Intellectually Curious: Seek Answers to the Questions that Puzzle You

Instructor(s): Dayra Fallad-Mendoza

Course Description

Have you ever wondered how some of the world’s most pressing and intriguing questions are answered? How are we able to understand human behavior, print 3D organs that are saving lives today and successfully send a rover to Mars? It is all possible because someone, somewhere was intellectually curious and sought an answer to their question. In this seminar, we will look at how scholars in your field of interest answer research questions. You will also gain the foundation to start your own inquiries and explore questions that matter to you from a multidisciplinary lens. Perhaps you are interested in the effects of global warming in New Mexico, nanotechnologies, or how music lyrics give us an insight into culture and human communication patterns. You will learn to find and dissect the research literature in your area of interest and engage with its writing process. In addition, you will have the opportunity to engage with faculty in your field and learn about UNM and national, undergraduate research opportunities you can engage with. The skills you acquire in this class will be transferable to any academic major and future career.

Texts

Readings will be provided by instructor from (Students do not need to purchase any book materials.):

  • Clark, Vicki L. Plano. Understanding Research: A Consumer's Guide. Pearson Education. Second Edition
  • Salsa Dancing into the Social Sciences: Research in an Age of Info-glut by Kristin Luker (available online through the UNM Library)
  • A selection of scholarly articles relevant to student's interest.

Requirements

  • 5 short assignments throughout the semester that will build the final capstone project. 
    • Capstone project consists of a 3-page research proposal and presentation. 
  • Weekly journal assignments (1 paragraph). 
  • Complete the free CITI Program: Research, Ethics, and Compliance Training that will students a competitive advantage if they choose to engage in research beyond the class. 
  • Due to the collaborative structure of the course, attendance and participation are extremely important. 

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About the Instructor(s): Dayra Fallad-Mendoza

Dayra Fallad-Mendoza, is a doctoral student in the Organization, Information & Learning Sciences program. As a first-generation student she fell in love with academia and has worked in higher education for over 10 years. During this time, she has taught undergraduate research courses and developed various undergraduate research programs. She currently runs one of the largest online academic support centers in the nation. She likes to incorporate active learning and technology into her teaching. She is passionate about research, especially undergraduate research. Her research interests include online academic support programs and practices, educational technology, transformative learning, social networks, and data mining.