Course Description

This is an Osher Online course, created and offered through the Osher National Resource Center.  These courses are different from our regular OLLI at Emory program.  These are six-week courses and live attendance required.  You must also have an active OLLI at Emory membership and to register. Currently all classes are limited with 13 seats.

This class is supported by the NRC and participation details can be found on our website.

Peeking Inside the Black Box

Instructor: Johnnie Hendrickson, PhD

Have you ever felt like scientists are constantly changing their minds? Do you wonder when research can be trusted to guide decisions about health, behavior, or the environment?

This course offers a behind-the-scenes look at the scientific process, exploring how modern science developed, what scientists actually do, and what makes research reliable. We will examine the strengths and weaknesses of scientific methodology, uncover common pitfalls, and identify red flags for pseudoscience and untrustworthy findings. Rather than relying on blind faith in science, we will learn how to evaluate research critically—and find trust in the process.

Bio: Dr. Johnnie Hendrickson is a Teaching Professor in the School of Molecular Sciences at Arizona State University; he holds a PhD in chemistry and is the author of the textbook Chemistry in the World. His academic work focuses on science communication, the reciprocal relationship between science and society.