Clay C
- Research Program Mentor
Industry expert at Smith College
Expertise
Mandarin, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, English
Bio
Hi there! My name is Clay and I am a foreign language fanatic. I am here to guide students to explore their passions and embrace different cultures around the world. I specialize in Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish and Mandarin. I also love music and enjoy rock climbing, weight lifting, painting, and camping.Project ideas
Foreign Language & Your Brain
How does learning a new language change your relationship to the world? What can learning a new language offer you in terms of rethinking relationships, social cues, and other aspects of life? In this project students will gain skills in scientific research and quantitative vs. qualitative analysis. You will gain skills in writing and editing as well as developing a wealth of knowledge in your chosen area.
Sustainable Farming in China, Brazil, Latin America
Learn about permaculture in a foreign country! Research best practices or public policy to see what could be adapted to your local community. This will teach you how to approach research materials from different fields of study (i.e. biology, chemistry, political science, history, sociology). Students will gain skills in writing, editing, navigating scientific literature, news publications, and will increase critical thinking skills to navigate diverse sources of information.
Create a podcast! Amazon Rainforest
Create a podcast and convince or inform your audience on an issue facing the Amazon- from the tribes who are native to it, the threats it faces today or the role it plays as an essential ecosystem as the “lung of the planet.” Students can choose their analytical approach (culture, climate or current events, for example). This will allow you to gain cultural writing and editing skills as well as critical thinking skills by seeing how different fields approach the same topic.