Experimental Courses
This course will present students with an introduction to general concepts of mammalian biology with particular focus on human structure and function. Contemporaneous issues of homeostasis, ergonomics, adaptation and health will be discussed in the context of today's emerging environmental and inter-organism impacts on the quality of life. Scientific background will underscore student opportunities to think critically, both from the perspective of the individual, and the interface between the individual and his/her immediate and global environment.
BB210X. ENVIRONMENTAL BIOTECHNOLOGY.
This course will explore applications of biotechnology to issues of environmental importance. The course is designed for majors in Biology and Biotechnology and for students in other majors who wish to learn about this contemporary topic. Topics to be considered will include: basics of biotechnology; microbes in the environment; environmental monitoring; bioremediation; biofuels; agricultural biotechnology; marine biotechnology; urban myths.
Recommended background: High school biology, including basic cell biology and genetics, and high school chemistry; BB 1035. BB 2550, BB 2002, and BB 2920 would be useful.
BME311X. PHYSIOLOGY AND ENGINEERING.
Cat. I
This course provides students with an understanding of mammalian physiology and the engineering aspects of different physiological systems. The course will have both a lecture and laboratory portion. The laboratory portion will provide the students with the ability to analyze and interpret data from living systems, as well as hands-on experience with a living mammalian system and modeling/simulation of real physiological systems. The course will focus on a number of organ systems that may include cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal. Engineering principle that include biomechanical, bioelectrical, and biofluids will be applied to physiological systems.
Recommended background: A knowledge of biomechanics (BME 2504), biological transport (BME2604) and bioelectric foundations (BME 2204).
CH417X. EXPERIMENTAL BIOCHEMISTRY.
This course has been designed to familiarize the student with advanced methodologies necessary to perform modern biochemistry studies. The course will cover DNA manipulation (extraction, isolation, quantification, etc.), site directed mutagenesis, organism transformation, RNA quantification by real time PCR and protein expression and affinity purification.
Recommended background: CH 4150, CH 4110, CH 4120 and CH 4130.
CHE350X. MOLECULAR MODELING IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE.
The aim of this course is to educate students in the area of molecular modeling as it applies to various topics in engineering and fundamental science disciplines such as chemistry and physics. Topics to be explored include principle physical concepts relating to the Schrodinger Wave Equation, density functional theory, ab initio methods, and visualization software for the graphical display of molecules and materials. These concepts will be extrapolated to explain fundamental applications within pure scientific fields such as chemical kinetics. The course will culminate with a final modeling project related to the student's discipline. The course is expected to be highly interdisciplinary so that the final project will allow each student the opportunity to appreciate the power and the broad applications of molecular modeling techniques.
Suitable for undergraduate students in different fields of engineering or science with basic background in calculus, chemistry, physics, and chemical thermodynamics. A background at the introductory level in quantum mechanics is highly recommended.
ECE101X. FRONTIERS AND CURRENT ISSUES OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING.
Cat. I. (1/6 unit semester course)
This is a seminar based course intended for First Year students seeking to understand the breadth of activities, career choices and technology that are considered today to comprise Electrical and Computer Engineering. Students considering ECE as a major, both those who are "decided" as well as those who are "undecided" should enroll in ECE 101x. Students enrolled in ECE 101x will receive 1/6 unit of credit for the full semester. The class will meet once a week during the fall semester (A & B terms) and participate in reading, writing and some other out of classroom activities.
This course is specifically designed to i) present an overview of the ECE profession, ii) engage students through presentation and discussion of current issues and new technology representative of the breadth and depth of ECE at a systems level, iii) present the profession of ECE and professional skills, iv) challenge students to develop critically thinking skills through seminars, readings, discussions and blogging, v) encourage good writing habits and media utilization, and vi) provide a multitude of reasons why students should consider ECE as a their major field of study while introducing them to our department's offerings and resources.
ECE230X. INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING.
This course provides an introduction to the broad area of communications and networking, providing the context and fundamental knowledge appropriate for all electrical and computer engineers, as well as for further study in this area. The course is organized as a systems approach to communications and networking. Topics include fundamental definitions and concepts (bandwidth, information, etc.), types of transmission media, conversion between the analog and digital domains, switching and networking principles and architectures, wireless networking, networking protocols, regulatory and applications issues.
Recommended background: ECE 2011.
ECON310X. HETERODOX ECONOMICS.
Cat. II
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the methods and theories of heterodox economics that are offered as an alternative to traditional or orthodox economics. Heterodox economists reject many of the tenets of traditional economic theory such as homoeconomicus or rational economic man, perfect information, pure competition, and perfectly functioning markets, and adopt a more "realistic" approach to economic analysis. As such, heterodox economists emphasize the adoption of an evolutionary systems approach to analysis, the inclusion of insights from psychology in economic modeling and, more recently, the use of computational techniques such as system dynamics, agent-based modeling, genetic algorithms, and neural networks. Students will be asked to read and discuss pieces from the heterodox economics literature and will be given a sweeping overview of modeling techniques deemed acceptable to heterodox economists.
Recommended Background: ECON 1120.
EN223X. LANDMARKS OF GOTHIC HORROR.
Mysterious happenings, strange characters, eerie settings-all designed to instill a sense of anxiety and to invite the reader to ponder human psychology-these are major elements in the literature of Gothic horror. This course will examine several milestones in the Gothic tradition: Bram Stoker's Dracula, Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles, and Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. Other readings will include Susan Hill's The Woman in Black, adapted into a successful play in London's West End, and Stephen King's popular novel The Shining. In addition to focusing on the Gothic novel or ghost story as a literary form, students will be encouraged to explore adaptations of these works into other media (theatre and film).
EN323X. SOUL, SELF, AND SOCIETY: MASTERWORKS OF RUSSIAN LITERATURE.
This seminar course will explore masterworks of Russian literature from the great Romantics to the great Realists of the 19th century – Pushkin, Gogol, Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Turgenev, and Chekhov. The focus will be on the timeless questions that great literature raises: How is my own self woven into the fabric of culture and society? Can I reconcile reason and passion? Combining the real with the fantastic, high spirituality with acute social and moral consciousness, Russian writers of the golden age address these issues with intensity and profundity unparalleled in world literature. In addition to discussing novels and stories, we will take the opportunity throughout the seminar to explore Russia's unique national heritage and historic context and will take a look at the political movements, visual arts, music, and theater achievements. Wider connections will also be made to other 19th century masters of psychological fiction such as Dickens, Eliot, Balzac, and Flaubert. All texts will be read in English translation.
A film series will be attached to the course to enhance students' understanding of such classics as Anna Karenina, Crime and Punishment, Cherry Orchard, and others.
ES280X. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF ENGINEERING ACTIONS.
Engineering decisions can affect the environment on local and global scales. This course will introduce students to concepts that will make them aware of the ramifications of their engineering decisions, and is intended for engineering students of all disciplines. Specific topics the course will cover include: environmental issues, waste minimization, energy conservation, water conservation and reuse, regulations (OSHA, TSCA, RCRA, etc.), lifecycle assessment, risk assessment, sustainability, design for the environment, and environmental impact statements. Energy and mass balances will be applied to activities that impact the environment. Instruction will be provided through lectures, practitioner seminars, and a term project.
Intended audience: all engineering majors desiring a general knowledge of the environmental impacts of engineering decisions.
Recommended background: elementary college chemistry; second year students.
ID120X and ID121X. GREAT PROBLEMS SEMINARS.
This is a two-term sequence of first year seminars designed to serve as an introduction to university-level studies in the context of important topics and issues. These seminars will introduce students to project work and research and will focus on themes of current global importance. The goal is to engage first year students with current events, societal problems and human needs while developing critical thinking, information literacy, and evidence-based writing.
Each seminar will be developed and guided by a team of faculty with expertise in the engineering/science and humanistic/social aspects of the problem. The specific themes and projects for the seminars will be defined by the faculty team. Students in the pilot phase of the Great Problems Seminars will receive 1/3 unit of credit in Science or Engineering and 1/3 unit of credit in Humanities or Social Science, depending on the topics and the affiliation of the faculty delivering the seminar.
IMGD200X. MACHINIMA (FILM MAKING IN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS).
This course will address the cinemagraphic and narrative techniques involved with film making using video-game technology. Creation and development of characters, environments, and narrative structures will be explored. Using commercial game engines and audio/video editors, students will write, design, and produce complete animated movies. Industrial and artistic applications of this film making technique are discussed as well as how Machinima is contextualized in the history of film animation and visualization.
Recommended background: IMGD 1002.
IMGD210X. DESIGN OF TABLETOP STRATEGY GAMES.
The objective of IMGD 210X is to introduce students to classes of tabletop strategy games, primarily eurogames but also including wargames, and to lead students through methods of game design. Readings will include interviews with game designers and detailed analyses of game mechanisms. Lab exercises will involve the analytic play of several eurogames and at least one board wargame, followed by play-testing of the student game design projects.The class will have three or four hours of lecture per week and a two or three hour lab, for a total of six hours per week of class meeting. A corepart of the course is a design project, in which each student or group of students designs, tests, and redesigns a game.Textbooks: Phillies and Vasel "Design Elements of Contemporary Strategy Games" and "Contemporary Perspectives in Game Design".
Recommended background: none
MA112X. CALCULUS II - Semester Version
The main topics for integral calculus (MA1022) are covered in this course: the concept of the definite integral, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, and integration techniques. As applications of integral calculus we will use computations involving area, volume, arc length, center of mass, work, and force, as well as exponential growth and decay. Logarithmic and exponential functions are of fundamental importance in the study of calculus and will be studied in depth. Arithmetic and geometric sequences and series will be studied in preparation for Calculus III. Also some of the key historical events in the development of integral calculus are looked into including Archimedes' work on the definite integral and the controversy over the Fundamental Theorem. Technology will be used as appropriate to support the material being studied. This course, which extends for 14 weeks and offers 1/3 unit of credit, is designed for students who do not have a strong math background.
Although the course will make use of computers, no programming experience is assumed.
Students may not receive credit for both MA 112X and MA 1022.
ME301X. THERMOFLUID SCIENCES I.
This course introduces students to pressure, temperature, and thermodynamic properties of gases, liquids, and saturated mixtures, along with the transport properties of thermal conductivity and viscosity. The conservation laws of mass, energy and momentum are developed and applied to systems and control volumes. Work and heat are defined and rate laws for heat transfer introduced.
ME302X. THERMOFLUID SCIENCES II.
This course introduces Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Dimensional analysis is then used to introduce experimental correlations for external flows and internal flows, including heat transfer. Theoretical analysis of laminar and turbulent flows is incorporated to explain and predict observations.
ME303X. THERMOFLUID SCIENCES III.
This course emphasizes the application of thermofluid principles to integrated analysis and design. Power cycles, refrigeration, air-conditioning and humidity control serve as the backdrop for an open-ended design project.
ME487X/MFE594P. ADVANCED MANUFACTURING PROCESSES AND SYSTEMS.
The objective of this course is to provide an in-depth knowledge of manufacturing processes, including machining, grinding, and forming processes. A system approach will be used in class to integrate the science, engineering, and management studies into the processes. The emphases will be on the quantitative analysis and control of the processes with modeling and analyzing the relationship of production performance and crucial process parameters. Quality assurance and cost analysis are the integral part of the modeling and analysis. The course consists of lectures, Lab. practice, plant tour, and a course project. Recommended background: Manufacturing Processes (ME 1800), Experimentation (ME 3901), and Control (ES 3011).
PH252X. INTRODUCTION TO ASTROPHYICS.
A selective study of components of the universe (the solar system, stars, nebulae, galaxies) and of cosmology, based on astronomical observations analyzed and interpreted through the application of physical principles, and organized with the central purpose of presenting the latest understanding of the nature and evolution of the universe. Some topics to be covered include the Big Bang & Inflation; Stellar Behavior & Evolution; White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars, & Supernovae; Black Holes; Dark Matter & Dark Energy.
Recommended background is PH 1110 (or PH 1111), PH 1120 (or PH 1121), and especially PH 1130.
Suggested background: PH 1140.
PH441X. ADVANCED QUANTUM MECHANICS.
One-dimensional potential problems, Hilbert space formulation of quantum mechanics, spreading of a wave packet, Dirac treatment of harmonic oscillator, operator algebra methods, uncertainty principles and quantum dynamics. Hydrogen atom, harmonic oscillator. Spin. Quantum theory of angular momentum. Perturbation theory and other approximation methods. Scattering theory.
Consent of instructor required.
PH451X. MATHEMATICAL METHODS OF PHYSICS.
An introduction to a variety of mathematical topics including functions of several variables, vector calculus, linear algebra and vector spaces, matrices and eigenvalue problems, ordinary differential equations and special functions. Complex variable theory. Integral transforms. Partial differential equations.
Consent of instructor required.
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