Designing Matter is a Common Course centered in the sciences that explores our relationship to matter across the length scales. From atomic to cosmic scales, fields such as quantum control, drug delivery, gene therapy, tissue repair, psychology of learning, computers design, art, architecture, environmental science, energy policy, and astronomy are represented.

 

Both the material life cycle and design process will be considered in weekly sessions featuring distinguished speakers from across the disciplines. Those concerned with seeing, shaping and understanding matter—scientists, engineers, MDs, artists and architects—will be joined by scholars from the humanities and social sciences in a comparative study of scientific exploration and the implications of matter representation, distribution, manipulation and utilization for human experience and society.

 

Weekly readings accompany presentations by distinguished speakers on Tuesdays from 6-8 pm. Students will also consider course themes in engaging one-hour discussion sections and in 2-3 short writing assignments. Additional workshops are also planned to assist students in developing independent projects and communicating them persuasively in research proposals that serve as the major assignment for the course. Grants will be awarded to individuals or collaborative teams submitting outstanding, creative proposals so that their research plans might be implemented.

 

This humanities-friendly science course contributes to the fulfillment of the science requirement in the College. It also offers something unique and valuable to science students and those from architecture, education, engineering, and other schools across the university, who are also encouraged to participate.