Innovation in Society
Darlene Cavalier
About this opportunity
If you want to work to make sure that science and technology are being used to create better futures, then you would benefit from working with a faculty member from the School for the Future of Innovation in Society [https://sfis.asu.edu/]. Our faculty have training in everything from law to engineering, the social sciences, natural sciences, and the humanities. but are all dedicated to developing interdisciplinary solutions to right the wrongs in the world. We use a variety of tools - including public policy, art, creative writing, community activism, and public engagement - to promote justice, reinforce democracy, combat inequity, find sustainable energy solutions, and alleviate environmental damage, You need not be a student in our school to work with an SFIS faculty member. Our faculty have chaired Barrett Honors theses for students from across the university. Many science and engineering students partner with SFIS faculty in order to explore the social, political, and ethical dimensions of their technical major in their honors thesis. Any Barrett student who would like assistance in talking through a possible project or are looking for the SFIS faculty member with the right expertise should feel free to contact Prof. Jamey Wetmore or Prof. Mary Jane Parmentier, the SFIS Faculty Honors Advisors.
Thesis
There is no typical SFIS honors thesis. Many students write research papers, but there are many other possibilities as well. To carry out their projects, students have used a variety of techniques including qualitative research, community engagement, interviews, historical research. Faculty members work with students to develop those skills and create a final project designed to have a real world impact. Previous SFIS Barrett Honors theses include: a video reflecting on a personal attempt to bring medical aid to a developing country, an historical analysis of fracking bans that was presented to environmental organizations, a photography portfolio designed to be a training manual for the ASU water-skiing club, the design and production of sustainable clothing, interviews of orphans in post-earthquake Nepal, and the development of a game to help think through possible energy futures. Some students even turn their work into published academic or popular press papers. Students working with SFIS faculty on their Barrett thesis have committees that include a faculty member and one or more additional committee members. In the past students have chosen committee members from both inside academia and from the specific fields they hope to influence including policymakers, environmental activists, and corporations.
Academic Preparation
Because every SFIS honors thesis is different, there is no standard preparation. The best way to get ready for your thesis is to get to know the professor you'd like to work with. They can instruct you in the skills you'll need to develop and mentor you on how to think through a successful project. If you're not sure where to start, you can do something as simple as an honors enrichment contract in an SFIS course or you can apply for one of our SFIS Undergraduate Research Fellowships and spend a semester working alongside a faculty member on their own research projects. [https://sfis.asu.edu/student-life/opportunities]
Recommended Timeline
Because the possibilities are endless, it takes a lot of time to think of, develop, and finally produce an SFIS honors thesis. Students typically begin to develop their ideas in their Junior year and, sometime before beginning their senior year, have found a faculty member they are excited to work with. The summer after Junior year and the first semester of senior year are often used to do field research or to flesh out the details of the project. That gives a few months in the last semester to write up or put the finishing touches on a project. Every project is different, and faculty are happy to begin collaborating on a project earlier, but this general timeline can help guide you to completing a successful project.
Other Honors Opportunities
There are three great ways to engage with SFIS as a Barrett Student. First, you can take one of our courses and do an honors enrichment contract. All our faculty are open to contracts and offer a variety of ways to carry them out. In the past students have done everything from photography portfolios to opinion pieces for online newspapers. Second you can apply for one of our SFIS Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF). [https://sfis.asu.edu/student-life/opportunities] Each semester dozens of students get the opportunity to work alongside our faculty doing research. Past projects include using public art to promote environmental awareness, rethinking what happens to people's digital presence when they die, analyzing the promise and hype of stem cell treatments, and looking at how companies are promoting cars that drive themselves. Many SURF projects turn directly into Barrett Honors theses. Finally, you are welcome to enroll in the school's major or minor. Many students take "Innovation in Society" as a concurrent degree (double major) to give them a broad perspective on the world to complement the more focused views they get in other majors.