Ted and Shirley Taubeneck Superior Teaching Award
— Award-Winning HSP Course —
Each year, Humanities Seminars Program students select a small group of professors whose teaching rises to the highest level of excellence. Chosen entirely through student evaluations, the Ted and Shirley Taubeneck Superior Teaching Award recognizes faculty who combine deep scholarly expertise with the rare ability to ignite curiosity and sustain lively intellectual discovery in the classroom.
This summer, we are pleased to make our 2024 award-winning seminars available again as recorded courses. These classes capture the energy, insight, and conversation that made them standouts among HSP’s many seminars. If you missed the opportunity to take the course live, this re-release offers a chance to explore an exceptional seminar led by one of the University of Arizona’s most inspiring teachers. For those who have never experienced an HSP course, it is also a perfect way to test the waters. Enrollment provides online access to the complete course experience, including video recordings of each session, the original syllabus, and course readings. The seminar remains exactly as students encountered it during its original presentation—an invitation to join a community of curious learners and follow the ideas wherever they lead.
Course Description
Discover the captivating journey of humans across the Pacific in our course, “Polynesia and the Pacific Island Past.” Delve into groundbreaking research from archaeology, genetics, and linguistics that reshapes our understanding of ancient migrations and island life. Trace the first daring crossings 50,000 years ago, and the astonishing voyages that connected remote islands like Hawaii, New Zealand, and Easter Island. Explore how ancient Polynesians adapted to diverse environments, transforming agriculture and ecosystems. Recent advances in aDNA reveal their history in remarkable new detail. What fueled their exploration across vast uncharted seas? How are island histories similar and unique? Did ancient Americans play a role in Polynesia’s past? Join us to uncover the dynamic stories of discovery, adaptation, and connection across the vast Pacific – a testament to human ingenuity and resilience.
Summer Registration Opens
Monday, March 30, 2026 at 8 AM (AZ Time)
