printer friendly pageANTHRO 11SC: Conservation and Development Dilemmas in the Amazon (HUMBIO 18SC)
This course explores the human dimensions of conservation efforts under way in the Amazon Basin of South America. It has two specific goals: (1) to introduce the human ecology of Amazonia; and (2) to assess the prospects for joint efforts at biodiversity conservation and community development. We will draw on case studies to investigate such topics as the causes and consequences of deforestation, the social impact of parks and protected areas, and the potential for "Integrated Conservation and Development Projects" (ICDPs) such as extractive reserves, natural forest management, biodiversity prospecting, and community-based ecotourism. The course views Amazonia as a microcosm of the challenges facing conservation and development efforts today in the Third World. nnPart of the course is an intensive 11-day expedition to the Peruvian Amazon, at no extra cost, to observe firsthand the conservation and development dilemmas discussed in class. We will visit ecolodges in the rainforest, walking miles of trails to learn about local flora, fauna, and conservation efforts. We will also visit Machu Picchu in the upper reaches of the rainforest. For the travel portion of the class, undergraduates will be joined by a group of Stanford alumni and friends. nnStudent contributions and presentations are emphasized throughout the course. Students are expected to come well-prepared to each session, to lead discussions, and to carry out literature research. The final assignment is a 6 to 8 page paper on a case study of your own choosing¿or an equivalent piece of a longer collaborative paper¿that offers a critical assessment of one particular conservation and/or development project in or near the region we will visit. Students will present the main findings of their papers in a joint seminar of undergraduates and alumni as we travel in the Peruvian Amazon. nn nnNote: Students will arrive on campus and will be housed at Stanford until we leave for the Amazon. Travel to and from Peru¿organized by the Travel/Study Program of the Stanford Alumni Association¿is included; costs are defrayed by the Stanford Field Seminar Fund and generous donors.
Terms: Sum
| Units: 2
Instructors:
Durham, W. (PI)
;
Novy, J. (PI)
ARTHIST 10SC: Photography: Truth or Fiction or...
"All photographs are accurate. None is the truth."nnRichard Avedon (1923-2004)nnnThe invention of photography inspired the belief that there could be a truthful and objective way to visually record the world. From portraits to travel photographs to documentary, photography has influenced how modern history is understood and remembered. Yet, a photograph is a manipulated image, shaped by the perspective of the photographer and further framed by its printing, presentation, and interpretation. The complex ethical and political issues associated with photography significantly impact how events and moments are recorded by history. Consider, for example, the US government's 18-year ban (ended in 2009) on photographing the flag-draped coffins of America's war dead as their bodies are returned to the United States. What matters most: protecting the privacy of military families or protecting American citizens from the death toll of war?nnOver the past decade, the number of photographers has increased exponentially, further blurring the boundary between what is truth and what is fiction. Even the concept of "gatekeepers" is obsolete: anyone with a smartphone is armed with a camera and can create their own stories, their own records, and their own truths. Further, the Internet grants nearly universal freedom to document and disseminate images that record, incriminate, illuminate, persuade, enrage, and glorify. In this course, we will examine the ethical parameters of photography and the many ways in which photography contributes to presenting powerful truths, creating compelling fictions, and recontextualizing history. nnOur discussions will be informed by course readings and opportunities to view photographs in museums and private collections throughout the Bay Area. Field trips will be arranged to meet with artists, collectors, photo editors, and advertising executives. In addition, a special session covering photographic techniques will familiarize students with the diversity of the medium.
Terms: Sum
| Units: 2
Instructors:
Wolf, C. (PI)
BIO 10SC: Natural History, Marine Biology, and Research
Monterey Bay is home to the nation's largest marine sanctuary and also home to Stanford's Hopkins Marine Station. This course, based at Hopkins, explores the spectacular biology of Monterey Bay and the artistic and political history of the region. The course focuses on issues of conservation, sanctuary, and stewardship of the oceans and coastal lands. We will meet with conservationists, filmmakers, artists, authors, environmentalists, politicians, land-use planners, and lawyers, as well as scientists and educators, to learn what is being done to appreciate, protect, and study the coastline and near-shore waters at local and national levels. We will take a look at the discipline of marine biology to discover the range of topics and methods of research it embraces and to help define some of the larger issues in biology that loom in our future. The course emphasizes interactions and discussions between individuals, groups, and our guests; it is a total immersion experience. We will be together all of the time, either at our base at the Belden House in Pacific Grove or hiking and camping in Big Sur. Students are expected to have read the several books provided as introductory material before the course begins, and each is also expected to become our local expert in an area such as plant identification, bird identification, poetry, weather prediction, photography, history, ethnography, etc. The course requires an individual research project of your choice on a topic related to the general theme. Final reports will be presented at the last meeting of the group and may involve any medium, including written, oral, and performance media. Note: This course will be held at the Hopkins Marine Station in the Monterey region, and housing will be provided nearby. Transportation from campus to the housing site will be provided once students arrive on campus on September 2. Transportation to campus from the Belden House in Pacific Grove will be provided on September 21.
Terms: Sum
| Units: 2
Instructors:
Thompson, S. (PI)
CEE 14SC: When Engineers Go Sailing: the Science and Technology of America's Cup Yachts and Matches
Intense competition drives technological advancement in many sports; the America's Cup sailing competition stands out as a leading venue for innovation. The 34th AC competition will take place in San Francisco Bay during September 2013, providing close proximity, great timing, and the showcasing of major new technologies to create a special learning opportunity for Sophomore College students. This seminar will introduce students to engineering fundamentals, computer-based modeling and design, and advanced materials, using America's Cup technology as examples. The course will include guest speakers from America's Cup teams, visits to facilities, and field trips to matches. Students will complete readings and queries prior to the class sessions; class and laboratory exercises for sailing, modeling, and materials testing; group observation and analysis of America's Cup races; and group course projects analyzing a part of the technology for an America's Cup yacht. The course will also explore how students can apply engineering fundamentals, modeling techniques, advanced materials, and processes of innovation to other activities and industries. The seminar is offered for 2 units with S/NC grading.
Terms: Sum
| Units: 2
CS 10SC: Great Ideas in Computer Science
Computers have come to permeate many aspects of our lives, from how we communicate with each other to how we produce and consume information. And while it is all too easy to think of computing in terms of the products and applications we see emerging from technology companies, the intellectual foundations of computer science go much deeper. Indeed, beneath the surface of the tools we use, the social networks we engage in, and the web of information we search lays a field rich with fascinating, intellectually exciting, and sometimes unexpectedly surprising ideas. In this seminar, we will explore several of the great ideas in computer science, looking at both challenging problems and their impact on real applications. From understanding how search engines on the Web work to looking at mathematical theories underlying social networks, from questioning whether a computer can be intelligent to analyzing the notion of what is even possible to compute, this seminar will take us on a series of intellectual excursions that will change the way you look at computers. No prior experience with computer science or programming is required, but a high school mathematics background, an interest in problem-solving, and a healthy curiosity will go a long way toward ensuring an enjoyable and enlightening experience. Students will work in small groups to research topics in computer science they find most intriguing. The course will also take advantage of Stanford's location in the heart of Silicon Valley by conducting field trips to local companies and the Computer History Museum.
Terms: Sum
| Units: 2
Instructors:
Roberts, E. (PI)
EARTHSYS 12SC: Environmental and Geological Field Studies in the Rocky Mountains (EESS 12SC, GES 12SC)
The ecologically and geologically diverse Rocky Mountain area is being strongly impacted by changing land use patterns, global and regional environmental change, and societal demands for energy and natural resources. This field program emphasizes coupled environmental and geological problems in the Rocky Mountains, covering a broad range of topics including the geologic origin of the American West from three billion years ago to the present; paleoclimatology and the glacial history of this mountainous region; the long- and short-term carbon cycle and global climate change; and environmental issues in the American West related to changing land-use patterns and increased demand for its abundant natural resources. These broad topics are integrated into a coherent field-study as we examine earth/ environmental science-related questions in three different settings: 1) the three-billion-year-old rocks and the modern glaciers of the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming; 2) the sediments in the adjacent Wind River basin that host abundant gas and oil reserves and also contain the long-term climate history of this region; and 3) the volcanic center of Yellowstone National Park and the mountainous region of Teton National Park, and the economic and environmental problems associated with gold mining and extraction of oil and gas in areas adjoining these national parks. Students will complete six assignments based upon field exercises, working in small groups to analyze data and prepare reports and maps. Lectures will be held in the field prior to and after fieldwork. Note: This course involves one week of backpacking in the Wind Rivers and hiking while staying in cabins near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Students must arrive in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, September 3. (Hotel lodging will be provided for the night of September 3, and thereafter students will travel as a Sophomore College group.) We will return to campus on Saturday, September 21.
Terms: Sum
| Units: 2
Instructors:
Chamberlain, P. (PI)
ECON 13SC: A Random Walk Down Wall Street
The title of this course is the title of one of the books that will be required summer reading. The course will introduce modern finance theory and cover a wide range of financial instruments: stocks, bonds, options, mutual funds, exchange traded funds, mortgage back securities, etc. Historical returns on different asset classes will be examined. The efficient market hypothesis and the case for and against index funds will be discussed. The course for 2013 will examine the ongoing policies to stimulate the economy including the quantitative easing policy of the Federal Reserve. There will be coverage of global financial markets. We will try to reconcile the long-run return on stocks, bonds, and money market instruments with the capital asset pricing model. We will try to connect financial markets with the problems of the real economy including the entitlement programs. We will talk with venture capitalists, Federal Reserve officials, hedge fund and mutual fund managers, and those who manage large institutional endowments. Students will be expected to write a short paper and make an oral presentation to the class. A wide range of topics will be acceptable, including market regulation, the introduction of new financial instruments, the functioning of commodity futures markets, and evaluations of the federal government intervention in financial markets.
Terms: Sum
| Units: 2
Instructors:
Shoven, J. (PI)
EDUC 14SC: Public Education and Schooling: The Great Equalizer or the Fiercely Competitive Field?
Everyone seems to have an opinion about the American educational landscape. After all, we all have attended schools of various sorts, which help to shape our understandings about education. Yet, the political, social, and cultural terrains are ever-changing, especially within public education. This seminar will focus on some of the main current issues in U.S. urban schools. This course will take an interdisciplinary approach to examining major issues facing public schools today and to discussing effective policies and practices. There are two main components to the seminar: first, students will engage in a review of current educational research and policy; and second, they will conduct some service learning activity in a local, low-income public high school. In small groups, students will co-design projects that both draw on ideas generated from their readings and discussions and involve local high school students and educators.nnThrough various lenses, we will survey the landscape of urban education in the United States and explore myriad theories or explanations for existing conditions, crises, and policies. Students will read a number of works that focus on the multiple environs of the educational system¿the economy, the political context, the demands of accountability and standardization, residential patterns, and social and cultural relationships. Such explanations and issues may transcend U.S. boundaries and could be applicable in multiple contemporary urban education settings.
Terms: Sum
| Units: 2
Instructors:
Carter, P. (PI)
EE 10SC: Mathematics of the Information Age
The world may be made of earth, wind, fire, and water, but it runs on information. What is information? How do we measure it, manipulate it, send it, and protect it? Why has everything gone digital and what does this mean? The mathematics of the Information Age is part of your everyday life, from imaging to the Internet. We will discuss the elements of information theory and how information is represented in different ways for different purposes. We will work with the mathematical representation of signals from the classical functions of trigonometry to the spectrum of a general signal. This course will help you understand some of the profound ways mathematics is used to shape and direct these aspects of the modern world. There will be regular assignments, readings, a research project, and a presentation on a topic of your choice that goes beyond the class material.
Terms: Sum
| Units: 2
Instructors:
Osgood, B. (PI)
EESS 10SC: In the Age of the Anthropocene: Coupled-Human Natural Systems of Southeast Alaska
Southeast Alaska is often described as America's "last frontier," embodying a physical reality of the "pristine" that was once revered by the early romantics and founders of the modern conservation movement throughout Western North America. Although endowed with more designated Wilderness land than any other state, Alaska remains a working landscape: a mixed cash-subsistence economy where communities rely upon the harvest and export of natural resources. Here, ecosystem services remain tangible, and people living in communities that are unconnected by roads confront questions of sustainability on a daily basis. This field-based course introduces students to the global questions of land use change and sustainable resource management in the American West through the place-based exploration of Southeast Alaska. Focused on four key social-ecological challenges -- fisheries, forestry, tourism, and energy -- the coupled human-natural systems of Southeast Alaska provide a unique lens for students to interpret broader resource management and conservation issues. The curriculum balances field explorations and classroom lectures with community exploration in which students will engage with fishermen, hatchery workers, forest managers, loggers, mill owners, tour operators, tourists, city officials, citizens, and Native elders. Students will catch their own salmon, walk through old-growth and logged forests, kayak next to glacial moraines, and witness the impacts of human activities, both local and global, on the social-ecological systems around them. In the context of rapidly changing ecosystems, students will confront the historical, ecological, and economic complexities of environmental stewardship in this region. By embedding their experiences within frameworks of land change science, land-ocean interactions, ecosystem ecology, and natural resource management and economics, students will leave this course ready to apply what they have learned to the global challenges of sustainability and conservation that pervade systems far beyond Alaska and extend throughout the American West. This course is co-sponsored by the Bill Lane Center for the American West and takes place in Sitka, Alaska. Students must arrange for their arrival in Seattle, WA on September 2; students will return to Stanford as a group (flight covered by the program) on September 20.
Terms: Sum
| Units: 2
Instructors:
Dunbar, R. (PI)
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