This course looks at the lively and vibrant arts and culture of UMass, including museums and galleries, rare books and manuscripts, one of America?s foremost literary magazines, innovative and historic architecture, a major international film archive, and other cultural resources on campus. The seminar will offer a history of the arts, writing, and design at UMass, and will include on-campus field trips to all the places and resources we learn about.

This seminar will explore the biology and behavior of the domestic cat from an evolutionary and ecological perspective. Students will be introduced to the evolution of mammals and wild cats. The seminar will explore the domestication process and how this shaped the current behavior and biology of the domestic cat and how cat ancestry left its marks on this companion animal. The positive and negative health impacts of domestic cats will be discussed. The seminar will conclude with a discussion of feral cats, their impacts on wildlife, and their management.

Your DNA offers a chance to explore, discover and reconciliate with the past. Pieces of your DNA have come together for this moment from different ancestral places over time. With increasing accuracy your DNA offers mechanistic insight into your peculiar characteristics suggesting lifestyles and medical treatments. Your DNA is also being used today in ways that you may not wish. How do you want your DNA used? This course will examine the social life of DNA and the need for a new bioethics.

You may know that at the atomic level of the universe, there is enormous uncertainty. Tiny electrons move in chaotic ways. On a slightly larger scale, it is impossible to predict the motion of a water molecule. Yet the water in your glass seems totally predictable. This is crucial since life depends upon predictable properties of water. How do scientists reconcile the chaotic unpredictability of the atomic world with the remarkable consistency of the world required for life? We will explore the world of atoms and molecules using free, online computer simulation tools.

You may know that at the atomic level of the universe, there is enormous uncertainty. Tiny electrons move in chaotic ways. On a slightly larger scale, it is impossible to predict the motion of a water molecule. Yet the water in your glass seems totally predictable. This is crucial since life depends upon predictable properties of water. How do scientists reconcile the chaotic unpredictability of the atomic world with the remarkable consistency of the world required for life? We will explore the world of atoms and molecules using free, online computer simulation tools.

Are any animals gay?! Do you think the diversity of sexuality exists in animals other than humans? As it turns out, it absolutely does, but it has been hard to discover and describe. In this class we will explore examples of behavioral and sexual diversity in animals and use this to understand the role of assumptions and models in science. We will think about how and why different scientific themes get overemphasized in scientific research and education. For example, think about the last nature documentary you watched: how often did you see animals competing vs. cooperating?

Are any animals gay?! Do you think the diversity of sexuality exists in animals other than humans? As it turns out, it absolutely does, but it has been hard to discover and describe. In this class we will explore examples of behavioral and sexual diversity in animals and use this to understand the role of assumptions and models in science. We will think about how and why different scientific themes get overemphasized in scientific research and education. For example, think about the last nature documentary you watched: how often did you see animals competing vs. cooperating?

How does spending time around birch trees reduce rates of anxiety and depression? How do urban forests help lower the prevalence of childhood asthma in cities? In this course, we will explore the connection between the environment and our health. See what science has to say about how our environment influences our health and how we can manage chronic conditions including asthma, high blood pressure, and anxiety by taking advantage of the ecosystem services nature has to offer!

How does spending time around birch trees reduce rates of anxiety and depression? How do urban forests help lower the prevalence of childhood asthma in cities? In this course, we will explore the connection between the environment and our health. See what science has to say about how our environment influences our health and how we can manage chronic conditions including asthma, high blood pressure, and anxiety by taking advantage of the ecosystem services nature has to offer!

How does spending time around birch trees reduce rates of anxiety and depression? How do urban forests help lower the prevalence of childhood asthma in cities? In this course, we will explore the connection between the environment and our health. See what science has to say about how our environment influences our health and how we can manage chronic conditions including asthma, high blood pressure, and anxiety by taking advantage of the ecosystem services nature has to offer!