With Great Power....Physics Power!

 Vol 5 No 6

Our talk this week is taking a much different turn!  This is what Dr. Johnson-Steigelman has to say about the topic…

(Classic) Spider-Man is known to be an excellent chemist, producing the formula for web fluid on his own.  His physical strength and agility came from a radioactive spider bite.

However, he learned physics the hard way.

In this presentation, you will learn about kinetic energy, potential energy, impulse, and momentum using examples from comic books and movies featuring Spider-Man.

This should be an amazing talk with lots of opportunity to learn new things and ask questions.  Our speaker certainly knows what he’s talking about….

Dr. Trevor Johnson-Steigelman received a B.S.Ed. degree from Clarion University of Pennsylvania.  After teaching high school physics and working at a private tutoring center for several years, he received his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2004 and 2007, respectively.  His work for his master’s degree included research on high dielectric insulators. He was awarded a patent for a method of producing hafnium silicate by depositing Hf metal on silicon oxide.  For his doctorate, he studied the growth of cobalt thin films on magnesium oxide.   

He uses examples from both real-life and comic books to illustrate physics principles in his classes at Finger Lakes Community College.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12 from 11:30am to 12:30pm. (password 2020)

My God... and Yours...

Vol. 5 No. 6

We are on the verge of an election which is perhaps more divisive than any other presidential election in the history of our country. We are in the midst of a pandemic that is raging across the globe. Our children are staring at screens trying to learn and our teachers and parents are struggling to maintain education in a time of crisis. Civil unrest is rocking our cities and it feels like nothing will ever be the same again.

And maybe it shouldn’t be.

As we look ahead to the future, it may sound irrational to say, but one of the things which should not be dividing us is religion. As strange as it may sound, religious beliefs should not be something that separates us, because at their core, many (if not all) of the world’s religions share the same basic tenets. Somewhere along the line, we have forgotten that. Religion is used is so many detrimental ways and belief systems are attacked and weaponized in ways that threaten to tear us apart as painfully as any other form of intolerance. And it should not be this way.

It just shouldn’t.

Lori Vail, Associate Professor of English, holds a Masters of Arts Degree from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity school, invites us to a conversation about how “God is Not One.” Perhaps, in the process, we can all be reminded of our own humanity and the humanity of those around us. We need unity now more than ever and if we can set aside some of the most powerful barriers that separate us, maybe we can move forward together to ease the ills of the world and improve the human condition for all. Our gods, our beliefs, and our spirituality can, and should, be used to heal all the world instead of adding to its division. There is strength and power if we work together and this conversation will highlight why this is not outside the realm of possibility.

I will be there not just because I’m hosting, but because I want to learn. Join me.

Friday, October 30th from 6:00 – 7:00

(password: 2020)

Note: I reserve the right to remove anyone from the WebEx room who is clearly not there in good faith. FLCC and FLCC’s Honors Studies strives to be an open, inclusive, welcoming, and judgement free space and we will not tolerate the presence of those who are counter to that.

You know what they say...

 Vol 5 No 5

Three things to talk about this week.

First, tomorrow is Laker Day and I encourage everyone to do something for yourself that might fall under the category of self-care.  In my classes, I’m inviting students to participate in a Laker Day activity if they can, and if they can’t, to engage in something they don’t always make time to do.  Bake cookies, read a book, talk a walk, go for a drive, draw a picture, call a friend, paint, draw, compose, sculpt, go to a pumpkin patch and pick out a pumpkin, meditate, practice yoga.  Something that doesn’t involve WebEx or homework, school or work.  Take time for you.  Celebrate who YOU are and recharge your internal batteries.  The world is demanding so much strength and resilience and persistence from us right now and I hope you are all doing that each and every day.  But we must remember to also breathe and relax.  It is so important to our ability to sustain our strength.  Time off can help you make the most of the times you have to be on task.  Here’s a few ideas…

• Free online yoga classes – for all levels and body types
• De-stressing activities - compiled by our own FLCC library
• Sepiatown – Go explore your local history via old photos.

Second, last week Vera led five students, myself, and AVP Cassy Kent in a fascinating discussion about all the things that ‘coming out’ might mean to those in the LGBTQ+ community.  We chatted from multiple perspectives and I, personally, learned some very important things about how to be a better Ally to my friends in the queer community.  Including the friends I have not yet met!  It was a great conversation and I think those who were there would agree with me.  It was the first major talk in our series this semester and that leads to the third thing.

Third, this week’s talk is on Wednesday from 5:00 – 6:00 (password 2020).  Invitations have gone out and I hope that we will see lots of faces that evening.  April is a librarian here at FLCC and, specifically, they are the Honors librarian.  There has been much made of pronoun usage of late and many who bristle at the use of ‘they’ as a singular pronoun.  Many of those who bristle are my own colleagues in the world of English education.  I myself am someone who had to train myself to stop ‘correcting’ student papers when I saw ‘they’ used in the singular.  I am happy to say that I learned, somewhere along the way, that they as a singular pronoun has been around for….well…come to the talk to find out!  You may be surprised!  I have retrained myself and broken the habit and I can’t wait to talk about that and other things at our gathering.  I bet I will learn even more things that will help in my ever-continuing quest to be a better member of the world around me.  Things are changing – and some things that never should have changed are changing BACK and it is a wonderful thing.  We may still have a long way to go, but we are making strides forward and talks like this will only help.  And so, I encourage you to join us for an hour and feel free to bring a friend.  Furry friends also welcome (so long as they are not too disruptive to our chat!).  I cannot wait for this one as I know that April not only has anecdotal and lived experience to share, but they also have that librarian’s love of great information and resources!  Oh, and it is not accident that this talk is taking place on International Pronouns Day.

International Pronouns Day

Note:  I reserve the right to remove anyone from the WebEx room who is clearly not there in good faith. FLCC and FLCC’s Honors Studies strives to be an open, inclusive, welcoming, and judgement free space and we will not tolerate the presence of those who are counter to that. 

 

Annie Talks and Our Next Talk...

 Vol 5 No 4

Hi there!  A two part blog this week - the first part is from Annie Black, an FLCC Honors Studies student who wants to share a few words with you.  Read on for what she has to say - and who she is!  Then read about our next talk - next week!

Annie Talks!

Hello everyone!

For those of you that do not know me, allow me to introduce myself.

My name is Annie Black and I’m about a full semester away from graduating from FLCC with my Nutrition and Dietetics A.A.S. Honors has been apart of my life since beginning at FLCC. No matter how far I am from campus, Honors has been there for me.

Earlier this year I had to take a break from academics for my mental health. It has been a long year full of all kinds of change and growth. I am anxious to be back in classes this Spring 2020 semester, and to get back to some sort of normal since this pandemic began.

So what does FLCC Honors mean to me?

Honors is knowing I’m not alone, no matter how isolated the pandemic has made me feel. Honors is knowing that I still have even more support from my FLCC family. Breaks from anything can be difficult, but for me it’s school. It’s something that

Annie and I, Pre-COVID

challenges me like no other, and something that I can proudly say is earned through my hard work and dedication. Honor’s helps give me that sense of pride and adds to the challenge in all the best ways. Honors is why I know I’ll be able to get back on track with my education and continue to learn and grow. Honors teaches me that there is a place for me, and it’s the most amazing place to be. There’s going to be a lot of roads to travel down throughout my educational path. I’m going to be working for a Master’s degree. Honors program, at FLCC is preparing me for this journey, and I couldn’t ask for better help. Honors is home to me, like I hope it is for you. 

I want to wish everyone good luck on their journeys in life.

Stay healthy and safe my friends!
-Annie Black

Our Next Talk!

Second, our next talk is Wednesday, October 14 from 3:00 - 4:00.  Entitled "'Hi, I'm gay' - Coming out in 2020," this talk will be hosted by Sociology professor Vera Whisman.  Come along whether you are out, not, curious, or just want to learn more about what this even means. Click here for the meeting link - password is 2020.  Feel free to bring your friends!

Get Comfy, Get Inspired...

Vol 15 No 3

Honors Talk Series

Get Comfy, Get Inspired. Stay Home. Stay Informed.

More information on each talk as we get closer...events can be used to earn Honors points.  trista.merrill@flcc.edu for more information

These events will be offered via WebEx.  Links to come!

TBA : 

An Evening with Brockport Honors - early to mid-November.  Stay tuned!

Survey Says...

Vol 5 No 2

Hi there, folks.

In this blog - and via email - you are being invited to complete a survey that asks you some short questions about your semester and your experiences with Honors.  I really hope that you will take the time to complete it. 

Image by geralt via Pixabay

One of the questions in it is about a Penpal Project that I’m hoping to put in place this semester.  I’d like to create groups within Honors and invite you to keep in touch with one another throughout the semester.  This can be via email or social media, and the intent is to give you someone to talk to who is sharing some of the same experiences you are, though in a different way.  We can’t really chat casually as easily as we have in the past since we are all rather sequestered in our homes and workplaces.  Sometimes, it can be nice to have someone to just say hello to, tell them about your day or your pets or your big dreams.  I loved the Living History project that some of you engaged in last semester, but it felt, in some ways, very isolated.  I like this idea because it doesn’t have to cost anyone any money, and it can be done quickly and easily.  And it helps us to make connections.  Maybe you’ll find a best friend.  Maybe you’ll never chat again – but, at least for a little while, you will have the chance to have a conversation with someone you may not have otherwise come into contact with.  I’ll have more details once I see if anyone is interested, but I need to first figure out if anyone else finds this as intriguing an idea as I do.  I could even provide ‘conversation cards’ to give you a place to start in your conversations.  We will figure it out once I see if anyone is interested.

Other questions are designed to help get a sense of your connection with Honors and what it means to you.  As you might imagine, everything is different these days and so it’s tough to get a sense of were we all stand as Honors students.  So, what a better way to find out than by asking!  One question tries to get at why students enroll in Honors classes in the first place.  Some of the responses seem funny, but they are all ones I’ve heard before!  Sometimes, students end up in Honors classes and don’t even know it until after the class starts.  There are lots of reasons why a student ends up in Honors and I’m hoping to get some idea as to why YOU chose.  The other one is about describing Honors as you see it.  I plan to use the words you use to create some sort of cool visual that I can share with everyone.

There are a series of questions about the blog – which will help me as I look ahead to the coming weeks.  I’ve always loved the title because Honors DOES matter to me.. and it’s about things (matters) related to Honors.  But, I want to also make sure it matters to YOU.  So, I’m asking for your input so I can make our online spaces as useful and interesting as I can for everyone.

I ask your shirt size because I’m trying to get us shirts.  No promises, though.

Last, but not least, I am using this survey to check in with you and see how you are doing.  The world is such an uncertain and difficult places and I want to make sure that all of you are doing okay and that you have what you need to be successful as students, but also as citizens of the world.  We can’t always easily solve everyone’s problems, but we CAN listen and we can be there for one another.  I want you to feel like someone cares … because I do.

Honors Matters.  And so do you.  Please complete the survey!  You can find it here.

Image by Quicksandala via Pixabay

Fall 2020 - Let's Connect

Vol 5 No 1

Welcome and Welcome Back!

Things look very different this fall, and it can be a bit of a struggle and a challenge to feel the same excitement about a new semester as when we are part of the hustle and bustle of the hallways.  But, we will not be deterred!  We are all in this together and that means we will do what we can to make this a happy, healthy, and successful semester for all.  If you are new to Honors, we are so happy to have you here.  If you are returning – welcome back, friends.  It may look and feel different, but at its core, Honors is still here and still celebrating curiosity. 

There are seven Honors courses running this semester – Environmental Science, Composition I (two full sections!), Introduction to Reading Literature, Perspectives on Tolkien, Mathematics of Money, and Race & Ethnicity.  That’s a pretty nice spectrum of subjects and I’m happy to report that so far, we have three contracts in place.  Remember – if you’ve taken an Honors class prior to this semester, you can turn a course into Honors via a contract.  You can find more information here.

We have plans in the works to have Honors Events this semester – notably a talk series on WebEx on a number of topics that will hopefully be of interest.  If you have a topic you’d like us to cover – let me know!  We will find someone to host one if at all possible.  These talks can be reflected upon and then gathered together in a reflective essay at the end of the semester for Honors points, though I hope you will attend even if points are not your goal.  We are currently booking topics relating to gender identity, LGBTQ+ issues, nutrition for everyday folks, girls+ in gaming, a discussion about God across varying religions (a sneak peek at next semester’s seminar!), and more!  We will host these events on WebEx at varying days and times throughout the semester, so hopefully you can make it to one or more.  Stay tuned!

As always, I invite Honor students to be a guest blogger for Honors Matters.  Another way to earn a point if you’d like, you can blog about anything relating to your studies in Honors (and hopefully how those studies connect to other aspects of your life).

Last but not least, I just want to end this first blog of the new academic year by reminding all of you that you are not alone.  Many are struggling right now in the face of what seem like insurmountable odds.  Civil unrest, racial injustice, political upheaval, and the pandemic are all pushing against us at every turn.  But none of us are alone.  We are as strong as we are united – so stay connected, stay together, and stay healthy.  And if you need us, reach out.  I’ll find you folks to connect with and talk to, even if it’s ‘just’ about your favorite movie or your cats.  We got you.

-T

Image taken from Pixabay