This course will introduce students to the production of animated short films with the tools and techniques of three-dimensional (3D) computer graphics. Readings and lectures will cover the theoretical foundations of the field, and the homework assignments will provide hands-on, project-based experience with production. The topics covered will include modeling (the building of 3D objects), shading (assignment of surface reflectance properties), animation (moving the objects over time), and lighting (placing and setting the properties of virtual light sources).

History of western science would be incomplete without the inclusion of Arab and Muslim contributions in the Middle Ages. In this course we will explore some of the reasons behind the outstanding growth of scientific reasoning in the Islamic world, including the motivation for translating Greek works and the role of religion in the early progress of science.

This course introduces students to contemporary syntactic theory in the generative tradition. Among the topics we will explore are phrase structure, anaphora, discontinuous dependencies (such as Wh-questions and relative clauses), quantification, and thematic role assignment. Although the course presumes no prior knowledge of syntax, it is recommended for students with prior experience or interest in linguistic theory. The course will develop precise, formal analyses and will emphasize the importance of linguistic augmentation.

While exploring the structure of the mind, we often think of visual perception as one of the most basic cognitive processes, and social cognition as among the more advanced forms of higher-level cognition. In this course, we will take an interdisciplinary approach to exploring how these two aspects of the mind connect. We will question how socio-cultural structures (such as norms, values, beliefs, and institutions) do, and do not, influence what we see, and how visual perception itself traffics (and may be specialized for) social information.

Mobile communication devices such as smart phones and tablets have become prevalent in the U.S. The Pew Internet Project reported in 2011 that 35% of adults have a smart phone. Other researchers project that by 2015 65% of the United States population will have a smart phone or tablet. These devices have the capacity to change the way in which people interact with each other and with information.

This course will survey the main theoretical ideas in animal behavior. We will cover physiological, developmental, functional, and evolutionary explanations of behavior. The reading will be John Alcock's "Animal Behavior: an Evolutionary Approach" text. This class will serve as a prerequisite for subsequent upper level animal behavior classes.

In this course we will discuss the processes by which children come to acquire, recall, and use knowledge. This course will focus on development from infancy to middle childhood. By reading primary literature, we will examine the emergence and refinement of children's ability to form concepts, recall the past, and extend knowledge to new situations. We will consider methodological challenges and approaches to studying children's abilities, including naturalistic observations, and controlled laboratory studies.

Adolescence is often thought of as a time of great change and upheaval as children navigate the transition into adulthood. Raging hormones, changing social expectations and relationships, and developing autonomy all contribute to this tumultuous time. This course will examine the biological, cognitive, and social changes that occur during adolescence to develop a better understanding of this unique period of development.

Genetic programming is a computational technique that harnesses the mechanisms of natural evolution -- including genetic recombination, mutation, and natural selection -- to synthesize computer programs automatically from input/output specifications. It has been applied to a wide range of problems spanning several areas of science, engineering, and the arts. In this course students will explore several variations of the genetic programming technique and apply them to problems of their choosing.

Do new media change the world? Nearly every modern medium of communications has been heralded for its utopian potential, from the nineteenth century telegraph through tomorrow's 4G cell phones. This course will examine several case studies in the history of electrical and electronic communications to understand the complex process of introducing and adopting new media, including issues of technology forecasting, technology standards-setting, the role of the state in fostering media development and the invention of unpredicted media uses by media users.