Carnegie Mellon University

Grand Challenge Seminars Current Faculty

Current faculty in the Grand Challenge Seminar Program include prize-winning scholars and teachers from across Dietrich College and the CMU community.

A distinct feature of the Grand Challenge Seminar Program is that seminars are proposed by the faculty who deliver the courses. These experts attend to the seminar themes in their own research and bring these findings and ongoing inquiries to the classroom. Students have an opportunity to choose a seminar on a topic that sparks their curiosity. They learn from faculty who are driven, focused and passionate about the course topics. Each seminar includes the application of theoretical research to the real world, inquiry-based learning and collaboration with thinkers from a variety of disciplines.

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Fall 2025

Reasoning with Evidence: Using Data to Inform Scientific Discovery and Public Policy

Joel Greenhouse

Joel Greenhouse
Statistics & Data Science

Jessica Benner

Jessica Benner
CMU Libraries

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Culture, Sports, and Conflict in/and VR

Korryn Mozisek

Korryn Mozisek
English

Sebastien Dubriel

Sébastien Dubreil
Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics

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Becoming Resilient in Challenging Times

Felipe Gomez

Felipe Gómez
Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics

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Emma Fries
English

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Appalachia: Development, Decline, and Identity in America

Timothy Haggerty

Timothy Haggery
History

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From Pandemics to Politics: Modeling Complex Social System

Kevin Zollman

Kevin Zollman
Philosophy

John Miller

John Miller
Social and Decision Sciences

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Equity and the Environment: Exploring Global Challenges and Local Solutions

Nuria Ballesteros Soria

Nuria Ballesteros Soria
Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics

Barbara George

Barbara George
English

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Gender: Contemporary Issues

Vicki Helgeson

Vicki Helgeson
Psychology

Trevor J. Sangrey
History

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Spring 2026

We're Not Beyond Race: Race and Identity in America

Kody Manke-Miller

Kody Manke-Miller
Psychology

Kevin Jarbo

Kevin Jarbo
Social and Decision Sciences

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Realizing Human Rights: The Challenge of Achieving Justice, Equity, and Freedom in a Complex World

Jay Aronson

Jay Aronson
History

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TL;DR: Cultures and Challenges of Reading

Sede Makonnen

Sede Makonnen
English

Nicky Agate

Nicky Agate
CMU Libraries

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AI, Humanity, and the Future of Knowledge and Creativity

Gang Liu

Gang Liu
Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics

Raja Sooriamurthi

Raja Sooriamurthi
Information Systems

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Sports Betting, Highs and Lows: Your Brain in Stats

Linda Moya

Linda Moya
Social and Decision Sciences

Ron Yurko

Ron Yurko
Statistics & Data Science

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