printer friendly pageMATSCI 83N: Great Inventions That Matter
This introductory seminar starts by illuminating on the general aspects of creativity, invention, and patenting in engineering and medicine, and how Stanford University is one of the world's foremost engines of innovation. We then take a deep dive into some great technological inventions which are still playing an essential role in our everyday lives, such as fiber amplifier, digital compass, computer memory, HIV detector, personal genome machine, cancer cell sorting, brain imaging, and mind reading. The stories and underlying materials and technologies behind each invention, including a few examples by Stanford faculty and student inventors, are highlighted and discussed. A special lecture focuses on the public policy on intellectual properties (IP) and the resources at Stanford Office of Technology Licensing (OTL). Each student will have an opportunity to present on a great invention from Stanford (or elsewhere), or to write a (mock) patent disclosure of his/her own ideas.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-SMA
Instructors:
Wang, S. (PI)
MATSCI 86N: Metalheads of Modern Science
This seminar will explore where we find metals in science and technology today. Starting with the blacksmiths and metallurgists of ancient history, we will introduce the scientific innovations that have enabled today's technology. We will then explore how today's technology uses metals in new and innovative ways - far beyond the metallurgy of old. Students will learn how metals in their bodies can be used for diagnostics and treatments, how metals in geology can show us how planets form, how new metallic tools allow us to 3D print aircraft engines, and more! This will introduce students to the science of metals and explore the career paths that can follow from these technologies.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-SMA
MED 73N: Scientific Method and Bias
Offers an introduction to the scientific method and common biases in science. Examines theoretical considerations and practical examples where biases have led to erroneous conclusions, as well as scientific practices that can help identify, correct or prevent such biases. Additionally focuses on appropriate methods to interweave inductive and deductive approaches. Topics covered include: Popper¿s falsification and Kuhn¿s paradigm shift, revolution vs. evolution; determinism and uncertainty; probability, hypothesis testing, and Bayesian approaches; agnostic testing and big data; team science; peer review; replication; correlation and causation; bias in design, analysis, reporting and sponsorship of research; bias in the public perception of science, mass media and research; and bias in human history and everyday life. Provides students an understanding of how scientific knowledge has been and will be generated; the causes of bias in experimental design and in analytical approaches; and the interactions between deductive and inductive approaches in the generation of knowledge.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-SMA
Instructors:
Ioannidis, J. (PI)
MI 95N: Viruses in the News
Viruses are unique biological entities that resemble both living and inanimate objects. Despite their simple structure they include some of the most devastating and ubiquitous causes of human disease. From smallpox to measles to HIV to the common cold to SARS-CoV-2, viruses have literally changed the course of human history and impacted evolution. They have also been important experimental tools for probing the molecular nature of key biological processes, and they have been utilized in many key discoveries and Nobel Prize-winning research programs. In books, movies, newspapers, and electronic feeds, viruses continue to make the news on a daily basis. Using contemporary media, we will explore the essential nature of viruses, what makes them unique, how they are classified, how they cause disease, key molecular processes, breakthroughs in prevention and treatment, current efforts in trying to eradicate viruses, and cultural iconography pertaining to viruses. In short, this seminar is intended to go viral.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
Instructors:
Siegel, R. (PI)
MUSIC 18N: Musical Dishonesty: Fakes, Forgeries, Counterfeits, Hoaxes, Deceptions, Illusions, and Artifice
Dishonesty is everywhere. Is anything still honest? To answer we examine the myriad types of musical dishonesty, some harmless and fanciful, others deliberate and pernicious: artfully misleading deceptive cadences and fake endings; evident frauds (the fictional band Spinal Tap) and purposely obscured ones (the lip-syncing of Milli Vanilli); psychoacoustic illusions (infinitely ascending Shepard tones); biographical deceptions of "dangerous" rappers and metal bands; fake Mozart manuscripts; ghost composers and AI generated music; the question of sampling; self-mythologized artists from KISS to P-Funk; and so on. Students will also explore examples beyond music, such as current political events and contemporary conspiracy theories.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II
Instructors:
Applebaum, M. (PI)
MUSIC 31N: Behind the Big Drums: Exploring Taiko (ASNAMST 31N)
Preference to Freshman. Since 1992 generations of Stanford students have heard, seen, and felt the power of taiko, big Japanese drums, at Admit Weekend, NSO, or Baccalaureate. Taiko is a relative newcomer to the American music scene. The contemporary ensemble drumming form, or kumidaiko, developed in Japan in the 1950s. The first North American taiko groups emerged from the Japanese American community shortly after and coincided with increased Asian American activism. In the intervening years, taiko has spread into communities in the UK, Europe, Australia, and South America. What drives the power of these drums? In this course, we explore the musical, cultural, historical, and political perspectives of taiko through readings and discussion, conversations with taiko artists, and learn the fundamentals of playing. With the taiko as our focal point, we find intersections of Japanese music, Japanese American history, and Asian American activism, and explore relations between performance, cultural expression, community, and identity.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-EDP
Instructors:
Sano, S. (PI)
;
Uyechi, L. (PI)
MUSIC 33N: Beethoven
This seminar is designed as an in-depth introduction to the music of Ludwig van Beethoven. In addition to exploring the composer's principal works in a variety of genres (symphonies, piano sonatas, string quartets, opera, etc.), we will consider broader questions of biography and reception history. How have images of the composer and the fortunes of his music changed over time? How did his compositions come to define the paradigm of Western classical music? What impact has he had on popular culture? The class is open to all levels of musical expertise; the ability to read music is not a requirement. Come prepared to discover -- or rediscover -- some great music!
Terms: Spr
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II
Instructors:
Hinton, S. (PI)
MUSIC 34N: Performing America: The Broadway Musical
Musical theater and the representation of American identities in the twentieth century to the present. Issues of class, race, gender, and sexuality; intersections with jazz, rock, and pop; roles of lyricist, composer, director, choreographer, producer, performers. Individual shows (Showboat, Oklahoma, West Side Story, Company, Les Mis¿rables, Into the Woods, Wicked, Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, Heathers); musical theater "song types" across eras; show tunes in popular culture at large; musicals on film, television, and social media. Opportunities for performance and attending local productions.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-CE, GER:DB-Hum, WAY-A-II
Instructors:
Grey, T. (PI)
NENS 67N: Intracellular Trafficking and Neurodegeneration
Preference to freshmen. Cell structures and functions, the intracellular trafficking system that maintains exchanges of materials and information inside cells, and clinical features and pathologies of neurodegenerative diseases. Techniques for examining cellular and subcellular structures, especially cytoskeletons; functional insights generated from structural explorations. Prerequisite: high school biology.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-SMA
Instructors:
Yang, Y. (PI)
OB 110N: Savvy: Learning How to Communicate with Purpose
Our seminar is designed for students interested in improving their communication skills. Right now, you probably don't spend much time thinking about the way you communicate, nor are you likely, in the academic setting, to get much feedback on the messages you send. Yet the quality of your communication will have a large impact on your overall effectiveness in building relationships and getting things done, both in the university setting and later in your career. Each of the sessions in our seminar will help you appreciate the nature and complexity of communication and provide guidelines for both improving your communication style and recognizing the unique styles of others. In each class session, we'll consider a number of well-studied forms of interpersonal communication. And, we'll rely heavily on experiential learning to bring the concepts to life. For example, to better understand the dynamics of unstructured, spontaneous communication, we will participate in an improvisational th
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Our seminar is designed for students interested in improving their communication skills. Right now, you probably don't spend much time thinking about the way you communicate, nor are you likely, in the academic setting, to get much feedback on the messages you send. Yet the quality of your communication will have a large impact on your overall effectiveness in building relationships and getting things done, both in the university setting and later in your career. Each of the sessions in our seminar will help you appreciate the nature and complexity of communication and provide guidelines for both improving your communication style and recognizing the unique styles of others. In each class session, we'll consider a number of well-studied forms of interpersonal communication. And, we'll rely heavily on experiential learning to bring the concepts to life. For example, to better understand the dynamics of unstructured, spontaneous communication, we will participate in an improvisational theatre workshop, taught by one of the artists-in-residence at the Groundlings Theater in Los Angeles. To better understand persuasive communication tactics, we'll participate in role-play exercises, competitive games, and negotiation simulations. For each tactic, we'll talk about why it works, when it works best, and what its limitations might be. We'll discuss how you can put these approaches to work in order to support your goals. After taking this course, you will be better able to: (1) identify strategies for crafting effective communication in the form of everyday conversation, written work, and public presentations, (2) develop techniques for building strong, long-term relationships with your peers, and (3) become more persuasive in advancing an agenda, acquiring resources, or gaining support from others. These skills will be invaluable to you as you grow and develop here at Stanford and beyond.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
Instructors:
Flynn, F. (PI)
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