Foundations of Science

Using modern, student-centered, active and collaborative learning techniques, students will engage — through field observations, in-class experiments, computer simulations, and selected readings — with a range of ideas and techniques designed to integrate and anchor scientific habits of mind. Throughout the term, all students will satisfy a detailed set of rubrics by documenting their learning in reflection postings designed to serve as a future reference for how they, individually, went from not understanding an idea to understanding it. Topics covered will include statistics, basic probability, a variety of calculational skills, graph reading, and estimation — all aimed at elucidating such concepts as energy, matter, cells, and genes in the context of astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth science, neuroscience, and physics.

• MW 10:10 a.m.-noon
• MW 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Amanda C Quirk
  Info
• 4 points

UNIVERSAL TIMEKEEPER

• MW 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: David J Helfand
  CULPA: 40 Info
• 3 points

EARTH, MOON, AND PLANETS

Prerequisites: recommended preparation: a working knowledge of high school algebra. The overall architecture of the solar system. Motions of the celestial sphere. Time and the calendar. Major planets, the earth-moon system, minor planets, comets. Life in the solar system and beyond. This course is similar to ASTR BC 1753. You cannot enroll in both courses and receive credit for both.

• TR 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Instructor: James H Applegate
  CULPA: 44 Info
• 3 points

THEOR-UNIVERS:BABYLON-BIG BANG

Milestones in the science of cosmology over the past 6000 years. Skylore and observation in ancient cultures. The twin revolutions of the Greeks: Pythagoras and Ptolemy; and Aristotle, Aquinas, and the Great Chain of Being. The scientific revolution: the impersonal and deterministic world-order of Newton, Laplace, and Kelvin. The erosion of that world-order by mathematics and experiment in the 20th century (relativity, quantum physics, dark matter, and the expanding universe). Todays searches for a new grand order in the Universe, which can cope - or maybe not - with these blows to yesterdays comfortable wisdom.

• MW 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Frederik Paerels
  CULPA: 21 Info
• 3 points

ASTRONOMY LAB I

Laboratory for ASTR UN1403. Projects include observations with the departments telescopes, computer simulation, laboratory experiments in spectroscopy, and the analysis of astronomical data. Lab 1 ASTR UN1903 - goes with ASTR BC1753, ASTR UN1403 or ASTR UN1453.

• M 6 p.m.-9 p.m.
• T 7 p.m.-10 p.m.
• Instructor: Greg Bryan
  CULPA: 4 h-index: 70 Info
• 1 points

ASTRONOMY LAB II

Laboratory for ASTR UN1404. Projects include use of telescopes, laboratory experiments in the nature of light, spectroscopy, and the analysis of astronomical data. Lab 2 ASTR UN1904 - goes with ASTR BC1754 or ASTR UN1404 (or ASTR UN1836 or ASTR UN1420).

• W 6 p.m.-9 p.m.
• 1 points

INTRO TO ASTROPHYSICS I

Prerequisites: a working knowledge of calculus. Corequisites: a course in calculus-based general physics. First term of a two-term calculus-based introduction to astronomy and astrophysics. Topics include the physics of stellar interiors, stellar atmospheres and spectral classifications, stellar energy generation and nucleosynthesis, supernovae, neutron stars, white dwarfs, and interacting binary stars.

• MW 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Jane Huang
  Info
• 3 points

FRONTIERS OF ASTROPHYSICS

Several members of the faculty each offer a brief series of talks providing context for a current research topic in the field and then present results of their ongoing research. Opportunities for future student research collaboration are offered. Grading is Pass/Fail.

• F 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Lorenzo Sironi
  h-index: 39 Info
• 1 points

PHYSICAL COSMOLOGY

Prerequisites: one year of calculus-based general physics. The standard hot big bang cosmological model and modern observational results that test it. Topics include the Friedmann equations and the expansion of the universe, dark matter, dark energy, inflation, primordial nucleosynthesis, the cosmic microwave background, the formation of large-scale cosmic structures, and modern cosmological observations.

• TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Greg Bryan
  CULPA: 4 h-index: 70 Info
• 3 points

CURRENT RESEARCH IN ASTROPHYS

Prerequisites: two semesters of astronomy classes and two semesters of physics classes. The goal of this course is to introduce astronomy and astrophysics majors to the methods and topics of current astronomical research. The course will also help with the development of critical thinking skills. Each week, the topic of the course will be centered on the subject of the Astronomy department colloquium; this may include research on planets, stars, galaxies or cosmology. There will be two required meetings per week: the first will be to discuss papers related to the colloquium (time TBD), and the second will be the colloquium itself (at 4:15 pm each Wednesday). Grading is Pass/Fail.

• F 2:10 p.m.-3:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Marcel A Agueros
  CULPA: 9 Info
• 1 points

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH

Prerequisites: the instructor's permission. For an independent research project or independent study, a brief description of the proposed project or reading, with the supervising faculty member's endorsement, is required for registration. A variety of research projects conducted under the supervision of members of the faculty. Observational, theoretical, and experimental work in galactic and extragalactic astronomy and cosmology. The topic and scope of the work must be arranged with a faculty member in advance; a written paper describing the results of the project is required at its completion (note that a two-term project can be designed such that the grade YC is given after the first term). Senior majors in astronomy or astrophysics wishing to do a senior thesis should make arrangements in May of their junior year and sign up for a total of 6 points over their final two terms. Both a substantial written document and an oral presentation of thesis results are required.

• Instructor: Marcel A Agueros
  CULPA: 9 Info
• 3 points

MODELING THE UNIVERSE

Prerequisites: one year of calculus-based general physics. The goal of this course is to provide a basic hands-on introduction to the practice and theory of scientific computing with applications in astronomy and astrophysics. The course will include an introduction to programming, as well as a sampling of methods and tools from the field of scientific computing. The course will include a hands-on project in which students use numerical methods to solve a research problem. Students who are interested in participating in research projects are strongly encouraged to take the course in their sophomore or junior year.

• TR 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Maximiliano Isi Banales
  Info
• 3 points

Astro-Skills: Numerical and Statistical

This course provides an overview of the role of computation across astronomy and astrophysics. The first half will be an introduction to the numerical techniques that allow us to model the laws of physics on computers and hence build simulations of physical systems.  The second half will review the data analysis tools used to mine large data sets (real or simulated) to find, characterize and interpret the features in them. This course will alternate on a weekly basis between lectures and lab applications (i.e each week has a lecture and lab component).

• MW 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Greg Bryan
  CULPA: 4 h-index: 70 Info
• 3 points

RESEARCH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINA

RESEARCH SEMINAR I

This two-semester course aims to help our students acquire the foundational skills for a
successful and satisfying professional life. The course will consist of three themes:
1) Discussing greatest hits and frontiers in the field
2) The research process, using the projects that participating students are currently
working on.
3) Navigating science and careers: considering the people and institutions that make up the
field, the frameworks in place that support them and the culture that pervades them;
career pathways

• Instructor: Kathryn V Johnston
  CULPA: 4 h-index: 54 Info
• 3 points