Week 1

Week 1

Monday, September 27

• Introductions: we went around and introduced ourselves to one another.

• We discussed the syllabus

Wednesday, September 29

• Link to today's notes [class members only]. You are invited to contribute in real time to the notes to review what we've done. Focus on general ideas and avoid recording any personal anecdotes. 

• Due before class: make sure you've read a recent Scientific American article.

• Check Ins: reconnected

• Reading Scientific Writing: discussion of Scientific American selections 

Reading (required)

• For Wednesday: pick any recent article in Scientific American and read it. You will give a 2 minute summary of the article. (If you are off campus, you may need to use the VPN to access issues.)
  
  Be ready to identify (1) what is newsworthy in the article, (2) why the reader should care about the subject of the article, (3) what is the next step in this story? Please also keep track of questions that you have as you read the article.
  
  Here are some shortcuts from the October issue, you may pick any one of these (or a main article from another recent issue)

  • "Infinity Category Theory Offers a Bird's Eye View of Mathematics"

  • "Wildfire Is Transforming Alaska and Amplifying Climate Change"

  • "Social Capital in Black Communities Is Often Overlooked"

  • "Weird Muons May Point to New Particles and Forces of Nature"

  • "Extreme Birding Competition Is a Cutthroat Test of Skill, Strategy and Endurance"

  • "Massively Reducing Food Waste Could Feed the World"

  • "AI Designs Quantum Physics Experiments beyond What Any Human Has Conceived"

You may also pick an article from a similar publication, e.g. Quanta or Symmetry.  

• Listen to Part I of "The Merchant & The Alchemist's Gate."

  • You're also encouraged to listen to Part II if you want to hear how the story ends. The story is reprinted in Ted Chiang's recent collection,  Exhalation: Stories.

  • We will discuss this next Monday

Assignments

• Due Monday 10/4: Write a one page essay explaining how to do something that you do well. The audience of the essay is your classmates.  Submission link. We're being deliberately vague about the assignment: feel free to interpret it within the confines of being only one page long.

• Due Monday 10/4: Introduce yourself to your classmates! Please record a brief  video introducing yourself. It should be around 5 minutes, but we won't be picky.

  • Please record somewhere where it is safe to show your entire face so we can see your smile. 

  • Your video should start with your name and pronouns (how you'd like to be addressed). You can repeat the information you shared during our first class (hometown, major, something that got you through the pandemic, something you're good at), or you can add any other information you'd like to share. If you are bold, you can share your hopes, dreams, and fears for college. 

  • Prof. Tanedo's intro video

  • Submission link.

• Due Monday 10/4: If you haven't filled out the pre-class survey, please do so.