ANTH-N 190
BECOMING HUMAN
An introduction to the evolutionary development of humans, viewed in both a biological and cultural context. Major topics include the concept of evolution, biological relationships between humans and other primates, the fossil record of hominid evolution, and the basic methods employed by archaeologists in the study of human biological and social development.
AST-N 190
LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE
The purpose of this class is to expose you to a relatively new area of science, Astrobiology. This discipline encompasses a variety of areas, all of which we will touch upon during the course. These include chemistry, physics, biology, geology and of course astronomy. You do not need to be an expert in these, you will learn the essentials in order to appreciate how all of these disciplines come together and work together in our search to understand what life is and how we may go about trying to find it outside the earth, the only example we have of Life in the Universe.
MEASURING THE UNIVERSE
The night sky, almost unchanged in appearance since the dawn of human history, has inspired centuries of thought about the nature of the universe. This course will offer the opportunity to explore the ideas and techniques we use to measure the age, size, shape, and content of the universe we live in. Topics will range from ancient astronomy and cosmology, to the Copernican revolution in the middle ages, up to our current measurements and understanding of the evolution of the universe. Readings will include excerpts from works by Aristotle, Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Newton, Hubble, Einstein, and others, as well as recent scientific papers on such topics as the cosmic microwave background radiation, dark matter, and dark energy.
OUR PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE
Our universe is a vast place that contains a variety of objects that almost defy the imagination. This course is a journey that starts from our extended local neighborhood of nearby stars, continues to explore our galaxy and its inhabitants, and ends at the far reaches of known space. Along the way we will discover strange objects such as pulsars, black holes, and exploding galaxies, and we will face some of the remaining deep mysteries about the structure of the universe that occupy today’s cosmologists.
STARS AND GALAXIES (Replaced by OUR PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE)
Our universe is a vast place that contains a variety of objects that almost defy the imagination. This course is a journey that starts from our extended local neighborhood of nearby stars, continues to explore our galaxy and its inhabitants, and ends at the far reaches of known space. Along the way we will discover strange objects such as pulsars, black holes, and exploding galaxies, and we will face some of the remaining deep mysteries about the structure of the universe that occupy today’s cosmologists.
WORLDS OUTSIDE OUR OWN
In this course we will look at planetary bodies, including Earth. Although we will note systematic similarities, we will focus on the unusual features that make them “worlds” in their own right. Major topics will include the following: historical background and observing the night sky; a quantitative description of planetary motion; light and radiation; and planetary bodies (planets, their moons, asteroids and comets). We will also discuss social and political issues, such as the priority we should place on exploring the Solar System considering competing demands for our limited resources.
CLS-N 190
UNCOVERING A DIAGNOSIS
Have you ever been sick and wondered how the doctor knew you were sick, what was causing your illness, and how to treat it? Did you know that there is a whole profession dedicated to the diagnosis, interpreting, and monitoring illness in society? The Medical Laboratory Scientist is an important member of the patient care team who works behind the scenes to inform doctors and nurses of the status of patients’ health. In this course, you will discover what it means to work in a diagnostic laboratory and uncover the cause of acute and chronic illness. We will focus on several medical conditions (blood transfusion reaction, diabetes, influenza, kidney disease, leukemia, sickle cell disease, syphilis, and tuberculosis), their impact on society, and how the laboratory uncovers the diagnosis.
BIOL-N 190
ANIMALS AMONG US
The course teaches some of the fundamentals of animal biology, but it also explores specific ways in which society interacts with animals. For example, the course will focus on the ways in which zoos mediate our relationship to wild animals.
CONTEMPORARY BIOETHICS
This course will explore the bioethical issues at the forefront of medical science, with a particular emphasis on topics currently in the media. Students will take sides in presenting pros and cons, for and against the topic of choice. Topics may include stem cell research, fertility drugs, life support, genetically engineered crops, as well as other current topics. The objective of the course is to give students both sides of the argument, and to examine how the other side sees the issue.
F00D AND OIL: DO THEY MIX?
This course is an introduction to the scientific and cultural issues of modern food production and their impacts on the environment. Topics to be discussed will include: the Nature of Science, the evolution of agriculture, fossil fuel consumption, toxicology and risk, water resources, climate change, habitat destruction and genetically modified organisms – all with respect to food production. We will look at methods of both conventional agriculture and what is commonly called sustainable agriculture. We will also discuss how government policies play a role in food production in the United States and abroad.
HUMAN GENETICS
This course is designed to investigate human genetics and includes a historical approach in order to understand how the science has evolved. Controversy surrounds some recent innovations within this science. We’ll consider what technical and ethical challenges we can anticipate in the future. A laboratory component of the course is included within this three-credit course to demonstrate the techniques scientists use to ask questions of nature.
LIFE SCIENCE FOR TEACHERS
This 3-credit course is one of three science content courses for Elementary Education majors and is designed to equip pre-service teachers with the biology content knowledge they will need to teach elementary students grades K-6. In addition to basic content knowledge, the course is intended to acquaint students with the underlying nature of science, scientific knowledge, and scientific inquiry. Material is approached within the context of bow it would be taught at the elementary school level, and this connection between biology content and elementary school teaching forms the core theme for the course. Because this course satisfies the requirements of an N 190 Natural World Common Core Course, it also covers additional interdisciplinary applications of biological knowledge and study, as well as ethical issues that arise in biology, the teaching of biology, and the application of biological knowledge to societal questions and concerns.
MICROBES AND YOU
Introduces students to the fascinating microbial world. Students will discover that microorganisms are found everywhere and will gain an appreciation of the natural relationships of microorganisms with their habitat. Students will conduct a scientific study, in the course of which they’ll learn lab techniques for determining the identity of an unknown organism and for handling microorganisms safely and effectively.
PLANTS AND PEOPLE
Human societies are completely dependent upon plants, which supply us with food, clothing, shelter, fuel, and even the oxygen we breathe. This course will introduce students to the world of plants through the lens of human uses and needs. The course will begin with some basic information about plant structure, physiology, reproduction, ecology, and evolution. It will then turn to topics that show how plants have played an important role in the development of human culture and society. The course will include some lab work and possibly some field trips. Some course topics and readings will be linked to the campus theme of sustainability.
A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT: THE BIOLOGY AND POLITICS OF RIVERS AND STREAMS
This course will introduce students to the natural and artificial forces that influence the ecology of our rivers and streams. Through lectures, lab activities, and field trips, the course will explore how we humans impact our local rivers and streams, as well as the animals and plants that rely on these aquatic resources. Topics to be discussed will include: food webs, exotic and introduced species, abiotic vs. biotic factors, energy transfer, and the ecology and biology of the flora and fauna of local rivers and streams.
BIOLOGY AND SOCIETY
The Biology and Society course is designed for first-year students considering a career in thelife sciences. The field of biology is broad including the study of fascinating organisms from the molecular level to ecosystems, as well as applications to animal and human health, environmental, and agricultural issues. We will explore current topics in biological research, connections between biology and pressing societal issues, and explore how scientific inquiry is used to build knowledge and solve problems. The course will combine instruction in fundamental literacies with an introduction to several biological principles and the nature of scientific inquiry. The overarching goal is to promote student success in subsequent biology courses for the major and provide opportunities for students to explore connections between careers in the life sciences and planning your undergraduate degree. The course will include discussions, lab work, and field trips.
CHEM-N 190
CHEMISTRY AND OUR ENVIRONMENT
The course focuses on topical, interdisciplinary issues such as the environment, energy, and nutrition. The science is introduced on a need-to-know basis as issues are discussed and developed. There are no pre-requisites for this course. Instruction will focus on only those aspects of the fundamentals of chemistry that have a direct bearing on the applications of chemistry to society.
CRIME SCENE SCIENCE
This course is designed to introduce some of the fundamental principles in scientific analysis and to apply them to a number of specialized fields of forensic science. Because forensic science is a multidisciplinary science, we will cover concepts from physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and criminal justice. Throughout the course, we will discuss the process of doing science. We will then compare/contrast this process to that used in various aspects of criminalistics such as the scope of forensic investigation, the matter of expert qualifications, and the admissibility of evidence in court.
If Atoms Could Talk!
Chemistry is relevant to various physical and chemical processes occurring around us and within us. At the heart of these processes are the atoms that are involved. Atoms are the submicroscopic particles that constitute the fundamental building blocks of ordinary matter. Therefore, in order to completely understand and appreciate the role that atoms play in the physical and chemical processes that take place in the natural world, exploring the fundamental concepts about the nature of atoms is important. To this end, the course will explore the nature of atoms, their composition and identity, how they bond to make molecules and compounds, and why different molecules and compounds have different physical and chemical properties. In addition, the ability to interpret and balance chemical equations and draw information from the periodic table will be explored and combined with existing algebraic skills to make quantitative predictions about chemical reactions.
NANOTECHNOLOGY – SIZE MATTERS
Nanotechnology is the application of the science of small – small enough that the atom must be constantly considered and the properties of bulk matter no longer apply. The course begins by developing an appreciation of the small scale and the implications this has on the variability of the properties of matter once thought to be constant for a given substance regardless of size. After learning about naturally occurring nanoparticles, we consider the anthropogenic production of materials and the probing of their properties with an emphasis on electron and atomic force microscopy. The remainder of the course discusses applications of nanomaterials to different disciplines.
GEOL-N 190
EARTH AND SPACE
This course will teach the basic concepts of Physical Geology, with an emphasis on rocks, minerals, earthquakes, volcanoes, and Plate Tectonics. The Historical Geology portion looks at interpreting Earth’s history with Relative Dating, and the identification of many fossils and how they form. Also, an introduction into the basics of Astronomy and Meteorology.
GEOLOGY OF THE NATIONAL PARKS
Our national and state parks contain some of the most beautiful scenery found on the planet, and accordingly draw visitors from around the world. Their spectacular landscapes are the result of a wide range of geologic processes that we will discuss in this course. After introducing the basic framework of plate tectonics we will use individual parks as geologic case studies and introduce geological principles as necessary to scientifically understand what gives the parks their unique character. We will also discuss the political and historical framework in which the park system exists: the establishment and management of national and state parks is a massive undertaking including extensive political, philosophical and economic considerations.
ROCKS, GEMS AND FOSSILS
Rocks, gems, and fossils have intrigued people from the beginning. Through basic identification of rocks and minerals, students will learn how the history of our planet has been interpreted. Emphasis on the uses of these materials will show students how many natural resources we extract from our planet and how this process has affected the development of countries and civilizations around the world. By learning about the identification, classification, and formation of fossils, students will learn about our past here in Indiana, North America, and planet Earth.
WEATHER ANALYSIS & FORECASTING
Weather is something that affects all of us, all the time. This course will teach you about the concepts of meteorology and how the concepts are applied to weather forecasting. In particular, this course will emphasize local weather and climate. Each class will begin with a weather briefing of how our local weather will be affected by various weather systems. In addition to local weather, this course will examine global warming, severe weather, and hurricanes.
PHYS-N 190
DISCOVERED PHYSICS (5 CR)
The universe is full of wondrous and diverse phenomena such as exploding stars and gently falling snowflakes. Persons of great conceit think that this can all be understood in terms of a small set of rules and elementary objects. This course is designed to help the student learn how (we think) the universe works and how these ideas are generated, tested, and communicated. Models of nature and the methods of elementary quantitative problem solving are studied in the lecture and recitation portions of the course. The laboratory component of the course helps the student learn the practice of experiment and guides the student in developing, executing and reporting on experiments of their own design.
ENERGY IN THE 21ST CENTURY
We live in a unique period in the history of our planet. In the span of a few centuries, hydrocarbon deposits with origins dating back hundreds of millions of years will be almost completely depleted. The cheap energy offered by these deposits – petroleum, natural gas, and coal – has fueled a profound revolution in the character of human life (at least for those of us in relatively wealthy countries). However, at the beginning of the 21st century we can begin to see the end of this era of cheap energy. This course will examine the history and current status of energy production and consumption in the U.S. and the world, including the environmental impacts of various energy technologies, investigate the question of just how long the various fossil fuels are likely to last, and explore some of the alternatives for meeting humankind’s energy needs once the demand for petroleum and other fossil fuels outstrips the world’s capacity to produce them.
PHYSICS OF LIFE
Focuses on the intersection of physics and biology, including how organisms cope with and exploit the physical nature of their environment. Problems organisms face, as well as evolutionary solutions to those problems and their limitations, are used to demonstrate physical principles in the world around us, and how these fundamental limitations affect us as well.
PHYSICS OF SOUND
This course will cover physical phenomena in sound production, propagation, and perception, and it will include the standard terminology and fundamentals of the physics of sound. Specific topics include waves and vibrations, perception and measurement of sound, and the acoustics of musical instruments, speech and singing. The course will provide the scientific foundation for more specialized courses such as speech & hearing and music theory, but it will also have interdisciplinary components, and students will be guided to make connections to their own areas of specialty and interest.
REVOLUTIONS IN PHYSICS
This course covers some of the revolutionary ideas in physics that have changed our understanding of the world. We begin with the Copernican revolution, which taught us that the Earth is not at the center of the universe. We then discuss Newtonian physics, which taught us that the laws of physics are the same in the “heavens” (as Newton put it) as on the Earth. The course ends with a discussion of modern physics, including quantum mechanics, the special and general theory of relativity, modern cosmology, and string theory as an example of one of the current ideas to unify our understanding of the physics of our universe.