Student Science Training Program (SSTP)
SSTP 2006 - Interdisciplinary Honors Seminar (IDH)
The purpose of IDH 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.
A Survey of Astrophysics
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Burned by Cosmic Latte? Stumbling with a Drunkard’s Walk? Spaghettification stretching you thin? Fantasizing about Giants and Dwarves? Feeling MACHO? Then don’t be a WIMP! This course is for those students fascinated with all things Universal. From quarks to the Great Attractor, we’ll cover it all (maybe not...). The course will follow a lecture and discussion format with the co-leaders Doug and Paola leading topics of interest. Part of the classes will consist of informal group presentations, led by 2 or 3 students. Each set of students will be assigned a topic of current astrophysical interest in order to give an presentation on (don't panic!! this is an “informal” presentation: no formal visual aids; it only requires that you present what you understand about the topic and that you have thought about it enough to ask clear, intelligent questions on the points you don't understand. AND we will help you with all that! :-) ) The set of students need to do some general background research to prep are to lead a group discussion about the topic, with the help of the instructors. Non-presenting students will have to prepare to participate and be ready to formulate questions for the discussion. Finally, we might have a field trip and/or guest speakers if time allows.
Introductory Interfacial Engineering
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This 3-credit class will provide a fun way for teams of students to explore exciting topics in the fields of surface science and interfacial phenomena. The course will cover the basics of surfactants (soaps), foams, emulsions, detergents and how it applies to the world around us.
Intro to Medicine:
How do Doctors Decide?
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Have you ever wondered what its like to be a medical doctor? Have you ever wondered what goes into any medical decision: the thought process, decision making, diagnoses, and treatment? Well, after six weeks with us, we hope you’ll have a better understanding of how medical decisions are made. Also, you’ll learn about some common diseases and how people afflicted with these diseases commonly present in doctor’s offices (infectious diseases, metabolic diseases, genetic diseases, etc). You will even get a chance every week to split up in groups and make your own diagnoses on a common disease presentation. At the end of the class, we hope you will have a new appreciation for your doctor and maybe even learn how to think like him/her.
Controversies in Health Care and Biomedical Science:
Sorting Out the Ethical and Legal Issues
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This seminar will explore many of the current ethical and legal issues and problems facing Health Care and Biomedical Science. Initial lectures will explore and identify ways to address and resolve ethical and legal problems, providing both a theoretical background in ethics and law, as well as practical problem resolving approaches and strategies. Students are then assigned selected topics. Two students are assigned each topic, and they must work together on the entire project. They research these topics both using internet and library sources to identify the core issues and various positions different authors present on the topic. They present the results of their research to the class during a 20-30 minute presentation, followed by class discussion. Each project results in one 3-6 page research paper. Topics include "Assisted Suicide", "Cloning", "Stem Cell Research", "How Cultural Differences Affect Medicine", "Prenatal Drug Testing", and "The Rights of Minors to Decide about Their Medical Treatment".
Infectious and Parasitic Diseases:
From Bench-top to Bedside
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The purpose of this class is to teach and discuss unique viral, bacterial, and parasitic diseases. The course will go over important virulence mechanisms for each pathogen as well as important, distinctive clinical characteristics. Some examples of covered pathogens will be: Scalded Skin Syndrome, Necrotizing fasciitis (flesh eating bacteria), Gonorrhea, Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli, Ebola, HIV, Malaria, Strongyloides, and Pinworm . By the end of this course students will be able to identify the pathogenesis of these diseases as well as the symptoms they present. Students will also be able to identify the life cycle of the organism as well host-pathogen interactions. A brief synopsis of human immunology will also be presented.
Introduction to Virology
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Introductory lectures will be given to provide you with a general background of Virology and the various techniques associated with Virology research. Once you are better familiar with the field of Virology, we will focus on how to read, analyze, and discuss current research topics. The goal is to become more comfortable with primary literature, not to become a Virology expert overnight. The last portion of the class will consist of informal group presentations, led by 2-3 students. Each set of students will be assigned a particular virus of current interest and an article to present on that virus. The set of students will then be asked to do some general background research to prepare to lead a group discussion about the article, with the help of the instructors. Presentations will focus on the questions that were asked, the major discoveries, and the significance of the results. Non-presenting students will have to prepare to participate by reading the article ahead of time and formula ting questions for the discussion. PLEASE NOTE!! This is an INFORMAL presentation that requires no formal visual aids, etc. It only requires that you present what you understand about the paper, and that you have thought about it enough to ask clear, intelligent questions on the points you don't understand. The overall goal of this course is to expose you to Virology early in your career and demonstrate just how diverse and far reaching the discipline of Virology truly is.
Neuroimmunology:
Significant Interactions between the Immune and Central Nervous System
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The central nervous system (CNS), once thought to be an immune privileged site, appears to interact with various aspects of the immune system. Both cell mediated (macrophages and T cells) and humoral immunity (antibody mediated) have the capacity to interact with elements of the CNS (glia or neurons). Whether the immune system plays a detrimental role in the CNS is a controversial topic among researchers today. It has been shown that the immune system is capable of attacking the nervous system with devastating consequences (Myasthenia Gravis) as well as conferring neuroprotection following injury (nerve transection). In this course we will discuss 1) how immune cells penetrate the CNS, 2) the immune cells’ ability to be neuroprotective in the injured brain, 3) the damaging effects of the immune system on the nervous system and 4) future immune based therapies for nervous system disorders. We will examine these novel concepts by looking at the diseases caused by neuroimmune interactions.
Take Heart! An Introduction to Cardiovascular Physiology
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Ever wonder how your heart works? Or why so many people are treated for high blood pressure? This course will explore the cardiovascular system including the heart, blood vessels, and components of blood as well as diseases associated with each of these areas. Students will learn how to find, read, and present scientific papers. Students will also research information about cardiovascular diseases. Labs and activities will be included in conjunction with each lecture. The goal of this course is not to become an expert in each area but to gain a general understanding of important components of the cardiovascular system.
