Philosophy of Mind

This course focuses on the relationship between minds and bodies, and the nature of mental phenomena such as thoughts, desires, and qualia (qualitative states such as the experience of seeing red or tasting a peach). If we assume that minds are physical or material entities - an assumption prevalent today - then we must ask how typically mental features such as thoughts, sensations, emotions and consciousness can emerge out of the seemingly unthinking, unfeeling grey matter of the brain.

Statistics through baseball

The field of Statistics aims to interpret large data sets that contain random variation. Baseball is a simple game that contains a high degree of randomness, and because professional baseball has been played since the 19th century, a large amount of data has been collected about players' performance. In this class we examine key concepts in Statistics and Data Science using baseball as a motivating example, and students will learn how to use the R programming language to analyze data. Assignments will consist of weekly problem sets, two class presentations, and a short final project.

Stop Motion from Scratch

This course uses the framework of stop motion animation to build a fundamental skill set for creating any type of animation. Students begin by creating wire-armatured puppets using a technique called "foam buildup," which is a common technique most famously utilized by Ray Harryhausen in King Kong. The puppets the students create in the first weeks of class will provide them with both a canvas and a brush to explore their personal style by animating specific movements and analyzing each other's work.

Social Psychology

This introductory social psychology course will explore foundational theories and empirical research. Social psychology is the scientific study of how people think, feel, and behave in social contexts. Thus, class readings will draw heavily from original research articles, research reviews, and some text book excerpts. Many readings will require some basic knowledge of scientific methods. The course will address classic research on topics such as conformity and persuasion but also include recent research on the role of emotion regulation, implicit attitudes, and other topics.

Intro to Psychological Science

This course offers students a broad introduction to the scientific study of mental processes and behavior. We will explore a sampling of the ways Psychologists study these from different theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches. For example, we will examine the interplay between the biological, psychological, and social aspects of human behavior. Content areas covered will include the brain, sensation and perception, memory, development, language, social psychology, and psychological disorders, among others.

Intro to Programming in Python

This course is designed to give students a strong introduction to computer programming, with an emphasis on their developing their own projects by the end of the semester. As a course that can provide a strong foundation for further computer science courses, this class will expose students to input/output operations, if-else structures, loops, functions, objects, and classes. The course will also introduce students to the use of Python libraries developed by the Open Source community in order to incorporate advanced features into their own programs.

Hop Chemistry

Beer brewing is a complex process encompassing the manipulation of four essential raw materials: barley malt, brewing water, hops and yeast. Hops contribute significant attributes to the final beer and an understanding of the impact is crucial for the brewer and brewing scientist. Hop chemistry is only about 100 years old and after a flurry of activity in the early years, the focus of many brewing scientists has largely turned to other issues. There remain many hop-related questions of interest to the brewer that have not yet been addressed.

Race: Science/Politics/PubHlth

Race is at the same time both a misguided way to think about human biological variation and a core socio-political idea, with profound effects on wealth and health. Race is both a biological myth and a tangible reality. Human biological variation is not reducible to race, yet the idea of race continues to "do work" in helping to maintain a racial-class economy. To understand race, and the work that it does, we will critically study both its historical construction from the 1800's forward and the evolving science of human biological variation.

Environmental Chemistry

This course will explore several current environmental topics with strong components in chemistry. We will put special emphasis on environmental concerns in the hydrosphere, soils, and atmosphere. Topics will include chemistry of natural waters, water pollution and wastewater treatment, toxic heavy metals and their complexation properties in soils, and inorganic and organic pollutants in the atmosphere. We will also examine energy use and its environmental consequences.

Env Resources Div 3 Seminar

This seminar is specifically designed for Division III students and advanced Division II students studying topics in all fields of the natural sciences including modeling, natural resources, systems, etc. Each student will lead a discussion about their Division III project or a chosen independent project (Division II students). They will provide background materials to inform the discussion including primary research articles, excerpts from their Division III projects, etc.
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