New-Student Guide

DeAnna Bay-Markins

Are you ready to unravel the mysteries of modern dating dynamics? In today’s rapidly changing dating landscape, understanding hookup culture is essential for navigating the complexities of contemporary relationships. Step into the intriguing world of past to present-day courtship by exploring the intricacies of current relationship trends, dynamics of casual encounters, digital dating, and the developmental influences shaping intimacy among emerging adults. Gain insights, challenge assumptions, and equip yourself with essential skills like healthy communication strategies, setting boundaries, and prioritizing personal well-being. Learn to navigate the ever-evolving cultural landscape of making meaningful connections and intimacy through a multimedia repository of reports, research, and video/documentary sources. Join us for a thought-provoking journey into the heart of hookup culture – where curiosity meets understanding, and where every swipe holds a story.

DeAnna Bay-Markins, Professor of Human Development, received her B.S. in Psychology and Spanish from Wagner College, her M.Ed. in Child Life and Therapeutic Recreation Management from Springfield College, as well as a CAS in Global Health and a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science from Syracuse University. DeAnna has worked as a Certified Child Life Specialist and Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist with children, adolescents, and families in hospitals, summer camps, and psychiatric facilities. DeAnna’s research explores the influences of parental cancer on children and adolescents, the impact of dolphins in achieving therapeutic goals, and the use of experiential learning to enhance pedagogy. DeAnna also enjoys hiking with her husband and dogs, spending time at the beach, paddle boarding, and playing video games.

Nina Bergbrant

Have you ever had an idea but you did not know how to sell it or how to tell a story about it to gain support for it?  This class focuses on the importance of storytelling in successful marketing campaigns.  Storytelling is an effective tool used by marketers today in a world that’s overloaded with messages.  It enables them to tell a story that’s relevant to each specific customer.  In particular, the class will review the universal elements of powerful stories to understand how companies and institutions connect with customers and grow.  Topics will include learning about capturing attention, engaging an audience, changing minds, inspiring action and pitching ideas persuasively.  Inspired by the works of both marketing scholars and practitioners, the class will investigate stories of companies and individuals; ultimately resulting in writing our own Eckerd story.

Nina Bergbrant, Instructor of Marketing, earned a B.S. in Marketing at Miami University.  After working for several years for DuBois Chemicals as a Product Line Specialist and Marketing Services Manager in Cincinnati, Ohio, she began her graduate studies.  She earned her M.S. in Marketing and M.B.A. focusing on Management and Building Sustainable Enterprises from the University of South Florida.  She then joined BIC and worked as a Global Product Line Manager and National Account Manager.  As part of her responsibilities, she was involved in all aspects of marketing and got to travel extensively domestically and internationally. Professor Bergbrant taught several courses at USF before joining Eckerd College in 2021. She brings the textbook material to life by sharing her industry experience with the students and showing how the concepts get applied in the industry.  Her course assignments are designed to foster application of the textbook materials in an analytical as well as creative way. You can find her teaching MK270S Principles of Marketing every semester and she is a marketing resource for students on campus. When not working, traveling, and chasing after her two boys, she loves to enjoy the paradise we live in – St. Pete Beach.  She enjoys boating, paddle boarding and exploring Florida’s nature.  When not outdoors, she can be found on the dancefloor working on her ballroom dancing skills. She enjoys the visual and performing arts and will never say no to a delicious cup of tea.

Kristy Cardellio

The Italian peninsula, historically made up of myriad civilizations with diverse cultures and languages, became unified as a nation in 1861. In this course we will view and critically analyze Italian films that address the question of national identity, particularly after the fall of Fascism. The films included in the course are by distinguished Italian directors who express their ideas of what it means to be Italian through their films. We will explore and reflect on their vision for the future of Italy. As a final project, students will have the opportunity to make their own short films.

Kristy Cardellio, Instructor of Italian, earned her Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics from the University of South Florida and her M.A. in Italian at New York University. Areas of interest and research include Italian film, applied linguistics and study abroad. In addition to teaching Italian, she works with the Office of Global Education and enjoys leading language immersion programs to Italy.

Anne J. Cox

Do you like working with others to solve an escape room? Or are you interested in how to design and build things? Or maybe codes and ciphers? In this course, we will, as a class, design and construct an escape room of our own for others to try out. Along the way, you’ll encounter Navajo Code Talkers, the Code-Girls of WWII, and even a bit about quantum cryptography. You’ll use tools from microcontrollers to screwdrivers to a laser cutter. As we work in the Eckerd College Makerspace, we will also study the Maker Movement and consider how it might shape the ways in which we think about both learning and building. No experience in puzzling, building or making is necessary. We will learn and work together to develop the skills we need to successfully build our escape room.

Anne J. Cox, professor of physics at Eckerd College, has a B.S. in physics from Rhodes College and a Ph.D. in experimental atomic physics from the University of Virginia. She is a contributing author of Physlet Physics: Interactive Illustrations, Explorations, and Problems for Introductory Physics and co-author of Physlet Quantum Physics. She has received grant funding to support women in physics, to build a mobile Makerspace, to provide scholarships for science students, and to develop simulations for teaching physics. Her current research interests are pedagogical strategies to enhance student learning and the use of Makerspaces in science education. Beyond Eckerd, she enjoys gardening (particularly flowers), puzzles (Sudoko is a favorite), and any opportunity to travel (she’ll be the faculty in residence at Eckerd’s London Study Center for Spring 2025).

Cristina Delano

Have you Googled “Best Things to Do in the Tampa Bay Area” and wondered, “What is Historic Ybor City?” Is it pronounced “eye-bore” or “e-bor”? In this course we will explore the unique history of Ybor City, an area of Tampa that was once the cigar-making capital of the world. Founded by entrepreneur Vicente de Ybor in the 1880s, Ybor City became the home of several groups of immigrants who came to Florida to work in the cigar factories. Many of these immigrants were Cuban and Spanish, and Ybor City became known as Tampa’s “Latin Quarter,” Cigar factory workers were educated and politically conscious, and they created mutual aid societies, raised money for Cuban Independence, and protested against fascism. After a series of historical changes–the Great Depression, World War II, and the mechanization of cigar making–many of the cigar factories closed and a large portion of the original communities moved to newer areas of Tampa. Although Ybor City has changed significantly since its prime, it remains an important part of Tampa’s culture. In this course we will read historical and anthropological studies of Ybor City, the speeches and poems of José Martí, the father of Cuban independence who visited Ybor City 20 times (and survived an assassination attempt), and Nilo Cruz’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Anna in the Tropics, which is set in an Ybor City cigar factory and explores the power of literature. We will also go on a field trip to Ybor City and eat a Cuban Sandwich. ¡Que viva Ybor!

Cristina Delano, Assistant Professor of Spanish, earned her Ph.D. in Spanish Literature from Emory University. She grew up in Tampa and appreciates the beauty and diversity of its history. At Eckerd she teaches Spanish language and literature, and recently led a Winter Term language immersion to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her research centers on 19th-century Spanish novels and their use of the Gothic and other emotion-inducing genres to create political and ideological affiliation in readers. When she is not at Eckerd, she can be found driving on I-275 blasting Bad Bunny songs on the radio.

Amanda Hoffman-Hall

At Eckerd, we love animals! From dogs in dorms, chickens at the Eckerd farm, marine mammals in research labs, and birds seen through binoculars, Eckerd students come into contact with a wide range of animal species. But, what if I told you, that some of those charismatic creatures may harbor dangerous secrets? Step into the fascinating world of “Critters and Contagions: Zoonotic Disease Ecology,” where you’ll explore the intricate web of connections between animals, humans, and the pathogens that bridge their worlds. From the lush jungles of the Amazon to the bustling streets of urban centers, you’ll discover the ecological factors driving the emergence and spread of diseases that jump from animals to humans and back again, like Ebola, West Nile Virus, bird flu, Lyme disease, COVID-19, and even THE PLAGUE. Whether you’re passionate about animal conservation, public health, or simply curious about the world around you, this class will empower you to make a difference in the fight against global health threats.

Amanda Hoffman-Hall is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies. She teaches courses in Environmental Health, Climate and Environmental Justice, Remote Sensing, Environmental Studies, and Earth Science. Dr. Hoffman-Hall earned her Ph.D. in Geographical Sciences from the University of Maryland College Park. Her research focuses on environmental health and justice, spatial epidemiology and prediction of infectious disease risk, and algorithm development for satellite mapping of land cover and land-use change. She believes that the best outcomes of health and environmental research arise when projects prioritize community knowledge and expertise, and scientists, activists, community members, and policymakers work together towards just solutions. She has authored publications in the journals GeoHealth, Remote Sensing of Environment, International Journal of Infectious Diseases, and Environmental Research Letters. When she is not teaching or researching, Dr. Hoffman-Hall can likely be found at a Tampa Bay Rays game, weightlifting, or “collaborating” with her two tiniest co-authors, her eight- and five-year-old children.

James Janack

Debating Social Media will immerse students in the good, bad, and ugly of social media.  As social media have grown and evolved, many people have questioned their role in our society.  Are social media platforms more likely to help us to connect to and understand others, or to promote isolation and echo chambers?  Are they helpful sources of information or harmful sites of misinformation and distraction?  To what degree should platforms moderate content that appears on them?  Do social media exact too high a toll on our mental health?  Should some platforms be banned?  Should we place age restrictions on users?  How do we take advantage of social media’s benefits while minimizing their harms?  During Autumn Term, we will discuss and debate these questions and more as we work to navigate the social, cultural, and psychological effects of social media.

James Janack (Professor of Communication, B.A., Russian Studies, Colgate University; M.A., Speech Communication, Syracuse University; Ph.D., Speech Communication, University of Washington) has hopscotched the globe from upstate NY to Eurasia, from the rainforest of the Pacific Northwest to stony ground of New England. He has fraternized with godless Bolsheviks and misanthropic felines.  He has scaled a volcano, traversed a glacier, and cycled the Alps.  He has surveyed the rhetorical terrain of politics, analyzing the discourse of Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, and Communists. He spends many of his days challenging Eckerd students with the intricacies of persuasion, the wonders of rhetoric, the delicate dance of argumentation, and the rigors of oral communication. He fancies himself a defender of democratic culture and of the right to type two spaces after a period.  He has an enviable grasp of the minutiae of The Simpsons and has proved it in high-stakes competition.  He has learned to be profane in three languages, but sacred in none.  He has caught two foul balls at baseball games.  He has done all this, but he has not yet met Eckerd College’s class of 2028.

Janet K. Keeler

Did you know that watermelon is native to Africa, its seeds brought to America woven into the hair of West African women? Or that the fortune cookie was invented in San Francisco by a Japanese immigrant to attract tourists to his tea house? And that tacos were transportable sustenance for Mexican silver miners? Join us as we bite into the origins and influences of Southern/Soul; Latin American and Asian food, and contemplate the question, “Is there a true American cuisine?” This course will broaden your understanding about how migration, immigration and slavery have and continue to influence what we eat. Our study will be fed by contemporary essays, podcasts, film and TV travel/food programs plus texts Hog and Hominy: Soul Food from Africa to America and The Cuban Sandwich: A History in Layers. You will write daily reflective pieces throughout the course and the culminating research presentation is on the origins and influence of a single recipe. Yes, there will be food, plus the writing of messages to stuff into homemade fortune cookies.

Janet K. Keeler had an Ed.D. in Education Program Development from the University of South Florida and has been the journalism instructor and advisor for the student news publications at Eckerd since August 2022. She taught beginning journalism and food writing/photography courses at University of South Florida, St. Petersburg campus for 10 years. Keeler is a 35-year daily newspaper veteran with 15 years as the food editor at the Tampa Bay Times. She has been a contributor to The Zest podcast on WUSF Public Media and is a judge for the James Beard Foundation journalism awards.

Leslie La Barre

Basu Lamichhane

Are you familiar with J. Robert Oppenheimer, the “father of the atomic bomb,” and his work at the intersection of scientific discovery and responsible decision-making? This course provides an in-depth exploration of Oppenheimer’s life, including his political beliefs, struggles with loyalty, and the ethical implications of scientific advancements. The primary focus will be on his involvement in the Manhattan Project and the moral dilemmas faced by scientists. The course will examine how scientific discoveries can be used for the betterment of humankind. No previous knowledge of nuclear science is required. Students will engage with the material through group discussions, readings, and written assignments, including analytical writing, argumentation, and reflection. We will also use case studies and do a virtual tour and a simulation exercise. The cautionary tale of Oppenheimer’s life and work underscores the responsibility that comes with scientific discovery. Would you like to join us in this exploration?

Basu Lamichhane is an Assistant Professor of Physics with expertise in Experimental Atomic Physics, focusing on ion-atom collisions. He is originally from Nepal, which is known for its Himalayan terrain, where he spent his childhood. Dr. Lamichhane earned a Ph.D. in Physics from the Missouri University of Science and Technology in 2018, where he studied how atoms and molecules interact with protons. After Ph.D., he worked on a project at Temple University that aimed to find special particles called “sterile” neutrinos, which could help solve the mystery of dark matter in space. Dr. Lamichhane enjoys playing and watching tennis and cricket, cooking, singing, and spending time with his family outside his work at Eckerd.

Tom Lombardi

What would the world look like if a person saw everything, truly everything, as an opportunity? Consider the case of Ross Ulbricht, otherwise known as Dread Pirate Roberts. After earning the rank of Eagle Scout, a bachelor’s degree in physics, and a master’s degree in materials science and engineering, Mr. Ulbricht founded the darknet market, Silk Road, in 2011. By 2015, at the age of 31, Mr. Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison without parole and fined 183 million U.S. dollars. In this course, we will explore the complex lives of modern-day pirates like Mr. Ulbricht who push hustle and innovation to unsustainable and unethical extremes. The class will outline the technologies and business processes underpinning digital piracy including cryptocurrencies, the dark web, encryption, artificial intelligence, and e-commerce. In the process, we will analyze digital pirates’ approaches to innovation and technology to explore and understand the entrepreneurial spirit.

Tom Lombardi offers courses in management information systems, statistics, business analytics, and cybersecurity. Since earning his doctorate at Pace University, his research has touched on a variety of specialized information systems for analyzing art and processing data in the field of astronomy. When not looking at screens filled with numbers, he rides his e-bike around St. Petersburg in search of the perfect cup of coffee.

Jason Markins

Is it possible that our phones are playing us? In relation to game studies, rhetoric is used to study how the rules and materials of games are designed to get players to act in specific ways. These same methods used by game designers are being used by city planners, social media apps, and even in college classrooms to influence our behavior. In this class, we will learn about how we are being gamified through the technologies we use. We will study contemporary game theory scholars to better understand the problematic ways our phones and laptops are working to hold onto our attention; in addition, we will discuss how to harness these same methods to improve our attention and benefit us in the classroom. Students will have the opportunity to learn to play games such as The Quiet Year, Concept, and Catan as they analyze the mechanics of each. We will not only think critically about the games we play, but we will also look at the ways in which elements of games are being used to play us.

Jason Markins received his B.A. in English from Hanover College, his M.A. in English from West Virginia University, and will be completing his Ph.D. in Composition and Cultural Rhetorics from Syracuse University this August. His areas of study include the Digital Humanities, posthuman and new materialist rhetorics, and cultural rhetorics. His dissertation compares writings about the U.S. Arts and Crafts Movement (1901-1916) and the Maker Movement (2001-2016) in order to better understand how we talk about the craft of writing in relation to the tools and technologies we use to write. As such, he is very interested in talking to you about writing and publishing, especially D.I.Y. punk rock zines from the 80s and 90s and current digital innovations in writing. His hobbies include hiking with his wife and dogs, baking bread, and listening to vinyl records.

Charles McCrary

Katti McNally

Imagine, if you will, an ordinary street in an ordinary American town.  Until, that is, some of its inhabitants begin to suspect that one of their neighbors is not what they seem. They may be, instead… an alien from outer space. Or perhaps it’s the mid-24th century, and humankind has solved world hunger, ended their petty political squabbles, and ventured out amongst the stars. Or, scratch that, and you find yourself in an alternate future in which the Cuban Missile Crisis marked the beginning of World War III, and what’s left of humanity is still reckoning with the effects of nuclear fallout. The universe of science fiction is awash in scenes much like these. In this course, we will consider how science fiction represents not just interesting or scary or kooky imaginings of the future, but instead reflect a multitude of attempts to grapple with the very real, important, and sometimes intractable political problems and aspirations of the here and now (or there and then.) We will explore science fiction as a tool to reimagine political systems and institutions, provide insight into the interconnectedness of politics and identity, and explore the paths not taken at critical junctures in political history.

Katti McNally offers courses on American political institutions, identity, political behavior, and the Constitution. Since earning her Ph.D. at the University of Maryland, College Park, her research has explored the representation of marginalized groups in American Politics, with particular focus on the U.S. Congress. Outside of work, she enjoys watching old Star Trek, visiting lighthouses, and wrangling some adorable (but very naughty) cats.

Mary K. Meyer McAleese

In her 1970 essay “On Violence,” Hannah Arendt stated, “Violence can destroy power, but it is utterly incapable of creating it.”  What could she possibly have meant?  How could this statement be relevant to those experiencing ghastly violence in war or struggling against oppressive systems of structural violence in the US and abroad?  This course introduces students to the philosophy and strategies of civil (nonviolent) resistance during conflicts and methods of transitional justice after violent conflicts end. Topics include case studies on the effectiveness of civil resistance strategies; resistance art and literature; racial/ethnic civil rights, empowerment, and justice struggles; gender, peace, and security concerns in war; climate change, conflict, and environmental justice; inclusive post-conflict peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts; and transformative justice after conflict.  Evaluation based on one exam, two synthetic essays on readings and films, a formal oral presentation on a group-linked case study, participation in-class discussions and debates, and attendance.

Mary K. Meyer McAleese, Professor of Political Science, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts at Amherst, teaches courses in international relations (IR) and comparative politics, including US Foreign Policy, Diplomacy in IR, Migration & Refugee Politics, International Political Economy, Latin American Politics, Women and Politics Worldwide, and Theories of IR. Her publications include her book, Gender Politics in Global Governance (with Elisabeth Prügl, 1999, Rowman & Littlefield), articles on Latin American regionalism and diplomacy, and book chapters on women and gender politics in the Northern Ireland peace process as well as the United Nation’s Women, Peace, and Security Agenda. Since 2010, she has been a contributing editor on the international relations of Latin American states for the biennial publication Handbook of Latin American Studies (Library of Congress and University of Texas Press).  She also served as the Associate Editor for the International Relations section of the Encyclopedia of Latin American Politics (2021, Oxford University Press), and served as Treasurer of the International Studies Association from 2008 to 2014.  She is fluent in Spanish and French, and loves to travel.  She also loves traditional Irish music, long walks, and baking for her husband Dan.

Allan Meyers

Ever imagined a world of dog-faced cannibals and headless beings with mouths in their chests?  Probably not, but sixteenth-century Spaniards who explored Florida and other lands fronting the Gulf of Mexico did. Few events in world history have been as momentous as when Europeans first encountered native peoples in the Americas some five centuries ago. In this course, we’ll examine the impressions that Spaniards and indigenous Americans formed of one another in the wake of these contacts. We’ll probe materials from the Age of Exploration—letters, chronicles, and artwork—to understand the cultural and political dimensions of the drive for empire. We’ll examine the spirited tales of explorers, often more fantasy than fact, that engaged the popular imagination in Europe. And we’ll consider how Aztec artists and scribes perceived the invaders. The extraordinary descriptions of hitherto unknown people and places remind us that we often see what we want to see in those who are different from us.

Allan Meyers, Professor of Anthropology, holds a B.A. in Anthropology and Spanish from Centre College, and a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Texas A&M University. His research interests include the archaeology of colonial landscapes in Mexico and the Caribbean. His account of discoveries at a renowned plantation site in the Yucatán Peninsula garnered the Archaeological Institute of America’s book award in 2015. Professor Meyers currently directs the Cat Island Heritage Project in the central Bahamas. He oversees efforts to document and preserve sites related to the African diaspora, and Eckerd students participate in the fieldwork through study abroad programs. In light of these pursuits, he was named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Bahamas in 2021. He enjoys traveling, fishing, and watching the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Red Sox and Yankees.

Colby Nelson

What makes a good detective? In one of the earliest examples of a detective story, Edgar Allan Poe claims that detectives need to employ the “high powers of the reflective intellect.” What are these “powers”? How do they get used by the detective? And for nineteenth-century readers, how might the detective’s adventures make them feel better about all the scary crimes that are happening in their urban environment? We’ll attempt to answer these questions by reading stories by Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Agatha Christie. We will also consider the evolution of the detective story as we move into the twentieth century and witness the rise of the “hard-boiled” detective, a genre filled with tough-talking wise guys and alluring and dangerous ladies who appeared in those old black and white movies your grandparents watched. As we move into the later twentieth century, we will look at how artists begin to use the detective story to consider questions of race and gender in the United States. The course’s conclusion will include a screening and discussion of Rian Johnson’s 2005 film Brick, a film that takes place in an early twenty-first century suburban high school and draws upon the hard-boiled formula in its depiction of teenage romance and alienation.

Colby Nelson arrives at Eckerd College after spending the last seventeen years teaching in St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s English department. He received his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Washington where he studied 19^th and 20^th century U.S. literature. He has frequently taught courses in 20^th century African-American literature, modernism and postmodernism, and literary theory, but really he most loves teaching any class where he gets to read and discuss cool stuff with students. He also likes to run long distances (he recently completed his second marathon) and cooking for his family. He has a dog, Gracie, who is eternally hopeful that he will share some of that cooking with her and is puzzled why he never does. She is quite forgiving, though, and lets him take her for walks anyway.

Laura Hudson Pollom

To friend or not to friend? To swipe right or swipe left? To stay fierce, to slay, to dab?  This course will look at initial interactions and subsequent perceptions based on the nonverbal behaviors observed. Students will not only examine their own familial nonverbal patterns, but also their culture and societal impacts such as COVID 19 and social media, and how those have played a role in their communication patterns, assumptions, and behaviors.  Students will become aware of the subconscious and conscious choices they use when encountering new potential friends, lovers, and even, haters and learn to translate nonverbal communication as they navigate their lives as Eckerd College students.

Laura Hudson Pollom received her undergraduate degree from DePauw University. During this experience she was inspired to continue her endeavors in education and went to Ball State University for her MA and then on to the University of Missouri, Columbia for her PhD in Communication Studies. She worked at Concordia University Chicago for eighteen years as a professor and administrator before taking the job at Eckerd in the Fall of 2023. She has taught many different communication courses, but currently, her primary scholarship focuses on a mixture of interpersonal, nonverbal, and family communication studies. She loves to travel and has taken students to Italy three times. When not at Eckerd, she is participating in activities with her teenagers, running her two dogs, boating, kayaking, fishing, playing beach volleyball, cooking meals every Sunday with her spouse, and trying to live the best life that Florida has to offer.

Peter A. Scott

Genetics can explain both the unity and diversity of life and thus has far-reaching application outside of cellular biology. Today, biologists have genetic resources Charles Darwin and Watson and Crick would have never imagined: spanning from genomic sequence data for 100,000s of individuals to the ability to precisely edit a single gene. Just as genes are interwoven throughout life, understanding genetic theory and technology is becoming increasingly important beyond biology – from informing how to make society more equitable, improving the human condition and experience in medicine and agriculture, and ensuring we may have a sustainable planet for future generations to inherit. Here, we will explore these concepts and more by developing a greater understanding of what genetics is and can or cannot provide for us from both practical and technological standpoint. Through reading, writing, and discussion based on both scientific and topical issues, students will better their ability to interact critically with genetics and science in general and the role they play in society.

Peter A. Scott, Assistant Professor of Biology, received his PhD in Biology from the University of Alabama and M.S in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from San Diego State University. He teaches a variety of courses including Ecology, Evolution, and Diversity, Evolution, Genetics, and Principals of Ecology. His research interests are driven by his love of biodiversity, passion to explain the mechanisms that have shaped it and ensure conservation practices work best to conserve it. To accomplish these goals, he combines field-based research with genomic data analysis. Current projects include conservation and population genomics of diamondback terrapins and western pond turtles, using genetics to inform conservation management of endangered New Mexican fish, and substantial involvement in the long-term population surveys of turtles in Rainbow River. In his free time, he enjoys other outdoor activities such as exploring Florida’s springs and beaches and casual birding.

Jason Sears

Construction of Nature considers the varied ways that nature is socially constructed in the history of ideas and in contemporary film. By subverting the notion that the natural world is only represented in books and movies that seek to spread environmental awareness or activism, we consider how four prevalent models of nature are represented in various genres of literature and film. These four models include seeing nature as Frontier (wild and needs cultivating), Sublime (spiritual), Mechanistic (a machine to be manipulated), and Feminist (akin to aspects of the feminine and consequently oppressed).  We explore how it is that these models deeply influence what we believe to be our role in nature and our responsibilities to it.

Jason Sears, Philosophy Instructor and Ethics Bowl Director at Eckerd College specializes in Ancient Greek philosophy, Ethical Theory, and Environmental Ethics. His research focuses on Plato and Aristotle’s competing conceptions of justice. He teaches in the Philosophy, Animal Studies, and Environmental Studies disciplines. Some of his courses include Animal Ethics, Environmental Ethics, Philosophy of Love and Death, Plato, and Aristotle. He misses Greece, where he spent a year doing research at the American School of Classical Studies, and enjoys martial arts, playing guitar, and training canines in his limited free time.

Dawn Shedden

We talk all the time about people “on a mission” to change the world but what does that really mean? Are missions supposed to be so hard that we can focus on nothing else? Are they possible or impossible? Do they alter who we are and how we behave? Why do most organizations feel the need to create mission statements? Do they really follow them? Join us on a journey as we explore these questions and seek to understand missions in our wider world while developing our own sense of what our individual missions might be. Our main sources will be the diaries of early German missionaries to Pennsylvania, Anna Botsford Comstock’s guide to the study of nature and Katy Payne’s work with whales and elephants, and the story of women in the CIA. We will also look at popular films like The Martian and Operation Mincemeat and visit local community organizations in search of that illusive sense of purpose and meaning within ourselves and others.

Dawn Shedden, Instructor of History, has lived in St. Petersburg for over 20 years and has worked at Eckerd College in various capacities for much of that time.  She has a Ph.D. in European history from the University of Florida, a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College.  Professor Shedden’s own research examines how individuals living in border regions organized their worlds in the turmoil of the French Revolution. More recently, she has been working on understanding identity within the diverse communities of the St. Petersburg area. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading, singing, and taking nature walks with her husband and three boys.

Jason Walker

Philosophy is everywhere, whether we see it or not. It percolates through culture, appearing in the most unexpected places, whether in superhero films, video games or the lyrics to your favorite songs. Pop culture often talks back to philosophy, invigorating it with fresh examples, puzzles and challenges to centuries-old traditions. In this course, we will examples of philosophy taking center stage in pop culture, inviting us all to participate, think and wonder. Examples include WandaVision and the Ship of Theseus, The Matrix and Plato’s Cave, Blade Runner and the Other Minds Problem, the Social Contract in the world of the Walking Dead, as well as other philosophical questions culled from Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, South Park, Doctor Who, Batman, The Good Place, Tolkien, Dungeons & Dragons, and Harry Potter, among many others.

Jason Walker grew up in a small town in New Mexico no one has ever heard of, but nevertheless received his BA in Philosophy with a History minor from the University of Texas at Austin (Hook ‘em Horns), his MA in Philosophy from Tufts University (go Jumbos), and his PhD in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin at Madison (go Badgers). He specializes in ethics, political philosophy and philosophy of law, having completed a dissertation defending the rule of law as an organic, “grown” order. He has taught philosophy and political theory at prominent universities in two national capitals, Washington DC and Beijing, including several schools with “George” in the name: George Washington University, Georgetown, and George Mason, as well as American University. In Beijing, finding no universities with “George” in the name, he taught instead at Renmin (People’s) University and China Foreign Affairs University. Since 2017, he has lived in St. Petersburg, Florida, and finding no “George” universities there either, opted for teaching courses on philosophy, ethics and political theory at the University of South Florida and Eckerd College. He enjoys science fiction and fantasy, history, weird dreamy indie rock from the 1970s to present (typically on stored media like vinyl, CD or mp3) and more recently has taken up Dungeons & Dragons.

How addicted is the U.S. to oil?  How much oil does the world have left?  What are the costs and benefits to society of fracking?  Is it possible to reduce our consumption of oil and other fossil fuels to avert the dangers of climate change?  How much has oil driven our foreign policy?  Should the U.S. strive to be “energy independent”?     This course examines such questions and invites students to critically assess existing U.S. oil policy and make informed recommendations for the future.  Issues to be explored are the supply and demand for this nonrenewable resource, its historical importance to the U.S. economy, and its national security and environmental consequences.  We will analyze various policy options, including supply-based measures such as increased oil drilling and use of unconventional sources, as well as demand-based measures such as fuel economy standards, higher gasoline taxes, and incentives for alternatives like electric vehicles and biofuels.  Throughout this course, we will work together to develop our research, writing, and presentation skills, and become familiar with class preparation and participation expectations at Eckerd.

Jill Collins received her Ph.D. in Economics from The University of Tennessee at Knoxville, having already completed an M.S. at Arizona State University and a B.A. at Wellesley College.  Her research interests include how to value environmental amenities such as clean air and clean water, how to best manage natural resources such as oil and water over time, and the role of cost benefit analysis in public policy.   She enjoys yoga, playing the piano, working crosswords, and going to the beach with her husband Bill and daughters Chloe and Summer.

From seafarers to scientists, surfers to sirens, humankind’s close relationships to the sea span time and culture. This transdisciplinary course explores ways in which representations of this relationship, from “The Pearl Diver” of ancient Noh Theatre to Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic, have reflected (and sometimes transformed) various cultural contexts. Students will take a deep-dive into stories of human relationships to the ocean that have sparked replication, representation, and repetition across performance media. They will examine the cultural retellings inspired by these stories, and ways in which those tellings have in turn reflected and shaped their societal contexts. Students will also read key theoretical works, both ancient and contemporary, to gain an understanding of critical conceptual application to representations of human-ocean relationships. These theoretical concepts will serve as tools for students’ written analysis of the narratives and media we examine. Finally, students will apply their knowledge by creating their own representations of a human-ocean relationship through original creative digital media projects.

Antonia S. Krueger has a PhD in Theatre from The Ohio State University, where she was the first person in theatre ever to receive a Presidential Fellowship. She has two Masters degrees: an MA in Communication (Theatre) from Indiana State University, and an MA in English as a Second Language (graduate minor in Psychology) from the University of Minnesota. Her scholarship focuses on life narratives across multiple disciplines and incorporates elements of psychology, history, comparative literature, performance studies, critical theory, sociolinguistics, and internatural communication studies. Tonia has been teaching at Eckerd since 2012. She has also worked in the performing arts in many capacities: as a dramaturg, playwright, critic, voice and text coach, actor, director, costumer, and arts administrator.  She has been a 2020/2021 and 2022 Performance and Ecology Working Group Co-Convener for the American Society for Theatre Research. She enjoys butterfly gardening with Florida native wildflowers and trying to teach the neighborhood mockingbirds new songs.