Student Science Training Program (SSTP)
SSTP 2003 - Interdisciplinary Honors Seminars
The purpose of IDH-2931 is to teach the participants how to perform and communicate extensive journal research. Strong emphasis is placed on the understanding of in-depth scientific research and analytical processes. Upon completion of this seminar course, students are able to perform background literature research in complicated scientific areas and to discuss his or her understanding of the information in detail.
Autoimmune Diseases
This course offers an introduction to autoimmune diseases and immunodeficiency, diabetes, myasthenia gravis, SLE, adenosine deaminase deficiency (boy in the bubble disease), and HIV.
Energy, Alternative Energy, and Energy Conversion
This course will present an overview of energy production technologies with a focus on renewable energy sources. This will include large-scale power generation and transportation applications.
Epigenetics in Development and Disease:
Molecular Mechanisms in Cancer, Genomic Imprinting and Cloning
This course covers how DNA sequence itself is not the only genetic information that is inherited in each human cell division. Epigenetic marks are also heritable mechanisms in human cells. This course includes lectures on how epigenetics work, how they cause human disease, how they can be used for gene therapy, and their importance in cloning.
Infectious Diseases
This course will focus on the many different types of infectious diseases that afflict humans and how these diseases shaped history and will affect the future. Some of the better known present day diseases (AIDS, SARS, Ebola, and Cholera) will be examined. Topics in epidemiology, the history of infectious disease, and public health will also be explored. This class will consist of a small lecture component, but will be largely interactive with short presentations required.
Principles of Flight and Aircraft Design
This course provides an introduction to the principles of flight and aircraft design. It includes lectures and discussions on topics related to atmospheric flight, as well as a final, hands on group project.
Science Fiction and Science Fact: Is There Room in This World for Both?
This course will allow students to become familiar with the genre of science fiction through class readings and class discussions. It will also give students the opportunity to consider the relationship between science fiction and the development of science on a worldwide scale.
Structural Biology / Immunology / Virology
This course will focus on the structure of proteins and how they give information about: designing drugs for the blockade of certain immune responses, virus recognition, how antigen presenting cells communicate with T cells, how viruses "stick" to cell membranes, and much more.
The Future of Space Technology, Nano/MEMS Technology,
Alternative Fuels, and Materials Science
In this course, students identify space technology topics they are interested in researching through class discussion, then pair off to research the topics for presentation.
