In this class, we will discuss the mysterious world of black holes. Starting with basic physics, we will derive the Schwarzschild radius and discuss the different types of black holes. At the end of the class, we will talk about the importance of black holes in formation of structure (like galaxies) from the early universe to today.


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of physics and algebra.

How can a color have a taste, or a sound have a texture? Certain people have a condition known as synesthesia that causes them to mix up their senses. In this seminar, we'll explore the discovery of synesthesia, its effects on the human brain, and unsolved mysteries in the field.

This class will be focused on active galactic nuclei (AGN), or the extremely luminous centers of galaxies. These centers are composed of supermassive black holes and their accompanying accretion disks. Students will have the opportunity to learn more about these strange cosmic phenomena, how to identify them, and how their activity affects other processes in the universe.

A brief overview of Earth's atmosphere and climate with a focus on how satellite images are utilized to study these. Using satellite images, various weather patterns and current events will be discussed including cloud formation, hurricanes, and climate change. Students will learn to read and decipher weather maps and satellite images.

Nanotechnology, the the science of extraordinarily small things, is expanding its roots into modern medicine. Capitalizing on the unique kinetic properties of nanoscale objects allows researchers to explore brand new therapeutics that have never been seen before. One such therapeutic is the nanoparticle - small beadlike structures that can package important molecules and be shipped to different parts of the body. These biodegradable nanoparticles ultimately offer a new way of fighting difficult diseases like cancer or type 1 diabetes.

This class will cover many of the basic molecular biology techniques used in current research, such as DNA and RNA extraction, PCR, gel electrophoresis, cloning and DNA sequencing. Students will also perform a DNA extraction experiment, where they will be able to see their own DNA.

How do we find exoplanets? What can we learn about these planets by looking at a tiny bit of their light coming from so far away? Most importantly, what kind of planets have we found/hope to find? We will discuss the transit photometry method (eclipses!) and the Kepler mission, as well as cool and unexpected results that have come up over the years.

Today so many kids are discouraged from Computer Science as they compare themselves with unrealistic Hollywood portrayals of Computer Science. Who can hack into the NSA in 3 minutes in real life? How can CSI agents seemingly ‘unblur’ a car to get its license plate (I can’t even make out what that looks like)? My class aims to break down these conceptions while offering a hopeful view of Computer Science. We will explore some of the paradigms that are currently used in the industry, in places like Google and Facebook, to show them how these “revolutionary” algorithms could have easily been thought up by us. Throughout the class I will be talking about my experience as well and some of the things I have done personally. We will be tackling these problems together in an interactive class where I encourage students to question everything they think they know.