1998-1999 Scientific Inquiry Program Offerings

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Astronomy and Cosmologies

Spring/Coordinated Study
Faculty: E. J. Zita, TBA
Enrollment: 50
Prerequisites: Facility with algebra and trigonometry. This all- level program will accept up to 25 percent first-year students.
Faculty Signature: No
Special Expenses: $350 for field trip to New Mexico.
Internship Possibilities: No
Travel Component: Extended spring field trip to New Mexico.

Learn beginning-to-intermediate astronomy through lectures, interactive workshops and observation. Use naked eyes, binoculars and large and small scopes. Observing opportunities are available on large telescopes on campus and via the Internet at professional sites. Credit is available for student research projects.

In Cosmologies we will study how people across cultures and throughout history have understood, modeled and ordered their universe. We will study creation stories and world views, especially of ancient peoples on this continent.

Archeoastronomy investigations may include an extended field trip to New Mexico to study astronomical sites, structures and meanings. Collaboration with Llyn DeDanaan and Marilyn Frasca's Horizons program may be possible.

Credit awarded in astronomy, physical science and/or philosophy of science.
Total: 8 or 12 credits. Advanced students are strongly encouraged to take astrophysics concurrently in Physical Systems. Beginning students are strongly encouraged to take Science Stories in fall and winter.
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in astronomy, physical sciences or history/philosophy of science.
This program is also listed under First-Year Programs.

 

Chemical Instrumentation Laboratory

Spring/Group Contract
Faculty: Dharshi Bopegedera
Enrollment: 20
Prerequisites: At least two quarters of college-level general chemistry or high school Advanced Placement chemistry required. Knowledge of organic nomenclature is desirable but not required.
Faculty Signature: Yes
Special Expenses: Approximately $50 for lab coat, goggles and gloves.
Internship Possibilities: No
Travel Component: None

This group contract is designed to provide hands-on experience with analytical grade chemical instrumentation. We will explore several spectroscopy techniques including UV/Visible, infra-red (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectroscopy (MS). Students will become competent in using UV/Visible, IR, NMR and mass spectrometers in the laboratory, while learning the theory of these techniques in the classroom. Analysis of spectra to obtain structural information of molecules will be emphasized in group-oriented workshops. The complementary structural information provided by each technique will be investigated by probing one unknown species using a variety of spectroscopic methods. Students will also learn how to present spectroscopic data in the form of technical reports.

Spectroscopic techniques are heavily used in chemical industry and hence competence in a variety of these techniques is highly desired by potential employers.

Credit awarded in chemical instrumentation laboratory*, technical writing* and spectroscopy*.
Total: 4 or 16 credits. Students my enroll for four-credits in the Spectroscopy component of the program.
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in chemistry, physics and laboratory science.

 

Computability and Cognition: The Scope and Limits of Formal Systems

Fall, Winter, Spring/Coordinated Study
Faculty: David Paulsen, Al Leisenring
Enrollment: 50
Prerequisites: One year of college; permission of faculty based on successful completion of take-home entrance exam obtained from the faculty or at the Academic Planning and Experiential Learning Office.
Faculty Signature: Yes
Special Expenses: No
Internship Possibilities: Yes
Travel Component: None

By Reasoning I mean Computation — Thomas Hobbes

A variety of beliefs surround the nature of human cognition. For some, like Hobbes, thinking consists of nothing but the manipulation of symbols according to certain rules. For others, thinking is characterized not by a system of rules, but by a network of associations. This program will explore the strength and limits of a variety of computational models of human cognition. We will study the mathematics of formal systems, topics in philosophy and linguistics and recent work in artificial intelligence, as well as various topics in formal computer science.

The mathematics of formal systems constitutes the foundation of the program. Topics in mathematics, such as mathematical logic, theory of computation and formal language theory, will be selected because they have clear implications for computer science and cognitive science. Problem assignments will give students the opportunity to improve their skills in proving theorems and in devising strategies for solving problems. They will have the opportunity to learn at least two programming languages and to do a computer-based spring quarter project.

In addition to these activities in which the student is working within a formal system, we will focus on the limitations of formal systems and in particular examine one of the great intellectual achievements of the 20th century - Gödel's incompleteness theorem, which states that every axiom system for arithmetic is necessarily incomplete or inconsistent. This result and others like it, establish inescapable limits to the power of formal systems in general, and to computer programs in particular.

The seminar will examine a variety of issues in cognitive science. Readings during the first half of the year will focus on the intellectual foundations of contemporary debates about the nature of cognition, with particular focus on traditional philosophical debates about the nature of mind and their implications for artificial intelligence. The second half of the year will concentrate on contemporary discussions about the nature of consciousness in the context of artificial intelligence. One primary focus of the seminar will be on the current debate between those who favor computational models of the mind that are based on symbol manipulation and those who favor systems that model neural networks.

Students will study several programming languages representing different paradigms, including Prolog for Logic Programming and C/C++ with emphasis on artificial intelligence as well as a functional programming language.

Beyond intermediate algebra there are no math prerequisites; however, a more advanced mathematical background is desirable, not so much for its content, but
for its exposure to the mathematical way of thinking. It will be assumed that students have sufficient aptitude and motivation to think logically and to deal with abstract concepts and symbolic languages. There are no computer science prerequisites.

Credit awarded in mathematical or symbolic logic*, philosophy, computer programming*, discrete mathematics*, formal language theory*, theory of computability* and cognitive science*.
Total: 16 credits each quarter. Students may enroll in a four-credit course with faculty signature.
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in teaching, mathematics, computer science, philosophy and cognitive science.

 

Concepts of Computing

Spring/Group Contract
Faculty: Sheryl Shulman
Enrollment: 25
Prerequisites: None. This all-level program will accept up to 25 percent first-year students.
Faculty Signature: No
Special Expenses: No
Internship Possibilities: No
Travel Component: None

This spring quarter offering will examine the fundamentals of computing and the use of computing in several application areas. Students will study concepts of computer science along with ideas behind application software that make computers effective tools. There will be hands-on lab work as well as examination of the models, methods and abstract concepts behind the software and hardware. Topics may include simple graphics and modeling, the World Wide Web, computer organization and some aspects of mathematics and logic.

The program is aimed at students who have an interest in computing but limited background in the area. It will be useful for students who want a solid foundation for use of computers in a variety of disciplines (especially in the sciences) as well as those who want to decide whether they are interested in taking additional course work in computer science, such as the entry-level program Data to Information.

Credit awarded in computer science and statistics.
Total: 16 credits.
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in the sciences, computer sciences and other computer intensive areas of study.
This program is also listed under First-Year Programs.

 

Data to Information

Fall, Winter, Spring/Coordinated Study
Faculty: George Dimitroff, TBA
Enrollment: 50
Prerequisites: Sophomore standing and proficiency in high school algebra.
Faculty Signature: No
Special Expenses: No
Internship Possibilities: No
Travel Component: None

Interested in what goes on behind the scenes of your Macintosh, PC, word processor, the Internet, your school's information system or the computers that simulate biological molecules and send astronauts into space? Why do some machines run faster than others? What is an operating system and why do I want one?

Data to Information is an entry-level program directed toward answering these kinds of questions. It is a program for students interested in doing substantive work in computer science. We will do quite a bit of programming, and we will spend 25 percent of our time studying the mathematics that people need before they can understand answers to the questions posed above. Much of what we do is not programming, but a lot of what we will do uses programming in the learning process. You don't need to know a programming language before entering this program, but the more familiar you are with using computers (word processors, spreadsheets, etc.), the easier this program will be for you. There is also a book seminar component in which we will explore issues of the development of computers and technology and the impact of computers on society.

Fall quarter topics: a programming language, discrete mathematics, digital logic and machine design. Winter quarter topics: data structures and algorithms, discrete mathematics 2 and computer architecture. Spring quarter topics: data structures and algorithms 2, discrete mathematics 3 and operating systems. Our work in winter and spring quarters will build on the previous quarters' work.

Credit will be awarded in programming, digital logic, computer architecture, operating systems, data structures and algorithms, discrete mathematics and seminar.
Total: 16 credits each quarter. Students may enroll in a four-credit course with faculty signature.
This program is preparatory for careers and future study in computer science, science and mathematics.

 

Environmental Analysis: Applications of Chemistry,
Geology and Biology to a Local Environment

Fall, Winter, Spring/Coordinated Study
Faculty: Jeff Kelly, Clyde Barlow, Jim Stroh
Enrollment: 45
Prerequisites: College algebra, college chemistry and physical geology strongly recommended.
Faculty Signature: No
Special Expenses: $50 for overnight, field trip to Eastern Washington.
Internship Possibilities: No
Travel Component: Overnight, in-state field trip.

This program will engage students in the study of various problems of environmental pollution using both theoretical and experimental methods. Topics in geology and chemistry will be developed that are appropriate to problems of aquatic and terrestrial pollution. The program will connect themes dealing with geology, hydrology and chemistry. Methods of analytical chemistry and instrumental analysis will be applied in an advanced laboratory. Students will participate in research on real problems of environmental significance and engage in reading and discussions related to environmental policy and resource management.

During fall quarter the program will address topics in geohydrology, biogeochemical cycles, analytical chemistry and aquatic chemistry. Students will participate in a class project involving analytical chemical techniques, Geographic Information Systems and quantitative data analysis methods. Physical geology will be offered to those students without the prerequisite as lower-division four-credit course.

During winter quarter the focus of the class will shift toward instrumental methods for environmental analysis and the physical chemical basis for geochemical processes and their analysis. Small-group projects will be developed that will carry through spring quarter. Computers will be used extensively for data analysis, simulation and control of analytical instrumentation.

Credit awarded in instrumentation*, environmental geology*, geohydrology*, analytical chemistry* and physical chemistry*.
Total: 16 credits each quarter.
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in geology, chemistry, environmental analysis and environmental fieldwork.
This program is also listed under Environmental Studies.

 

Evolutionary Biology

Spring/Group Contract
Faculty: Linda Kahan
Enrollment: 25
Prerequisites: Junior and senior standing; good reading, writing skills; one course of college-level biology or any Evergreen program which offers the equivalent.
Faculty Signature: No
Special Expenses: No
Internship Possibilities: No
Travel Component: None

"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution."-T. Dobzhansky

This program will study several of the most interesting aspects of evolutionary biology, including the evidence for the theory of evolution and important theoretical issues such as adaptationism, rates of evolution and the role of extinction. We will read Darwin's The Origin of Species as well as a number of more modern books. The class will be conducted entirely on a seminar basis. One seminar will be devoted to discussion of assigned chapters of a standard text and two others to the discussion of other reading. There will be substantial weekly writing assignments. Each student will also complete an individual research project which will involve reading a series of papers from the primary research literature, writing a review paper, and presenting the topic to the class orally in the 10th week. All work must be completed and submitted on time for credit to be earned. No partial credit will be awarded.

Credit awarded in evolutionary biology*, philosophy of biology* and independent research in evolutionary biology*.
Total: 16 credits. Students may enroll for 8 or 12 credits with faculty signature.
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in any field of biology or applied biology and science education.

 

Health and Human Development

Fall, Winter, Spring/Coordinated Study
Faculty: Elizabeth Diffendal, Janice Kido, Elizabeth Kutter, Sherry Walton
Enrollment: 96
Prerequisites: One year of college work.
Faculty Signature: No
Special Expenses: $40 for fall quarter retreat.
Internship Possibilities: Spring quarter only.
Travel Component: None

"Attitudes about health reflect the basic world view and values of a culture, such as how we relate to nature, other people, time, being, society versus community, children versus elders, and independence versus dependence."

- Joseph Hartog, M.D. and Elizabeth Ann Hartog, M.A.

In Health and Human Development we will investigate biological, cultural, spiritual and social forces that influence healthy human development so that we may develop strong foundations for further work in the areas of health, human services, anthropology and education. Program material will be presented on the basis of two important assumptions. First, health and development are mutually influenced by biological and social forces. Second, culture defines and influences our understanding and facilitation of health.

Drawing particularly from human biology, anthropology, communication and human development theories, the program will examine the interactions of culture, mind, body and spirit in the facilitation of healthy human development. Emphasis will be on physical and cognitive development, perception, interpersonal and intercultural communication, mind-body interactions and the influences of nutrition, environment, gender, culture and world view on human health.

An early fall-quarter retreat will enable students begin forming a learning community. In fall and winter quarters, through workshops, lectures, seminars, guest presentations, group and individual projects, students will develop skills and knowledge to support their selection of a spring quarter project or intern-ship in an area of interest. The program will encourage development in reading, writing, self-awareness, social imagination, research and communication, as well as strategies to facilitate students' own good health.

Credit awarded in human biology, human development, cultural anthropology, theories of human learning, approaches to health, interpersonal and intercultural communication, nutrition and composition.
Total: 16 credits each quarter. Students with strong background in science or those pursuing language study may substitute a four-credit course, (i.e., chemistry, college algebra, statistics, language) with faculty signature.
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in the health professions, human services and education.
This program also listed under Social Science.

 

Introduction to Environmental Modeling

Spring/Group Contract
Faculty: Robert Cole
Enrollment: 25
Prerequisites: Reasonable facility with second-year algebra or readiness to take calculus.
Faculty Signature: No
Special Expenses: No
Internship Possibilities: No
Travel Component: None

This program will investigate introductory mathematical models of environmental and ecological systems. We will explore several dynamical systems in an effort to discover relationships between constituent parts, and to develop critical insights into issues of ecological and social sustainability. Topics will include population dynamics including harvesting models in fisheries and forestry, predator-prey interaction models, epidemic models and the dynamics of infectious diseases, and the diffusion of pollutants in the environment.

In workshops we will develop many of the mathematical tools and computer skills necessary to understand the models we'll investigate. Students should be ready to take calculus, which will be offered as a modular part of this program. No prior background in computing or biology is assumed.

Credit awarded in calculus I, environmental modeling and project work.
Total: 4, 12 or 16 credits. Students may enroll in the Calculus I component (four-credits); students who have completed Calculus I may enroll in another four-credit course.
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in environmental sciences, medicine and physical/biological science.
This program is also listed under Environmental Studies.

 

Introduction To Natural Science

Fall, Winter/Coordinated Study
Faculty: Michael W. Beug, Robert Cole, Jude VanBuren
Enrollment: 75
Prerequisites: Sophomore standing and high school algebra; well-prepared first-year students allowed after interview with faculty.
Faculty Signature: No
Special Expenses: $120 for possible retreat.
Internship Possibilities: No
Travel Component: Possible four-day retreat during winter quarter.

This program is designed to develop an integrated understanding of chemistry, biology and mathematics. We will learn sciences and mathematics via textual study in biology and chemistry while attempting to understand the scientific implications of regional and global environmental problems.

We recognize science as one of the most powerful cultural forces in modern society. The world of the 21st century will be largely shaped by the scientific and technological advances of the past, which hold the possibility of long, fulfilling lives for the world's people alongside the possibility of worldwide ecological disaster due to overpopulation, pollution and habitat destruction. Which possibility becomes reality will depend on widespread education and understanding of scientific issues, as well as complex social and economic issues. Yet the people who must make the critical decisions are increasingly ignorant of science and apathetic about the issues. A major theme of the program will be to address these problems of science in modern society through a weekly seminar and lecture series. We will explore issues through reading, discussion and writing.

Each week students in the program will spend four hours in chemistry lecture and workshop, four hours in biology lecture and workshop, four hours in special topics lecture and seminar, two hours in math lecture/workshop, three hours in math lab and three hours in chemistry/biology lab.

The chemistry will focus on general chemistry and will be designed for students whose only previous chemistry was in high school. The biology is general college biology. The mathematics will focus first on algebra and precalculus math skills and then move to statistics and modeling. The math labs will introduce students to the use of computers, first via Excel and later via computer modeling. In special topics lectures and seminars we will examine our ecological footprint, examine major global environmental issues and then move on to environmental health issues.

The program is designed for scientific inquiry and environmental studies students about to take their first year of college science. Students with a strong math background who have already completed precalculus math should be looking at a program like Matter and Motion. Students who simply want to see what science is like will find this program exceptionally demanding and should consult with the faculty before the program begins.

Students should expect an exciting and challenging year, averaging 18 hours per week in lecture, seminar, workshops and laboratory. Homework will be significant. At the end of the winter quarter students should expect to be well-prepared in general chemistry, general biology and mathematics with science prerequisites (except physics) needed for junior and senior offerings in both the Scientific Inquiry and Environmental Studies areas. Students desiring to study physics should consider the calculus-based Matter and Motion program, which includes physics but not biology.

Credit awarded in general chemistry, general biology, algebra or precalculus mathematics, statistics, modeling and environmental issues.
Total: 16 credits each quarter. Students who have completed chemistry or biology may enroll in a four-credit course each quarter with faculty signature.
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in laboratory and field biology, chemistry, environmental/earth/marine science, health sciences and education.
This program is also listed under Environmental Studies.

 

Lecture Series: Science Stories

Fall, Winter/Course
Faculty: E. J. Zita, TBA
Enrollment: 100
Prerequisites: None. This all- level program will accept up to 25 percent first-year students.
Faculty Signature: No
Special Expenses: No
Internship Possibilities: No
Travel Component: None

People have always used stories to convey their understandings of the world. Among the important stories we tell to make sense of things are stories that come from science. Ancient to modern understandings of dis/order in the universe, interactions between bodies and other natural phenomena shape and reflect our views of ourselves and our place in the world. We will explore stories of scientific understanding throughout history and across cultures, and see how the nature of science continues to evolve. Fields include physics, chemistry, biology, environmental science, mathematics, computer science and more. Topics range from quantum theory, cosmology, chaos and molecular biology to genetic engineering, ecology, artificial intelligence and beyond.

Presentations will be made by guest lecturers from the faculty and from outside the college. Selected readings will provide background material on diverse topics. Credit will be based on attendance and on successful completion of two short exams given each quarter. This lecture series is open to all members of the community.

Credit awarded in introduction to science or history/philosophy of science.
Total: 2 credits each quarter. Advanced students are encouraged to take Physical Systems concurrently. Beginning students are encouraged to take Astronomy and Cosmologies in spring.
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in physical, natural or computer sciences, environmental studies, history/philosophy of science or social sciences.
This program is also listed under First-Year Programs.

 

Light

Fall, Winter/Coordinated Study
Faculty: Dharshi Bopegedera, Susan Aurand
Enrollment: 50
Prerequisites: All students must have completed at least one year of college-level work. All students must have high-school-level algebra. In addition, students must have either one quarter of college-level studio art or one quarter of college-level chemistry or physics. Students with science experience need not have prior art experience and vice versa.
Faculty Signature: No
Special Expenses: Approximately $150-$200 for art supplies and protective lab clothing such as lab coat, goggles and gloves.
Internship Possibilities: No
Travel Component: None

This program is a two-quarter interdisciplinary study of light. We will explore light in art, art history, science and mythology. All students will do studio work in drawing and/or painting and study how artists have thought about and expressed light in their work. All students will also explore the interaction of light with matter in the classroom as well as in the laboratory. This integrated program is designed for students who are willing to explore both art and science. Our weekly schedule will include studio and science labs, specific skill workshops, lectures and seminars.

During fall quarter, we will focus on skill building in art and lab science and on library research methods. During winter quarter, each student will have the opportunity to design an interdisciplinary individual or group project exploring a topic related to the theme of light.

Credit awarded in introductory science with laboratory, drawing and/or painting and art history.
Total: 16 credits each quarter.
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in science, art, art history and humanities.
This program is also listed under Expressive Arts.

 

Matter and Motion

Fall, Winter, Spring/Coordinated Study
Faculty: Fred Tabbutt, TBA
Enrollment: 50
Prerequisites: Sophomore standing; readiness to start calculus as demonstrated by an entrance exam obtained from the faculty or from the Academic Planning and Experiential Learning Office; high school physics and chemistry very helpful but not required.
Faculty Signature: Yes
Special Expenses: Graphing calculator (TI-82 or equivalent) required.
Internship Possibilities: No
Travel Component: None

This program is designed for students with a keen desire for a strong grounding in physics, chemistry and mathematics as preparation for advanced work in physical and biological sciences. In addition to teaching central concepts and methods of the physical sciences, Matter and Motion investigates how discovery happens - both inside and outside the sciences. The program is intended for students with strong backgrounds in science and critical thinking; it calls on verbal and visual intelligence as well as mathematical and mechanical ability.

Differential and integral calculus will provide a foundation for the study of university physics and chemistry, including mechanics, stoichiometry and bonding, chemical equilibrium, oscillations and waves, thermodynamics, chemical kinetics and electricity and magnetism.

In addition to classwork in the science subjects, the program will involve "exploration" laboratories, which teach how to find the right questions for investigating physical systems, as well as introduce students to important techniques for answering them. There will be extensive use of lab microcomputers for controlling experiments, collecting data and processing results.

Regular seminar readings and discussions will investigate the human dimensions of discovery and cultural patterns within the physical sciences, together with their abilities - and limitations - in contributing to human affairs.

Credit awarded in university chemistry, university physics, calculus and seminar in science and society.
Total: 16 credits each quarter. Students who have completed some program material may enroll in a four-credit course each quarter with faculty signature.
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in medicine, environmental science, engineering, chemistry, physics and mathematics.

Molecule to Organism

Fall, Winter, Spring/Coordinated Study
Faculty: Burt Guttman, TBA, TBA
Enrollment: 75
Prerequisites: College chemistry, college biology and college algebra.
Faculty Signature: No
Special Expenses: $50 for overnight, in-state program retreats.
Internship Possibilities: Yes
Travel Component: Overnight, in-state program retreats.

Molecule to Organism develops a view of biological systems that integrates the molecular basis of biology with more complex structure-function relationships, examining key topics in traditional biology and premedical curricula. We will put particular emphasis on aspects of biochemistry and microbiology that are most relevant to current environmental and health issues. The experimental basis of our rapidly growing knowledge in these fields will be emphasized, as well as the use of scientific literature. Laboratories will play a major role in the program and will explore microbiology, enzymology, nucleic acid chemistry and molecular genetics, as well as special projects.

Molecule to Organism is Evergreen's introduction to experimental (laboratory) biology and to organic and biochemistry. It is designed for students who have already learned general chemistry (usually through a program such as Matter and Motion or Introduction to Natural Science) and who plan to go on to advanced work in chemistry and field or laboratory biology. It includes organic chemistry and the upper-division topics of anatomy, genetics, microbiology, physiology, immunology, molecular and cellular biology and biochemistry in a yearlong sequence.

The program begins with two separate themes - one at the "cell" level and the other at the "molecule" level. In the cell theme we start with the cell and microbiology and proceed to the whole organism with examinations of structure and function through anatomy, physiology and histology. In the molecular theme we will examine organic chemistry, the nature of organic compounds and reactions, and carry this theme into biochemistry and the fundamental chemical reactions of living systems. As the year progresses, the two themes merge through studies of cellular and molecular processes in molecular biology and immunology.

Credit awarded in physiology*, cell biology*, molecular biology*, organic chemistry I, organic chemistry II and III*, biochemistry*, microbiology* and development biology*.
Total: 16 credits each quarter. Students who have completed some program material may enroll in a four-credit course each quarter with faculty signature.
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in biology, chemistry, health sciences, environmental studies and education.

 

Physical Systems

Fall, Winter, Spring/Coordinated Study
Faculty: E. J. Zita, TBA
Enrollment: 50
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing; successful completion of at least one year of college-level calculus-based physics (such as Matter and Motion); facility with integration and differentiation.
Faculty Signature: No
Special Expenses: $350 for field trip.
Internship Possibilities: No
Travel Component: Extended spring field trip to New Mexico.

This yearlong program will examine the principal concepts and theories by which we describe and understand the physical world, from the realm of our immediate senses (classical physics) to that of the very small (quantum mechanics) to the vast (astrophysics and cosmology). We will emphasize understanding the nature and formal structure of quantitative physical theories. We will focus on the unifying concepts and common mathematical structures that organize various physical theories into a coherent body of knowledge. This approach is necessarily mathematical; required mathematical methods will be developed as needed and in the context of their use in the physical sciences. The central role of mathematics in describing nature is one of the core intellectual issues in this program. Quantitative problem solving will be emphasized.

This program will be organized around components in classical mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, astrophysics and selected topics in contemporary physics. Mathematical topics will include multivariable calculus, linear algebra and differential equations. Computers and computer graphics will be used as appropriate for obtaining numerial solutions and for gaining qualitative insight into physical processes.

Students will be responsible for library research on topics of particular interest and for peer instruction in the classroom. Laboratory investigations will also be encouraged. Faculty and student presentations will include lectures, seminars, hands-on workshops and group problem solving workshops.

Seminars on history, literature, philosophy and cultural studies of science will encourage ongoing consideration of the contexts and meanings of science knowledge systems and practices, throughout history and across cultures. All students will participate in Lecture Series: Science Stories during fall and winter quarters.

All Physical Systems students will participate in the spring components of Astronomy and Cosmologies which will be offered in conjunction with astrophysics as part of the Physical Systems enrollment.
Refer to the Astronomy and Cosmologies description on page 84.

This program will constitute serious preparation for more advanced work, including graduate study in physics, applied mathematics or the physical sciences. It will be a rigorous and demanding course of study. Students will need to devote a minimum of 40 hours per week to their academic work.

Credit awarded in physics*, mathematics*, numerical methods* and philosophy of science.
Total: 16 credits each quarter, including Lecture Series: Science Stories and Astronomy and Cosmologies.
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in physical sciences, engineering and applied mathematics.

 

Seeing the Forest and the Trees

Fall, Winter, Spring/Coordinated Study
Faculty: Nalini Nadkarni, Martha Henderson, Judy Cushing
Enrollment: 50
Prerequisites: Junior and senior standing. Students must have one of the following pre-requisites with preference given for two or more.Three quarters of whole-organism biology (e.g., natural history, ecology); two quarters of social science and one quarter of regional studies (e.g., geography, GIS, community studies); three quarters of computer science (any computer science program).
Faculty Signature: Yes. Prior to the Academic Fair on May 13, 1998 students must submit a one-page letter to a faculty member that states relevant course work and work experience.
Special Expenses: $150 for field trips to the Olympic Peninsula and Eastern Washington.
Internship Possibilities: No
Travel Component: Overnight, in-state field trips.

Trees and forests are dynamic, three-dimensional, living entities that interact in complex ways with the physical environment and with human societies. Understanding forests and human interactions with them requires us to gather and interpret quantitative, qualitative and symbolic information.

Our upper-division program will emphasize forest ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest, with a focus on forests of The Evergreen State College campus. We will focus on the relation-ships between forests and humans. Lectures, workshops, seminars and small- group research projects will help us develop skills in the contributing disciplines of forest ecology, geography and database and computer science to: 1) explore ways of visually representing trees and forests; 2) assess factors that describe and affect tree architecture and forest structure; and 3) measure and interpret the relationships between trees, forests and humans within local and regional perspectives.

We will do readings and writing exercises to compare United States/Pacific Northwest-based concepts of forests with those of other cultures through study of regional geographies around the world. Students will work in teams to map, describe and understand a forested area of the Evergreen campus, collect data using tools developed at other field research stations and prepare representations of these forests for presentations. Throughout the program, we will visit other Pacific Northwest forests to place our findings within a broad geographical and ecological perspective.

Credit awarded in forest ecology, social and regional geography, computer imagery and databases and visual arts.
Total: 16 credits each quarter.
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in forestry, community development, geography and computer sciences.
This program is also listed under Environmental Studies.

Undergraduate Research in Scientific Inquiry

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer/Group Contract

Faculty: Betty Kutter, Clyde Barlow, Dharshi Bopegedera, Judith Cushing, Burt Guttman, Jeff Kelly, Jim Neitzel, Janet Ott

Enrollment: 15

Prerequisites: Negotiated individually with faculty; laboratory experience such as Molecule to Organism.

Faculty Signature: Yes

Special Expenses: No

Internship Possibilities: No

Travel Component: None

A number of the faculty in this planning group are engaged in research projects that offer collaborative research opportunities for advanced students. These provide an important mode of advanced work in the sciences, taking advantage of faculty expertise, Evergreen's flexible structure and excellent equipment purchased through grants from the National Science Foundation and the Murdock Foundation. In general, students begin by working in apprenticeship mode with more senior personnel and gradually take on more independent projects within the context of the specific program. These projects generally run 12 months a year; a signature is required from the faculty with whom students will be working.

Betty Kutter (molecular biology) and Jim Neitzel (biochemistry), study Bacteriophage T4 which has been a key model organism in molecular genetics for more than 50 years. Its infection of E. coli leads to rapid cessation of host DNA, RNA and protein synthesis. We are working to clone and overexpress the many host-lethal genes that are responsible, purify and characterize their protein products, determine their specific functions, look at ways in which they can be used to better understand bacterial metabolism and examine the infection process under a variety of environmental conditions. We are also the center for genomic analysis and database development for these phages.

Judith Bayard Cushing studies how scientists use distributed computing and data to conduct research. She would like to work with students who have background in computer science or molecular biology, forest ecology, chemistry or physics and a strong motivation to explore new computing paradigms, such as object-oriented systems and multi-platform computing.

Jeff Kelly and Clyde Barlow work with biophysical applications of spectroscopy to study physiological processes at the organ level, with direct applications to health problems. Students with backgrounds in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics or computer science can obtain practical experience in applying their backgrounds to biomedical research problems in an interdisciplinary laboratory environment.

Dharshi Bopegedera is interested in studying vibration-rotation spectra of unstable molecules. Students with a solid background in chemistry can get experience in synthesizing unstable gaseous molecules and recording their infra-red spectra with her newly acquired FTIR spectrophotometer.

Janet Ott studies alternative healing methods, especially the mechanisms involved in acupuncture and acupressure, by measuring changes in such physiological processes as EEG, ECG, EMG and respiration during treatments. Students with strong backgrounds in biology, chemistry, physics or statistics can obtain laboratory experience applying their expertise to this growing field. Students with an interest in alternative medicine may also find this laboratory experience of use to their training.

Credit will be awarded in lab biology* and chemistry,* health sciences*, teaching and environmental sciences.*
Total: 4-16 credits each quarter.
This program is preparatory for careers and future study in lab chemistry and biology, health and teaching.