 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Home > Curriculum > Course Proposal > Descriptions for Course Proposal > Examples of Honors College Science Colloquia
Examples of Honors College Science ColloquiaHC 441HProfessor Nathan Tublitz HC SCIENCE COLLOQUIUM "Mysteries of the Brain: Neuroscience and Society" This course will provide science and non-science HC students with a basic understanding of neuroscience, the study of the brain. Students will acquire an understanding of the complexities underlying brain function, learn about the methods and fundamental processes underlying scientific research, gain an appreciation of the role and limitations of basic biomedical research in our society, and explore ethical dilemmas in neuroscience research. Students will also improve critical thinking and communication skills through oral presentations and written work. The course will begin with a brief discussion of the scientific method and the role of science in today's society. This will be followed by an overview of nervous system structure and function. The remainder of the course will focus on a sequential in-depth study of 3-4 diseases of the nervous system, e.g. Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's chorea, amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS), depression, bipolar disorder and/or others. Each section will consist of several lectures and 1-2 student-led presentations. Some sections will include demonstrations, lab exercises and/or field trips. Students will be expected to give one oral presentation, learn to read the scientific literature, write several papers and participate in classroom discussions. HC 441H Instructor James Schombert HC SCIENCE COLLOQUIUM "Cosmology" Cosmology, the study of the formation and evolution of the Universe, has progressed from its origins in early man's ideas of Nature, to Chinese and Greek worldviews, to Dante's vision of Heaven and Hell, to Newton's Clockwork Universe. Today, cosmology has entered a Golden Age with the launch of numerous space telescopes and development of technology that allows us to study the echo of the Big Bang. In addition to exploring the processes behind the origin of spacetime and matter, the science of cosmology has also expanded to resolve a number of philosophical and theological issues, such as Creation (i.e. Genesis 1:1) and the anthropic principle. This course is a historical and philosophical review of our cosmological worldview from mythical times to modern science. We will explore topics in the geometry of the Universe, expanding spacetime and the Big Bang, dark matter, black holes and wormholes, quarks and mesons, galaxies and quantum physics. Our goal is to provide the student with a summary of our current understanding of astrophysics as it relates to the structure of the Universe and what topics remain to be explored in the 21st century. The material is presented without complex mathematics, but an understanding of algebra is required. HC 441H Instructor Sarah Douglas HC SCIENCE COLLOQUIUM "Democracy and Technology" Democracy is an essential part of the American political system and the election process is the key mechanism through which it is manifested. However, the hanging chad of the 2000 Presidential election, Diebold electronic balloting machines, and Howard Dean's use of the Internet for grassroots organizing suggest that technology has both peril and promise for the election process. Is this a good trend for American democracy? What are the value-laden assumptions of technology? Who stands to benefit from its adoption? Do we need to safe-guard our American institutions in the face of this rapid change? This course will take an in-depth look at the relationship between the computer and communications technology that has built recent American wealth and its role in carrying out (or not) the principles of American democracy. Coincidental with the class, the November 2004 Presidential election will provide a rich resource of material as well as a bit of spice for our discussions. We will begin with a discussion of concepts and principles of American democracy and the institution of voting by exploring the historical heritage including the Athens city-state of 5th century BC, early American and European democracy of the 18th and 19th century, and modern 20th and 21st century American global democracy. Then we will examine four contexts where computer and communication technology has had the greatest impact: the campaign process including organizing and party politics, the media and information dissemination, the analysis of public opinion, and the voting process itself. We will pay particular attention to how the details of the technology and its implementation interact with American principles of democracy. Reading materials for the course will consist of materials primarily from contemporary news and Internet sources, as well as texts such as De Tocqueville's "Democracy in America" and the US Citizenship Test. HC 441H Professor Gregory Bothun HC SCIENCE COLLOQUIUM "The Ecological Footprint of Energy Generation" This course will deal with the issues of alternative energy sources and sustainable energy sources. The intent is to perform an objective cost-benefit analysis on each form of alternative energy in order to determine what is feasible on a large scale. Full consideration will be given of the ecological footprint of various forms of energy generation since that is what the NIMBY public will react most viscerally to. We will pay particular attention to the efficiency of each alternative energy source as well as what limitations exist in terms of extracting usable energy. We will critique in detail the published Bush energy plan as a template for our energy future. Currently each form of alternative energy has a passionate set of advocates that insist their form is the "solution". The reality is that regional combinations of different technologies are the only real solution - there is no one answer. The problem is complex at all levels. There are engineering challenges, infrastructure challenges, political challenges, economic consequence, and cultural impediments. Students will be organized into small teams to investigate and report/write on various issues and will also seek out solutions that hypothetically would provide sustainable power to the City of Eugene for the next 50 years. The main goals of this class are:
|
|
 |
|
 |
||||
|
Phone: (541) 346-5414 · E-mail: Contact the webmaster: |
