Integrated Science and Technology (ISAT)

This course explores scientific and technical issues important to environmental and energy sustainability. Students study fundamental chemistry and physics and then apply this knowledge to better understand air quality, water quality, and conventional and alternative energy processes. The class also explores the societal impacts of our energy choices and the potential impact we as individuals can have through personal initiative. May be used for general education credit.

This course integrates the study of environmental chemistry, ecology and sustainability science to achieve a conceptual and quantitative understanding of environmental issues including air pollution, climate change, ozone depletion, acid deposition, plastics, waste and biodiversity. This course may be used for general education credit.

This course is an applied introduction to biological systems, as an entry point for the understanding and analysis of biotechnological solutions. Topics include the way in which features of biochemical structure and function, information flow within cells, genetic inheritance, metabolism, and immune responses can be used to solve problems related to disease, food and the environment. May be used for general education credit.

Students will build practical and scientific literacy skills in the context of a life science wet lab. Descriptive and inquiry-based activities will include elements of study design, protocol implementation, and data collection and analysis. Recordkeeping and analytical skills will develop through in-lab documentation and comprehensive reports. May be used for general education credit.

This course provides review and practice in algebra concepts that are needed to successfully complete ISAT 151. Various mathematical models, including trigonometric, are also reviewed. The course is designed for students who possess a basic understanding of algebra but are not proficient in its application.

This course introduces the concepts of differential and integral calculus and ordinary differential equations to model real-world applications in science, business, technology and economics. This course includes a computer laboratory component emphasizing modeling and numerical methods. Course assumes familiarity with algebra and trigonometry. May be used for general education credit.

This course is the computer laboratory portion of GISAT 151: Topics in Applied Calculus in ISAT. It is intended for students who already have AP credit or calculus lecture credit. Students will use numerical methods to solve mathematical modeling and calculus problems with Microsoft Excel. Students will study linear, polynomial, exponential, logarithmic, S-curve, and trigonometric models in business and the physical and natural sciences. Permission of instructor or department required.

This course introduces topics in general physics including one- and two-dimensional motion, mechanics, energy, waves, electricity, magnetism, optics, lasers, and early quantum theory. Vectors, algebra, and differential and integral calculus, are used to model physical system behavior. Laboratory experiments and computer exercises enhance understanding of the concepts.

This course examines issues in modern science and technology as a means to introduce, develop and enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Current scientific and technological research and applications will be introduced to reinforce problem solving, instruction in systems thinking and critical inquiry. The course provides opportunities for using both oral and written communication in a variety of learning activities. May be used for general education credit.

Solutions to human problems are mediated by economic and political institutions, which in turn help to shape technology and science. The course covers basic political and economic concepts, institutions and processes as they relate to American and international science and technology.

Special topics in integrated science and technology which are of interest to the entry-level student. May be repeated for credit when course content changes. Students should consult the instructor prior to enrolling for the course.

Research project on a science and technology topic of interest, as arranged with a faculty research advisor. Projects will include an assessment of the non-technical issues that surround the technical problem.

This course introduces holistic problem solving through the lens of the ISAT major. Skills such as effective teaming, information literacy, systems thinking, stakeholder identification and complex problem analysis are developed.

An exploratory laboratory experience, designed for incoming freshmen. Students will learn about the life cycle and ecology of viruses infecting bacteria. Soil samples will be collected, and techniques for isolation and purification of the viruses will be performed by the students. Isolated viruses will be visualized using electron microscopy. The genomic material will be isolated and prepared for nucleic acid sequencing.

A computer-based laboratory experience, designed for students completing the Viral Discovery course. Students will learn to identify genes in a viral genome, compare the predicted proteins with known proteins in databases, describe the contents of the genome and notate all the relevant information for publication. Students will also research the role of bacteriophages in ecology and evolution.

This course explores the principles of making, designing, integrating and improving production systems by asking the following questions: What is the right way to transform materials and who (or what) determines that? How do political, environmental, social, technological, legal/regulatory, ethical and economic factors impact the way individuals and organizations make, design, integrate and improve? How do production systems affect our ecosystem at different scales, ranging from artisanal craft methods to complex global supply chains and continuous production?  Advanced manufacturing, continuous improvement and sustainable production systems will be explored. Includes a lab component.

Introduction to scientific and economic concepts relevant to energy. Concepts are taught within the context of three or four themes, e.g. residential energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, "make-or-buy" fossil energy application and space power systems. Themes may change from year to year reflecting contemporary issues and opportunities to link with industry and government agencies.

This course introduces statistical thinking - the discipline and methods for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data for making decisions, doing science, and understanding our world. Topics covered include an introduction to data analysis methods, probability and chance, statistical reasoning and inference, and experimental design. The course includes a laboratory component emphasizing hands-on analysis of data taken from a variety of applications in ISAT. May be used for general education credit.

This course is an introduction to computational thinking and formal logic. Students create software to solve problems in applied science, business and engineering taking social context into account. Programming paradigms include procedural, object-oriented and event-driven. Emphasis is placed on effective analysis, planning, documentation, communication and teamwork in professional software development settings.

This course introduces the social aspects of technology and science. It covers social science methods and related philosophical and ethical analyses. Students learn how the practice of science relates to the human-built world and why critical evaluations of science and technology policies are important.

Projects or special topics in integrated science and technology which are of interest to the lower-division student. May be repeated for credit when course content changes. Projects or topics selected may dictate prerequisites. Students should consult the instructor prior to enrolling for the course.

Students will develop skills to apply systems thinking methodology to investigate, define and describe complex problems. They will build a recognition and appreciation of common causal structures that influence the evolution of a problem over time. Structures include interactions between cultural, institutional, natural and technological factors. Collaboration, integration of diverse knowledge sources and project management skills will be emphasized.

This course covers the fundamental nature of measurement in the practice of science and technology. It examines how computing technology is applied to the collection, storage, processing and presentation of data. In addition to discussions about how and why measurements are taken, the uncertainty involved in all measurements and the statistical methods used for analysis will be covered. Students will learn about measurement systems and how they can be networked using wireless and wireline technology for data acquisition. This course includes a project-based lab component focusing on hands-on integration and troubleshooting of networked measurement systems, including computation methods for data analysis and data visualization.

Instrumentation is used to acquire data from representative systems that include mechanical, thermal, solar, chemical and nuclear energy. Students analyze the data to enhance understanding of these forms of energy. Energy transport processes are also characterized. Computer-based data acquisition is emphasized.

Traditional and contemporary analytical laboratory and field techniques used in environmental quality monitoring are surveyed. Emphasis is placed on understanding the physical, chemical and biological basis of these techniques. Hands-on laboratory and field work will be emphasized, in addition to quality control/assurance of environmental data.

The role, function and implementation of sensors, actuators and controls in open and closed loop control systems are explored and implemented in constant process flexible manufacturing systems. Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are emphasized. The synthesis of automation technologies is realized by exploring physical mechatronic systems via hands-on lab experiences using real world equipment.

This course provides a hands-on experience of the techniques and instrumentation used in the modern biotechnology laboratory. Topics include aseptic techniques for establishing microbial cultures, detection and analysis of recombinant DNA molecules, protein purification, SDS gel electrophoresis and the use of PCR technology for genetic analysis.

This course covers the integration of fundamental concepts from physics, chemistry, mathematics and engineering within the context of energy applications. Principles governing energy transformations, transport and conversion, including laws of thermodynamics, chemical and nuclear reactions and thermal science.

This course covers the role of energy in the U.S. and world economies. Geology of energy-valued natural resources: size, quality and economics of domestic and world resource base. Models for energy use by different sectors. The role of energy in global climate change; other energy-related environmental concerns; and the implications for national and international security will be studied.

This course provides the student with a basic understanding of environmental processes, pollution and control technologies. Grounded in ecology and systems thinking, ISAT 320 integrates classroom learning, field-based studies and laboratory analysis of field samples to explore local aquatic and terrestrial environments and contextualize them in broader scientific knowledge.

This course builds on the student's basic understanding of environmental pollution, processes and control technologies in the context of systems thinking and sustainable practices. Content includes solid and hazardous waste and its management, the principles of environmental risk assessment, air quality analysis and management, drinking water and wastewater treatment, and life cycle analysis.

Introduces and applies principles of production planning and control with an emphasis on sustainable production and environmentally conscious manufacturing. Topics include scheduling, inventory control, facility layout, capacity planning, forecasting and lean manufacturing.

This course provides an in-depth treatment and understanding of manufacturing automation and control technologies, material transportation and identification, cyber physical systems, and human factors and ergonomics in manufacturing. Topics include industrial control systems, hardware components for automation and process control, computer numerical control, industrial robotics, programmable logic control (PLC), material transport systems, storage systems, automatic identification and data capture, critical infrastructure, smart cities, cognition, decision making, biomechanics at work, and human computer interaction.

This course provides an introduction to database technology as a component of information systems. The course will introduce students to the design and management of databases through relational database management systems, including the use of Structured Query Language (SQL), forms and reports. Current developments in the role and deployment of a database as part of the application stack will be covered.

Explores the data science and machine learning landscapes by developing and implementing programs capable of learning from data extracted from several knowledge domains. Students will use production ready tools that facilitate model development and deployment to a variety of computing platforms.

This course provides a hands-on introduction to building practical AI systems. Topics include: knowledge representation (propositional and predicate logic), search (local, global, uninformed and informed), planning, machine learning and natural language processing. Programming projects will involve designing intelligent agents that can play various board games using Prolog and Python. The course also discusses societal impacts of current and future AI systems and review state, national and international regulations designed to regulate the development and use of AI systems.

This course covers the scientific foundations and historical development of biotechnology. Specific topics include living system nanotechnology; cell structure and function; origins of genetic engineering; and recombinant DNA technology.

This course is a continuation of ISAT 350 and describes applications of biotechnology in agriculture, industry and medical science as well as associated social, ethical and philosophical issues. Topics include study of an emerging infectious disease, energy transduction in living systems and novel applications of biotechnology.

In this course, students will practice holistic problem-solving approaches to analyze and propose solutions for complex problems that involve a mix of scientific, technological and societal elements. The course will use a variety of case studies that represent real-world problems that significantly impact society. For each case study, students will explore the system dynamics from which the problem emerges and evaluate both short- and long-term consequences of possible solutions.

This course continues the practice of holistic problem-solving initiated in ISAT 390. In this follow-up course, students will operate in a self-guided manner to analyze and propose solutions for complex problems that involve a mix of scientific, technological, and societal elements. Students will explore the system dynamics from which the problem emerges and evaluate both short- and long-term consequences of possible solutions.

This is largely a laboratory course in which students build and program their own instruments. Topics include programming techniques for real-time instrumentation programming; buffered analog and digital input and output; timing considerations; passive analog filters and active analog filters; digital-filtering techniques; and real-time programming issues.

This course is concerned with science and the applications of solar and other renewable technologies, e.g., solar thermal electric, photovoltaics, wind power, biomass-derived alcohols, solar hydrogen and ocean thermal energy conversion Energy storage systems and materials, combined renewable conventional systems for peaking and load management and alternative energy sources for transportation will be studied.

This course is concerned with methods for analyzing the economics, environmental and societal benefits of energy technologies. Topics include optimization techniques, utility planning and finance, cost-benefit techniques, discounting for time and risk, econometric models and input-output analysis. The role of government in determining energy costs supply and markets will be considered.

This course makes detailed examination of new technologies to increase the efficiency of energy conversion, transportation systems and end-use technologies. Examples include MHD, combined-cycle systems, advanced nuclear reactors, intelligent transportation systems, high-efficiency lighting, energy management and utilization of low-temperature heat. Consideration is made of the socioeconomic and governmental barriers to energy efficiency.

Introduction to the sciences of fluid mechanics and heat transfer and the physical laws governing the mechanical behavior of liquids and gasses. Conservation of mass, energy and momentum. Discussion of heat transfer by one-dimensional conduction, convection and radiation. Fluid statics, internal and external fluid flow, pipe networks and heat exchanger analysis.

Study-abroad course examining international energy problems and providing team-oriented project experiences. Addresses energy issues associated with economic and social development. Project participation, tours and meetings with local experts illustrate energy-related problems that are compared with those in the United States.

This course explores applications of mathematical techniques and computer models to the environmental field. The course introduces the principles underlying environmental analysis and modeling, including limitations and pitfalls. Several environmental models and analytical systems are then discussed and applied, using a variety of computational platforms.

This course will familiarize students with basic environmental laws and regulations. The course discusses the purpose of environmental policy, the role of environmental economics in policy decisions and the policy instruments available to environmental regulators. Current federal and state statutes affecting waste disposal, air quality and water quality are discussed.

This course addresses environmental issues faced by industry, including such topics as waste management, chemical inventories, pollution prevention and discharge permitting. Industrial ecology is introduced as an approach to the development of a sustainable industrial society, including treatment of life cycle analysis, design for environment, environmentally conscious manufacturing and ISO14000.

This course will examine chemical, physical, economic and regulatory aspects of the remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater. Topics include chemical properties of major contaminants, environmental site assessments, remediation design, and current and emerging remediation technologies and their limitations in soil and groundwater restoration.

This course focuses on how resource management decisions affect the human and natural communities involved. Topics include definition and importance of natural resources, resource management styles and policies, and planning for resource conservation. Conservation biology is introduced as a tool for developing sustainable resource use policies. Mandatory weekend field trip.

This course integrates the study of surface water and ground water hydrology and examines current technologies used to assess the behavior and quality of water in the environment. Topics include monitoring and management at the watershed level, the influence of wetlands on water quality and the impact of current regulations.

This course provides students with practical experience applying advanced environmental information systems technologies to environmental problems. Students will employ such technologies as decision support systems, geographic information systems, expert systems, relational databases, multimedia systems, and modeling and simulation. This course is often offered in a study-abroad format.

This course provides an introductory survey of the field of industrial hygiene. Chemical hazards are addressed first, focusing on respiratory and dermal exposures, followed by a treatment of physical hazards including sound, radiation and temperature. The course includes industrial case studies illustrating administrative and engineering controls in common use.

Industrial Ecology, the 'science of sustainability', seeks to encourage the development of a sustainable industrial society. This course introduces and examines this relatively new field of inquiry and practice. We address various practical topics which are associated with Industrial Ecology, including Life Cycle Assessment, Design for Environment, and Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing.

This course examines present global environmental impacts and efforts made to change production and consumption patterns toward those that reduce impact on ecosystems or promote increased ecosystems health. The focus lies in understanding the basic resources of productivity including soils, agricultural systems, agroforestry, forestry and aquatic environments and applying solutions on a personal and community level.

The purpose of this class is to introduce chemical and physical properties of materials (metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, sustainable materials), manufacturing processes (casting, finishing, molding, forming, joining, and machining) and automated design and manufacturing. The topics include the following: material properties and product attributes; engineering materials; solidification processes; processing of metals and ceramics; metal forming and sheet metalworking; metal removal processes; property enhancing & surface processing operations; joining and assembly processes.

This course provides an introduction to processes, systems and sustainability improvement in advanced manufacturing. Topics include advanced manufacturing processes and systems, such as additive manufacturing, nano/micro-manufacturing, digital manufacturing, industrial sustainability analysis and systems thinking in sustainable manufacturing.

This course deals with the interplay among requirements specifications, design, economics, environment, energy, materials selection, fabrication, manufacturing cost and product life cycle considerations. Students will complete a product design case study from requirements to final design concept, including translating requirements to design, selecting appropriate materials and choosing between design and production concepts using qualitative and quantitative analytical methods.

This course addresses the questions: What is Lean? What is Six Sigma? How are they different, why do many organizations combine them and how should they be applied in complex industrial/supply chain systems? Students will learn to evaluate process stability, map and model business processes, select and apply appropriate analytical methods, and implement and document the improved process.

Hands-on application of advanced analytical methods selected from topics in supply chain management, forecasting, measurement systems analysis (MSA), quality and process improvement, marketing research and analytics, design of experiments (DOE), and reliability modeling. Data acquisition from enterprise databases and industrial sources and analysis leveraging big data are addressed.

This course focuses on real-world applications of Lean Six Sigma in production and supply chain environments with an emphasis on current events. Students will learn advanced analytical methods and explore the implications of just-in-time production in an increasingly connected and complex global environment.

This course is a holistic approach to the nature of technological innovation as an intrinsic dynamic of human society, with an explicit focus on understanding why innovations succeed or fail and the compelling need for sustainable design. The critical relationship between technical innovation and the design process is explored through case studies that illustrate sustainability-inspired models of technology such as biomimicry, design for environment, appropriate technology, zero waste production systems and human-centered design.

An exploration of the cultural, ethical, legal and social issues inherent in computing. This course is designed to strengthen students' proclivity and ability to consider and communicate about the reciprocal impacts of computing technology on people and the environment, particularly as it pertains to their roles in designing, developing, procuring, implementing or maintaining computing technology within an organization.

The purpose of this class is to introduce students to the use of models to understand, analyze and improve systems in several areas of science and technology through computer simulation modeling techniques.

This course provides a hands-on introduction to building practical AI systems. Topics include: knowledge representation (propositional and predicate logic), search (local, global, uninformed and informed), planning, machine learning and natural language processing. Programming projects will involve designing intelligent agents that can play various board games using Prolog and Python. The course also discusses societal impacts of current and future AI systems and review state, national and international regulations designed to regulate the development and use of AI systems.

Study of means for the development and maintenance of high quality software products delivered on time and within budget. Topics include requirements analysis and specification, software design, implementation, testing, maintenance, project management, ethics, and the responsibilities of software engineering professionals. Focuses primarily on agile software development.

Study of and practice with processes, principles, tools, models, and techniques for designing interactions between humans and digital products and systems. Topics include physiological and psychological factors affecting interaction design, interaction design process, interaction models, styles, and paradigms, design notations and representations, prototyping, and interaction design evaluation.

This course will cover selected emerging topics in applied data science of interests (e.g., automation, data privacy and security, data science in the cloud, artificial neural network and deep learning, natural language processing, text mining). It will help students develop the meta-cognitive skills needed to become proficient in using and identifying new technologies (including programming languages, architectures, modalities, etc.) that may best contribute to solving a problem in an environment in which technologies are changing briskly.

This course illustrates the applications of biotechnology in agriculture and industry, linking scientific discoveries to business and manufacturing practices. Topics include pharmaceutical product development, genetic engineering in agriculture, biotechnology in food processing and regulatory issues.

This course will explore the way in which modern biotechnology can be used as a tool to define and solve problems related to human health. Insights will come through the review and critical analysis of molecular evidence, modeling of the human body and the drug discovery pipeline as complex systems, and an identification and appreciation for stakeholder perspectives.

Students learn how complex biological molecules support and regulate processes in living systems, through building interactive computer models of protein and nucleic acid structure and function. The course requirements include written and oral presentations and creation of Web pages.

This course examines the policies and guidelines of federal government agencies that regulate the use of recombinant DNA technology, genetically engineered organisms and the manufacturing of biotechnology products. Issues of product safety, product labeling, physical and biological containment, environmental release, and mammalian cloning are presented.

The ethical, legal, and social implications of the field of biotechnology and its applications are explored in this course. Students will analyze at an in-depth level the social impacts and ethical implications of human subjects and biological materials research, cloning, human genetic engineering, and transgenic agricultural crops.

This course introduces awareness, science and societal impact of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) agents. Students study the development of vaccines and therapeutic and diagnostic drugs used in the detection and treatment of these agents. The course consists of lectures and safety training sessions that introduce tactical and logistical techniques used against chemical, biological and radiological WMD.

The objectives for this course include understanding local ecology and its impacts on farming, as well as how farming impacts local ecology; practicing diversified farming techniques; understanding how small-scale farms operate as businesses; examining localization and slow-food movements and recognizing the impacts of globalized or industrial food and fiber production; identifying the strengths and limitations of small-scale farming.

This seminar focuses on political ecology as a framework and body of work that examines environmental change, particularly notions of degradation, through analyses of complex social, economic, political and ecological interrelationships. Course materials raise and address questions of how people study and have perceived ways in which human societies and various 'environments' shape one another over time, as well as the contexts in which 'development' efforts are constructed, implemented and, sometimes, abandoned.

Interdisciplinary study of complex system operation, interdependencies, and failure focusing on real-world critical infrastructure systems (e.g., electric power, telecommunications, and health) system response to natural and human-induced hazards, including cascading effects. Examination of risk management strategies including technical and policy solutions.

Topics in integrated science and technology which are of interest to the upper-division student but not otherwise covered in the regular course offerings. Offered only with the approval of the program coordinator. May be repeated for credit when course content changes. Students should consult the instructor prior to enrolling for the course. Topic selected may dictate prerequisite.

This course engages students in key theories, methods and approaches from the field of science, technology and society (STS) and its related fields (history, philosophy, law, sociology, anthropology, political science, economics and communication) to address selected problems at the intersection of science, technology and society.

An interdisciplinary course that looks at the scientific process, science practitioners, and science students through the lens of gender analysis. Students read literature, lead discussions, perform experiments, and analyze both data and processes to address the effects of educational systems on the preparation and careers of scientists, the influence of politics and culture on scientific inquiry, and the effects of critiques grounded in gender analyses on understanding the scientific process.

In the STS futures lab students deepen their knowledge of key theories and methods of the field of science, technology and society. Students conduct independent research on a topic under close mentorship of faculty and within an engaged community of students who are interested in creatively and critically reflecting on the roles of science and technology within society. The futures lab focuses particularly on hands-on practices of anticipating and ethically reasoning about plausible sociotechnical futures and developing skills in cross-disciplinary collaboration and communication. Students also have the opportunity to engage with experts in diverse disciplinary domains through facilitating workshops with invited guest experts to the lab and conducting interviews. Additionally, students can participate in faculty research, develop research publications and participate in conference presentations. The course is repeatable for a maximum of six credit hours.

This is the first of a four-course sequence. Students perform an independent research project, either alone or within an investigative team, to identify and analyze a science- or technology-based problem (broadly defined), culminating in a public presentation at the ISAT Senior Symposium. In this course, students will identify an appropriate problem to investigate for their Capstone experience and assemble a Team to develop their Capstone Proposal.

First course in a three-course sequence. Student generates an idea for and writes a proposal for an independent or team-based research project. Student must identify and analyze a science- or technology-based problem (broadly defined), identify potential solutions, recommend an approach, and prepare a written proposal.

Second course in a three-course sequence. Student performs the bulk of the research needed for an independent research project, either alone or within an investigative team, to address a technologically based problem.

Third course in a three-course sequence. Student finishes the research and prepares an oral and a written report on the work (either alone or within an investigative team), addressing a technologically based problem and developing alternative solutions.

Students explore the importance of design in technology and engineering and contrast the design process with the scientific method. This includes evaluating functional requirements, ergonomics, usability, cost, risk and environmental impact. Students complete a design project integrating these factors to address a real-world problem.

First course of a three-course sequence. Student generates an idea for and writes a proposal for an independent research project that meets the requirements set forth by the Honors program. Student must identify and analyze a science- or technology-based problem (broadly defined), identify potential solutions, recommend an approach, and prepare a written proposal. Fulfills same requirements as ISAT 491.

Second course in a three-course sequence. Student begins the research necessary for an independent research project that meets the requirements set forth by the Honors program. Student pursues the approach described in his or her proposal from ISAT 499A. Fulfills same requirements as ISAT 492.

Third course in a three-course sequence. Student completes the research for and prepares an oral and written presentation of their results for an independent research project that meets the requirements set forth by the Honors program. Student completes and presents (in written and oral form) the project described in his or her proposal from ISAT 499A. Fulfills same requirements as ISAT 493.