John Harris

I have been teaching at Furman since 2000, and the time has flown by.  I graduated from Furman in 1991, and I have loved being able to serve in a place that was so meaningful to me as an undergraduate.  This MayX course is an example in itself of the many things that are special about Furman --- the course involves close student/teacher interaction, in depth analysis of real world phenomena, the careful study of big ideas, and the building of community around a spirit of learning.

I grew up in Atlanta, attended Furman, went to Emory University for graduate school, and taught for five years at Appalachian State University before re-joining the Furman family in 2000.  During my graduate school and teaching careers, I have always been interested in networks (or graphs) --- in finding and studying connections between all sorts of things.  Disney World consists of a complex system of networks, and I am excited to have this as my area of focus for three weeks this May.

I have a lot of favorite Disney memories.  I made my first trip with my parents and sister, and I was old enough then to take in all of the wonder.  My honeymoon was at Disney --- my wife and I stayed in the Dolphin hotel and spent a week enjoying the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and (what was then called) MGM Studios.  We returned when our daughter was three years old, and a highlight of that trip was her getting chosen from the crowd to play “Chip” in the Story Time with Belle event.  We returned a few years later and she was chosen again --- this time to play “Mrs. Potts” (Chip’s mother) in the same event.  During another trip a few years later, my son Will got to battle Darth Vader in a light saber duel during one of the popular Star Wars weekends at Hollywood Studios. I have experienced Disney World in a whole new way during our offerings of Math and the Mouse.  My best memories are centered around the experiences of others, and I look forward to sharing great experiences with our group of Furman students this year.

Favorite Attractions

I have three favorites, all for different reasons.  Leading in the thrill/enjoyment category is the Guardians of the Galaxy ride at EPCOT.  Leading in the “feels like flying” category is Flight of Passage in Animal Kingdom.  And leading in the nostalgic/immersive/wow category is Rise of the Resistance in Hollywood Studios.  I’ve been a Star Wars fan since I saw the first movie in the theaters in 1977, and the Star Wars area of the park is my favorite place to hang out.

Favorite Restaurants

We’ve had several character meals with the kids, and those were fun.  I’ve also enjoyed eating at the various countries in the World Showcase --- my favorites are Mexico and Germany.  Another top choice is Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.