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Balancing Acts: Education Law, Policy and Ethics in Practice

Instructor: Jason Nance

Embark on a dynamic exploration of the legal, policy, and ethical dimensions of the American public-school system in our two-day course on Education Law led by the Judge Noel Dean of SMU’s Dedman School of Law, Jason Nance. This comprehensive discussion delves into critical educational law and policy topics of our time, including the delicate landscape of school funding, the constitutional rights of students encompassing expression, harassment, search and seizure, and religion within K-12 public education settings. Engage in vibrant discussions that address the nuanced challenges of educating students with disabilities, navigating federal reforms, and the ever-evolving realms of accountability and testing.

Beyond mere legal frameworks, this course is a journey through diverse perspectives that enrich our understanding of the complex issues shaping our nation's K-12 educational landscape. Join Dean Nance to gain profound insights into the intersection of law, policy, and ethics, and learn how educators collectively strive to enhance the educational experience for both present and future generations of students.

No legal background is necessary to experience this course to the fullest.

Bringing Life to Art: The History and Legacy of Taos Artists and Their Work

Instructors: Nicholas Myers and Jade Gutierrez

In the closing years of the 19th century, two New York painters became stranded in Taos on their way to Mexico City. After meeting the native inhabitants and seeing the landscapes, they decided to stay. Within a few years, they were joined by other artists, and in 1915, they founded the Taos Society of Artists. Thus began a decadeslong arts movement that attracted international attention while remaining rooted in the culture and landscapes of Northern New Mexico.

Join returning husband-and-wife duo Nicholas Myers and Jade Gutierrez in an interactive study combining topics on Southwest history, local Native American culture and the unique landscape which brought artists to the region. Explore the historical context that set the stage for the Taos Society of Artists, the beginning of a movement to promote Puebloan women artists such as Maria Martinez and the arrival of Mabel Dodge Luhan, an heiress from Buffalo who started an art salon inviting artists and authors, including Ansel Adams, Georgia O’Keeffe and D.H. Lawrence.

Continue the discussion to learn about today’s Taos arts scene, which supports more than 80 galleries and three museums. Local field trips to discover the compelling history of art in Taos will include the Couse-Sharp Historic Site and the Harwood Museum of Art. A special tour of the Taos Art Museum at Fechin House will round out this two-day immersive experience into the region’s rich art history.

Cities of the West

Instructor: Cullum Clark

Enter into a lively, thought-provoking conversation on the chief trends and issues facing America’s cities and explore American urbanism through the lens of six distinctive cities in the Desert and Mountain states of the West.

Fort Worth, San Antonio, Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix and Santa Fe: These Southwestern and Mountain state cities share unexpected commonalities that help explain their improbable success in recent decades and their extraordinary present-day growth. Why are these cities experiencing strong demographic and economic growth today while numerous cities on the coasts are seeing an accelerating exodus? And what does their success – and that of other Sun Belt cities like Dallas – mean for the future of America’s cities?

Cullum Clark, director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative, adjunct professor of economics at SMU and co-author of The Texas Triangle: An Emerging Power in the Global Economy, will return to lead participants on a fascinating journey to understand the past, present and future of these unique, understudied cities of the West. Uncover the distinctive mix of historical forces that have shaped these cities throughout their history – against all odds. Investigate today’s most transformative demographic trends, particularly the vast migration of people out of the Northeast and West Coast and into the major metropolitan areas of the Sun Belt and Mountain states. And explore the challenges that will make or break these cities in future decades, from education and left-behind communities to sustainability of the water resources and fragile ecosystems upon which Western cities depend.

Come away with fresh perspectives on the future of American cities everywhere, including your own.

AI Unveiled: Navigating the Wonders of Artificial Intelligence

Instructors: Neena Imam and Peter Moore

Do the terms ‘generative AI,’ machine learning and ‘ChatGPT’ have you feeling left behind in the stone age? If so, you won’t want to miss this course. Delve into the fascinating world of Artificial Intelligence as we unravel its mysteries and explore its diverse applications. From everyday conveniences to groundbreaking innovations, this one-day course provides a foundational understanding of AI and its transformative impact on our lives. Neena Imam, the inaugural director of SMU’s O’Donnell Data Science and Research Computing Institute will team up with Associate Director ad interim Peter Moore for an interactive, hands-on journey though the realms of intelligent machines to discover how AI is shaping the future at SMU and beyond. A lively conversation about AI and ethics will round out this day-long discussion. (By the way, the AI behind ChatGPT wrote most of this description!)

Crafting Radiance: A Jewelry Making Experience 

Instructor: Jacqueline Gala

Make your own artistic creation in this one-day course. Jacqueline Gala is a Taos Pueblo – Hopi silversmith who has designed and created jewelry for more than 35 years. With a background in photography and painting, her creativity spans multiple outlets. Her jewelry is shown at jewelry shows, galleries and museums and is widely collected in international circles.

Although her favorite combination includes silver and turquoise, the inspiration and symbolism in her jewelry is continuously expanding her horizons in the quest to create new unique designs. Check out her work at , learn from her expertise and come away with your own masterpiece. Equipment and materials for use during the course are included in the course fee.

Le Mariage Exquis: Hatch Bouillabaisse

Instructors: Georges Badoux and Keven Ann Willey

Join chef Georges Badoux to celebrate the marriage of bouillabaisse and New Mexican flair. You’ll learn how to conjure a nouvelle bouillabaisse, featuring both fish and shellfish, and to enhance its flavor with the Land of Enchantment’s famed Hatch chile to create a unique cross-cultural culinary ménage a trois. Best of all, you’ll enjoy the fruits of your labor at the end of this one-day class. 

Chef Georges spent nearly two decades running his own restaurants in Belgium before emigrating to the United States as a chef saucier (specialist in sauces). He helped found restaurants in Los Angeles before discovering the allure of Arizona and launching the acclaimed Le Bistro in Tucson, consistently rated the top restaurant in the region. He will be assisted in class by his wife, Keven Ann Willey, who served for several years on the Pulitzer Prize board (and the Tate Lecture board) before retiring in 2018 as Vice President and editorial page editor of The Dallas Morning News. She is currently writing a memoir about their Year on the Edges of America in their 17-foot Casita travel trailer. (Highlights at .)

Los Alamos and the Manhattan Project: A Walking Tour Through Time

Instructor: Cas Milner

Note: This one-day class is only offered Friday, July 19 and will include a field trip to Los Alamos 1 ½ hours away from Taos.

The Manhattan Project in Los Alamos and the development of nuclear weapons had a profound cultural and political impact on the last century that still reverberates today. Embark on an in-depth exploration of Big Science’s past with Cas Milner, adjunct professor of physics at SMU and veteran Taos Cultural Institute instructor. This Friday-only course will explore the people and events that shaped our nation’s nuclear program and ushered in a fascinating new age of scientific discovery. Depart from Taos on Friday morning to embark on a guided field trip to historic sites and museums in Los Alamos including Bathtub Row, Fuller Lodge, the Bradbury Science Museum and more. Pair this one-day course with Saturday’s “Oppenheimer: The Movie” course for a two-day experience.

An optional bonus session in Santa Fe on Thursday is also available, starting with brief introductory lectures over lunch at the historic La Fonda Hotel, and walking visits to nearby important social and administrative sites of the Manhattan Project.

Oppenheimer: Movie Viewing and Discussion

Instructor: Cas Milner

Note: This one-day class is only offered Saturday, July 20.

In 2023, writer and director Christopher Nolan released his critically acclaimed biopic centering on the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American theoretical physicist credited with being the father of the atomic bomb. The film starring Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon and others is the highest-grossing biopic of all time. Participants attending this Saturday-only course will have the opportunity to watch the three-hour movie. Following lunch, participate in an in-depth discussion about the film with Cas Milner, adjunct professor of physics and veteran instructor of SMU’s Taos Cultural Institute Los Alamos course. Participants can choose to pair this course with Friday’s field trip to Los Alamos for an immersive two-day experience.

An optional bonus session in Santa Fe is also available on Thursday, starting with brief introductory lectures over lunch at the historic La Fonda hotel and walking visits to nearby important social and administrative sites of the Manhattan Project.

Tastes of Taos: The New Mexico Food Tour With a Twist

Instructors: Nick Tsarevsky and Brian Zoltowski 

Attention all wine, beer and chocolate-lovers or just foodies in general: Join this one-day unique Taos tasting journey with a scientific twist. Chemistry Professor Brian Zoltowski and Associate Professor Nicolay Tsarevsky are a dynamic duo who are teaming up in Taos for the first time to school you on the science behind the sensations – all while sampling some of the best bites and pours Taos has to offer. Explore the world’s finest cacao from Chokola Bean to Bar in the historic Taos Square. Sample wines from New Mexico’s first natural wine bar, Corner Office, and learn about the chemistry behind natural wines. Chat with SMU alum and the owner of Taos Bakes Brooks Thostenson to uncover the biology behind his nutritious bars, all while sampling your newest favorite healthy treat. A stop at Taos Mesa Brewing will round out the experience, and of course there’s lunch along the way with just enough spice to keep things interesting. Come with a healthy appetite and as well as hunger for knowledge.

Taos Tales: The History of Fort Burgwin and SMU-In-Taos

Instructor: John Ubelaker

Nestled in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and surrounded by stunning views of the Carson National Forest, SMU-in-Taos feels like a vacation for the body, mind and spirit. Since 1973, Fort Burgwin has been an important education center for SMU. While the fort itself is 172 years old, the fascinating origins of its land date back as early as 3,000 B.C. This one-day course teaches participants all about this amazing 423-acre campus.

John E. Ubelaker, beloved SMU professor emeritus of biological sciences, “M” Award recipient and former director of SMU-in-Taos from 1992–2006, will lead an enlightening discussion of the early environment, landscape and introduction of the native people who formed Pot Creek Pueblo. In the morning, tour the fort and its grounds to gain a better understanding of its early history and uses. After lunch, hear how SMU came to acquire such a magical property and the process of reconstruction that has made SMU-in-Taos the learning center it is today for students and friends.