Courses

This course will cover the science needed to understand hydrology, the link between hydrology and climate, and why climate change will affect the hydrologic cycle. It will then look at what changes have occurred in the past, and what changes are projected for the future and how these changes may affect other sectors, such as agriculture. The final module of the course will look at adaptation measures to adapt to climate change. The course will be formatted to be a mixture of lectures and seminars, with the lecture portion used to introduce scientific concepts and the seminar portion to discuss and evaluate the readings assigned. At the end of this course, students will the hydrologic cycle and its connection to climate, how changes in climate have affected/will affect how much water is available on land, how water impacts ecosystem services, and how to diagnose the cause of a climate-related water problem and develop solutions to address it.

The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of trends and best practices in corporate communications relating to sustainability, with a particular focus on global sustainability reporting frameworks and green marketing communications. It is designed for those who hold/will hold positions in organizations with responsibilities for communicating the sustainability goals, challenges and achievements, as well as accurately and honestly communicating the environmental aspects of an organization's products and services. Increasingly, large corporations are creating c-suite roles or dedicated departments to oversee this function. More typically, multiple functions contribute information such as: Corporate Communications, Marketing, Community Affairs, Public Policy, Environmental Health & Safety, R&D, Facilities, Operations and Legal. Benefits of reporting range from building trust with stakeholders, and uncovering risks and opportunities; to contributing to stronger long-term business strategy, and creating new products and services.

Throughout history, societies have discovered resources, designed and developed them into textiles,

tools and structures, and bartered and exchanged these goods based on their respective values.

Economies emerged, driven by each society’s needs and limited by the resources and technology

available to them. Over the last two centuries, global development accelerated due in large part to the

overextraction and use of finite resources, whether for energy or materials, and supported by vast

technological advancements. However, this economic model did not account for the long-term impacts of

the disposal or depletion of these finite resources and instead, carried on unreservedly in a “take-make’-

waste” manner, otherwise known as a linear economy. Despite a more profound understanding of our

planet’s available resources, the environmental impact of disposal and depletion, and the technological

advancements of the last several decades, the economic heritage of the last two centuries persists today;

which begs the question: what alternatives are there to a linear economy?

The premise of this course is that through systems-thinking, interdisciplinary solutions for an alternative

economic future are available to us. By looking at resources’ potential, we can shape alternative methods

of procurement, design, application, and create new market demands that aim to keep materials,

products and components in rotation at their highest utility and value. This elective course will delve into

both the theory of a circular economy - which would be a state of complete systemic regeneration and

restoration as well as an optimized use of resources and zero waste - and the practical applications

required in order to achieve this economic model. Achieving perfect circularity represents potentially

transformative systemic change and requires a fundamental re-think of many of our current economic

structures, systems and processes.

This is a full-semester elective course which is designed to create awareness among sustainability

leaders that those structures, systems and processes which exist today are not those which will carry us

(as rapidly as we need) into a more sustaining future. The class will be comprised of a series of lectures,

supported by readings and case-studies on business models, design thinking and material development

and use, that will familiarize students with the concepts and principles that a circular economy presents.

In so doing, we will also explore the challenges that may arise in the adoption of a circular economy in

different geographical, industrial and economic conditions. While the course is based on innovation and

ideation around the potential of this economic future, students will also develop the knowledge to discuss

the merits of a circular economy and its applications with potential employers or begin to develop

ventures of their own. Students will learn to analyze systems, work to design solutions collaboratively,

and receive and provide constructive feedback to and from their peers. This course will benefit anyone

with an interest in a career in sustainability, particularly (but not exclusively) in material science, design,

strategy or entrepreneurship.

If you have something you're burning to say. If you're working out a big idea but haven't yet put it to paper. Or, if you're simply curious about playwriting and want to find your voice? Let's circle up.  In Character, Form and Dialogue, "Intro to Playwriting" students will learn the fundamentals of playwriting with an eye toward developing a new play.  The class will be run like a playwriting workshop: students will use exercises and prompts to generate writing, read pages-in-progress and give feedback to each other’s work.  Time will also be spent discussing playwriting fundamentals: play form and structure, character arcs, dialogue, scene work, and stakes.  Students will read contemporary ten-minute plays and recently produced full-lengths, as well as discuss the business of playwriting and early-career opportunities in NYC and beyond.

This playwriting course is about making it personal, telling a story, and building community. The class is focused on nurturing the individual voice of writers, diving deeper into craft and introducing new tools to unlock creativity. Each class will include time for questions about process and discuss working professionally in theater, film, and television.

Moment Work explores the theatrical potential of all the elements of the stage (props, sound, architecture, lights, costume, etc.) in order to create strong theatrical and dramatic narratives. In this class, students will foster an appreciation for the reexamination and exploration of theatrical form and theatrical and dramatic narratives. The semester will culminate with an in-class showcase of short, devised pieces created by the students. 

Students will be empowered to tell stories from history through engaging with special collections and primary historical sources. We will spark students' curiosity as we explore one specific historical event and work together over the course of six weeks to devise moments of theater. By the end of the course, we will create a short presentation of “Moments” by investigating the themes and dramatic throughlines that the material offers. This is much like what a first presentation might look like at Tectonic Theater Project, a proof of dramatic and theatrical concept.

Each session will begin with a quiet and reflective writing prompt, associated with the historical event that we are researching. Responses will be used over the course of the class to spark devised moments.

This course examines the rich legacy of theater in New York, from Broadway to Off- Broadway, encompassing the writers, directors, actors, institutions, and artists who laid the foundations of American theater and continue to shape the contemporary theatrical landscape. We will commence with an exploration of the roots of theater in NYC and how the city's growth is mirrored in the historic innovations of the art form. Each week will delve into theatrical forms and disciplines, examples of seminal texts, and current productions throughout the city. These investigations offer insights into the ways theater evolves into a quintessential New York event, guided by a producer who has shepherded award-winning shows from initial idea to Broadway for over three decades. Performances will include productions both on and off Broadway. Previous classes have attended shows at Lincoln Center Theater, Ensemble Studio Theater, Second Stage Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Manhattan Theater Club, the Roundabout Theater, St. Ann’s Warehouse, among others, featuring popular titles such as Sleep No More, Chicago, The Pillowman, What the Constitution Means to Me, etc. Shows for summer 2024 will be selected at the beginning of the course based on enrollment. 

SHOWS UNDER CONSIDERATION (subject to change, based on availability)--
BROADWAY: The Outsiders, Water for Elephants; OFF BROADWAY: Dark Noon (St Ann’s Warehouse), Odd Man Out (Here Arts Center). During the Summer Session the class typically attends: one show on Broadway; 2-3 shows Off Broadway; and1-2 special NY events. Course fee covers tickets for up to 6 performances during the session.

This course explores the dynamics of protest across the Americas through the lens of performance studies. Utilizing a decolonial and feminist framework, students will analyze a variety of protest performances. Using documentaries and audiovisual footage as primary sources, we will examine how embodied artistic actions challenge power structures and catalyze political mobilization. The course engages with a wide spectrum of movements and events, including the Civil Rights Movement, the protests against the dictatorships in Chile and Argentina, the Zapatista Movement, Black Lives Matter, ACT UP, and Idle No More. Through these cases, we will critically assess how performance is used as a tool for resistance, and social justice.