ENROLL

Matt S Rand

This course explores biological functions from the biochemical level to the level of the whole organism. We will start with the regulatory systems exploring the function of neural and endocrine mechanisms. We will discuss the actions of a variety of toxins as adaptive components of venoms and pharmaceutical tools in human health research. Other topics include: muscle physiology, exercise and behavior; blood pressure regulation; salt and water balance in organisms from different environments; comparative reproduction, including human reproductive development and sexuality.

Prerequisite: Biology 125 and 126

Jeffrey R Ondich

A course on techniques used in the design and analysis of efficient algorithms. We will cover several major algorithmic design paradigms (greedy algorithms, dynamic programming, divide and conquer, and network flow). Along the way, we will explore the application of these techniques to a variety of domains (natural language processing, economics, computational biology, and data mining, for example). As time permits, we will include supplementary topics like randomized algorithms, advanced data structures, and amortized analysis.

Prerequisite: Computer Science 201 and Computer Science 202 (Mathematics 236 will be accepted in lieu of Computer Science 202)

Rebecca J Brueckmann

The transition from slavery to freedom; the post-Reconstruction erosion of civil rights and the ascendancy of Booker T. Washington; protest organizations and mass migration before and during World War I; the postwar resurgence of black nationalism; African Americans in the Great Depression and World War II; roots of the modern Civil Rights movement, and black female activism. 

Asuka Sango

This course will examine Buddhism’s engagement with the modern world in global and local contexts from Asia to North America. How do Buddhists draw on the resources of their tradition to change the social structures of gender, class, and race without invalidating that tradition? How do Buddhist teachings provide tools to combat and reinforce racism and violence while empowering and oppressing individuals? Do the Buddhist and scientific views of the mind agree or disagree? Can the effects of meditation be scientifically explained? In exploring these questions, students will be introduced to the multiplicity of Buddhisms.

Held for new first year students

Kristin C Bloomer

How can we best understand the role of religion in the world today, and how should we interpret the meaning of religious traditions--their texts and practices--in history and culture? This class takes an exciting tour through selected themes and puzzles related to the fascinating and diverse expressions of religion throughout the world. From politics and pop culture, to religious philosophies and spiritual practices, to rituals, scriptures, gender, religious authority, and more, students will explore how these issues emerge in a variety of religions, places, and historical moments in the U.S. and across the globe.