Infectious Disease on the Run

This Praxis Lab examined the history, science, and ethical implications of pandemics, from the Black Plague to COVID-19. Students analyzed how diseases spread, the social and political responses to outbreaks, and the ethical considerations of public health interventions.

How We Die

This Praxis Lab explored the evolving landscape of death and dying in the modern world, examining the shift from infectious disease mortality to prolonged battles with degenerative illnesses like cancer, heart failure, and dementia.

Local Food and Human Diets

This Praxis Lab examined the historical, environmental, and cultural dimensions of local food, questioning its feasibility in modern society. Students explored the evolution of human diets from foraging to domestication, analyzed the environmental impact of industrialized agriculture, and assessed the challenges of sourcing food locally in today’s urbanized world.

Alzheimers & Aging

This Praxis Lab linked scientific understanding of Alzheimer’s disease with the social and public policy challenges faced by patients, families, and society. The course focused on knowledge, communication, inclusion, and dignity, examining the intersections of science, philosophy, emotion, ethics, and public policy.

Uneasy Intersection of Law and Medicine

The Praxis Lab examined the complex relationship between law, medicine, and ethics, exploring the challenges that arise when these domains intersect. Students investigated cases where law dictates medical practices or where medical actions conflict with legal regulations.

American Indian Patient Experience

This interdisciplinary think tank explored the complexities of the American Indian medical patient experience through a community partnership paradigm.

Health Development in a Global Context

Health development in a global context poses many interesting challenges. For instance, there is considerable debate regarding how to improve health-related quality of life in the developing world. Recent focus has been placed on the value of collaborative efforts to address the complex issues faced when seeking sustainable improvements.

Environmental Health and the Community

This Praxis Lab explored how modern industrial life exposes individuals to toxic compounds from inception, with repercussions across all organ systems, including chromosomes, the very building blocks of life.

Behaving Like Animals

This Praxis Lab explored the deep connections between humans and animals, challenging the traditional distinctions that set us apart. By tracing the historical roots of evolutionary theory and experimental physiology, students examined how our similarities and differences with other species shape our understanding of behavior, ethics, and identity.

Bioethics

In 2005, ten Honors students convened in a Think Tank to consider the ethical implications of new genetic technologies. With the guidance of Dr. Ray Gesteland, Dr. Peggy Battin, and Utah’s leading geneticists, they explored dilemmas in genetic research and discussed how available science and technology might be ethically applied to benefit everyone.

Quality of Life

This Think Tank Team spent a great deal of time outside of the classroom, visiting Wasatch Commons co-housing and the new Daybreak project, and documenting interviews with refugees through the International Rescue Committee.

The Uneasy Intersection of Law and Medicine