Organic farming is one of the fastest growing sectors of U.S. agriculture and is a strong indicator of the increase in consumer demand for locally grown organic food. However, the effects and benefits of organic food on health remain controversial. This course will explore the question, "What is the Impact of Organic Food on Health?" and examine more closely the role of organic food in the promotion of health within the context of the food system as a whole.

Do you want to learn how to think like an urban ecologist? As urban development increases, it is imperative that we understand how development in the built environment impacts surrounding ecosystems. In this seminar, we will evaluate the role that urbanization plays in environmental conservation. Students will develop the skills and language necessary to discuss how urban ecosystems function and evolve to accommodate fragmented landscapes.

Do you want to learn how to think like an urban ecologist? As urban development increases, it is imperative that we understand how development in the built environment impacts surrounding ecosystems. In this seminar, we will evaluate the role that urbanization plays in environmental conservation. Students will develop the skills and language necessary to discuss how urban ecosystems function and evolve to accommodate fragmented landscapes.

The human body has been shaped by 6 million years of evolution. Our ancestors were exposed to disease, famine, natural disasters, and other environmental pressures and this is reflected in our DNA today. This class will approach disease and human adaptation to extreme environments through the lens of evolution. We will explore the genetic and environmental factors that determine why some people are more susceptible to certain diseases or can cope better with extreme environments. We'll also learn about ways that we can extend this protection by manipulating our environment.

Studio. Development of a conceptual basis for design and planning. Basic spatial concepts, design skill development and communications skills applied to presentation of design solutions. Model-making, 2-D presentations of abstract and simple spaces.

Prerequisites: Art Foundations course work, or consent of instructor.

An exploration of computer science for first-year CMPSCI majors, focusing on a single topic. Sections 1 and 3 demonstrate computing principles through the history of video games. Sections 2 and 4 investigate the history of computing and its impact on the modern economy. Section 5 explores affective computing, which addresses systems and methods for emotion recognition, emotion expression in virtual agents and robots, and emotion modeling and affective agent architectures.

Can a machine or a computer program create art, music, and poetry? Can they make political and military decisions? Should they? What, if anything, is significant or important about humans doing and handling these things? Furthermore, at what point does human cognitive enhancement blur the line between the two? Technologies surrounding artificial intelligence and cognitive enhancement are close at hand and will have a pervasive impact on our society from moral, legal, and practical standpoints.

What do fruit flies, mice, yeast, and zebrafish have in common? It may seem like nothing - besides, perhaps, being living creatures- but they're all used to study biological processes that are relevant to human welfare. Scientists use these, and other, organisms to investigate what causes a disease, what it does to the body, and how to treat it. This class will focus on exposing how scientists conduct research from the perspective of the organisms they use to "model" disease.

In this freshman seminar course we will explore the intricate relationship between humans and plants. We will focus on current issues facing modern agriculture, while concurrently putting these issues into historical context. We will use plant science studies to delve into fundamental biological concepts and to practice the scientific method. After completing this course, students will be able to apply their knowledge to a broad range of disciplines.

This course traces the evolution of our own species from our immediate human ancestors, through the beginnings of vertebrate life. What makes us similar (or different) to other vertebrates? The course tackles this question in two different ways. Firstly, we will gain an understanding of our own evolutionary history: what were some of the major transitions that impacted the trajectory of human evolution from humble beginnings in ancestral seas, through numerous mass extinctions, to the rise of human civilization.