"It's often the things that are right in front of us that are the hardest to see" -Apollo Robbins

Magicians have been known to perform seemingly impossible tricks from an ordinary deck of cards, but what the public often doesn't know is that most tricks are based off of a small selection of "sleights" or techniques put together in new combinations. In order to confuse and fool, magicians practice these fundamental sleights for years, honing every motion. In this class, I hope to show you the sleights that eventually become tricks that blow away spectators. What you eventually do with this information is entirely up to you! Grab a deck of cards, and join me for an hour of craziness with cards!

*For those that attended Splash! during the fall session, the tricks that I am covering during this session will be different from those covered in the pilot program.

Makeup gets a weird and bad rep in our society. From the outside it can seem confusing or ostracizing, inaccessible and maybe anti-feminist. I'm here to tell you how and why it isn't. Makeup can be an art-form, a method of self-expression, a confidence-booster, and a way to highlight the things you love about yourself, no matter who you are.

We'll talk techniques, color theory and undertones, tools, products and budgets, and basically how to make you look and feel awesome.

This is a non-judgemental, body-positive class that's open to all genders/sexes. PS. The physicist is me


Prerequisites
All levels of makeup experience are welcome, I'm sure even experienced makeup users will learn something.

When you read the news or look around your community, it can often seem like there's no shortage of problems. Can you really help solve them with tools you already have in your back pocket? In this 50-minute workshop we'll explore different activist efforts by student groups at Cornell, then break out into sessions to figure out how the we can use social media, technology and good-old-fashioned organizing to help apply some of these strategies to your own lives and communities.

Can I really make a 3-D bird out of a flat piece of paper? Why, yes you can, along with flowers, animals, boxes and much more! In this 50 minute class we will uncover the secrets of the ancient art of paper folding. Starting from the basics, we will learn how to take a flat piece of paper and breathe some life into it, by creating works of art!

Think you know the world around us? Come test your knowledge of some of the quirkiest festivals celebrated all around the world. We will bring to you snapshots of different cultures of the world, ones that will confound, enchant and excite you and ultimately culminate in a celebration of differences in our global community.

Learn the fundamentals of chess strategy from one of the Nation's best chess players! This course covers middle-game planning, deep calculation, and the infamous "Grandmaster Dance" (courtesy of Youtube)


Prerequisites
Knowledge of how all of the pieces move.

Bughouse Chess is chess for teams of two with a twist- every piece you take gets passed to your teammate! Learn from a pro and watch the pieces fly (lterally!).


Prerequisites
Knowledge of how the pieces move

Glidis, O studans! When you pick up a fantasy or sci fi novel, do you flip to the back to look at the glossary for that alien language? Do you think the world would be a much better place if there were one, neutral, easy-to-learn language that we all could speak? Maybe you've made a code or cypher for you and your friends. Or maybe you think language is too imprecise and really wish there were some unambiguous way of communicating. If any of these statements describe you, congratulations! You might just have what it takes to be a conlanger, someone who makes languages, for fun (and for profit!). In this practicum, we'll create our own language, for fun (not for profit!), learning some interesting facts about conlangs and linguistics along the way.

What do the Matrix, Gattaca, and Star Trek have to do with our future? Are these movies purely fictional, or do they contain a sliver of truth? Inspired by these ideas, scientists look at the knowledge we have today to make predictions about future technology. Is it possible to control our genes, and if so, how will that change our society? Is it possible for humans to explore deep space, and if we can, will we colonize other planets? Look at the science with us and make your own predictions!

We will discuss how synthesizers work to artificially create sound, and then we will discuss how to go in reverse, starting with a sound clip and breaking it down to pieces for better analysis. If time permits, we may also discuss different ways to manipulate sound. The entire way through, we will be discussing concepts in math and how they can be applied to music.


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of calculus (derivatives and integrals) helps, but is not required.

Would you know what to do if someone collapsed in cardiac arrest? Studies have shown over and over again that effective bystander CPR is one of the most important factors associated with cardiac arrest survival. In this class, you'll learn the basic but highly effective life-saving skill of hands-only CPR. You'll also be given an introduction to Cornell University EMS, a student-run, volunteer first response emergency medical service that serves the Cornell community.

Tired of ugly advertisements? Frustrated at your teacher's inappropriate use of Comic Sans? Want to make eye-catching posters and slides but don't know how to get started? In this class, we will cover the basic tenets of graphic design and discover what makes something look 'designed'. We will also introduce typography and analyze the proper use of various font families within design.

Sightread popular pieces of choral literature for middle and high school mixed choirs. We will try to cover as much repertoire as possible in the time allotted. We will sing through at least one piece in each of the following categories: classical, gospel, multicultural, and a cappella.


Prerequisites
Choral singing experience required. Basic solfege skills highly recommended.

We will review basics of a cappella, such as ostinati, bass lines, and metrical structure. After that, our voices will lead the way! Judgment-free, essentially structure-free singing without accompaniment for the full class period.

Bring your instrument or come as you are! Some percussion instruments will be provided. We will start with a basic chord progression and develop from there.


Prerequisites
Experience playing an instrument or singing.

Do you like music? Do you like video games? Then this is the course for you! Join us as we explore the role of music in video games, and what makes good video game music. We'll reveal the secrets behind the most catchy tunes of such greats as The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, and Halo through an interactive lecture format.


Prerequisites
Familiarity with Video Games is a must. Please play a few! Ability to read music notation would be helpful, but isn't required.

Music entered the world of film before any other sound, but how often do we pay attention to its function today? In this class, we will explore the use of music in short clips from some major films, including recent ones you might already be familiar with. As we analyze the films together, we'll ask questions such as: How does music construct or complicate a film’s narrative? How do musical and visual synchronization impact the dramatic effect? Can silence be as valuable a tool as sound?

Synthetic biology is awesome, and no, it doesn’t just have to do with genetically modified organisms. There’s so much more we can do – space travel, smart cells, water filtration – if there’s a problem out there, synthetic biology has a solution! This class will be taught by members of the award winning Cornell University Genetically Engineered Machines Team (Cornell iGEM). The team uses synthetic biology as a platform to developing solutions to real world problems, and competes in the annual iGEM Jamboree in Boston. Come learn about synthetic biology with us! There will be hands on activities.


Prerequisites
Know what a gene/protein is, what DNA does, and the basic components of a cell

The connotation in our society is that Jane Austen novels are for overly romantic women who sit around reading Twilight in their spare time. People who believe that give me ulcers.

We are going to explore the real Jane Austen: the snarky, sarcastic interpreter of the true human condition. From her life and family, to her fantastic characters, all the way to the way she revolutionized literature, we will be answering the question: why care about Jane Austen?

The main problem with Shakespeare in the English classroom is that it comes off as BORING. English teachers pick apart every word until Shakespeare becomes odious. It is my firm opinion that Shakespeare is meant to be lived and seen: not over analyzed.

We are going to completely gut a Shakespearean scene. We will start with a tiny bit of painless literature analysis, then move in to watching several interpretations of the scene, and finally act out the scene ourselves!

Cinderella. Snow White. Aurora. Ariel. Belle. Jasmine. Mulan. Tiana. Rapunzel. Merida. Join the discussion on whether these princesses embody feminist principles.

We all have a basic need to tell others about our thoughts, and to grapple with them ourselves. Writing is one of the most basic ways we have of doing this, and plays are some of the earliest forms developed to recreate these thoughts and experiences physically. But what does it mean to write a play, or to act it out? Is it association to some core and common human experience? Is it forgetting all of this? Test yourself and find out exactly what it is to translate a thought from the brain, to the page, to the stage. Please bring something to write with and on (but no computers!).

He served in the Revolutionary War as a soldier and as an aide-de-camp to George Washington. He dueled Charles Lee. He worked with Benjamin Franklin to secure military and financial aid from France. He fought alongside Alexander Hamilton at the Battle of Yorktown and negotiated the surrender of Charles Cornwallis. And despite his status as a member of the South Carolina elite, he openly condemned slavery. He even tried to bring about the end of the practice by proposing a plan to lead a regiment of slaves and grant them freedom after their service. He was John Laurens.

Even though John Laurens played a major role in early United States history, it is likely that his name is unknown to you. In this lecture, I will bring to light the life of a man who is largely forgotten in history classes and textbooks. I will present a biography of his life, with a focus on his years serving in the Revolutionary War and his efforts to abolish slavery. Through this class, you can learn about who he was, what he did, and why he is not always remembered today.

Never heard of an Arranged Marriage? Sounds like a Forced Marriage? No, it's not. Come and know more about arranged marriages which happens in almost all parts of the world. The course will include the analysis of real world case studies and videos that help students to understand the social factors behind arranged marriages.

Throughout the 1st Century, B.C. the Roman world was rocked by social and political turmoil. By the end of the century the emperor Augustus had risen as the sole political power in Rome, ending the political freedom of the Republic.

How did the Romans, who prized freedom above all else, let their society completely fall apart? This course intends to lay out the key focal points in the socio-political struggle, and analyze the motives and desires of the people who drove this cataclysmic change in Roman society

Basic understanding of Roman political and social structure recommended but not required. We'll be going over things like what the senate did and what the patricians and plebeians were, but the more basic familiarity the better, since it lets us get to the juicy stuff!

Why do humans love some animals but eat other ones? Is it moral to consume animal products? Can we consider Specie-ism an ism on the plane of racism or sexism? This course hopes to cover the most groundbreaking question in philosophy since Plato- the question of what it means to be human in the world and how that line we draw around ourselves affects us.

This course will look at the portrayal of people with disabilities in television. We will be showing clips of popular television shows, including the popular and controversial American Horror Story, to create a dialogue between students. Through discussion, we will explore the medical model and the social model and their relevance to our society today.

The collapse of Roman society in the 1st Century, B.C. coincided with the rise of powerful, politically-minded individuals. Seizing upon the disorder of the socio-political structure, men like Julius Caesar and Gnaeus Pompey fought for political control over the state, building up power through civil and military means. As rival politicians increasingly came into conflict the Roman world would be torn apart by nearly half a century of bloody civil war, from which only one man would emerge standing.

Continuing where H73 (The Fall of the Republic: How the Romans Lost Their Liberty) left off, this course will lay out the events leading to the Roman civil wars and will follow their course, leading to the ascension of the first emperor Augustus. Part I is advised for the fullest possible understanding of the content, but is not required

We'll examine the development of the industrial prison complex through the War on Drugs to the modern age of hyper incarceration to understand the way the prison system has become the new means of racial segregation. We will also examine the way the racialized imprisonment has infected modern culture and society, even shaping unconscious bias of what criminality is

In 1978, Michel Foucault coined the term “bio-power” in his lecture at Collège de France. He describes biopower as “the set of mechanisms through which the basic biological feature of the human species became the object of a political strategy, of a general strategy of power.” Since then, a lot of different thinkers, writers and philosophers were (and still are) inspired by Foucault. In this course, I will lead you to investigate the history of politics and explore the intertwining relationships among sovereignty, biopolitical state, humanitarianism and coloniality. We will also discuss how both life and death function in different political machines. For those of you who are interested in political science, literature, philosophy, history and humanities/ social science in general, this will be a great class for you. Contact me if you have any question regarding this class!


Prerequisites
None required, but some knowledge on European history, colonialism and political philosophy will be helpful. I suggest you to read Foucault before coming to class if you have time.

Do you love to read and write? Do you think you could be the next J.K. Rowling, John Green or Suzanne Collins? Would you like to learn how to write a novel in 30 days (or less)? Come join us as we discuss how to take our stories to the next level through short writing prompts and fun discussion. Plus, learn how to join the global event that is National Novel Writing Month!

Why has poetry stuck around so long? There are so many rules, and half the time we can't even figure out what those crazy poets are saying...Together, we will look back on some of the most famous poets and their works, from William Shakespeare to Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman, to Billy Collins, Shel Silverstein and even rap artist Eminem. We will examine why their works have endured. What did/do these poets have to say? And what can we say through our own poetry?

Millions of readers and viewers have been exposed to the exciting fantasy world of Westeros in the show "Game of Thrones" and the "A Song of Ice and Fire" books. But behind the magic and mayhem of some of the most iconic events and places are some very real historical connections to our world. In this class we will discuss what in history influenced the books and show, and see that Westeros and the real world aren't as different as they seem to be...


Prerequisites
Being caught up with the books and TV series is advisable, as everything will be on the table for discussion--there will be spoilers!

Reason vs. Irrationality; Logic vs. Passion; Thought vs. Feeling; We will be exploring these dichotomies through the historical periods of Romanticism and the Enlightenment, discussing their history, art, and literature. Come learn about the past, look at some paintings, and argue about a few of life's most important questions!


Prerequisites
Some knowledge of world history

Ever wanted to learn a new alphabet? Or write a cryptic letter to a friend in a real alphabet that's not Latin? Or figure out how to pronounce what your comrades in Russia write? If you said yes to any of these, then this course is for you! This course will teach you the basic pronunciation of the Russian variety of the Cyrillic alphabet.

Is it right or wrong for members of one culture to adopt the elements of a different culture and eventually become the face of said cultural practice? What are your thoughts on Macklemore winning the Grammy over Kendrick Lamar? What is the difference between cultural exchange and cultural appropriation? Is Meghan Trainor really "bringing booty back”? This course will explain what cultural appropriation is and how it is depicted in pop culture. Should cultural appropriation be an issue in today's society? Are there any social and economic ramifications (negative / positive) as a result of cultural appropriation? This class is a discussion and exploration of student's thoughts and ideas and not a lecture.

This course will explore the current state of hip-hop. A brief history will be given about the origins of hip-hop and how it has changed since its inception. The main portion of the class will center on current rappers from Kendrick Lamar & J. Cole to Bobby Shurmda
What do the prominence of these rappers mean for hip-hop as a whole? Is hip-hop dead? How do white rappers such as Iggy Azalea, Macklemore and Enimen fit into the mosaic that is hip-hop?
Is there a future for hip-hop? What will the future of hip-hop look like? This class is not a lecture but an open discussion! Students are encouraged to bring their own thoughts and questions.

Cardio Fuego combines Latin rhythms and international dance moves to create a FUN workout! Dance moves will be a fusion of Latin, Bellydance, Raggaeton, and Hip-Hop.


Prerequisites
Appropriate footwear and an overall clean bill of health since the class will be physically demanding.

Take a trip back to the late 1900’s and boogie down to the best music in town! In this introductory course, we will go over the basic footwork that carries throughout the entire dance, learn a few moves, and then put it all together for a routine at the end. Sign up with a partner, or meet a new friend! No past dancing experience necessary. Come with energy and your dancing shoes (sneakers or other shoes that are easy to move in) and be prepared to be swept off your feet!

Enjoy a break for lunch with your friends! Please register for at least one lunch period on each day of the program.

Without logic gates, computers as we know them would not exist. Logic gates are part of a blend of math and philosophy that lets engineers make computer processing units and other hardware. Although logic gates are usually associated with electronics, it is possible to make them out of nearly anything – water pipes, legos, billiard balls – even Japanese soldier crabs! In this class, we will make our own logic gates using redstone wiring in the popular video game Minecraft.

Class will begin by learning about the context of logic gates – why you would want to use them, why they are important in computers – before moving on to specific types of logic gates. Each logic gate discussed will be demonstrated in Minecraft. Although we will not have time to build our own computers in Minecraft, knowing these gates will give you the basic knowledge you can use to someday make Minecraft electronics.

Depending on time, students may be given permission at the end of class to open their laptops and make Minecraft redstone logic on their own. If you do not bring a laptop, don't worry! There will be other activities available which you can use to test your knowledge.

How many dollar bills do you have to stack to reach the moon? How many piano tuners live in London? At first glance, these questions may seem ridiculous and impossible to answer, but if you can multiply, you can figure these questions out and more! All it takes is a basic fact or two and a few strategic assumptions to get started.
Learn to solve the ridiculous and impossible using Fermi mathematics, or as it should be called: strategic guesstimation. First, we will briefly cover the origins and applications of this strange type of math. Then, we will cover the basics of how to approach a Fermi problem using what you already know, and how to make good assumptions to connect the things you know. Finally, we will work through some classic problems in small groups, and see if we can’t come up with a few of our own Fermi problems to solve.

The notion of a group is one of the most important and ubiquitous notions in the entire field of mathematics. We will see how groups arise naturally as group transformations, or symmetries of geometric objects like tetrahedra and wallpaper tilings. In this course, we'll find out why groups are prevalent not just in higher mathematics, but in fields like physics, chemistry, music theory, computer science, etc.


Prerequisites
High School Algebra

Excel is an indispensable tool in the business world and in college courses, and is quickly becoming more used in high school courses. This course covers useful financial, mathematical, logical, and referential formulas that can be used in business, school, or personal projects. We will also discuss conditional formatting, data sorting, and model building. This course will be taught with Microsoft Excel for PC.

What is an algorithm? What is computing? What does a computer do behind the scenes?

Learn the foundational principle behind computer science, algorithm design, without ever touching a computer. We will be hopscotching through sorting networks and coming up with solutions on how to best sort interesting information.

Why can't we write a program to solve any problem? What's the difference between problems that aren't practical to solve and problems that we literally cannot solve? How does all of this relate to keeping your data secure from prying eyes? We'll finish out with a glimpse at how modern scientists are pushing on these limits!

Do you like circles? In most high school geometry courses, the beauty of geometric diagrams is replaced by unfriendly formulas and computations. Often overlooked are the stunning and unpredictable results that can be found simply by drawing points, lines and circles on a piece of paper. And perhaps what makes pure Euclidean geometry so artistic - and so undertaught - is that it essentially has no real life applications; its only purpose is to be appreciated by how amazing it is.

In this class, we'll start with the notion of the power of a point with respect to a circle, and use it to prove fascinating results such as the radical axis theorem, the existence of isodynamic points in any triangle and the Newton line in complete quadrilaterals. Most of the arguments will be purely geometrical, with a minimal amount of math involved.


Prerequisites
I recommend having a basic knowledge of inscribed angles, but we'll develop most of the machinery in class.

Have you ever wanted to build your own website? It's easier than you might think. You don't have to be a programmer to create a functional, elegant website from scratch - you just need to know the markup languages HTML and CSS. This class will teach you the basics of using HTML and CSS to set up and format a website, with plenty of interactive examples. No prior experience is required.

What are imaginary numbers? At first glance, the existence of imaginary numbers sounds ludicrous. When talking about mathematics and its applications, it seems redundant to specify that we always deal with "real" numbers. However, as we delve into more advanced mathematics, this point of view becomes less obvious, and actually seems somewhat limiting. In this class, I will justify the existence of imaginary numbers, identify their basic properties, and show some common applications of imaginary numbers in various STEM fields.


Prerequisites
-familiar with basic algebraic manipulation (variables, distribution/FOIL, exponents, roots) -familiar with trigonometry (including radians, sine and cosine functions, Pythagorean theorem)

We all know how to draw two-dimensional cubes (more commonly known as squares). Maybe you've also taken to doodling three-dimensional cubes in the margins of your notebooks. So we have two-dimensional and three-dimensional doodles. But what about higher dimensions? How would you go about visualizing, let alone drawing, a seven-dimensional cube, for example? What does that even mean? And what about triangles? Or octahedra? What shapes can you make in higher dimensions?

All these questions and more will be answered in this class. We'll discuss what shapes exist in n dimensions, what they look like, and how to go about proving that they're the only ones. Spice up your doodle life!

Based on a class for college sophomores/juniors. This is a rigorous introduction to complex analysis, with emphasis on developing a functional understanding of (half of) the subject. The pace is rapid, and we expect to cover the following topics:

+ Overview of complex numbers
+ Analytic functions
+ Cauchy's Theorem
+ Series representations
+ Residue analysis

Unfortunately, we will not have time to delve into conformal mappings or asymptotic methods. If this course is offered again next fall, it will cover the material that this course did not.


Prerequisites
Students are expected to be familiar with complex numbers and calculus of multiple variables. Some unfamiliar terminology may crop up, but it will be addressed accordingly. Note; It is recommended, but not necessary, that students have familiarity with differential equations.

Edge detection forms the basis of many approaches to object recognition. We will introduce the fundamental concepts of edge detection, go through a simple approach, and discuss its strengths and weaknesses. We will also provide a brief overview of state-of-the-art edge detection techniques and provide a demonstration of their effectiveness. No prior programming experience necessary!


Prerequisites
Algebra and trigonometry

Category: Mathematical Physics
Description: In calculus, you learned how to minimize or maximize an individual function. Have you ever wondered how to minimize or maximize the integral of a function? There is a remarkable simple method, due to Euler and Lagrange, which remarkably lets us derive planetary motion, newtonian mechanics, and the movements of soap bubbles, all from very simple assumptions.
Structure: I will first give an overview of what we can learn by minimizing integrals.
Students will then complete "fill-in-the-blank" proofs and example exercises.
Then, each student will be given a different problem to work on, to share with their table once they're done.


Prerequisites
You should be able to integrate a polynomial.

What is infinity? Can it be thought of as a number? If so, what is one added to infinity, or even infinity added to infinity? What happens when we add infinitely many numbers?

If you think that these questions sound interesting, this is the class for you. We will discuss infinity, its types and connections with the cardinality of sets like the natural numbers and real numbers. We will briefly talk about infinite sums all through fun discussions and activities.


Prerequisites
Familiarity with basic algebra. Some knowledge of sets and functions is helpful.

When you type www.facebook.com and press enter, Facebook leaps into view. How does this happen? You may be aware of something about networks and a web of computers, and you might know a little about IP addresses and routers. We'll get a high level picture of exactly what's going down with a whirlwind tour of the network stack, DNS, and much more!

This will be an introductory-level lecture on the philosophy of physics; the topic of focus will be Einstein's theory of special relativity. The material will feature mathematical equations, but the primary objective of the course is to understand the theory for its philosophical implications regarding important questions about space and time, notably: substantivalism vs. relationalism and presentism vs. eternalism. No serious background is assumed, and all terminology will be explained before it is utilized in conversation.


Prerequisites
-Algebra I

Modern physics has come a long way since Newton's original $$F=ma$$. Many people are curious what is going on in the Large Hadron Collider, why the universe is expanding, how there could be other dimensions right under our noses (or why we think this may be the case), among a plethora of other questions. This course aims to strip the graduate level mathematics from the cutting edge of physics.

Serendipity, means a "fortunate happenstance" or "pleasant surprise". In this course students learn about many innovations and discoveries in various fields that have been attributed to chance happenings. Students will learn about different cases of serendipitous discoveries, question them, and learn about how and why these discoveries happened. Students will also learn to investigate whether serendipity was actually the cause for those innovations and they will learn about some adverse effects of completely depending on serendipity.


Prerequisites
None... - Just a basic understanding of the world around you would help.

Most of us know or have heard about people who need new organs, whether it be a heart, a kidney, or a skin graft, and through this, have learned about how difficult (and expensive) it is to attain them. However, doctors, scientists, and engineers are currently on the brink of developing the technology needed to eradicate this problem completely.

In this class, we will talk about both the current research on and applications of biomaterials and artificial organs, and what the future of biomaterials and artificial organs looks like. We will also look briefly at the feasibility of related fictional technologies in the real world.


Prerequisites
High school biology will be helpful, but is not necessary.

We've all seen laser guns in Star Wars, but how do they work? Are they practical weapons? In this class we will discuss the concepts in quantum mechanics that laser technology arises from, as well as the differences between laser weaponry in science fiction and in reality.

Discussions will include elementary principles of energy, atomic structure, photon emission processes, electromagnetic waves and optics, gain, and applications of laser technology.

One part of two independent courses on physics in modern weaponry.


Prerequisites
Students should have be able to read basic graphs and possess good arithmetic skills. Good algebra skills are recommended, but not necessary. This course will be fast paced, but welcome to anyone curious about laser technology.

How does electricity work? What on Earth is a railgun? In this class, we will discuss fundamentals of the field(s) of electromagnetism, and how the applications of electricity are diverse. These will focus on a the seemingly sci-fi technology of "railguns", which arise from electromagnetic induction (Faraday's law). This is an exciting new weapons technology currently in development in the US Navy based on electric propulsion, rather than chemical propulsion commonly used in firearms.

Topics we will discuss include force and energy, charge, electric current, electric/magnetic fields and field lines, Lorentz force, and Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction. This will culminate in discussing how railguns work.

One course in two independent courses on the physics in modern weaponry.


Prerequisites
Students should be fluent and familiar with basic arithmetic (including negative vs. positive numbers), and good visual skills would be extremely beneficial. Class will be fast paced and reasonably comprehensive, but anyone wanting to learn about electricity and magnetism is welcome.

What do 1 in 3 adults in America have in common? They are obese. The number of obese adults and children in America has reached epidemic proportions. But how did the epidemic develop? The answer, in part: poor nutrition. Come learn about digestion and storage of fat and how it leads to obesity and two of the most prevalent obesity-related diseases: cardiovascular disease and diabetes. We'll discuss the physiology of these diseases and how they are treated. We'll also talk about the dangers of weight-loss surgery and how it leads to nutrient deficiencies.


Prerequisites
High school biology recommended

Worms that burrow into people's feet. Viruses that hide inside neurons for years. The Black Death.

Learn about everything from zombie spiders to amoebas that can swim up your nose and eat your brain.

This class will cover the biology of pathogens and parasites in all their gory details. We'll learn how these can be contracted and spread, why they cause diseases, along with how they evolved and might continue evolving, and possibly even why there are so many crazy cat ladies (yes, parasitology truly does answer all the important questions in life).

By the time you leave this class, you might become terrified of all your fellow human beings. Bringing hand sanitizer with you may give you some comfort, but not much.


Prerequisites
knowledge of concepts like evolution and genetics helps, but the class will still be enjoyable without them

A broad overview of the tiger (Panthera tigris), from evolution and life history to current status and future. Special attention will be given to more obscure areas such as specialized hunting techniques for different prey, and conflict with bears, humans, and elephants.


Prerequisites
None.

The origin of life remains an unsolved mystery, one that has captivated the minds of theologians, chemists, and biologists for centuries. Although Darwin provided a mechanism for life to change and transform, one essential question remains: How did it all begin? This course seeks to address that question by exploring the evidence for and against the RNA world, today's most widely-accepted explanation for the origin of life among the scientific community.


Prerequisites
High school biology High school chemistry

How do we perceive time? Does our brain function in real-time, observing events as they happen, or do we merely trick ourselves into believing that?

People often believe that our vision works like a camera, faithfully transmitting color and brightness received by the brain. See, through the lens of illusions, that what we see, or what we think we do, is really a construct of the brain, and how and why that happens.

Do you like to talk science? Do you want to improve on your public speaking skills? Are you particularly interested in ethics and sociological impacts of science? Then, this course is for you!

We will first cover basic debate rules that we'll employ to talk science. We will also spend some time learning about how to make an impactful speech. Then, we'll have several brave volunteers to make short (2~3 min) speeches on the topic presented. The rest of the class (for those who are shy) will be able to participate in the debate at varying degrees by interjecting questions during the debate.


Prerequisites
Some basic knowledge of genetically modified organisms (GMO) would be helpful.

The recent outbreak of Ebola in West Africa has reignited the debate over the plausibility of a biological attack on the United States of America. This course will examine the different potential biological agents, and attempt to assess just how much of a threat the specter of biological agents constitutes.


Prerequisites
Basic understanding of biology

Popular psychology articles depict neuroscience research as a window into our technicolor brains-- but is it really as simple as described ? Here, we'll survey the methods used in human neuroscience, as well as their limitations, to talk about what we can and can't learn from current techniques.

As a measles outbreak sweeps through parts of the United States, vaccines have become the subject of considerable debate. Over a dozen states have proposed legislation to toughen vaccine laws. Major newspapers have carried editorials railing for or against mandatory vaccination. Angry people have weighed in on both sides.

So what's the big deal? In this class we will talk about what vaccines are, how they work, and why some people are so angry about them.

So roll up your sleeves, leave your fear of needles behind, and prepare to dig into the exciting and fascinating world of vaccinations!

There's a meteor just making its way across the universe and there's a planet in the vicinity (maybe Earth). It either wipes out all life or it misses the planet. Can we know our doom beforehand?

This class will answer that question, and it will help you answer many more. Collision Theory is the physicist's tool for answering: will these two things interact? It also lays down the groundwork for the scattering experiment - a powerful tool for investigating the structure of atomic and subatomic objects. If you've heard of Rutherford, then you know he discovered the atomic nucleus, and he did it with Collision Theory. We will cover the basics of the theory by introducing the concepts of the cross-section and impact parameter, and then I'll show you some interesting applications. In particular, will this neutron cause that Uranium atom to split? Will that meteor wipe out life as we know it?


Prerequisites
Know your Algebra, know some Physics. A little Calculus never hurt anyone.

Ever wonder what is going on at your body on the microscopic level? Are you interested in wondering what could go wrong in the body? This course will focus on teaching basic concepts of biochemistry, or the study of chemical reactions in biological systems.


Prerequisites
A introductory biology class and chemistry would be helpful, but not needed.

Come and dirty your hands with silt clay and sand! Have you ever wondered how soil contributes to sustainable and organic agriculture? Have you ever questioned what "sustainable" and "organic" even mean? Join us at Dilmun Hill Student Farm to get your hands dirty learning about soil and organic farming.

Have you ever wondered what makes up the world we live in? Well look no further -- in this class, we’ll talk about the handful of subatomic particles which make up everything around us. We’ll discuss the four forces of nature -- gravity, electricity and magnetism, as well as the two (strong and weak) nuclear forces -- and we’ll go on to learn that these forces are actually mediated by particles. Finally, we’ll learn about the particles which we don’t see in everyday life, but that are created in collisions at particle accelerators -- and, more importantly, how these new particles have helped us to learn more about the particles making up the world around us.


Prerequisites
None! While the course should still be of interest to more advanced students, I would like to emphasize that students who have absolutely no knowledge of physics should not expect to be at a disadvantage.

Special relativity was one of the two biggest breakthroughs in physics in the past century-ish, and its discovery marked the shift from "classical" to "modern" physics. But what even is special relativity? More importantly, how can you find out without having to get a degree in physics?
This class will look at the history of relativity and show how some very strange facts about space and time are unavoidable consequences of an innocuous-seeming proposition. Time permitting, I'll blow your mind even more with some classic paradoxes.


Prerequisites
Pre-algebra and a willingness to hang in while stuff gets weird

The human brain is the most complicated biological machine on earth. Unlike the brains of other animals; it is capable of self-awareness, performing dizzying calculations, and so much more. In this course students will learn the basics of human brain anatomy and physiology. The course will discuss the role of the major structures of the brain and neurotransmitter function. We will also discuss many of the simple underlying malfunctions that cause neurological diseases.

Take a tour of your very own metabolism! Starting with a brief overview of the processes through which nutrients are absorbed from food, we will go on to discuss a few of the most important pathways involving molecules including fructose, fiber, and fats. Finally, we'll talk about some perplexing puzzles that are currently being studied in the field of nutrition.

If you've ever wondered about what happens to the food you eat beyond disappearing into the black hole that is your stomach, why your parents keep reminding you to eat your vegetables, or how sugar (while in itself not a fat) still manages to cause obesity, then come find out!

This course will cover some common microscopy techniques used in studying biology.

Let's talk about the history of our freedom of speech, and then let's see if I can convince you that the rights granted in the first amendment actually limit our freedoms as human beings. We'll talk about the Bible, John Stuart Mill, Louis Brandeis, McDonalds, rats, fMRI machines, Charlie Hebdo, and much more.


Prerequisites
Bring your freedom of speech and interest in what makes our society tick with you

This course will provide a basic foundation of neuropsychological concepts. The course will focus on discussing medical case studies and analyzing relevant MRI data to learn more about the brain structurally and functionally!


Prerequisites
Some familiarity of the nervous system and/or brain anatomy.

We're all familiar with the trope of the child asking the question, "Why?" and the parent's eventual exhaustion. While sympathetic, authors relying on that trope ultimately imply that the trail of "why" is unimportant. We don't see ourselves as believing this assertion--at least not on it face--but to know "why" is to be informed and we make dozens of active decisions each day on imperfect information and many more passive decisions on even less.

This course won't focus on if not knowing "why" is problematic; instead we will learn how to "flip" narratives and recognize misinformation in our everyday lives.

These are our learning objectives:
* to learn about and practice Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) reframing
* to understand the difference between validated information and conjecture
* to reinforce the above skills by dissecting a current event

I hope to leave students with one small critical thinking skill that they will be able to use everyday of their lives, just like I do.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are a list of eight goals proposed by the UN in 2000 for creating a healthier, more developed, and more equal universal society by the year 2015. These goals included eradicating extreme poverty, promoting gender equality, and combating HIV/AIDS and malaria. Fifteen years later, here we are! In this class we'll discuss what the MDGs were, how they went, and where we move from here as individuals and as a global community.

Do you really perceive a physical reality, or do you experience the world through your brain's filter? In this class we'll look at how your perception of the world around you is influenced by both your brain's physical limitations and its assumptions about the world. We'll demo several experiments to experience the illusions ourselves, focusing especially on the perception of language.

One of the consequences of the ideological standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union was a rapid development in the sophistication of military aircraft. This course will analyze the technological race between the two superpowers to develop the world's best air superiority fighter. Those with a passion for things that fly are encouraged to attend.


Prerequisites
None

Do you usually go with your gut or think things through? Are you a planner or a doer? Why do we sometimes fail to follow through with our new year’s resolutions? Why does the last M&M matter more than all the other M&M’s?
Economics is so much more than just numbers. Humans, by nature, make mistakes, and behavioral economists have found that while we sometimes overestimate our smartness, there are ways to predict the funny patterns in which we behave. In this class, we’ll teach you how to look at everyday life relative to the study of psychology and economics in the way we view choices and make decisions.

Human language is a fascinating, beautiful, and complicated phenomenon – with at least 4,000 languages spoken in the world today, and a variety of writing systems (or sometimes no writing at all), trying to make sense of it can be difficult. But never fear! In this class, we’ll be learning the International Phonetic Alphabet (or IPA): the standardized system for writing any sound that language can produce. The IPA is one of the foundations of linguistics and language studies, and this class offers a look into its mechanics and uses. You’ll leave this class with the ability to use IPA to write any word or sentence you might hear, in any language! You could even use it as a code to communicate with your friends who also know IPA – it’s all up to you!

Have you ever had a summer job? Are you interested in the way laws impact society? If so, then this is the course for you. This class will explain some of our country's major labor legislation, their history and the ways in which they impact young people today.

The last decade of the Cold War was the "hottest" and most violent. Proxy conflicts, civil wars, and police actions defined the 1980's. In this class, we will observe and analyze these conflicts through a Cold War framework and the lens of neocolonialism to understand how these wars created the modern geopolitical landscape in The Middle East and Asia.

One class of a three-part series. It is recommended but not necessary to take all three.


Prerequisites
Basic understanding of the Cold War.

The last decade of the Cold War was the "hottest" and most violent. Proxy conflicts, civil wars, and police actions defined the 1980's. In this class, we will observe and analyze these conflicts through a Cold War framework and the lens of neocolonialism to understand how these wars created the modern geopolitical landscape in Africa.

One class of a three-part series. It is recommended but not necessary to take all three.


Prerequisites
Basic understanding of the Cold War.

The last decade of the Cold War was the "hottest" and most violent. Proxy conflicts, civil wars, and police actions defined the 1980's. In this class, we will observe and analyze these conflicts through a Cold War framework and the lens of neocolonialism to understand how these wars created the modern geopolitical landscape in Latin America.

One class of a three-part series. It is recommended but not necessary to take all three.


Prerequisites
Basic understanding of the Cold War.

The death penalty is one of the most widely talked about controversies in America. Beginning with Furman v Georgia, the way society viewed the execution of our criminals has been under a microscope. Despite this, our country's standpoint has remained historically pro-capital punishment even with the recent rise of new arguments.

In this class we will discuss the historical context for and current issues regarding capital punishment. We will go over historical (and really interesting) cases, such as Cronic: The case of the sleeping lawyer. And at the end of the class we will conduct a debate on the constitutionality of the death penalty as a whole and in practice.


Prerequisites
No prerequisites