The application of chemical principles to modern materials discovery, design, and characterization will be discussed. Topics covered will include inorganic solids, nanoscale materials, polymers, inorganic-organic hybrid materials, and biological materials, with specific focus on how the atomic-level chemistries dictate material properties across various length scales. Aspects of materials chemistry with regard to scalability and sustainability will also be covered.

The traditional view of intelligence ranging from low to high, with humans at the top, has been challenged by research on diverse aspects of animal cognition. Recent studies suggest that cognition takes many different forms in animals and can be very difficult to compare to humans. We will talk about a wide range of animals, including octopuses, crows, dogs, monkeys, apes, dolphins, and whales. We will focus on some of the capacities that have been considered hallmarks of intelligence, such as tool use, mirror self recognition, innovation, culture, and of course, language.

This course introduces the students to the design of embedded systems with a focus in unprecedented cyber-physical systems and internet of things applications. It takes a holistic approach to design end-to-end systems by addressing challenges at the hardware, software, and network layers of the stack. Special attention is paid to design trustworthy systems for applications running on commodity platforms and operating systems.

The traditional view of intelligence ranging from low to high, with humans at the top, has been challenged by research on diverse aspects of animal cognition. Recent studies suggest that cognition takes many different forms in animals and can be very difficult to compare to humans. We will talk about a wide range of animals, including octopuses, crows, dogs, monkeys, apes, dolphins, and whales. We will focus on some of the capacities that have been considered hallmarks of intelligence, such as tool use, mirror self recognition, innovation, culture, and of course, language.

Water is a critical resource for humanity, required for life itself. But our uses of water go far beyond a liquid to drink. In this seminar we will follow the Connecticut River from its headwaters to the ocean discussing the uses, impacts and challenges from an ecosystem perspective. We will look at how humans use the watershed, and how those uses have changed the river, how the fish that use the river have been affected and what we are trying to do to improve the situation.

The dramatic decline in honeybees over the past several years related to Colony Collapse Disorder has raised the public's awareness to the importance of these insects in our everyday life. This seminar will use the popular book 'Fruitless Fall: The Collapse of the Honeybee and the Coming Agricultural Crisis' by Rowan Jacobsen as a guide to examine the importance of bees in our society, the possible causes of declining honeybee health, as well as learn more about the biology and social society of bees.

The course will discuss the basic psychological principles of social influence. Topics include social norms, conformity, compliance, obedience, and persuasion.

What debts does modern science owe to older ways of thinking about the natural world? This course will explore the fascinating connections that our contemporary ways of exploring and discovering new technologies and making scientific breakthroughs have with different peoples, places, and cultures. How did the Muslim world preserve classical natural science and expand that knowledge during the medieval era in Europe? How did and does indigenous people's knowledge inform science today? Why did contact with China and India start scientific revolutions that continue until today?

In this course, students will explore Animal Physiology, Behavior, and Evolution by looking at the strangest animals on the planet. In addition, field trips to local resources such as Beneski Museum, Durfee Conservatory, the UMass Natural History Collections, and Wildwood Natural Resource Area, will introduce students to what is available close at hand. In addition, students will learn how to use diagramming to solve complex analytical problems they are likely to encounter in their first and second-year courses.