2014–15 Academic Catalog

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Title		Offering	Standing	Credits	Credits	When	F	W	S	Su	Description	Preparatory	Faculty	Days	Multiple Standings	Start Quarters	Open Quarters
The Art and Science of Sport Mark Harrison and Allen Mauney American studies cultural studies mathematics media studies physics		Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	8	08	Evening and Weekend	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter			-- Sport embodies an ideal of performance and meaningful action. Since ancient times, we have engaged in spectacles of play, utilizing formal and complex actions governed by rules (or conventions), rituals and aesthetics, and the laws of physics. As audiences, we derive meaning through winning and losing; we construct narratives and project values onto players and play. Through conflict, competition, and collaboration, sport reflects our deepest individual and cultural identities and desires. In its numerous iterations, sport is a singular form of human play where success and failure are by and large determined by numerical outcomes. In the last 100 years, statistical bookkeeping and quantitative analysis have played an increasingly important role in defining the quality of competiton and performance, of winning and losing. This trend points to societal values that displace human expression and cultural meaning in favor of outcomes drained of human involvement. The widespread intrusion of technology into sports training suggests that the athlete is increasingly viewed in part as a machine that can be retooled to achieve desired outcomes.Participants in this program will examine the human condition “cut to the bone” and be challenged to re-conceptualize the way we experience and think about sport through the perspective of art and science. Sport is born of human imagination and embodies deeply held ideas including competition, conflict, and collaboration. Sport is played on a moral stage with scripts taken from our culture. We will develop statistical tools to engage in increasingly data-driven conversations about sports. We will use human movement to study basic scientific descriptions of the operations of our world. Through sport we will be able to examine the psychology of play and playing, constructions of time and space, and the intersections of aesthetics, science, and technique. We will also consider the ways we mediate performance (through film, television, and other media) to generate excitement, meaning, and profits.Expect to engage through readings, films, discussions, writing and statistical assignments, and independent and collaborative work. Active learning in the form of workshops, exercises, and field trips to sporting events and performances will be a central focus of the program.		Mark Harrison Allen Mauney	Wed Sat	Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter
Astronomy and Cosmologies EJ Zita astronomy history philosophy physics		Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day			S 15Spring		Our goal in this program is to learn beginning to intermediate astronomy through lectures, discussions, interactive workshops and observation, using the naked eye, binoculars and telescopes. We will learn about the evolution and structure of our universe and celestial bodies. Students will build and take home astronomical tools such as spectrometers and position finders. Students will also research a topic of interest via observations and reading, and share their research with classmates.In our seminars we will discuss the idea of cosmologies: how people across cultures and throughout history have understood, modeled, and ordered the universe they perceived. We will study creation stories and worldviews, from those of ancient peoples to modern astrophysicists. Students will meet in small teams for pre-seminar discussion, and write essays and responses to the readings.Students taking this program must be willing to work in teams and use computers for online assignments. Students are invited to help organize an observation field trip to regions with clear skies.		EJ Zita		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Spring	Spring
Earth Dynamics: Climate, People and History EJ Zita, Bret Weinstein and Nancy Koppelman American studies agriculture biology ecology economics environmental studies history physics sustainability studies Signature Required: Winter		Program	FR–SOFreshmen–Sophomore	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter			Earth’s environment has been shaped by human activity for hundreds of thousands of years, since early humans discovered fire. More recently, since Earth warmed out of the last ice age, humans developed agriculture and stable societies enabled the rapid development and self-transformation of cultures. Agricultural activities began to emit greenhouse gases and to change Earth’s air, water and land. People changed as well and began to document their activities, ideas and reflections. Millennia later, modern human societies use fossil fuels and modify landscapes with such intensity that Earth is unlikely to experience another ice age. Both contemporary industrial and ancient subsistence practices are part of the same long story of how human beings have used and shaped the environment and, through it, ourselves.This program will examine how changes in the Earth system facilitated or necessitated human adaptations or evolutions. To Western eyes, until perhaps 150 years ago, the Earth’s resources seemed virtually inexhaustible. Organized human thought and activity unleashed unprecedented powers which reshaped the Earth. Life expectancy increased; arts flourished. The ideas of Enlightenment thinkers and the energies they harnessed seemed to promise unlimited progress. Yet some wondered if progress might have a dark side. They developed critiques of the practices changing how people produced food and materials, traveled and warmed their homes. What can we learn from their voices in the historical record, given what we now know about global warming and other anthropogenic impacts on Earth systems?We’ll ask how human practices changed not only local environments but large-scale global processes. We’ll note patterns of interaction between people and Earth over time. We'll study natural as well as human drivers of climate change, including Sun-Earth interactions, volcanoes and greenhouse gases. We’ll consider the changing role of science in providing the understanding required for people and planet to thrive together. We’ll examine whether/how modern consumer societies are uniquely positioned to hasten and/or slow the dangerous direction in which modern resource use is driving our planet’s ecosystem. Is global warming a disaster, an opportunity or both? How do we adapt now, in the face of the most dramatic change to the Earth system in human history?Our work will include lectures, discussions, workshops, labs, quantitative homework, expository essays, responses to peers’ essays, teamwork and field trips.		EJ Zita Bret Weinstein Nancy Koppelman		Freshmen FR Sophomore SO	Fall	Fall Winter
Models of Motion Krishna Chowdary, Neil Switz and Rachel Hastings mathematics philosophy of science physics		Program	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring		In this introductory program, we will integrate material from first-year university physics and calculus with relevant areas of history and scientific literature as we explore how mathematicians and physicists make sense of, and intervene in, the natural and human-created worlds. Students will be supported in developing a firm background in college-level science, becoming prepared for further work in the mathematical and physical sciences. Our aim is to learn to think and communicate mathematically and scientifically.Scientists gather data, make observations, look for patterns, build models and use those models to predict behavior. Powerful models in physics help us explain interactions involving matter and energy. New models require new mathematical methods—for example, calculus was developed partly to understand models of motion. Even with powerful mathematics, a model may yield answers only in simplified circumstances. We can analyze more complicated physical systems by simulating them on a computer. Learning how to create and apply mathematical and computational methods to models in physics will be one of the major goals of this program.The program will have a significant laboratory component, using hands-on investigations and computational tools to explore and analyze the nature of mathematical and physical systems; this work will take place in a highly collaborative environment. Workshops and seminar discussions will also allow for collaborative work on math and physics problems as well as an opportunity to explore connections between history, theory and practice. The program is intended for students with solid high-school level backgrounds in science and mathematics—in particular, a good grasp of precalculus (including algebra and trigonometry) will be assumed. Equally important for success, however, will be a commitment to working hard and learning together.The work will be intensive—students should expect to spend over 50 hours per week engaged with material during and outside of class. We will learn process and content through readings, lectures, labs, workshops, seminars and projects. Students will have multiple opportunities to demonstrate their learning in individual and collaborative contexts, including in-class work, homework, papers, presentations and exams.		Krishna Chowdary Neil Switz Rachel Hastings		Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Physical Systems and Applied Mathematics Neil Switz, Rachel Hastings and Krishna Chowdary astronomy mathematics philosophy of science physics Signature Required: Winter Spring		Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring		This is an intermediate to advanced-level program. Students will build on their prior knowledge of calculus and calculus-based physics to deepen their understanding of nature, how it can be represented via physical models, and the powerful connections between mathematics and physical theories. The program will involve a mix of advanced mathematics (some of it extraordinarily beautiful, as well as powerful), experiments in modern physics involving electromagnetic and quantum phenomena, and a deep immersion in modern physical theories.Topics will include nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, the theory which revolutionized our understanding of nature and underlies much of modern chemistry, physics, and engineering; classical electrodynamics, the quintessential model of a successful unified (and relativistic) field theory; and classical mechanics with special attention to the profound “least action” principle, which provides a bridge between the classical and quantum mechanical. The mathematics underlying these theories – vector calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, and especially Fourier analysis (a technique which provides an entirely new way of looking at the world) – will be developed in the context of their use in the physical sciences. Students will also develop facility with the scientific software MATLAB, using it to solve problems as well as to build physical intuition by visualizing the behavior of matter and fields. The theoretical focus of the program will be complemented with elements of hands-on laboratory work to observe and illustrate the phenomena under discussion. We will also devote time to examining the study of physics in a broader historical, philosophical, and cultural context.The program material will be challenging, and will demand both hard work and engaged collaboration with both the subject matter and one’s fellow students. A major goal of the program is to provide students the opportunity to develop the conceptual knowledge and mathematical background required to pursue advanced work in physics and related disciplines.		Neil Switz Rachel Hastings Krishna Chowdary		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Science Seminar in Astronomy and Cosmologies EJ Zita astronomy cultural studies philosophy of science physics Signature Required: Spring		Program	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	8	08	Day			S 15Spring		How have humans understood the universe and our place in it, from ancient to modern times? Our readings will explore questions like this, from the perspective of several cultures.In conjunction with the program Astronomy and Cosmologies, a limited number of students are invited to join our seminar to discuss the idea of cosmologies. We will study creation stories and worldviews, from those of ancient peoples to modern astrophysicists. We will all read the same seminar texts. Science Seminar students will read the same seminar texts as Astronomy and Cosmologies, but will do half the work—no math, half the class meetings, and a little more writing.Students will work in teams to prepare for each seminar. Teams will post pre-seminar assignments online, and individuals will post essays (and responses to peers' essays) online. We will have two seminars per week. Our class meetings will be in person, and the online work will contribute importantly to our community-based learning.	conceptual astronomy and cosmology, history and philosophy of science	EJ Zita		Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Spring	Spring
Undergraduate Research in Scientific Inquiry Paula Schofield, Richard Weiss, David McAvity, Neil Switz, Brian Walter, Abir Biswas, Michael Paros, Clyde Barlow, Judith Cushing, Dharshi Bopegedera, Rebecca Sunderman, EJ Zita, Donald Morisato, Clarissa Dirks, James Neitzel, Sheryl Shulman, Neal Nelson and Lydia McKinstry biochemistry biology chemistry computer science mathematics physics Signature Required: Fall Winter Spring		Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	V	V	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring		Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. Research opportunities allow science students to work on specific projects associated with faculty members’ expertise. Students typically begin by working in an apprenticeship model with faculty or laboratory staff and gradually take on more independent projects within the context of the specific research program as they gain experience. Students can develop vital skills in research design, data acquisition and interpretation, modeling and theoretical analysis, written and oral communication, collaboration and critical thinking. These are valuable skills for students pursuing a graduate degree or entering the job market. Faculty offering undergraduate research opportunities are listed below, with specific information listed in the catalog view. Contact faculty directly if you are interested. (chemistry) works 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. (geology, earth science) studies nutrient and toxic trace metal cycles in terrestrial and coastal ecosystems. Potential projects could include studies of mineral weathering, wildfires and mercury cycling in ecosystems. Students could pursue these interests at the laboratory scale or through field-scale biogeochemistry studies, taking advantage of the Evergreen Ecological Observation Network (EEON), a long-term ecological study area. Students with backgrounds in a combination of geology, biology or chemistry could gain skills in soil, vegetation and water collection and learn methods of sample preparation and analysis for major and trace elements. (biotechnology) studies the physiology and biochemistry of prokaryotes of industrial and agricultural importance. Students who commit at least a full year to a research project, enrolling for 4 to 16 credits each quarter, will learn a broad range of microbiology (both aerobic and anaerobic techniques), molecular (DNA analysis and cloning), and biochemical techniques (chemical and pathway analysis, protein isolation). Students will also have opportunities for internships at the USDA and elsewhere, and to present data at national and international conferences. (chemistry) would like to engage students in two projects: (1) There is concern that toxic metals are found in unsafe quantities in children’s toys and cosmetics. I would like to engage a student in the quantitative determination of these metals using the AA and the ICP-MS. Students who are interested in learning to use these instruments and quantitative analysis techniques will find this project interesting. (2) Science and education. We will work with local teachers to develop lab activities that enhance the science curriculum in local schools. Students who have an interest in teaching science and who have completed general chemistry with laboratory would be ideal for this project. (computer science, ecology informatics) studies how scientists might better use information technology and visualization in their research, particularly in ecology and environmental studies. She would like to work with students who have a background in computer science or one of the sciences (e.g., ecology, biology, chemistry or physics) and who are motivated to explore how new computing paradigms can be harnessed to improve the individual and collaborative work of scientists. Such technologies include visualizations, plugins, object-oriented systems, new database technologies and "newer" languages that scientists themselves use such as python or R. (biology) aims to better understand the evolutionary principles that underlie the emergence, spread and containment of infectious disease by studying the coevolution of retroviruses and their primate hosts. Studying how host characteristics and ecological changes influence virus transmission in lemurs will enable us to address the complex spatial and temporal factors that impact emerging diseases. Students with a background in biology and chemistry will gain experience in molecular biology techniques, including tissue culture and the use of viral vectors. (mathematics) is interested in problems in mathematical biology associated with population and evolutionary dynamics. Students working with him will help create computer simulations using agent-based modeling and cellular automata and analyzing non-linear models for the evolution of cooperative behavior in strategic multiplayer evolutionary games. Students should have a strong mathematics or computer science background. (organic chemistry) is interested in organic synthesis research, including asymmetric synthesis methodology, chemical reaction dynamics and small molecule synthesis. One specific study involves the design and synthesis of enzyme inhibitor molecules to be used as effective laboratory tools with which to study the mechanistic steps of programmed cell death (e.g., in cancer cells). Students with a background in organic chemistry and biology will gain experience with the laboratory techniques of organic synthesis as well as the techniques of spectroscopy. (biology) is interested in the developmental biology of the embryo, a model system for analyzing how patterning occurs. Maternally encoded signaling pathways establish the anterior-posterior and dorsal-ventral axes. Individual student projects will use a combination of genetic, molecular biological and biochemical approaches to investigate the spatial regulation of this complex process. (biochemistry) uses methods from organic and analytical chemistry to study biologically interesting molecules. A major focus of his current work is on fatty acids; in particular, finding spectroscopic and chromatographic methods to identify fatty acids in complex mixtures and to detect changes that occur in fats during processing or storage. This has relevance both for foods and in biodiesel production. Another major area of interest is plant natural products, screening local plants for the presence of salicylates, which are important plant defense signals and in determining the nutritional value of indigenous plants. Students with a background and interest in organic, analytical or biochemistry could contribute to this work. (computer science) is interested in working with advanced computer topics and current problems in the application of computing to the sciences. His interests include simulations of advanced architectures for distributed computing, advanced programming languages and compilers, programming languages for concurrent and parallel computing and hardware modeling languages. (biology, veterinary medicine) is interested in animal health and diseases that affect the animal agriculture industry. Currently funded research includes the development of bacteriophage therapy for dairy cattle mastitis. A number of hands-on laboratory projects are available to students interested in pursuing careers in science. (organic, polymer, materials chemistry) is interested in the interdisciplinary fields of biodegradable plastics and biomedical polymers. Research in the field of biodegradable plastics is increasingly important to replace current petroleum-derived materials and to reduce the environmental impact of plastic wastes. Modification of starch through copolymerization and use of bacterial polyesters show promise in this endeavor. Specific projects within biomedical polymers involve the synthesis of poly (lactic acid) copolymers that have potential for use in tissue engineering. Students with a background in chemistry and biology will gain experience in the synthesis and characterization of these novel polymer materials. (computer science) is interested in working with advanced computer topics and current problems in the application of computing to the sciences. Her areas of interest include simulations of advanced architectures for distributed computing, advanced programming languages and compilers, programming languages for concurrent and parallel computing, and hardware modeling languages. (inorganic/materials chemistry, physical chemistry) is interested in the synthesis and property characterization of new bismuth-containing materials. These compounds have been characterized as electronic conductors, attractive activators for luminescent materials, second harmonic generators and oxidation catalysts for several organic compounds. Traditional solid-state synthesis methods will be utilized to prepare new complex bismuth oxides. Once synthesized, powder x-ray diffraction patterns will be obtained and material properties such as conductivity, melting point, biocidal tendency, coherent light production and magnetic behavior will be examined when appropriate. (physics) develops optical instruments for use in biophysical and biomedical applications, including low-cost diagnostics. Projects in the lab are suitable for motivated students with quantitative backgrounds in physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics or computer science. (mathematics) is interested in problems relating to graphs, combinatorial games and especially combinatorial games played on graphs. He would like to work with students who have a strong background in mathematics and/or computer science and who are interested in applying their skills to open-ended problems relating to graphs and/or games. (physics), who has expertise in energy physics, modeling and organic farming, is researching sustainability and climate change. Many students have done fine projects on sustainable energy and food production in her academic programs. Zita is working with Judy Cushing to model land use impacts on climate change and with Scott Morgan to plan and facilitate sustainability projects on campus. More information on Zita's research is available at .		Paula Schofield Richard Weiss David McAvity Neil Switz Brian Walter Abir Biswas Michael Paros Clyde Barlow Judith Cushing Dharshi Bopegedera Rebecca Sunderman EJ Zita Donald Morisato Clarissa Dirks James Neitzel Sheryl Shulman Neal Nelson Lydia McKinstry		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Undergraduate Research in Scientific Inquiry with C. Barlow Clyde Barlow biology chemistry physics Signature Required: Fall Winter Spring		Research	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	V	V	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring		Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. Research opportunities allow science students to work on specific projects associated with faculty members’ expertise. Students typically begin by working in an apprenticeship model with faculty or laboratory staff and gradually take on more independent projects within the context of the specific research program as they gain experience. Students can develop vital skills in research design, data acquisition and interpretation, modeling and theoretical analysis, written and oral communication, collaboration and critical thinking. These are valuable skills for students pursuing a graduate degree or entering the job market. (chemistry) works 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.		Clyde Barlow		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Undergraduate Research in Scientific Inquiry with E. Zita EJ Zita astronomy physics Signature Required: Fall Winter Spring		Research	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	V	V	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring		Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. Research opportunities allow science students to work on specific projects associated with faculty members’ expertise. Students typically begin by working in an apprenticeship model with faculty or laboratory staff and gradually take on more independent projects within the context of the specific research program as they gain experience. Students can develop vital skills in research design, data acquisition and interpretation, modeling and theoretical analysis, written and oral communication, collaboration and critical thinking. These are valuable skills for students pursuing a graduate degree or entering the job market. (physics), who has expertise in energy physics, modeling and organic farming, is researching sustainability and climate change. Many students have done fine projects on sustainable energy and food production in her academic programs. Zita is working with Judy Cushing and Scott Morgan to establish a new research program at Evergreen. With Cushing, they will model land use impacts on climate change; with Morgan, they will plan and facilitate sustainability projects on campus. More information on Zita's research is available at .	astronomy, physics, climate studies.	EJ Zita		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Undergraduate Research in Scientific Inquiry with N. Switz Neil Switz biology chemistry physics Signature Required: Fall Winter Spring		Research	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	6	06	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring		Research opportunities allow science students to work on specific projects associated with faculty members’ expertise. Students typically begin by working in an apprenticeship model with faculty or laboratory staff and gradually take on more independent projects within the context of the specific research program as they gain experience. Students can develop skills in research design, data acquisition and interpretation, modeling and theoretical analysis, written and oral communication, collaboration and critical thinking. Laboratory experience is especially important – and useful – for students planning to pursue graduate studies or enter the technical job market. (physics) develops optical instruments for use in biophysical and biomedical applications, including low-cost diagnostics. Projects in the lab are suitable for motivated students with quantitative backgrounds in physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics or computer science.		Neil Switz		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring