Abstract:
As first year students in the Integrative Thinking and Writing: The Other Side of Possible (Fall 2015), we were asked to identify a global challenge that is seemingly impossible. During the semester our task was to develop writing projects to understand challenges from a variety of perspectives (e.g., scientific, economic, social, and political). We were also asked to begin thinking about possible evidence-based solutions to the challenge. Our resulting titles include: ?Theoretical Sciences and the Validity of Funding Them?; ?Making Internet Connectivity Accessible?; ?The Danger of Using Plastics??; ?How Can We Protect Birds from the Unintended Effects of Solar Facilities??; ?The Effects of Selective Breeding in Domesticated Animals?; ?The Effect of Genetically Modified Organisms on Our Culture?. In our panel, we will discuss the process of developing a semester-long writing project and pinpoint the challenges and rewards associated with such a sustained research and writing endeavor.