Hi everyone! My name's Daniel, and I'm a 25! I'm from Orange County, California and Seoul, South Korea. I'm hoping to major in Biomedical Engineering and Anthropology Modified with Global Health. If I'm not under my sheets watching a new Netflix series, you'll find me spending time at Still North Café or at the engineering building. I hope you learn something new about Dartmouth today!
Academic Program
Biomedical Engineering and Anthropology Modified with Global Health
This class had an emphasis on really learning the material, rather than mindless regurgitation. Every class lecture truly excited and interested me, and readings were thought-provoking, The final was also a project instead of an exam, which was very fun to complete. I could tell Prof. DeSilva was also very passionate about the class materials as well!
As a "seminar" course, we focused on enjoyable discussion-based lectures. Each and every one of Prof. Kangas' lecture topics were engaging and intriguing, constantly pushing me to think. While we had reading assignments, they weren't necessarily linked to graded discussions/quizzes, which allowed me to feel more relaxed and stress-free (I didn't need to go crazy and write notes in-class). All in all, I loved learning about Pompeii!
A classic pre-med requirement course. This class has a basic structure of problem sets, two midterms, labs, and a final. I thought the points were well-distributed and the exams were fair. I personally enjoy problem-solving, which allowed this class to be more exciting personally. I'd suggest you pick the right professor for you as each professor has a different way of teaching!
This class is taught by Prof. Shipley, a professor who teaches mainly during summer terms. It was very different from the previous anthropology courses I've taken –– we had a filmmaking component as well as a collaborative project. I enjoyed this class because the assignments had a very broad, overarching outline and allowed you to explore your interests very freely. For example, for my final project, I created a podcast that delved into the educational inequity in South Korea.
My first sociology course at Dartmouth. It goes very in-depth about the macro immigration policies in-place in America and how it relates to different immigrants' experiences. I found it intriguing because I'm an immigrant myself, and I also was able to analyze and develop a different outlook on my family's experiences as well. We had interesting projects such as immigrant interview assignment, immigration policy brief, and in-class discussions.
Another first - my first Asian Societies, Culture, and Language (ASCL) course here at Dartmouth. Essentially, through a 3-hour class block each week, you watch a Korean film that provide insights into the different aspects of South Korean culture –– from Korean independence of Japan to modern economic disparities. Very interesting discussions and minimal work: the course focuses a lot more on student learning than testing!
I know what you're thinking: no way this guy liked MATH 13 the best out of his classes. I was thinking the same going into the class, but I enjoyed the problem-solving aspects. Math was one of my favorite subjects in high school, but I didn't get a chance to take any courses here at Dartmouth until I changed to an engineering major which made MATH 13 a prerequisite. All you do is solve problems, practice, grasp concepts, and take exams. But, after a bit, you get the hang of it.
One of my favorite, favorite courses throughout my whole time at Dartmouth. If you thought you know medicine and health, think again –– evolutionary perspectives open up a completely new spectrum of thinking. Have you thought about institutionalized racism in BMI indexes? How about adolescent growth differences between women who give birth in birth centers versus hospitals? Conversations you've never thought of within the medical realm happens in this class. Highly recommend it!
ANTH 76 - Evolution of Upright Walking is a biological anthropology senior seminar. The class itself is very discussion-based, reading books/articles/literature to grasp different aspects of bipedalism. Prof. DeSilva allows you to explore areas YOU are interested in with the midterm paper and final project, and there is little emphasis on grading so you can focus on learning!
A very collaborative course –– daily discussions, guest speakers, and group data analysis assignments. I also really enjoyed the term-long ethnography project where you can choose a community to analyze. Essentially there are different frameworks and theories that can be applied to the way we talk within linguistic anthropology, and it was super interesting seeing how everything is connected to our conversations on a daily basis!
ASCL is short for "Asian Societies, Cultures, Languages," and this course is unique—students essentially watch a series of Korean films and analyze them in conjunction with the history. We plan to watch incredibly famous films such as Train to Busan and Parasite, and I'm beyond excited to uncover unknown symbolisms or motifs I may have missed the first-time around. Immigrating to the States in 2013, I felt deprived of my cultural heritage, as I forced myself to only speak English (to learn the language faster) and stray from my background to better adapt. And coming to Dartmouth, I've always wanted to take a course related to Korean culture—and this is the perfect opportunity! So, I'd recommend this class to anyone who is even remotely interested in learning about Asian culture (whether it be reconnecting with it or learning about a completely new culture!).
2. CHEM 52: Organic Chemistry II
Organic Chemistry II is your typical pre-health course, although one of the most difficult ones. CHEM 52 expands on what students have learned in Chem 5, Chem 6, and Chem 51; therefore, the ability to extensively retain information is important. The class itself is lecture-based; there is less emphasis on discussions/"sharing" ideas, as most chemistry classes depend on regurgitation and rote memorization. In fact, even the evaluation breakdown is straightforward: one midterm and one final. Since there is no homework/project due, I believe I can learn at my own pace, which I value in a course.
3. ENGS 20: Introduction to Scientific Computing
Recently, just a month or two ago, I decided to change my major from Biological Chemistry to Biomedical Engineering. I previously was not exposed to experiences in coding, which caused me to fear enrolling in Engineering 20. However, so far, the class lessons are very engaging, and the exercises are beyond exciting to complete. In the recent year, I've taken a handful of biology, chemistry, and physics courses, which all rely heavily on rote memorization, I think I missed this "hands-on" aspect of the classroom. The class itself is very fast-paced, and there are numerous assignments (homework, quizzes, tests) that keep you on-track to mastering the material. If you have any interest in computer science or engineering as a path, I'd definitely recommend ENGS 20. Prof. Seroussi is also extremely understanding!
Every Dartmouth student is required to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English. Here's my experience navigating the language requirement!
