From 10:15 - 11:05 a.m., capture the feel of a typical OWU class—engaging, interactive, and discussion-driven—with absolutely no quizzes or tests!
If you're not sure which class matches your interests, talk to an admissions representative, and we will direct you accordingly. You don't have to be locked into an academic area to attend a mock class; just pick any one that interests you.
Shala Hankison, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
Schimmel Conrades Science Center, Room 228
What can science tell us about why our pets are amazing but so very different? Charles Darwin struggled with understanding domestication, the process of a wild organism becoming adapted to live alongside humans. This class will highlight the ongoing studies and genetic advances that have allowed us to more deeply understand domesticated animals.
Bob Harmon, Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Schimmel Conrades Science Center, Room 161
Our Sun is a giant thermonuclear fusion reactor, getting the energy by which it shines from the fusion of hydrogen into helium in its core. It has been doing this for about 4.5 billion years now, but its supply of hydrogen fuel in its core won't last forever. When it runs out in about five billion years, the Sun will switch to furiously fusing hydrogen in a thin shell surrounding the core, which will cause the Sun to swell up and become a red giant a hundred times larger and several thousand times brighter than it is at present! And that will be just the beginning of the end for the Sun. We'll trace the further chapters in the Sun's story until it leaves behind its final remnant, a white dwarf that is its burnt-out core, a teaspoon of which would have the mass of a delivery truck. Then we'll see how more massive stars end their lives with titanic supernova explosions that leave behind neutron stars or even black holes!
Frank Chiou, Associate Professor of Performing Arts
Merrick Hall, Room 202
This talk discusses the song "Dos Oruguitas" and the important role it plays as the intergenerational trauma of the Madrigal family is revealed, allowing Mirabel to understand how to begin the healing.
Cliff Hurst, Assistant Professor of Economics & Business
Delaware Entrepreneurial Center at OWU, First Floor
Entrepreneurs are different. They think differently; they act differently from professionals in other lines of work. This class will teach you how entrepreneurs think in the face of radical uncertainty, and how they learn from failure and setbacks. This is an experiential class, not a lecture.
Liz Nix, Associate Professor of Health & Human Kinetics - Nutrition
R.W. Corns Building, Room 209
Dietary fats are among the most complex and frequently misunderstood topics in nutrition science. From the decades-long debate over butter versus margarine to the modern resurgence of olive oil and beef tallow, public health recommendations have shifted dramatically over the years.
In this session, we will dive into the chemical structures of various fats to understand what truly differentiates them at a molecular level. We'll explore their primary food sources, how the human body processes them, and what the latest scientific evidence says about their impact on long-term health. We will also critically examine current (and sometimes controversial) USDA guidelines. You'll walk away with a deeper understanding of lipids—and the realization that in nutrition science, the more we discover, the more we realize how much there is still to learn.
Dustin Reichard, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
Schimmel Conrades Science Center, Room 151
Stress is unavoidable. It can make us miserable. But, is it actually a good thing? In this lecture, we will explore how hormones manage the body's response to stress, whether that's being chased by a lion, worrying about a big test, or agonizing over what to share on your socials.