of others is through the contemplation of art. To explore this idea, we will encounter some works of art that will unsettle our own moral assumptions, and then make and share some artistic creations of our own.

This course is for everyone who is interested in getting the most out of their interactions with your future classmates and professors, and who wants to better understand the connection between the accumulation of knowledge and being an ethical person.

Lead By: Professor James Clements

Dr. James Clements teaches courses in writing and music history at USC. He completed his PhD in English Literature at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He has lived and worked in Canada, the UK, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. His book, Mysticism and the Mid-Century Novel, was published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2011. He has regularly written and presented on composition and writing pedagogy, including papers on creativity, originality, and plagiarism. He has also published on Patrick White, Iris Murdoch, Saul Bellow, William Golding, and other mid-century novelists. Dr. Clements has also released four albums: Kill Devil Hills (2004), When The Saints Go (2008), The Road to Anhedonia (2011), and A Failure (2018). He has also published several academic and popular articles on music, with recent pieces on Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Few modern hackers live in their parents' basements… they are now well-funded criminal organizations that likely have ties to government intelligence agencies. We have moved from a world where a disruption of the internet meant that we could no longer access our favorite chatrooms to now being reliant upon internet-controlled systems to provide daily necessities - from a favorite phone app to a computer controlling an oil pipeline, if it is connected to the internet, it can be, or has already been compromised by an adversary. And the COVID and post-COVID work from home new-normal has only made things worse. In fact, modern warfare is conducted in cyberspace, and the line between military, government and civilian systems has blurred.

Day one of this micro-seminar will be a crash course in how we got here, how bad things are, and how they will get worse.

On day two we will discuss real case studies including protecting yourself from social engineering schemes along with a live demo on what happens when you click on one of those malicious e-mail attachments. We will also discuss careers in cyber security, digital forensics, and cyber investigations and the programs at USC that can prepare you for these careers.

This micro-seminar is open and encouraged for all students, since as you will quickly learn that cyber security is an interdisciplinary problem and not limited to Engineering. There is no technical background necessary. Come with an open mind and ready to learn!

Lead By: Professor Pierson Clair

Pierson Clair is an experienced incident response leader, certified digital forensic examiner, technical security consultant, and cyber security educator. As a digital forensic investigator and incident responder for over 15 years, he has tracked nation state and financially motivated hackers through some of the most complex networks in the world, helping organizations mitigate risk and ultimately ejecting those threat actors. Mr. Clair’s unique forensic and cyber security experience includes working with federal, state, and local law enforcement and federal intelligence agencies. He has provided extensive guidance to private sector clients and is currently a Managing Director with the global investigations firm Kroll.

A USC Adjunct Faculty member since 2012, he joined USC’s Faculty full time in 2023. He teaches the very popular From Hackers to CEOs: Introduction to Information Security (ITP 125) along with ITP 375 Cyber Investigations, and Apple/iOS Computer Forensics (ITP 445). He is credited with creating the USC Interdisciplinary degree in International Security & Technology, the precursor to the popular Intelligence and Cyber Operations (INCO) degree.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

All are welcome to this micro-seminar (no Spanish necessary) with a brief history of the Los Angeles River, its current state, revitalization plans through film, photography, and other graphic arts. We will visit the LA River X/Río de Los Ángeles X humanities project to understand how it disseminates the revitalization of the iconic river through the promotion of artistic representations of the river in English/Spanish Instagram posts that are later archived in the Western Water Project at The Claremont Colleges.

You will create/find an image of the river that resonates with you and caption it. As a group, we will edit captions and translate them.

At the conclusion of the seminar, you will be able to:
•discuss critical moments in the evolution of the LA River; how it has shaped the ecology and the landscape of Los Angeles; and impacted Losangelinos; their lives, their livelihoods, and their way of life
•recognize different organizations that work on the revitalization of the LA River; compare/evaluate their competing interests
•create or access imagery to represent your interpretation of the LA River, compose captions in English and Spanish to illustrate the images, revising them for clarity and impact
•use your images to disseminate your learning on Instagram

Day 1 In class: History of the LA River, revitalization and reimagination through text and film. Task: Visit the LA River or Zanja Madre in person or online or create an image of the river. Photograph/film (digitize)what you see or inspires you and post it here.

Day 2 In class: Presentation and discussion of images. Creation of captions in English for the images. Workshop-style translation/editing of captions and hashtags. Post images to your Ig. Wrap-up and invitation to Collaborative Translation Workshop.

Lead By: Professor Gayle Fiedler Vierma

Gayle Fiedler Vierma, Associate Professor (Teaching) of Spanish in the Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures, teaches courses in Spanish Language and Culture, Translation, and the Methodology of Teaching Foreign Languages, specializing in Evaluation and Statistics. She is the author of Testing Manual to Accompany Atando cabos and co-author of the Electronic Workbook to Accompany Conéctate: Introductory Spanish. Her current project focuses on the Los Angeles River ecosystem and gave rise to a collaborative translation workshop for the LA River X/Río de Los Ángeles X, a digital humanities project, with her undergraduate students. This project offers students the opportunity to learn real-world translation skills and to have their work published, then archived in the Western Water Project at The Claremont Colleges.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Students will explore how the classics of drama enhance the performance of human experience in contemporary media. The seminar will engage closely with two sets of comparable scenes.

On Day 1, students will analyze a scene from Ibsen’s "A Doll’s House" in comparison with a scene from the television sitcom "Seinfeld."

On Day 2, a monologue from Chekhov’s "The Cherry Orchard" will be compared to a scene from "Star Trek: Voyager" that shows a persistent pattern of dramatic handling of time within crisis moments. On both days, the group will probe the value of theatre history in relationship to the making of popular culture through textual analysis and acting practice.

The target audience will be students in the arts and popular culture.

Lead By: Professor Sharon Carnicke

Sharon Marie Carnicke (Professor of Dramatic Arts and Slavic Languages and Literatures) is an expert in Stanislavsky’s system for actor training. Her books include "Dynamic Acting through Active Analysis"; "Checking Out Chekhov: A Guide to the Plays"; "Stanislavsky in Focus" which sets the record straight on Method Acting; "Chekhov: 4 Plays and 3 Jokes"; and "Reframing Screen Performance" (co-author with film scholar Cynthia Baron). She regularly gives master classes on Stanislavsky in the US, Europe, and Scandinavia and is currently working on a new study of film acting.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, political advertising is set to play a significant role in shaping public opinion and engaging voters. This seminar will provide incoming freshmen with an introduction to the world of political advertising and its impact on the current election landscape. Participants will explore the history and evolution of political advertising, from the early days of radio and television to the current era of digital and social media.

They will learn about the various strategies and techniques used by campaigns to persuade and mobilize voters, as well as the ethical considerations surrounding political advertising.

Through a mix of lectures, discussions, and hands-on exercises, students will gain a foundational understanding of the role of political advertising in election campaigns, the key elements of effective political ads, and the impact of advertising on voter behavior. The seminar will also cover the rise of digital and social media in political advertising and the emerging trends and technologies shaping the future of the field.

This seminar is designed for incoming freshmen interested in politics, media, and communication, and is suitable for students considering majors or careers in political science, advertising, marketing, and related fields. No prior knowledge of political advertising is required.

Lead By: Professor Steven Caplan

Steve Caplan is an accomplished strategic communications professional and dedicated educator with a passion for empowering the next generation of advertising and public relations practitioners. As a part-time instructor at the University of Southern California, Steve has developed and taught a range of courses, including Introduction to Advertising, Political Advertising in the 2024 Election, Advertising/Media Planning, and Social Media Advertising. His innovative course design and engaging teaching style have equipped students with the knowledge and skills to navigate the evolving landscape of media consumption and messaging strategies. Additionally, as an adjunct lecturer at Regis College, Steve has created and delivered a comprehensive course in social media advertising, emphasizing strategic planning, audience engagement, and ethical targeting practices. Alongside his teaching commitments, Steve brings nearly 25 years of experience driving impactful campaigns and initiatives at the intersection of entertainment, media, and public affairs. As the founder and principal strategist of Message, a full-service strategic communications agency, he has spearheaded award-winning programs for a diverse range of clients, including major philanthropies, civic institutions, and global media and entertainment companies. Throughout his career, Steve has held leadership roles at renowned agencies such as Gonring, Lin, Spahn and GMMB, where he has shaped public policy messaging, managed crisis communications, and developed comprehensive strategies to address complex issues. With his deep commitment to driving positive change and his extensive experience in strategic communications, Steve continues to be a thought leader and innovator in his field.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Over the last few years, Eastern Europe has emerged as one of the video game industry centers. In our seminar, we will analyze what it means for the region and industry, and discover the cultural background of this technological and economic phenomenon.

Students will gain multidisciplinary knowledge of Eastern Europe, its history, and arts. As well as learn the skill of complex interpretation and analysis of a video game as a cultural text. We will also discuss internship and job prospects related to the topic.

Day 1. How to "read" a video game? Role of games in Humanities. Role of narrative in games. Literature and gaming.

Day 2. Eastern Europe and the game industry Case studies - CD Projekt Red, Acid Wizard Studio Career and business opportunities

Target Audience: Anyone interested in games and/or Eastern Europe, Poland, Russia.

Lead By: Professor Andrzej Brylak

Andrzej Brylak is a USC lecturer in Polish studies teaching Polish language, literature, and culture. His primary field of research is Polish and Eastern European modernity, especially in the post-WW2 context. Andrzej Brylak’s research focuses on Interwar Poland, Stalinist Gulag, and Modern Israel and employs discourses such as biopolitics, Jewish and Christian theology, disability studies, and psychoanalysis. He is also interested in video games in the context of Poland and Eastern Europe.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

This micro-seminar focuses on the intersection of creativity and sustainability, guiding students through the process of crafting compelling creative briefs for eco-friendly brand campaigns. In the context of increasing environmental awareness and the growing need for sustainable practices, this seminar will equip participants with the skills and knowledge to develop impactful creative briefs that drive positive change.

Expected Learning Outcomes: - Understand the essential components of a creative brief and its role in campaign development. - Learn how to integrate sustainability themes into creative briefs effectively. - Gain insights into successful (and less successful) eco-friendly campaigns and their strategies. - Develop practical skills through hands-on activities and real-world examples. - Collaborate with peers to create and critique creative briefs focused on sustainability.

Day 1: - Preamble: Introduction to the seminar and its objectives. - Micro-Seminar Overview: Detailed overview of the seminar structure, goals, and expectations. - The Creative Brief - An Overview: Introduction to the concept of a creative brief, its importance, and key components. - Interactive Session: Group activity to identify elements of a creative brief using examples from existing sustainability-focused campaigns.

Day 2: - The Big Idea: Discuss the central concept or 'big idea' in campaign creation and how to anchor it in sustainability. - Creative Brief Discussion (Brand Examples): Analysis of successful eco-friendly campaigns from brands like Patagonia, Tesla, and Toms, focusing on their creative briefs. - Workshop: Hands-on session where student teams will create their creative briefs for a hypothetical sustainability campaign. Use AI as a creative tool in ideation. - Wrap-Up & Q&A

Target Audience: This seminar is ideal for students interested in marketing, advertising, environmental science, and sustainability. It is particularly beneficial for those aspiring to careers in creative/marketing roles within eco-friendly and socially responsible companies.

Lead By: Professor Rafael Bracero

Rafael Bracero has over 20 years of experience in brand marketing, growth marketing, and partnership development at industry-leading firms, including Disney, Procter & Gamble, Activision, Warner Media, and most recently, as Director of Marketing Strategy at MNTN, a leading SaaS adtech CTV platform for streaming TV advertisers. Rafael is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism, where he teaches graduate marketing courses, including Integrated Communication Strategies, Global Marketing Communications, Storytelling & Experiential Communications, and a new course he created called The Future of Advertising: Adtech Innovations & AI Trends. He earned his MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business and serves on the Board of the Marshall Volunteer Leadership Council. He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing from USC's Marshall School of Business, a Master of Public Policy (MPP) in Public Finance from the University of Chicago, and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Economics and Political Science from the University of Michigan. Prof. Bracero also serves on several USC Annenberg academic committees, including as the Adjunct/PT Elected Member of the USC Annenberg Communications School Faculty Council, the USC Annenberg Adjunct/Part-Time Merit Review Committee, and the USC Annenberg Digital Social Media (DSM) Graduate Admissions Committee. Rafael also volunteers as a mentor for the USC Marshall G.E.M.S. Program (Guiding Exceptional Minds to Success) and hosts the marketing podcast "Working Media with Rafael Bracero". In addition, Prof. Rafael Bracero is an ICF ACC-credentialed executive coach with over 20 years of corporate leadership experience at Fortune 500 firms. He founded The RBR Group to provide coaching, career advisory, and brand consulting services from a grounded practitioner’s perspective. He offers free initial assessment sessions to USC students. Rafael also serves on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Chapter of the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Prof. Bracero was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where many of his immediate family still live. His hobbies include sailing, food & travel, photography, tennis, golf, and volunteering.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Humans love certainty, intuitive explanations, and discovering patterns. Yet our world is complicated and filled with randomness. Statistical thinking provides us with practical tools for making sense of an uncertain world. It can lead us to make surprising conclusions from data. And it also teaches us humility in the face of uncertainty.

In this micro-seminar, we will see examples of how data-driven decision making -- a cornerstone of this era of Big Data and AI systems -- can be quite difficult to get right and how thinking like a statistician can lead to powerful insights. Furthermore, we will learn how to better calibrate our own confidence level in the face of the unknown so that we can be a bit more precise about what we don't know. Join statistics professor Jacob Bien (Data Sciences and Operations) in a micro-seminar in which uncertainty will be given its due. Or at least that's the best estimate of what will happen.

Learning outcomes: - Recognize the role uncertainty plays in our world. - Learn approaches to reason better in the face of uncertainty. - Practice critical thinking in interpreting data.

Day 1: - Why might we want to be more uncertain? - Coincidences: what is surprising? - Data fishing - Paradoxes and fallacies based on sampling bias - Is your confidence well calibrated?

Day 2: - Day 1 takeaways - A look at our group's calibration results - More on calibration - Monty Hall - Medical diagnosis and conditional probability

Target audience: This is intended for anyone curious about uncertainty and how statistical thinking is useful in processing the world around us. Our approach will be non-technical given the limited time together and to encourage even those in non-mathematical fields to join. However, students should come away from the micro-seminar with useful ideas and thought-provoking examples.

Lead By: Professor Jacob Bien

Jacob Bien is a professor in the Department of Data Sciences and Operations in the Marshall School of Business. He received a B.S. in physics and a Ph.D. in statistics from Stanford University. Before joining USC, he was an assistant professor at Cornell University in the Department of Biological Statistics and Computational Biology and in the Department of Statistical Science. Dr. Bien's research focuses on statistical machine learning and in particular the development of novel methods that balance flexibility and interpretability for analyzing complex data. He combines ideas from convex optimization and statistics to develop methods that are of direct use to scientists and others with large datasets. Some of his more applied work has been focused on understanding communities of microbes living in the ocean and on using data to better respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. He is a fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, and his work has been supported by the National Science Foundation (CAREER award), the National Institutes of Health, and the Simons Foundation. He serves as an associate editor for two statistics journals and enjoys juggling in his spare time.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

This “micro” seminar is designed to introduce incoming students, regardless of their intended or declared major, to the pressing issues and societal barriers that have long hindered increases in diversity, equity, inclusion and access within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). During this three-hour course, students will explore the historical challenges that underrepresented minority groups (URMs) face in pursuing further education and careers in STEM fields, and discuss ways to effectively address the continuing and new challenges facing URMs today.

Learning Objectives: Define key terms related to broader discussions of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access (DEIA), and relate these terms to challenges facing marginalized and underrepresented groups in STEM. Generate practical solutions and alternative workplace behaviors that can effectively promote increases in DEIA within STEM, on a local, national and global scale.

Day 1 Plan and Activities: Introductory survey, defining key terms as its relates to DEIA in STEM, conducting small group guided research to learn about historical barriers.

Day 2 Plan and Activities: Continue conducting small group guided research, present small group findings and engage in whole-class discussion about practical and meaningful solutions to address historical barriers.

Lead By: Professor Rita Barakat

Dr. Rita Barakat (she/ her) is a lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences (Neurobiology section) and chair of the Neuroscience Graduate Program (NGP)'s Diversity Committee. She is also a graduate from USC's NGP, and her research focuses on utilizing behavioral and neuroimaging tools to study reading in children with dyslexia. Dr. Barakat has several years of experience teaching students from all sociocultural backgrounds and of various ages, spending four years of her graduate study working with the USC Joint Educational Project's Young Scientists Program (YSP) and other community partnership programs at USC to hone these pedagogical skills. She has applied her K-12 teaching experience to her work educating undergraduate and graduate students from all majors at USC, and has played an active role on curricular committees within her department and Dornsife to make innovative changes that seek to make higher STEM education more inclusive and accessible to all.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

This micro-seminar encourages students to think broadly about three humanistic issues: what constitutes authenticity in relation to an author’s work (Shakespeare’s in this case, but the conclusions can be broadened), how the relationship between an author and his / her / their text has been historically understood, and why it matters to us, culturally, to establish that an author has in fact written the words ascribed to that author's name.

Our first day’s lecture addresses these questions by getting students to think about “forging” Shakespeare in the sense of “making” Shakespeare: we discuss how the Shakespeare we know today is a product of many editorial and cultural collaborations. To this end, we examine textual variants of famous Shakespearean speeches, early biographical descriptions of Shakespeare’s life, and multiple artistic interpretations of how Shakespeare looked.

The second class addresses issues of “forging” Shakespeare in the sense of “faking” Shakespeare: we discuss some of the famous Shakespeare forgery cases and do close readings of Shakespeare-imitations. In both classes we connect these discussions to contemporary, high-profile accounts of plagiarism and forgery.

The goal for the class is that a better historical understanding of attitudes toward authorship and authenticity will give us a better position from which to analyze, debate, and understand the media presentation, professional ramifications, contemporary definitions, and even potential intellectual benefit of plagiarism and forgery today. No pre-circulated reading is required.

Lead By: Professor Emily Anderson

I am Professor in the English Department at USC, where I have been very happily employed since earning my Ph.D. in English from Yale University in 2004. My area of specialty is eighteenth-century British literature and culture, and within this rubric I work on a range of topics: the eighteenth-century novel, drama, and the connections between performance and print; actors, actresses, playwrights, and emergent celebrity culture; and links between literary criticism and memoir. My first book, on the mutually constitutive relationship of eighteenth-century novels and plays, established my interest in the interactions between performance and print. In my second book, Shakespeare and the Legacy of Loss, I delved deeper into these interactions by questioning what artistic medium is best suited to commemoration, and how in practice the artistic struggle with ephemerality plays out. My forthcoming book, Shadow Work: Loneliness and the Writing Life (Columbia University Press), takes my interest in loss and effacement in a more personal direction. Framed as a series of essays, “Shadow Work” is a book that asks how the often-isolating work of reading and writing co-exists with the ability to have a communal, not-solitary life.

My new book, _Ghostwriting, A History: Authorship and Authenticity Over Time_, blends my expertise in practices of authorship with the ideas of invisible labor prominent in my third book. Ghostwriting, defined as the act of one person writing in the name of another, is not a new phenomenon. According to contemporary ghostwriters, the practice has been around since written language itself. But what would impel one person to claim ownership of words he or she didn’t write? What would impel this other person to abdicate the role of author and give creative credit to someone else? And what has the implementation of this practice looked like over time? Ghostwriting, A History excavates this hidden process, and readers intrigued by the topic of invisible authorship will be compelled by the revelatory interviews with practicing ghostwriters that I have been to include. Among its conclusions, this book demonstrates how a writing practice that hides its writer has shaped our fundamental attitudes toward collaborative authorship, even as ghostwriting has made an increasingly illiterate society—the average American now reads fewer than twelve books a year—newly impassioned about who gets to say they have written a book.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

This micro- seminar will provide an exploration of the relationship and intersection of social work, mental health, wellness, and athletes and sport across the lifespan.

Learning outcomes will consist of: understand the relationship between social work and athletes; analyze case studies that examine how social workers can provide useful interventions for athletes, especially scholastic athletes; apply core social work values to real life examples of mental health conditions of athletes.

Day I: Overview of the transformative power of sports and social work newly created syllabus. Lecture and group discussion of meaningful topics.

Day II: Deep dive into actual case studies through the use of vignettes and videos and apply social work tenets to understand conditions of athletes across the lifespan.

Target Audience: Students interested in how mental health, wellbeing, and the profession of social work can help athletes thrive socially and emotional in all environments.

Lead By: Professor Steve Hydon

Stephen Hydon is a teaching professor of practicum education and serves as the director of the School and Educational Settings specialization program. His interests are in secondary traumatic stress and social work practice in schools. Dr. Hydon lead the co-development of an on-line educator curriculum on secondary traumatic stress (statprogram.org), which was funded by SAMHSA. He has been a consultant for the U.S. Department of Education and has trained globally on secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, educator resilience and the evidenced based intervention, Psychological First Aid: Listen, Protect, Connect, Model, and Teach. He is a member of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) and the Trauma and Services Adaptation Center for Resiliency, Hope and Wellness in Schools, where he serves as the liaison to the NCTSN’s Terrorism and Disaster Network. Recently, Hydon co-wrote the new California Statewide Standards for School Social Work which will now be used for all California MSW Programs offering the credential in school social work. Dr. Hydon was recently appointed President of the American Council on School Social Work, a national association dedicated solely to the profession of school social work. Lastly, among several courses he has taught in practicum education, Hydon serves as lead of a newly developed course on Holistic Intervention in Educational Settings and The Transformative Power of Sports and Social Work.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Overview: The advent of generative AI is revolutionizing the creative landscape, presenting unprecedented opportunities and challenges for designers. This micro-seminar equips participants to harness the power of various generative AI tools ethically and effectively. We explore the balance between embracing technological innovation and adhering to ethical standards, empowering designers to maintain creative control while leveraging AI as a powerful ally. This includes using tools like ChatGPT for brainstorming and ideation, and strategies for integrating various generative AI tools.

Expected Learning Outcomes:
• Understand the impact and potential of generative AI in the design industry.
• ethical considerations and responsible AI use.
• Explore AI tool integration while maintaining artistic integrity.
• Gain insights into practical applications and best practices for using AI to enhance design projects.

Day 1: Introduction:
• Welcome and seminar objectives.
• Generative AI in design discussion.

Embracing AI:
• Why resisting AI is not viable for modern creatives.
• Case studies: AI in tools like Photoshop, smartphone cameras, and other daily services.

Ethical Considerations:
• Ethical issues with AI tools.
• Ensuring academic accountability: Embracing AI while ensuring student work reflects their learning, skills, and efforts; and strategies to prevent AI misuse and expand creative possibilities.

Discussion: • Open floor for participant perspectives.

Day 2: AI Strategies:
• Using AI as a creative partner.
• Practical examples of AI-enhanced design projects.

Creative Control:
• Ensuring AI supports rather than dictates artistic direction.
• Boundaries between AI assistance and ownership.

Workshop:
• Hands-on AI tool activities.
• Collaborative AI brainstorming.

Conclusions:
• Recap key points.
• Open Q&A session.

Target: deal for first-year students in design, as well as students in related creative fields such as film, game design, communications, media arts, and interactive media. Provides insights and strategies for leveraging AI while maintaining artistic integrity.

Lead By: Professor Bruno Lemgruber

Bruno Lemgruber is an Associate Professor at USC Roski School of Art and Design, celebrated for fostering a vibrant and equitable design culture. With over 25 years of international experience spanning both professional and academic spheres, Bruno has crafted innovative design and communication strategies for global brands, including a transformative decade in New York City. As a passionate educator and creative leader, he mentors students in advanced design projects, championing a research-driven approach and honing creative problem-solving skills. Bruno holds a Master of Science in Graphic and Communication Design from Pratt Institute and a dual Bachelor of Science in Graphic & Industrial Design from ESDI/UERJ. His dynamic career includes leadership roles such as Executive Creative Director at Tabaruba Design and influential teaching positions at Infnet/ECDD and Pratt Institute, where he has inspired hundreds of students with his forward-thinking methodologies.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Wearables are fun and exciting, and most importantly, they provide insights into our health and mind. In this seminar, we will go under the hood to see what's inside these engineering marvels. We will break apart a smartwatch and learn how they work and how can we design wearables of our own. Students will learn engineering design, and how applied physics, chemistry, and math come together in making electronic devices.

On day 1, we will learn about electronic design through the lens of wearables.

On day 2, we will use a custom wearable to gather data from students and analyze the signal to get health insights.

This seminar is intended for prospective engineering and physical sciences undergraduate students.

Lead By: Professor Yasser Khan

Prof. Yasser Khan joined the Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Southern California as an Assistant Professor in 2022. Yasser’s research focuses on additive manufacturing and hardware AI to produce skin-like wearables, implantables, and ingestibles. These medical devices are being used for precision health and psychiatry. As an expert in flexible and stretchable electronics, he published over 50 research publications in the most reputed platforms in the field, which were highlighted by BBC News, Wall Street Journal, NSF News. Yasser received the Google Research Award, USC Zumberge Award, EECS departmental fellowship at UC Berkeley, discovery scholarship and graduate fellowship at KAUST, and academic excellence scholarship at UT Dallas.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

As advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) continue to accelerate, tools like ChatGPT have sparked debate about the future of human skill and employment. Unlike previous iterations of AI, ChatGPT and similar large language models possess capabilities that rival human proficiency in various tasks. This micro-seminar will delve into the potential and limitations of these technologies, exploring whether they might one day replace human skills across different sectors. This seminar will explore AI advancements, specifically focusing on models like ChatGPT. By examining the societal impacts of such models, we aim to provide an introduction to critiquing the promises and perils of this new technology.

Expected Learning Outcomes: Understand the current capabilities and limitations of AI models like ChatGPT. Evaluate the potential for AI to replace or augment human skills in various domains. Develop a critical perspective on the sociopolitical and economic impacts of widespread AI adoption. Formulate evidence-based arguments regarding the future of AI and human skill interaction.

Day 1: AI Capabilities and Human Skill Introduction to large language models and their current applications. Interactive session with ChatGPT to explore its strengths and weaknesses. Discussion on the nature of human skills and the areas where AI might excel or fall short. Case studies of AI integration in different industries.

Day 2: Future of Work Overview of recent AI advancements and their implications for the future. Examination of the sociopolitical and economic impacts of AI on employment and skill development. Group discussion and debate on the ethical considerations of AI replacing human jobs. Conclusion: Crafting strategies for adapting to an AI-augmented future.

This seminar is designed for undergraduates curious about AI, its consequences, and the future of work. No technical background is required, and the sessions will be free from complex mathematics or technical jargon.

Lead By: Professor Mayank Kejriwal

Mayank Kejriwal is a research assistant professor in the Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering and a Principal Scientist in the Information Sciences Institute, both under the Viterbi School of Engineering. He founded and directs the Artificial Intelligence and Complex Systems (AICS) group at USC. His research has been published across almost a hundred peer-reviewed venues, and he is the author of four books, including an MIT Press textbook on knowledge graphs. His work has been featured in press outlets such as Popular Science, BigThink, The Conversation, CNN Indonesia, and many others.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

In this micro-seminar an overview will be given on day 1 of the diseases that are linked to infection with human papillomaviruses (HPV) ranging from warts through cervical cancer, the 4th ranked cancer of which women will die in the world, to head & neck cancer, one of the fastest rising cancers in the USA, primarily effecting men. The sexual transmission of the virus, the high prevalence in humans, the culturally based resistance to vaccines, as well as aspects of the virus-host interaction will be revealed. A preventive vaccine will be discussed as well as the need to vaccinate both women and men. Two award-winning USC science festival movies will be shown on vaccine mechanisms and education of underrepresented minority populations about the HPV vaccine.

On day 2, an overview of the changing Pap smear recommendations and current treatments of diseases caused by HPV will be given. In addition, new developments in treatment of existing infections and lesions will be revealed. In this micro-seminar graphic pictures will be shown of the devastation HPV can cause in patients. Parts of a Discovery channel documentary about the link of HPV to excessive wart growth in “Treeman meets Treeman” will be shown. In which you follow the presenter of this micro-seminar, Dr. Kast, in his quest to study and help the most extreme cases of HPV induced diseases in the world. HPV is majorly in the news and its social, political and economic implications for developed and under-developed countries will be discussed.

This lecture is recommended for biology, pre-med and education students.

Lead By: Professor Wijbe Kast

Dr. Kast is a professor of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology and Obstetrics & Gynecology at USC. He is a world expert on HPV and the diseases it is causing. A documentary about his HPV research has aired worldwide on the Discovery channel and for his research on HPV he was elected as “North America Eminent Scientist of the Year in Immunology” He won the USC graduate student mentoring award twice, making him 1 of only 2 faculty members in the history of USC that got that award more than once. He also recently received the USC Stevens Center for Innovation Commercialization Award for his HPV discoveries that led to licensing agreements with multiple biotech companies that are developing new treatments for HPV induced diseases. He has published ~300 peer-reviewed articles that combined have been quoted ~30,000 times. He teaches cancer education related topics of oncology, biotech & cancer, and cancer prevention to undergraduate, graduate, and medical students as well as to clinical fellows. Of note is that he also teaches at 6 elementary and 9 high schools. With his daughter DJ Kast, another Dr. Kast at USC, he co-wrote a K-12 cancer education curriculum and book, (the first print of 180,000 books has just sold-out) and trains 6 USC stem major undergraduate students per semester to go out into the USC community K-12 schools in order to increase the number of children that receive cancer education and potentially inspire them to choose cancer research or cancer care as a career.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

As a new college student at USC, you may be excited but also nervous about college life. This anxiety is normal and in fact, can be a great motivator for you; but with this huge adjustment and related stress, the normal anxiety can be easily transformed to a significant barrier that prevents you from success. This seminar will reflect what you want to achieve from your new chapter of life in college before you start and provide several tips to befriend with your anxiety (instead of fighting or ignoring) to make your anxiety a great partner for your success in the long run.

Expected learning outcomes
1. Understand various roles of anxiety and how "my anxiety" usually kicks in.
2. Define what the success would be like at the end of college
3. Learn and implement at least 2 strategies to cope with anxiety
4. Learn about resources at USC that I can utilize for success.

Day 1.
- Ice breaker & reflection: "How I want to be in 4 years from now on?"
- Short lecture: Three components of anxiety & Positive and negative impact of anxiety
- Reflection activity : How do I experience "my anxiety" based on these three components of anxiety?
- Tip 1: Mindfulness
- Tip 2: "Defusion"

Day2 -
Reflecting on what was discussed in Day 1
- Short lecture: why do we worry?
- Tip 3: Worry time
- Tip 4: Self-intervention to make worries into actionable/realistic plans
- Tip 5: SMART goal & reward system
- Tip 6: Using self-talk to succeed - USC resources to utilize for success

Target audience: Any new students who are motivated to reflect on themselves and apply what they would learn from this seminar to succeed.

Lead By: Professor Jiyun Kang

Dr. Jiyun Kang received her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Purdue University, IN, completed her pre-doctoral internship at University of Memphis Counseling Center. Jiyun worked as a staff psychologist at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Counseling Center for 4 years and Acacia Counseling & Wellness for a couple of months before she joined USC in 2021. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in psychology from Ewha Womans University in South Korea and worked as a licensed counselor in Korea prior to her Ph.D. program. She is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and a Clinical Assistant Professor at Counseling Mental Health Services in Student Health, which is a part of a Keck School of Medicine.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Overview and context of the topic: The World Health Organization estimates that Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) “account for between 30-55% of health outcomes” (2024). Vulnerable populations are disproportionately impacted by climate change, presenting both environmental and health equity concerns. Team-based collaborative care that is person/client-centered is necessary for addressing the SDOH that lead to health inequities and disparities among vulnerable populations impacted by climate change.

Expected learning outcomes:
1. Identify Social Determinants of Health that impact environmental justice and health equity among vulnerable populations;
2. Reflect upon knowledge acquired from an experiential learning activity about environmental justice & health equity issues impacting vulnerable populations in urban settings;
3. Understand the importance of interprofessional and transdisciplinary collaborations in addressing social determinants of health and environmental justice & health equity issues impacting vulnerable populations.

Day 1 course plan: The first 90-minute micro-seminar will introduce students to social determinants of health (SDOH) and their relation to climate change. The seminar will explore the health impacts of climate change in detail, including the effects of extreme heat on various diseases and mental health, as well as the impact of extreme weather and climate disasters on traumatic injuries, deaths, and mass trauma. Students will be introduced to the concept of environmental justice and eco racism.

Day 2 activities: In the second 90-minute micro-seminar, students will engage in an experiential learning activity about environmental justice & health equity issues impacting vulnerable populations. We will use multiple modalities to facilitate the learning of students, including powerpoint, video, break-out groups, Jamboard, Word Cloud and interactive discussion to achieve learning objectives.

Target audience: Students interested in: gaining a comprehensive understanding of how climate change acts as a social determinant of health, exploring proactive measures to mitigate its impacts, and collaborative social justice advocacy for and with vulnerable populations.

Lead By:

Professor Dawn Joosten-Hagye

A licensed clinical social worker, Dawn Joosten-Hagye, PhD, LCSW, GC-C is a teaching professor of social work and coordinator of interprofessional and team-based education at the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work at the University of Southern California (USC). She engages in interprofessional education and scholarship at USC, nationally and internationally. She has over 22 years of team-based collaborative practice experience specializing in adults and older adults with chronic, life threatening and co-morbid health, mental health and substance use conditions in community-based, inpatient, outpatient and private practice settings. She is primary co-editor for an IPECP textbook: Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice: International Approaches at the Micro, Meso, and Macro Levels (Joosten-Hagye, D. & Khalili, H., 2022).

Professor Michelle P. Zappas

Michelle Zappas, DNP, FNP-BC is a Clinical Associate Professor and the Program Director of the Master of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP) Program at the University of Southern California (USC). She has extensive experience in outpatient clinics, having worked with a variety of medical conditions such as infectious diseases, diabetes, women's health, urgent care, chronic disease management, dermatology, and interprofessional collaboration. Michelle is deeply committed to teaching and practicing evidence-based care for medically underserved communities.

Professor Laura Gale

Laura Gale, EdD, LCSW is an associate teaching professor at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. She has been teaching both policy and clinical courses in the MSW program since 2011, and currently serves as the course lead for the Grant Writing and Program Evaluation course and the Policy and Macro Practice in Children Youth and Family Services course. Prior to joining the school, Professor Gale worked for 15 years as a clinician, clinical supervisor, quality assurance officer and agency director at an outpatient child and adolescent mental health clinic in Los Angeles County. In her role as director, she was responsible for the implementation, oversight and evaluation of all agency grants and contracts, as well as the supervision and professional development of the organization's 45 clinical and supervisory staff.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Elon Musk is the greatest risk-taker of our generations, yours, mine, and that of our parents. But what exactly does the leader of Tesla, SpaceX, X, and Neuralink have to teach us about the management of risks? In short, nearly everything. This micro-seminar will explore the basics of risk management through the persona and activities of Elon Musk.

During Part 1 of the micro-seminar, students will learn to identify various types of risk from supply chain and sustainability risks to human capital and reputation risks and assess the impact and likelihood of those risks.

Then, during Part 2 of the micro-seminar, we will evaluate different methods to control and finance risks such as raising funds, settling lawsuits, moving headquarters, changing states of incorporation, and overseeing an executive’s social media usage and the effectiveness of these methods. Finally, we will consider the importance of communicating risks to stakeholders—employees, customers, suppliers, management, board members, creditors, shareholders, and regulators.

Students from across campus are welcome in this micro-seminar. Risk management is gaining increasing importance in all industries from engineering, banking, healthcare, and hi tech to communications, entertainment, sports, and the arts. At the end of Part 2 of the micro-seminar, the instructor provides "Tips for Your Time at USC" gathered over the past six years from USC students, USC alumni, and risk management industry professionals.

Lead By: Professor Kristen Jaconi

Kristen Jaconi currently serves as the Executive Director of the Peter Arkley Institute for Risk Management at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business and an Associate Professor of the Practice in Accounting. Before joining USC, Kristen served as a Managing Director at Promontory Financial Group advising financial services clients on risk management and corporate governance matters, strategic planning, and regulatory compliance. Prior to her work at Promontory, Kristen served as Senior Policy Adviser to the Undersecretary for Domestic Finance at the Department of the Treasury, helping develop risk management, executive compensation, and corporate governance guidelines for participants in the Troubled Asset Relief Program as well as the Department’s blueprint for a modernized financial services regulatory structure. She was senior counsel to Rep. Michael G. Oxley, Chairman of the Committee on Financial Services, U.S. House of Representatives. For Oxley, she focused on securities policy matters, including the implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and regulation of mutual funds, hedge funds, broker-dealers, and rating agencies. Kristen also worked as an Associate at O’Melveny & Myers, where she advised clients on corporate transactions and corporate governance matters.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Large Language Models seem to be everywhere today, responsible for innovations in the biological and pharmaceutical sciences, industry, communications, computer science, education, and many aspects of culture and society. And it all started with systems for translating between languages. But how do these systems actually work? Many now believe that users of such a transformative technology ought to have a basic understanding of its inner workings.

Students will be introduced to a simplified, but accurate, overview of the computations that run inside LLMs, requiring only a rudimentary understanding of arithmetic.

Lead By: Professor Khalil Iskarous

Professor Iskarous is interested in human cognition, especially linguistic cognition, and uses LLMs as models of cognition. His National Science Foundation research probes what automatic speech recognition LLMs know about human speech, and applies the results to advance progress in documenting and revitalizing endangered languages and cultures, as well as probing speech disorders such as Parkinsonian rigidity. Through the Dornsife summer program "Problems without Passports", he has taken USC undergraduates to Taiwan and the Alps to help communities document and revitalize their languages.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

This two-day microseminar on generative AI aims to introduce undergraduates to generative AI's fundamentals, applications, and ethical dimensions.

Day 1 introduces the basics of generative AI, including how it works, and explores its (potentially) positive impacts across industries such as healthcare, education, entertainment, and automation. Students will participate in interactive sessions and group discussions on ethical considerations, such as bias, privacy, and misuse.

Day 2 focuses on the pitfalls and ethical development of generative AI. Students will learn about data privacy issues, algorithmic bias, and real-world AI failures. Discussions will cover regulatory and ethical frameworks to mitigate AI risks, and students will brainstorm and design their own ethical AI projects. The seminar ends with tips on leveraging AI responsibly in academic and professional settings, followed by the introduction of a new competition through the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy in collaboration with the USC Center for Generative AI and Society.

This seminar is ideal for undergraduates interested in generative AI and its applications. No coding experience is necessary.

Lead By: Professor Stephen Aguilar

Dr. Stephen J. AguiIar is an Associate Professor of Education in the Educational Psychology concentration at the USC Rossier School of Education. His research focuses on investigating how educational technologies—both emerging and established—influence teaching, learning, and motivation. Dr. Aguilar studies the impact of generative AI in educational settings, the digital equity gap, and learning analytics applications. Currently, he is co-leading USC’s new Center for Generative AI and Society’s efforts to understand when and how generative AI is used by students and instructors in post-secondary settings.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Overview/Context: Metropolitan cities are known to have diversity of race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual orientation and religion. One common denominator across this demographic is the right that each person receives competent, culturally sensitive medical care and education in preventive health. This micro-seminar will explore the importance of having diversity of health practitioners in training, so that they are equipped to handle to differing needs of the community.

Outcomes: 1) Understand the role of healthcare practitioners 2) Identify issues that may arise with clashes of sex, gender, religion, ethnicity. 4) Appreciate the complexity of public health and medical education.

Day 1: Topics will focus on Race/Ethnicity, Sex/Gender. Define, then review peer-reviewed journal articles on these topics as it relates to medical education/public health.

Day 2: Topics will discuss sexual orientation and gender. There will be a multimedia/video of how someone's lived experience of sexual orientation in healthcare has led to discrimination. We will then have a discussion of the video. Then we talk about gender, and how the historical roles in medical education and public health have been portrayed.

Audience: Those who are interested in public health, healthcare careers, healthcare law, or social justice.

Lead By: Professor Morgan Hawkins

Morgan J. Hawkins, M.D., Ed.D. is an assistant professor of clinical medicine and faculty member at the Keck School of Medicine of USC (KSOM). He completed his undergraduate degree at USC, medical school at the University of Utah, and residency in Internal Medicine at Loma Linda Medical Center. He later went on to complete his doctorate in education at USC. He also continues to serve in the U.S. Army Reserves as a senior medical officer which has allowed him to travel extensively providing medical care and education at the international level. His research focuses on healthcare disparities in ethnic minority populations. He is currently Co-Director of the Health Justice and Systems of Care at KSOM, where 1st and 2nd year medical students are exposed on the injustices special populations face in healthcare. His clinical practice is at L.A. General Hospital and Keck Hospital of USC.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

This seminar will highlight and teach the audience about positive psychology. We can apply these strategies daily to help us “fight on” when stress occurs. These strategies can enhance our abilities to thrive. The seminar is for a student who wants to learn how to manage their stress more effectively, interested in working in the health care field and/or help support thriving communities.

Expected Learning Outcomes:
-Understand the importance and discuss the history of positive psychology.
-Explore how our mindset needs to shift when stress arises in order to challenge the negative bias that can be activated.
-Learn how to apply positive psychology strategies in our daily life to manage stress.

Day 1 Syllabus:
-The seminar will start with how positive psychology emerged shifting the focus on one’s strengths vs pathology.
-Experiential exercises will be used to help the audience learn how to build community, empower each others voices, and use a flexible, curious mindset.

Day 2 syllabus:
-Once we self reflect on our stress responses we can learn concrete strategies we can apply that help us manage, move through and respond differently using our emotions, thoughts and behaviors. This includes positive psychology, hardiness, positive intelligence and solution focused strategies.
-At the end of the talk the audience will have a plan of action that outlines how, they can use these strategies to enhance their wellbeing in their personal and professional lives.

Target audience: Anyone can benefit from this talk. We can apply these positive psychology strategies in our personal and professional lives. This seminar would be informative for anyone who wants to learn how to “fight on” and maintain a resilient approach to when stress arises.

Lead By: Professor Kelly Greco

Dr. Kelly Greco (she/her) is a licensed psychologist and a Clinical Associate Professor at Keck Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Greco has been at USC for 18 yrs. Her roles have included being an Assistant Director of Outreach and Prevention for several years in the past and a psychologist at Student Health. For the past two years, she has been an embedded therapist in Annenberg. She also teaches graduate students in the MFT program within the School of Rossier. https://studenthealth.usc.edu/cp_school_directory/kelly-greco-psyd/

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

This class is designed to explore the fusion of Contemporary dance fundamentals with a focus on Black dance practices and their impact on this genre of dance. Contemporary Dance finds its roots in (but not limited to): West African, Afro Cuban, Dunham, Jazz, House, and Hip-Hop dance. The expected learning outcomes of this course are to explore dance vocabulary through terminology and movement, promote a basic understanding of the theories, contexts and history of Contemporary dance practices, introduce fusion of Black dance practices in Contemporary dance (in addition to seeing the throughline of European technique/foundations for concert dance), develop awareness of musicality and cultural rhythms, and understand foundational elements of improvisation and a codified Contemporary dance technique at a basic level.

Day 1 will include: a course introduction video detailing black dance pioneers/cultures and their signature movements that have influenced Contemporary Dance, a cypher warm up fusing West African and Dunham technique practices with Ballet and Modern concepts, an introduction to Contemporary fusion Choreography, which will connect all movement material learned. Class will end with a Community Cypher and relaxation circle of breath and stillness.

Day 2 will consist of: Video presentations on Jazz and House dance practices that blend with Commercial Contemporary dance, movement phrase warmups including Afro Cuban undulations and footwork in conjunction with Jazz and House dance steps, and choreography sessions connecting the rhythmic phrases from House and Hip Hop into Contemporary fundamental practices. Class will conclude with a review of all Black dance practices discussed and explored in a final Cypher and group discussion exercise.

This class is open to anyone interested in moving and learning about Contemporary dance. Class will be taught at a level where novice and advanced dancers can gain experience and have an enjoyable time.

Lead By: Professor Shannon Grayson

Shannon J. Grayson is a native of Baton Rouge, LA and current Assistant Professor of Practice at the USC Glorya Kaufman of Dance. She graduated from Howard University with a BFA in Dance Arts and received summer intensive scholarships to Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Ronald K. Brown/Evidence and Dallas Black Dance Theatre. She continued her training with scholarships to Jacob’s Pillow Jazz/Musical Theatre Program, Jacob’s Pillow Choreographers Lab and Nathan Trice Summer Dance Intensive. She relocated to Chicago as a Lou Conte Dance Studio (LCDS) scholarship student under the direction of Claire Bataille, and performed with Muntu Dance Theatre and Winifred Haun & Dancers and was a featured dancer in the Bollywood movie Dhoom 3 . Her Chicago training experiences furthered her development artistically as a dancer, dance educator, teacher, choreographer and eventually led to a full time teaching position for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) with the LCDS, HSDC Youth Dance Program, HSDC Education & Community Programs and HSCD Professional Pilot Program. She has been an adjunct faculty member at Columbia College Chicago and Dominican University, River Forest, IL and has taught for Joffrey Chicago Professional Summer Dance Intensive. Grayson is a certified Horton Technique instructor through the Ailey School, NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach. She has choreographed for USC Dramatic School of Arts, Chicago Freelance Dance Project, Columbia College Chicago and DanceWorks Chicago DanceChance. She continues to train and teach extensively in various techniques including Hip Hop, Jazz, Tap, Modern, Contemporary, Ballet, African, Afro Cuban and Dunham Technique .

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

The U.S. Supreme Court is one of the most important and consequential institutions in American government. Wielding the power of judicial review, the nine unelected, lifetime-appointed members of the Court practically have a veto power and the final say over whether any law or official government action is unconstitutional and, thus, impermissible.

This micro-seminar will introduce students to the Court in its current form, its structure and authority, and some of its most significant recent decisions. We will also discuss the current public perception of the Court, the appointments and confirmation process, and its non-majoritarian nature.

Day 1 will introduce the Supreme Court and the American legal system. We will also look at the Court’s two dominant methods of constitutional interpretation: historical originalism and judicial pragmatism. We will discuss these concepts by examining some of the Court’s most significant recent decisions including New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022) (concerning the right to bear arms) and Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022) (concerning abortion and reproductive rights).

Day 2 will focus on the contemporary discourse about the Court’s legitimacy and authority. We will examine the political process by which justices are appointed to the Court, the implications of justices’ lifetime tenure, and the Court’s placement within the American system of checks and balances.

This micro-seminar is for anyone interested in the Supreme Court, constitutional law, or American government more broadly. Students need not have a background in the law or politics, only an open mind and willingness to think critically and creatively about the Court.

Lead By: Professor Todd Grabarsky

Todd Grabarsky is a deputy attorney general with the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General. He specializes in federal constitutional law, and in his practice he defends the constitutionality of California’s laws and policies including gun-control legislation, public health laws and regulations, labor protections, election laws, policies that expand access to affordable housing, protections of LGBTQ rights, and the accuracy and completeness of the census count. He practices before a wide variety of courts including the U.S. Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the California Supreme Court.

As an adjunct faculty at U.S.C.’s Gould School of Law, Prof. Grabarsky teaches undergraduate legal studies courses including LAW 225: Current Court Cases, a course examining the current U.S. Supreme Court and its significant recent opinions. He also teaches a senior thesis writing seminar, LAW 497: Legal Studies Capstone Project, and has taught courses in legal writing in Gould’s J.D. program as well.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Game Theory & Empathy: How Interactive Media Creates Emotional Connection is intended to introduce Interactive Media as an empathy machine, and highlight how different creative disciplines and technologies evoke emotions from users. The expected learning outcome is that students can discuss and understand some of the basic core language, philosophy, and design techniques that creators use in games and traditional interactive media.

Day 1 is an introduction to Game Theory with discussions on different games highlighting tactile and traditional computer games. Students will watch short trailers from previous USC Games and commercial games to analyze their structure and discuss what these experiences are doing to evoke emotions in specific ways.

Day 2 is a look at experimental technologies and examining how different mediums must use different languages and mechanics to create storytelling and evoke emotions. It will also be looking at the history of games, new technologies & mediums, and delve into how technology changes, but storytelling stays in an archetypal sense, the same.

The target audience for this course is students who are interested in games, game theory, or storytelling, but who are not majors in Interactive Media & Games and want to learn more about what the department teaches.

Lead By: Professor Andrew Goldstein

Andrew Goldstein is an award-winning game designer, interactive media producer, and teacher. He is the CEO and co-founder of Otherworld Interactive, one of the premier content studios for consumer-facing virtual reality and augmented reality content. Projects with Andrew's involvement have been featured on the BBC, ABC News and at major conferences like Google IO and GDC. Content that he has helped create has been seen by over 100 million users on dozens of consumer platforms during his time in the industry. Andrew teaches numerous courses in the Interactive Media and Games department in the School of Cinematic Arts at USC.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

There are so many things that divide us. Yet, what is most important, is finding a way to come together to solve the problems of the day. If we are to solve any important problems together, we must learn how to listen to different perspectives, and learn how to share our own so that we can be heard. It is important that we care deeply about the global and local challenges that we face, but intense emotions can make it difficult to find common ground and solve problems collaboratively, and inclusively.

Any student who wants to learn how to be heard and how to listen to understand, should consider this micro-seminar. Students will first learn about what truly matters to them so they can understand why they care so deeply. Then, students will learn how to listen to what truly matters to others and why. Students will learn how to lead important conversations inclusively, and learn strategies that will allow them to make space for voices that contribute to change.

Day 1: What matters to you? Knowing who you are and what matters is the first step in learning how you will respond to different situations and conversations.

Day 2: How to listen, how to share, and how to lead important conversations. Students will learn about the difference between what a conversation is about and HOW a conversation happens effectively. Students will learn conversational skills that will generalize to any area of life.

This is type of experiential learning opportunity about how to have crucial dialogues effectively has never been more important, and has ever been offered at USC before.

Lead By:

Professor Quade French

Quade French, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, and serves as an Associate Dean in Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, and is an adjunct assistant professor in the Rossier School of Education. His areas of expertise include DEIB, interpersonal relationships and group dynamics, organizational culture, and wellbeing. He takes an equity-minded approach to his work, which is also informed by his psychological training to better understand individuals and groups at the intersections of their identities.

Professor Kamy Akhavan

Kamy Akhavan is the Executive Director of the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future. He teaches courses on nonprofit leadership, political research, interpersonal skills, and bridging divides. He is also the former CEO of ProCon.org. With over 20 years of experience, his work on political polarization, nonprofit leadership, civics education, and political discourse has reached over 300 million people. He has been interviewed and published in major outlets, such as the Washington Post, Reuters, Associated Press, Fox News, ABC, NPR, CNN, and CBS. Read more about Kamy at https://dornsife.usc.edu/center-for-political-future/about-the-center/staff/kamy-akhavan-executive-director.

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Video Games are the largest form of entertainment in the world with over $190B in global gross revenue in 2023. This course will dive deep into the different aspects of how game Publishers and Developers build brands, distribute and price their games, and how they market and generate awareness, consideration, and conversion with consumers. This course will expose students to the video game industry and its operations. Students will gain a deep understanding of game publisher/developer org structures and processes of how games come to market. Students' expected learnings include a deep understanding of how the video game industry functions and what employment opportunities exist outside of game development.

Day 1 - Video Game industry history, platform overview, publisher org structures, project funding and budgeting

Day 2 - Business models, distribution channels, monetization structures, go-to-market plans - group project (game positioning - brand DNA pyramid), the future of the game industry

Target Audience - Incoming freshmen who are interested in eventually entering the game industry in a business-focused role (non-game development).

Lead By: Professor Steven Fowler

Steve Fowler is an Adjunct Professor at USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, where he teaches graduate students the business of games. Professor Fowler is a 25-year video game industry executive having built and managed legendary brands such as Halo, Guild Wars 2, Hearthstone, and Marvel Strike Force, generating over $10 billion in gross revenue. Professor Fowler has led large global teams for multinational corporations as CMO and built startup organizations from the ground up. He has also won multiple awards and recognition for his creative direction, online marketing, and digital publishing expertise. Professor Fowler's mission is to share his knowledge and insights with the next generation of game industry executives and innovators.