Current Course Offerings

Instructors: James Hopkins and Cas Milner

This signature course is a favorite of first-time participants. It once was reported that there were two great loves in J. Robert Oppenheimer's life: physics and New Mexico. The two came together at Los Alamos during World War II, when he helped assemble a secret community of brilliant scientists to usher in the atomic age. This course will focus on the rich human interest of the project, the science that led to the atomic bomb's creation and reflection on the legacy left by those uniquely gifted men and women who toiled relentlessly in the mountains of Northern New Mexico to end the most savage war of modern history. Beginning with a stop in Santa Fe on Thursday afternoon for a special introductory session, the course will continue Friday at Los Alamos and conclude Saturday in Taos.

About the Instructors

James Hopkins is a professor in the Clements Department of History in SMU’s Dedman College and an Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor. Stimulated in part by his father’s role in the atomic bomb attacks on Japan, he taught for many years the course Atomic Energy and the Modern World. The course’s themes were developed into the film “The University and the Fate of the Earth,” which won first prize in the New York International Film Festival.

Cas Milner received his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. He has done experimental particle physics work at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and the Superconducting Super Collider Laboratory. In the past, Milner has served as an adjunct professor of physics at SMU. Currently he is working at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

"I arrived with a mild interest in Los Alamos and left stunned and exhilarated. I can't wait to read more!"

Instructors: Alan Lowe and Jeffrey A. Engel

The West has shaped America and its presidents. Returning to Taos to teach his popular course on presidents and the West – though with a different cast of presidents in mind – Alan Lowe, director of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, this year joins forces with Jeffrey A. Engel, director of SMU's new Center for Presidential History. Together they will explore how presidents have understood this critical region, and how the West shaped the lives of our presidents and the fate of our nation. Learn how George Washington's attitudes were based on his experiences in the West (in his day, West Virginia!). Examine how leaders such as Teddy Roosevelt, Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln used the frontier to shape their popular image. With the New Mexico landscape as our background, we will discuss the men who led our country and how the evolving West shaped America's course.

About the Instructors

Alan Lowe serves as the director of the George W. Bush Presidential Library. Lowe earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees in history at the University of Kentucky. In 1989, he joined the staff of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, as an archivist.  In 1992, he moved to the Office of Presidential Libraries at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C., where he helped oversee the many presidential libraries located throughout the nation. During part of this time, Lowe also served as interim director of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library in Hyde Park, New York. From 2003 until 2006, he served as the representative of former Senate Majority Leader William Frist on the Advisory Committee on the Records of Congress. From 2003 to 2009, Lowe served as the founding executive director of the Howard H. Baker, Jr. Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennessee. Lowe is a member of the Advisory Board for the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues at the University of Kentucky.

Jeffrey Engel, associate professor of presidential studies in Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences and director of the Center for Presidential History at SMU, arrived at SMU in 2012 from Texas A&M University, where he served as the director of programming at the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs. Engel is an expert on the American presidency and the innumerable ways presidents have shaped our country and our world. He is the author of Cold War at 30,000 Feet: The Anglo-American Fight for Aviation Supremacy and the forthcoming volume Seeking Monsters to Destroy: How America Goes to War, from Jefferson to George W. Bush.

"It is always a pleasure to be in this setting and learn something beneficial."

Instructor: James E. Quick

Before a jetliner takes off, the pilot checks for potential volcanic activity along the flight path. Volcanic disasters have obliterated civilizations, yet few people truly understand the speed and scale with which these catastrophes can unfold. Learn about one of nature's ruthlessly unpredictable forces in Taos, which has a wide range of young volcanic features within a short drive from campus. These features include the Valles Caldera, one of the best-preserved supervolcanoes in the world. Quick, who is dean of graduate studies at SMU and an internationally acclaimed expert on volcanic processes, will introduce participants to the effect volcanoes have had on human history and the wide range of threats they present to our modern, industrialized society.

About the Instructor

James Quick is the associate vice president for research, dean of graduate studies and professor of earth sciences at SMU. Quick, who earned his Ph.D. in geology from the California Institute of Technology, came to SMU after working for more than 20 years at the U.S. Geological Survey, where his distinguished career included conducting fundamental research on volcanic processes and supervising large teams of scientists. Quick’s research has taken him to more than 35 countries around the world and has been presented in numerous scientific journals over the last three decades.

"Our professor was a real delight to be with… informative, enthusiastic and interesting!"

Instructor: John Ubelaker

This course, taught by SMU biological sciences professor John Ubelaker, will highlight the landscape of the Southwest and how this landscape has changed and might change by considering past inhabitants' land use and construction plans to meet the needs of today's growing population. Examine local prehistoric and military sites, historical Spanish and U.S. Army land uses and future construction models. Your evaluation of the future landscape of the region will include firsthand observations of construction techniques, from pit houses and Army barracks to Earthships – solar homes made of natural and recycled materials – and Ubelaker's own house on the Hondo Mesa, where a lecture will focus on modern conservation practices.

About the Instructor

John Ubelaker, a longtime member of the SMU faculty, has directed courses and taught on the Taos campus for many years. He has served in leadership roles in several scientific organizations, was the chair of biology for many years and has been recognized for his exceptional teaching with the Altshuler award. His research interests include parasitic diseases, medicinal plants and the history of Fort Burgwin. His passion for Taos has inspired his plans to retire in the area in a couple of years.

"As a first-time attendee I was thoroughly impressed with the organization and execution of an incredibly interesting and informative event. The instructors were outstanding!"

Instructor: Mary Vernon

Explore colorful Taos with SMU art professor Mary Vernon, who shares her passionate enthusiasm for translating color from your surroundings to the canvas. On field trips, discover and chart the colors of Taos by finding color samples in objects you survey – from remarkable Taos paintings in museums to everyday objects of the town. Prior painting experience is not required to appreciate and learn about pigments, color systems and color mixing. Making your own color studies is central to the experience as you observe the vibrant colors of Taos and develop your unique sense of expression through color matching, creating landscapes constructed from color zones.

About the Instructor

Mary Vernon, a native of New Mexico, is professor of art and Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor at SMU, where she teaches painting, drawing and color theory. Vernon, who studied at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, has taught in SMU’s art department since 1967. She has served as the U.S. State Department Visiting Artist in Chile (2003) and shown her work in France, Hungary and Kazakhstan, and is represented by Valley House Gallery and Sculpture Garden in Dallas.

"Mary Vernon is a fantastic teacher! She opened up the world of Taos art to the class and awakened untapped talent in the painters, many of whom had never painted before!"

Instructor: Chris Maher

Join nationally acclaimed chef Chris Maher as he leads a hands-on class on Spain's gift to the culinary world – tapas. Learn about these small plates with big flavor and how to parlay their versatility into appetizing starters or as part of a meal highlighting this quintessentially Spanish style of eating. Enjoy scenic mountain views from the indoor-outdoor kitchen of the Maher home, where you and your classmates will prepare a five-course gourmet meal, paired with Spanish wines and other beverages. In the process, you'll learn how to use the right ingredients and savor new flavors. No prior experience in the kitchen is necessary. By working directly with the chef, even experienced cooks will take their learning to a new level.

About the Instructor

Chris Maher is a successful and talented actor in film and television, as well as a nationally acclaimed chef who is recognized by the James Beard Foundation as one of the great regional chefs in America. He is a bon vivant and a gracious host. Chris has cooked for famous world leaders such as the Dalai Lama and Tenzin Gyatso. He lives in the mountains of Taos with his wife, Valerie Maher.

"We had a fantastic time and learned a lot about cooking and wine. Really a special experience."

Instructor: The Solitary Angler

Experience uniquely crafted fly-fishing trips in and around Taos with the well-trained staff of The Solitary Angler. Taos offers the best of Northern New Mexico – magnificent scenery, beautiful weather and excellent year-round fly-fishing – for anglers seeking adventure far from the madding crowd. The Solitary Angler's experienced guides, who are devoted to fishing and have trained anglers of all skill levels, know when and where to cast a line and how to match a client's fishing skill level and aspirations with the right location to create an unforgettable experience.

About the Instructors

The well-trained guides of The Solitary Angler are eager to share their knowledge and skills to help make your fishing experience an unforgettable one. Learn more.

"SMU-in-Taos is my favorite annual summer highlight! Each year I learn something new, meet more wonderful people and witness spectacular scenery!"