How does Neflix learn what movies a person likes? How do computers read handwritten addresses on packages, or detect faces in images? Machine learning is the practice of programming computers to learn and improve through experience, and it is becoming pervasive in technology and science. This course will cover the mathematical underpinnings, algorithms, and practices that enable a computer to learn. Topics will include supervised learning, unsupervised learning, evaluation methodology, and Bayesian probabilistic modeling.

This course will focus on biological systems that push the limits of structural and physiological possibility. For example, midges flap their wings at up to 1000 Hz; bar-headed geese migrate over Mount Everest; deep-sea fish withstand pressures near 300 atmospheres; certain frogs can allow their body temperatures to drop below 0 degrees Celsius. Through readings and discussions we will explore the diverse mechanisms that underlie how organisms reach extreme levels of performance and survive in extreme environments.

Have you ever wondered why Siri or Alexa doesn't understand things you say? Or wondered if actual robots can understand language as well as the ones we see in movies? In this seminar we will learn about social robots and what it takes for robots to converse with humans. We will read research conducted by computer scientists, linguists, and psychologists, as well as investigate representations of social robots in popular media and literature.

In this course, we will take a leap back in time to the origins of life, discuss the evolution of major organismal lineages, and investigate biology processes at different scales, from cellular to ecological. Through the lectures, labs, and in-class discussions, students will be able to explain how scientific knowledge is generated.

In this course, students will explore the diversity of form and function that exists within oceanic organisms with a particular focus on intertidal and subtidal ecosystems of the Northeast U.S. We will learn how organisms are classified, what structures and systems enable these organisms to function and adapt to their unique environments, and how organisms interact with one another and their habitats.