| Category | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| HW | 1 |
| Quizzes | 1 |
| Exams | 1 |
This class explores different scientific principles and ideas through the lens of science fiction novels, films, and TV shows. It is meant to introduce a broad range of scientific concepts to students who may not necessarily have a strong background in STEM. Some of the major questions covered include "What is the nature of space and time?", "What is the universe made of?", "Can a machine become self-aware?", and "Are we alone in the universe?". Much of the content taught in the class is introduced with in-class demonstrations as well as clips from movies and TV shows which makes for a very entertaining mode of learning. Be warned: you will watch a lot of Star Trek.
There are five homework problems that require completing some calculations for hypothetical situations similar to those shown in the clips from lecture. Many of these problems have samples in the textbook which follow a similar process, so the bulk of the work is determining what assumptions you are making and finding the quantitative values to use.
Variable-length Canvas quizzes are assigned after each major topic. They consist of multiple-choice questions that are fairly straightforward if you attend lecture regularly.
After each major topic covered in class, you will write a brief 2-3 page research paper that answers one of the listed prompts related to the topic. These papers will need to reference specific sources, although the prompts given by the professor come with suggested academic journal articles that you can use to fully answer the prompt.
Two 4-5 page long film critiques are assigned during the semester. These papers involve watching one of several films from a list, writing a synopsis of the film, and answering specific questions associated with that film. The rubric for the grading of the film critiques is very clear, so this is a pretty low-stress assignment. It also gives you a good excuse to watch a movie that you may have been wanting to watch for a long time but never got around to watching.
You will conduct two Field Projects in groups of three. For the project, you go and explore campus during lecture time while taking measurements and making observations that you then record in a fairly informal report.
The Final Exam consists of a Canvas quiz that is similar to the quizzes given after each major topic.
There are occasionally extra credit assignments announced during lecture that are very generous in the number of points they are worth. The extra credit assignments usually involve looking up a scientific phenomenon in current events and emailing what you find to the professor.
- Textbook: Barry B. Luokkala, Exploring Science Through Science Fiction Second Edition (Springer 2019)