“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” The quote above sounds a lot like something you’d read on an Arizona State University website, #1 in innovation and consistently striving to propel ASU education into the realms of the future as the New American University, but it’s a quote from director and storyteller, Walt Disney . Most people have heard of the American theme park creator who continues to inspire children and adults around the world nearly 100 years later. This far-reaching effect flourishes as technology evolves, perpetuating Walt’s innovative mindset to “keep moving forward” into new and thrilling park experiences. Propelling the beloved franchise into technological achievements are Disney Imagineers, the creative and technical minds behind the success of Disney’s theme parks and legacy. Like the heartbeat of the Disney franchise, a spirit of innovation and imagination encompass...

If you teach a college biology course, you are probably aware that most biology majors are interested in a medical career ( Cooper et al. 2019 ). While many sub-disciplines in biology traditionally cater to the interests of students focused on medical careers, it is common for premed students to think that evolution has nothing to do with medicine. However, that is changing with the rise of a relatively new, but rapidly growing, field called evolutionary medicine (EvMed). EvMed is a discipline that applies lenses and tools from evolutionary biology and anthropology to enrich our understanding of human health and disease. It explores questions such as: Why are we more likely to develop cancer as we age? Why are certain pathologies, like obesity and autoimmune disorders, becoming increasingly common in developed nations? And why have patterns of children’s growth and development changed over the past century? Currently, over half of the major research institutions in the US now offer ...