Biological Oceanography -Food web dynamics in the marine world – Janice Pappas
The oceans are vast, majestic bodies of water that harbor a myriad of life forms. The Antarctic, Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans cover 70% of the Earth’s surface and have 80 to 99% of all life on Earth. Only 5% of our oceans have been explored, so the majority of oceanic life has yet to be discovered. Organisms of all sizes are found throughout the oceans. We will look at examples from diatoms to viper fish to vampire squid to whales. We will examine particular kinds of organisms such as keystone species, bioluminescent animals, and organisms that are able to live in extreme environments. We will explore marine food webs as a way to understand interdependence among the oceans’ organisms. How do environmental conditions influence what happens to the organisms in the oceans? If an animal goes extinct, what will happen to other organisms in a marine food web? These are just a couple of the many questions that we might address. Our adventure will begin with a general overview of the physical, chemical and geological aspects of the oceans and sails on to details on the oceans’ biological inhabitants. We will navigate our way to understanding organism interactions through marine food webs. We will dock at an overall assessment of the oceans-where we have come from and where we are going at present. Students will conduct collaborative research and use software to create marine food webs. Results will be used to produce scientific posters and presentations for a student symposium. Exercises will include microscopy, the game of krill, and learning how to read and evaluate scientific papers. Time permitting, we will visit the University of Michigan Natural History Museum and the Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratory. Prerequisites: having had a science course is helpful, but not necessary. Just bring your interest in learning about our oceans.
Brain and Behavior – Jen Cummings FULL
Ever wonder how that gelatinous blob in your head controls everything you do and think? What exactly are neurons? How do they talk to each other? And to the rest of your body? Have you ever wondered about things like: how does stress affect your body? Is exercise really that good for your brain? What happens if you miss a few nights of sleep? It makes sense that your brain affects your experiences- but can experiences actually change your brain?? We will answer these questions (and more!) in Brain and Behavior, as we explore the amazing field of behavioral neuroscience. We will begin with a section on the basic functionality of the brain and nervous system, and then will go on to investigate how the system can be affected by things like stress, learning & memory, hormones, and neuropsychiatric disorders. We will leave some time for a session on student-selected topics in behavioral neuroscience, so if there’s something else you’ve been pondering with respect to the brain, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered.
Catalysis, Solar Energy and Green Chemical Synthesis – Corinna Schindler and Corey Stephenson
“The chemist who designs and completes an original and esthetically pleasing multistep synthesis is like the composer, artist or poet who, with great individuality, fashions new forms of beauty from the interplay of mind and spirit.” -E.J. Corey, Nobel Laureate Prior to Friedrich Wöhler’s 1828 synthesis of urea, organic (carbon-containing) matter from living organisms was believed to contain a vital force that distinguished it from inorganic material. The discovery that organic molecules can be manipulated at the hands of scientists is considered by many the birth of organic chemistry: the study of the structure, properties, and reactions of carbon-containing matter. Organic matter is the foundation of life as we know it, and therefore a fundamental understanding of reactivity at a molecular level is essential to all life sciences. In this class we will survey monumental discoveries in this field over the past two centuries and the technological developments that have enabled them. Catalysis, Solar Energy, and Green Chemical Synthesis will provide a fun and intellectually stimulating hands-on experience that instills a historical appreciation for the giants whose trials and tribulations have enabled our modern understanding of chemistry and biology. Students will learn modern laboratory techniques including how to set up, monitor, and purify chemical reactions, and most importantly, how to determine what they made! Experiments include the synthesis of biomolecules using some of the most transformative reactions of the 20th century and exposure to modern synthetic techniques, such as the use of metal complexes that absorb visible light to catalyze chemical reactions, an important development in the Green Science movement. Finally, industrial applications of chemistry such as polymer synthesis and construction of photovoltaic devices will be performed. Daily experiments will be supplemented with exciting demonstrations by the graduate student instructors.
Dissecting Life: Human Anatomy and Physiology – Glenn Fox FULL
Dissecting Life will lead students through the complexities and wonder of the human body. Lecture sessions will cover human anatomy and physiology in detail. Students will gain an understanding of biology, biochemistry, histology, and use these as a foundation to study human form and function. Laboratory sessions will consist of first-hand dissections of a variety of exemplar organisms: lamprey, sharks, cats, etc. Students may also tour the University of Michigan Medical School’s Plastination and Gross Anatomy Laboratories where they may observe human dissections.
Fibonacci Numbers – Mel Hochster
The Fibonacci numbers are the elements of the sequence 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55- where every term is simply the sum of the two preceding terms. This sequence, which was originally proposed as describing the reproduction of rabbits, occurs in astonishingly many contexts in nature. It will be used as a starting point for the exploration of some very substantial mathematical ideas: recursive methods, modular arithmetic, and other ideas from number theory, and even the notion of a limit: the ratios of successive terms (e.g. 13/8, 21/13. 55/34) approach the golden mean, already considered by the ancient Greeks, which yields what may be the most aesthetically pleasing dimensions for a rectangle. As a by-product of our studies, we will be able to explain how people can test certain, very special but immensely large numbers, for being prime. We’ll also consider several games and puzzles whose analysis leads to the same circle of ideas, developing them further and reinforcing the motivations for their study.
Graph Theory – Doug Shaw
Ignore your previous knowledge of algebra, geometry, and even arithmetic! Start fresh with a simple concept: Take a collection of points, called vertices, and connect some of them with lines called edges. It doesn’t matter where you draw the vertices or how you draw the lines – all that matters is that two vertices are either related, or not. We call that a “graph” and you’ve taken the first step on the Graph Theory road! Graphs turn up in physics, biology, computer science, communications networks, linguistics, chemistry, sociology, mathematics- you name it! In this course we will discuss properties that graphs may or may not have, hunt for types of graphs that may or may not exist, learn about the silliest theorem in mathematics, and the most depressing theorem in mathematics, learn how to come up with good algorithms, model reality, and construct some mathematical proofs. We will go over fundamental results in the field, and also some results that were only proved in the last year or so! And, of course, we will present plenty of currently unsolved problems for you solve and publish when you get home!
Mathematical Modeling in Biology – Trachette Jackson and Patrick Nelson
Mathematical biology is a relatively new area of applied mathematics and is growing with phenomenal speed. For the mathematician, biology opens up new and exciting areas of study, while for the biologist, mathematical modeling offers another powerful research tool commensurate with a new instrumental laboratory technique. Mathematical biologists typically investigate problems in diverse and exciting areas such as the topology of DNA, cell physiology, the study of infectious diseases, population ecology, neuroscience, tumor growth and treatment strategies, and organ development and embryology. This course will be a venture into the field of mathematical modeling in the biomedical sciences. Interactive lectures, group projects, computer demonstrations, and laboratory visits will help introduce some of the fundamentals of mathematical modeling and its usefulness in biology, physiology and medicine. For example, the cell division cycle is a sequence of regulated events which describes the passage of a single cell from birth to division. There is an elaborate cascade of molecular interactions that function as the mitotic clock and ensures that the sequential changes that take place in a dividing cell take place on schedule. What happens when the mitotic clock speeds up or simply stops ticking? These kinds of malfunctions can lead to cancer and mathematical modeling can help predict under what conditions a small population of cells with a compromised mitotic clock can result in a fully developed tumor. This course will study many interesting problems in cell biology, physiology, and immunology.
Mathematics of Cryptography – Anna Weigandt FULL
Ever since humans first developed the ability to write there has been an ongoing battle between codemakers and codebreakers. The armies of ancient Sparta and Rome both used ciphers to relay secret battle plans, and the ancient Mesopotamians developed encryption techniques in order to protect commercially valuable techniques for glazing pottery. From a modern perspective, the codes used by the ancients are laughably insecure. Indeed, much of what made them secure was that they were being used during a period when most people were illiterate. Because of the advent of computers, codemakers today need to use far more sophisticated techniques in order to create secure codes. Many of these techniques are mathematical in nature. One of the cryptography systems that we will discuss in this class is called RSA and is used to ensure the security of your credit card information when you make a purchase on the internet. We’ll see that at its heart, what makes the RSA system secure is that it is very hard to factor a big number. The numbers used in the RSA system are actually so big that factoring them would take you millions of years. Even if you were using a supercomputer! This class will give an historical introduction to the mathematics of cryptography, beginning with codes used by the Roman legions and building up to the RSA cryptography system discussed above. What will really make the class unique is that there won’t be any lecturing. You will discover the mathematics of cryptography by working on problems and sharing your solutions with your classmates.
Organic Chemistry 101: Orgo Boot Camp – Kathleen Nolta
This course will introduce you to the techniques and concepts taught in the first term of organic chemistry at the University of Michigan. The emphasis is on lecture-based learning, small group learning, and independent presentation of problems that you have solved. While laboratory exercises will be done, they are not the main focus of the course. Topics to be covered include nomenclature and how molecules are organized structurally, including their connectivity, options for stereochemistry, and conformational manipulation. We will also explore chemical transformation by learning how to draw complete curved arrow mechanisms for some of the most fundamental reactions in organic chemistry: acid-base chemistry, nucleophilic substitutions, electrophilic additions, eliminations, and electrophilic aromatic substitutions. The emphasis will be on exploring concepts through problem solving (there will be lots of practice problems to do!), and you will have an opportunity to take examinations given to college students. Students will be able to explore the chemistry in various laboratory applications; we will also be covering the basics of infrared spectroscopy and NMR. By focusing on the concepts and trying some of the techniques, students will gain a better understanding of what organic chemistry is and how to enjoy it.
Relativity: A Journey through Warped Space and Time – Daniel Mayerson FULL
Einstein forever altered our understanding of the nature of space and time with his theories of relativity. These theories tell us that the speed of light is a universal constant, declare that the fabric of space and time is warped by matter, and demand that matter moves through spacetime by following its curvature. Introduced 100 years ago, these concepts clash mightily with our everyday physical intuition, but are nevertheless cornerstones of modern-day physics. In this course we will explore the exciting world of relativity (both the special and general theories). After briefly reviewing classical mechanics (Newton’s laws), we will use thought experiments to understand the ideas behind relativity and see how they are actually ultimately simpler and more natural than classical mechanics. Along the way we will encounter strange paradoxes that push the limits of our understanding and learn powerful mathematics that will allow us to quantify our relativistic understanding of the universe. Using our new knowledge, we will delve into black holes, learn how GPS systems work, and debate the possibility of time machines and wormholes. Prerequisites: basic concepts in geometry (e.g. coordinates, distance formulae) and working knowledge of elementary calculus (e.g. what a derivative is and how to take one). We will introduce some multivariable calculus (e.g. partial differentiation) and integration techniques, so prior knowledge of those is a bonus. An open, curious and interested mind is absolutely necessary; you must be willing to think deeply about physics and the nature of our universe!
Surface Chemistry – Zhan Chen
This course will be divided into three units: applications, properties, and techniques. The first unit will introduce students to surface science that exists within the human body, surfaces in modern science and technology, and surfaces found in everyday life. Our bodies contain many different surfaces that are vital to our well-being. Surface reactions are responsible for protein interaction with cell surfaces, hormone receptor interactions, and ling function. Modern science has explored and designed surfaces for many applications: anti-biofouling surfaces are being researched for marine vessels; high temperature resistant surfaces are important for space shuttles; and heterogeneous catalysis, studies by surface reactions, is important in industry and environmental preservation. The usefulness of many common items is determined by surface properties; contact lenses must remain wetted; while raincoats are deigned to be non-wetting; and coatings are applied to cookware for easy cleanup. The second unit will examine the basic properties of surfaces. Lectures will focus on the concepts of hydrophobicity, friction, lubrication, adhesion, wearability, and biocompatibility. The instrumental methods used to study surfaces will be covered in the last unit. Traditional methods, such as contact angle measurements will be covered first. Then vacuum techniques will be examined. Finally, molecular level in situ techniques such as AFM and SFG will be covered, and students will be able to observe these techniques in the lab. Multimedia PowerPoint presentations will be used for all lectures. By doing this, it’s hoped to promote high school students’ interest in surface science, chemistry, and science in general. A website introducing modern analytical chemistry in surface and interfacial sciences will be created.