STEMinists Track
The Program
Designed for fearless and inquisitive young women, the STEMinist track is perfect for students looking to develop their STEM skills in both lecture and laboratory settings. Explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in motion through field trips and hands-on projects. In addition to your coursework, this program begins to address some of the inequalities that women face in the STEM field and how we can begin to rewrite the narrative with our presence.
Program Structure
This track is residential with the option of commuting. Classes take place on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:30 AM- 12:00 PM and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 2:00- 4:30 PM EST. Enrichment and student life activities will be held in both the early day and evening time frames (10am EST- 8pm EST).
The Curriculum
Chemical Connections and Happenings (Course Full)
Christian Rojas
Transferring electrons. Making and breaking chemical bonds. These are among the atomic- and
molecular-scale happenings that we will explore in this course, combining discussions of
chemical principles with hands-on laboratory experiments. We will also take field trips to New
York City science landmarks such as the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan,
the New York Hall of Science in Queens, and the location in Brooklyn where large-scale
production of penicillin was first achieved. We will use a technique called NMR
spectroscopy—related to the MRI imaging used in medicine—to detect the hydrogen and carbon
nuclei in a variety of organic compounds and correlate this data with the atom-by-atom structure
of those molecules. We will also use hand-held models and computer software to visualize
three-dimensional molecular structures and to calculate the distribution of electrons within
molecules. Finally, we will consider connections of chemistry to philosophical, artistic, and
literary questions, such as levels of “truth” in scientific theories. We will read and discuss
selections from the chemistry-influenced literary memoirs of Primo Levi (The Periodic Table)
and Oliver Sacks (Uncle Tungsten). Our explorations will also include museum trips in New
York City to see paintings and drawings that reveal the ambiguity of visual representation (for
example, art by René Magritte and Maurice Escher). Curiosity and interest in chemistry are pre-
requisites, but no special chemistry knowledge or background is required.
Time: Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday 9:30 AM- 12:00 PM EST
Tues and Thurs afternoons from 2:00- 4:30 PM EST.
The Exploration of Space
Frederic Stark
For millennia, humans have gazed in wonder at the stars. Every culture developed its own mythology to make sense of the patterns in the night sky. Then, in the last century, something amazing happened. Our technology caught up to our wonder and we learned how to “slip the surly bonds of Earth.” For the past six decades, some of our most cleverly designed machines and daring explorers have helped us dip our toes into the vast cosmic ocean that surrounds our little blue marble of a home. In this course, we will study the people, science, and technology that have brought humanity some of its most captivating and unifying moments, from Isaac Newton to Neil Armstrong, from Sputnik to the James Webb Telescope. At the same time, we will examine the social and political reasons why nations devote talent and resources to sending those machines and people into space in the first place. We will also study the technical and human causes of noted disasters, such as Challenger and Columbia. Finally, we will consider whether, if we are careful enough, humanity may one day evolve into a truly spacefaring civilization
Time: Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday 9:30 AM- 12:00 PM EST
Tues and Thurs afternoons from 2:00- 4:30 PM EST.
Forensic Psychology
Joshua Feinberg
This course is an examination of the interaction between fields of psychology, law, and the criminal justice system. It examines the aspects of human behavior directly related to the legal process such as eyewitness memory and testimony, jury decision making, and theories of criminal behavior. There is a strong focus on the ethical and moral tensions that inform the law.
Time: Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday 9:30 AM- 12:00 PM EST
Tues and Thurs afternoons from 2:00- 4:30 PM EST.
Identity & The STEM Experience
Jalisha Jennifer
How do aspects of our identity (such as our race, gender, and beliefs about intelligence) impact our experiences and outcomes in STEM fields? Can research on the science of learning be used to help us overcome identity-based challenges in STEM disciplines? Throughout this course, we will attempt to answer these and related questions by exploring psychological research on the relationship between identity, cognition, and behavior. We will learn about how concepts such as stereotype threat, performance anxiety, and theories of intelligence impact our decision-making and performance in STEM subjects, as well as review research on how to succeed in difficult academic situations. By the end of this course, students will possess a nuanced understanding of the psychological and motivational factors that can impact STEM achievement and the techniques that can be used to thrive in the face of adversity.
Time: Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday 9:30 AM- 12:00 PM EST
Tues and Thurs afternoons from 2:00- 4:30 PM EST.
The Instructors
Joshua Feinberg
Forensic Psychology
Joshua Feinberg received his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Rutgers University. He is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Saint Peter's University and has also taught several courses at both Barnard College and Columbia University. Previous courses he has taught include: forensic psychology, social psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, statistics, sports psychology, and research methods. He currently conducts research on how social factors affect moral decision making. He has previously published studies focusing on both applied and theoretical topics such as social facilitation, sports psychology, academic cheating, and implicit stereotyping.
Christian Rojas
Chemical Connections and Happenings
Christian M. Rojas, Professor of Chemistry, teaches mainly introductory- and advanced-level organic chemistry courses. He is a synthetic organic chemist who conducts research to develop new methods for incorporating nitrogen atoms into organic molecules and applies those methods to the synthesis of amino sugars. Barnard undergraduate student researchers from the Rojas research group have gone on to careers in science, teaching, and medicine, including positions in the pharmaceutical industry, academia, public-school teaching, public health, and government. In addition to publishing research articles with his students, Christian was editor of the 2016 book Molecular Rearrangements in Organic Synthesis. Christian joined the Barnard faculty in 1997 after completing a National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Scripps Research Institute. He earned a PhD from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia.
Frederic Stark
The Exploration of Space
Ric holds an MA in Science Education from Stony Brook University, and a BS in Chemistry with minors in Physics and History from the University at Albany. For the last 32 years, he has taught at GW Hewlett HS on Long Island, where he currently teaches AP Physics C and a course on space exploration offered in conjunction with the University at Albany. Ric has also applied to NASA twice for consideration as an Astronaut Candidate and has both rejection letters hanging proudly above his school office desk.
Jalisha Jennifer
Identity & The STEM Experience
Professor Jenifer is an Adjunct Assistant Professor and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Barnard working in the lab of Barnard's President, Dr. Sian L. Beilock. Her research investigates how students' emotions and beliefs about learning relate to their decision-making behavior and academic outcomes. She is particularly interested in how negative thoughts and anxiety impact decision-making in mathematics and how cognitive interventions can be utilized to improve math performance. Professor Jenifer earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Chicago and her B.A. in Psychology from Princeton University.
Technology and Academic Support
IMATS/ Canvas/Zoom
Barnard PCP utilizes Canvas, an online platform, where students will find their syllabus, assignments, discussion boards, and access to message their instructor or peers outside of class.
All classes and workshops are hosted in person. However, our instructors have worked to create robust lessons that utilize various technology capabilities and platforms such as Zoom, Twine, Canva, and even apps developed by our professors!
Our team will go over technology usage extensively in the student manual and during Orientation.
Course Assistant
Each course has the added support of a Course Assistant (CAs), a current Barnard student (or a recent graduate). CAs assist faculty with administrative tasks, classroom management, and facilitate office hours to help students.
Community Office Hours
Each Monday at 2:00 PM EST students are invited to meet with any member of our Pre-College Programs team. Office hours emphasize PCP’s open door office policy and gives students a space to meet with instructors, course assistants, or a professional staff member.
Bridging Curriculum and Community
Community Building Programming
We believe student life does not start and end in the classroom. Each night after class students can choose from 2-3 evening activities led by our Program Assistants.
Program Assistants
Program Assistants are current Barnard students who manage small cohorts of student teams. Your PA is a resource for you to ask questions about non academic issues (remember: your Course Assistant is your point of contact for academics). PAs plan and facilitate nightly community building activities such as self care nights, Netflix parties, Broadway shows, and much more.