IntroSems in the News
Esteemed faculty from all of Stanford's seven schools teach Introductory Seminars. Inside and outside of the seminar classroom, these professors engage students in research, in hands-on workshops, in trips around the Bay Area, and in self-reflection that helps students shape the direction of their studies at Stanford. See below for a glimpse inside some of the seminars offered.
After the IntroSem
This section highlights students who used their Introductory Seminar as a foundation for future projects.
An introsem in her very first quarter helped Jenny Vo-Phamhi find her senior honors thesis topic (Classics 26N, Richard Saller)
Students in Cynthia Lee's Race and Gender in Silicon Valley (CS80Q) launched a Stories of the Farm platform, similar to Humans of NY, after publishing a summary of their findings in Medium.
Mapping Activism at Stanford. This project began in Kären Wigen's Maps in the Modern World (History 95N). Each class ends with by making a counter-atlas of Stanford.
Introductory freshman seminar publishes paper on Zika (BIO 2N, Erin Mordecai)
2019-2020
Introductory Seminars gains a new faculty director, Professor Dan Edelstein
COMPMED 23N explores the societal impact of disease (Dr Thomas Cherpes)
2018-2019
Stanford Introductory Seminars student award renamed for Russell Berman
CHINA 70N examines human-animal relationships through cross-cultural exploration (Haiyan Lee)
Undergrads honored for outstanding work in Introductory Seminars (IntroSem Excellence Awards Ceremony)
Classy Classes: CS80Q examines “Race and Gender in Silicon Valley” (Cynthia Lee)
2017-2018
Chemistry in the Kitchen: A Different Kind of Laboratory (Richard Zare, CHEM 29N: Chemistry in the Kitchen)
Stanford students learn to enhance computers and robots with touch (Allison Okamura, ME20N: Haptics: Engineering Touch)
Inspired by a class, Stanford undergraduates start a popular science publication (Paul Wender, CHEM 28N: Science Innovation and Communication)
Classy Classes: Hennessy decodes computer science in CS 56N
2016-2017
New Stanford course tackles designing for people with disabilities (ChemEng 90Q, John Moalli)
Stanford Earth course takes students to the extremes (EarthSys 36N, Anne Dekas)
Classy Classes: TAPS 20N “Prisons and Performance” (Janice Ross)
Classy classes: ‘The Idea of Virtual Reality’ (TAPS 21N, Matthew Smith)
2015-2016
Classy Classes: CS 54N, Great Ideas in Computer Science (Eric Roberts)
Classy Classes: LAW 116N addresses policy issues in today’s society (John Donohue)
Classy Classes: COMPMED 80N explores niches in animal behavior (Joseph Garner)
Classy Classes: AFRICAAM 54N: ‘African-American Women’s Lives’ (Allyson Hobbs)
“The Psychology of Stoked” class explores science behind a mindful life (Psyc 60N, Shashank Joshi and Daryn Reicherter)
2014-2015
Classy Classes: Party with Trees in Bio29N (Devaki Bhaya)
It’s the thought that counts in Psych 12N: Self Theories (Carol Dweck)
Stanford scholar tracks the changing world of gay sexuality (History 36N, Paul Robinson)
Stanford students come up with creative ways to fight big tobacco (Anthro 182N, Matthew Kohrman)
Classy Classes: Eight Great Archeological Sites in Europe (Classics 21Q, Michael Shanks)
Before 2014
Teaching History to Undergrads: An Interview with Sam Wineburg (Educ 116N)