What is the universe made of at the smallest level? How do we know how subatomic particle interact?

In this class, we will cover the basic period table of elementary particles, fundamental forces, talk about standard model, conservation laws and symmetries, the Higgs boson, and applications to cosmology.


Prerequisites
Knowledge of basic physics concepts (Energy, Momentum) would be useful!

This course will examine public bus, subway, and commuter rail systems in cities across the world in an effort to understand what really drives mobility and gives residents of a city access to opportunity. Case studies will include Delhi, New Haven, Buenos Aires, and Detroit.

Topology studies properties of objects preserved by "stretching" without tearing; hence, the famous joke that topologists cannot tell the difference between their coffee cups and doughnuts. This course will introduce the fundamental concepts of topology including open and closed sets, topological spaces, and continuous maps. A purely topological proof of the infinitude of primes will also be presented.


Prerequisites
2 years of high school algebra and 1 year of high school geometry. An interest in pure mathematics would be helpful.

Want not only enjoy the beauty of the Yale campus, but document it in pencil as well? Come join me in wandering through the campus, exploring nooks and crannies, basking in the sun, and seeking for the most beautiful places on campus to plop down and sketch! [Seminar]

Every day scientists are discovering more and more about our most powerful muscle: the brain!

Throughout this course, various significant course studies in the field of neuroscience will be discussed, with the occasional optical illusions.

Be prepared to boggle your brain.


Prerequisites
None!

This class will cover the causes and details of one of the most tumultuous events in European history.


Prerequisites
None

An introduction to beekeeping in the city, discussing why this movement has appeared, as well as how to take care of the hive itself.

Ever feel stressed out? Learn to use your mind to control itself and manage your stress. This class will teach you several simple and easy mindfulness-based techniques for stress reduction.

The history of inventions and ideas is, in the US, often taught with an overwhelming focus on European innovations. But developments in the Far East often ran ahead: Chinese pyrotechnics were famous, both as entertainment and weapens; their musical instruments pulled off tricks that Western acoustics could only just recently understand. We'll talk about this technological history, how it compared to the that in the West, and the peoples at work in each.

This course will cover topics in vertebrate evolution and paleontology such as the evolution of dinosaurs, the evolution of fish and early land vertebrates, the evolution of mammals, and the evolution of humans! This course is divided into four separate lectures which together provide a solid understanding of the diversity of vertebrate evolution over the course of past 525 million years.

In 1993, Jurassic Park was released and set a new standard for the appearance and morphology of dinosaurs. Today, through the discovery of exquisite Chinese fossils and the hard work of many scientists, we now know much more about the morphology, physiology, and behaviors of dinosaurs, most of which contradicts those found in the 1993 film. In this class, we will discuss what we think dinosaurs really looked like and how we think they behaved in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The class will also cover the phylogenetic connections between non-avian dinosaurs and birds that have ultimately allowed us to make certain inferences about these Mesozoic creatures.

We will explore poetry that reveals the inadequacies of language and where it inevitably fails its role as a medium for communication. In doing so we will be asking ourselves the questions: What is the role of language in our lives? Is language in its current form actually able to achieve these goals? But most importantly we will be asking ourselves the question of expressibility, how much of our minds are we actually able to speak out.

Take a peek into the country known as the “Hermit Kingdom.” In 50 minutes, we will blast through 50+ years of history, beginning with the formation of the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea, and explore the glamorous aspects of North Korean culture and the not-so-glamorous state of human rights in this isolated country. You will begin to understand why relations between the US and North Korea become more and more strained. [Seminar]

This class will offer a basic introduction to commonly used Japanese words and phrases. Come ready to learn and practice simple Japanese conversations!


Prerequisites
NO prior knowledge of Japanese!

Do you want to learn how to juggle? This is intended for beginning jugglers.

This course will be a quick peak into the history & art of R&B music. The class will begin with a little bit of background on how R&B came to exist. This will be followed by some vocal warm-ups and some improvisational R&B work. We will finish off the class by learning an arrangement of a popular R&B song which the whole class will then perform & record.


Prerequisites
A willingness to sing & learn music!

In the game of Nim, you and your friend have several piles of Goldfish and alternate turns. When it's your turn, you pick a nonempty pile and eat some Goldfish from it. If you eat the last Goldfish, you win! As it turns out, this game is very important to combinatorial game theory, a field of mathematics. Discover how to beat your friends at this game and eat lots of Goldfish in the process! [Seminar]


Prerequisites
A hunger for Goldfish and a thirst for knowledge.

Phonetics is the study of how people create and perceive sounds in speech. We'll learn how to classify the different sounds that English speakers make. We'll get some practice making these sounds and look at what actually goes on in our mouths when we do. We'll also learn how to transcribe them using the International Phonetic Alphabet.

Want to learn the traditional art of Japanese paper folding? This class will cover basic folds involved in origami and will teach you how to make origami including paper stars, cranes, and turtles. Everyone in the class will also participate in making a group origami piece!

This is a 50 minute survey class and we will not have the time to go into depth on many of the regional politics of the Middle East. This class serves to introduce you to the most circulated words relating to the Middle East today. Although relevant historical language will be touched upon, the lecture’s focus is exposure over any sort of expertise. Based on student preference (determined by a random vote in class), one of a multitude of conflicts in the Middle East will be used as a case study for understanding how historical events came together to create complex ethical, religious, political, humanitarian issues of worldwide consequence.

We're going to take our best guess at where extraterrestrial life could be found in our solar system, and what exactly could live there. We'll design beings with biological features that would support life in the temperature, atmosphere, pressure, and other environmental factors of other worlds. Build your own alien here!

This class will cover the causes and details of one of the most tumultuous events in European history. [Seminar]


Prerequisites
None

The history of inventions and ideas is, in the US, often taught with an overwhelming focus on European innovations. But developments in the Far East often ran ahead: Chinese pyrotechnics were famous, both as entertainment and weapens; their musical instruments pulled off tricks that Western acoustics could only just recently understand. We'll talk about this technological history, how it compared to the that in the West, and the peoples at work in each.

Ever wonder, how much electricity could this (or that) rooftop generate if there were solar electrical panels installed on it? Answers are available from this quick course in power estimation. Learn professional techniques from a licensed solar electrician with 3 years of field experience.

Visit http://solareducational.blogspot.com
For details.


Prerequisites
Students are expected to know how to multiply fractions and decimals. An understanding of basic electricity is preferred but not required.

This course will cover topics in vertebrate evolution and paleontology such as the evolution of dinosaurs, the evolution of fish and early land vertebrates, the evolution of mammals, and the evolution of humans! This course is divided into four separate lectures which together provide a solid understanding of the diversity of vertebrate evolution over the course of past 525 million years.

Learn how a few simple economic principles explain just about everything and apply these to a series of real-world scenarios.

The first man on the Moon was the American Neil Armstrong, but the Soviets - and now the Russians - have achieved a lot in space exploration too! Did you know that nowadays the only way for astronauts to get to the International Space Station is by using a Russian spacecraft? In this seminar, we will at some landmarks in the history of the Soviet and Russian space programs: the rocket scientist and his philosophical ideas that inspired the program, the first satellite, animal, and man in space, the space stations and the spaceships that were developed. Along the way, you will also learn some cool Russian words and how to read them in Cyrillic.

Want to learn about Western Philosophy, but don't know where to start? Or you do, but don't want to spend more than one hour on it? Take this class to get an overview of the progression of Western Philosophy from Plato to Parfit. Come learn what it really means to bring into conversation the big names of philosophy such as Aristotle, Cicero, Aquinas, Descartes, Hume, Kant, Mill, Hegel, Nietzsche and more! [Seminar]

In this class students will be introduced to the growing sensation and wondrous labor of love that is genealogy and family history. Accessible internet tools for beginning basic genealogical research will be presented and discussed. Interesting case studies will show how simple detective skills permit everyone and anyone to mine the current mountain of public documents to uncover the mysteries of who we are, where we came from and why we are here. [Seminar]


Prerequisites
A desire for goodness

In this class, we will read and discuss a selection of the works of T.S. Eliot, with an emphasis on engaging the works and comparing alternative interpretations.

A look into the world of bacteria.

This course will give a brief overview of the different types of bacteria, factors influencing their growth as well as physical and chemical methods of control.

This is Part I of the course.


Prerequisites
High school Biology

Want to know more about an overlooked gem in America? Come learn about Georgia's traditions, culture, food, and glorious getaways, and you'll see why we love this state! Favorite foods of Georgia will be provided!

Ever wonder, how much electricity could this (or that) rooftop generate if there were solar electrical panels installed on it? Answers are available from this quick course in power estimation. Learn professional techniques from a licensed solar electrician with 3 years of field experience.

Visit http://solareducational.blogspot.com
For details.


Prerequisites
Students are expected to know how to multiply fractions and decimals. An understanding of basic electricity is preferred but not required.

Want to learn the traditional art of Japanese paper folding? This class will cover basic folds involved in origami and will teach you how to make origami including paper stars, cranes, and turtles. Everyone in the class will also participate in making a group origami piece!

Ever feel stressed out? Learn to use your mind to control itself and manage your stress. This class will teach you several simple and easy mindfulness-based techniques for stress reduction.

This is a 50 minute survey class and we will not have the time to go into depth on many of the regional politics of the Middle East. This class serves to introduce you to the most circulated words relating to the Middle East today. Although relevant historical language will be touched upon, the lecture’s focus is exposure over any sort of expertise. Based on student preference (determined by a random vote in class), one of a multitude of conflicts in the Middle East will be used as a case study for understanding how historical events came together to create complex ethical, religious, political, humanitarian issues of worldwide consequence.

The history of inventions and ideas is, in the US, often taught with an overwhelming focus on European innovations. But developments in the Far East often ran ahead: Chinese pyrotechnics were famous, both as entertainment and weapens; their musical instruments pulled off tricks that Western acoustics could only just recently understand. We'll talk about this technological history, how it compared to the that in the West, and the peoples at work in each.

This course will cover topics in vertebrate evolution and paleontology such as the evolution of dinosaurs, the evolution of fish and early land vertebrates, the evolution of mammals, and the evolution of humans! This course is divided into four separate lectures which together provide a solid understanding of the diversity of vertebrate evolution over the course of past 525 million years.

Take a peek into the country known as the “Hermit Kingdom.” In 50 minutes, we will blast through 50+ years of history, beginning with the formation of the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea, and explore the glamorous aspects of North Korean culture and the not-so-glamorous state of human rights in this isolated country. You will begin to understand why relations between the US and North Korea become more and more strained. [Seminar]

This class will offer a basic introduction to commonly used Japanese words and phrases. Come ready to learn and practice simple Japanese conversations!


Prerequisites
NO prior knowledge of Japanese!

The Spartans earned their reputation as the world's fiercest warriors; from birth, their entire upbringing was geared towards forging soldiers out of men. This lecture will take students through the life and death of a Spartan male, while giving due attention to their mastery of phalanx warfare.

An introductory investigation into the mind using the analytic philosophical approach. The seminar will be largely discussion based, and will investigate such questions as - What is the mind? Which mental capacities are our most basic and important? Which features of the mind are innate, and which do we acquire (and how)? How do these different features shape our experience of the world? [Seminar]

Are you interested in composing or arranging for a cappella groups or string, wind, or brass quartets? If you know how to read music, you're already most of the way there. This class will present a set of guidelines (not rules, you can break them!) intended to help you get started. From here, all it takes is practice and a bit of pushiness to get people to sing or play your music.


Prerequisites
Ability to read music in treble and bass clef

Form and function of the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera).
Will cover the basic anatomy of the honey bee, life cycle, and the importance of bees to our society.


Prerequisites
Biology

Do you want to know what is? You don't know it? You want to know it? And many more questions. This class explores the foundations of what you think it is. Your mind will always be different, even after this class.


Prerequisites
A basic understanding

Where did we come from? What did the first organisms look like? This class will attempt to explain the origin of life through the assessment of our current knowledge of the topic.


Prerequisites
Some basic biology and chemistry would be helpful.

A look into the world of bacteria.

This course will give a brief overview of the different types of bacteria, factors influencing their growth as well as physical and chemical methods of control.

This is Part II of the course. It is highly recommended that you take Part I with Part II.


Prerequisites
High school Biology

Ever feel stressed out? Learn to use your mind to control itself and manage your stress. This class will teach you several simple and easy mindfulness-based techniques for stress reduction.

Want to know more about an overlooked gem in America? Come learn about Georgia's traditions, culture, food, and glorious getaways, and you'll see why we love this state! Favorite foods of Georgia will be provided!

In this class students will be introduced to the growing sensation and wondrous labor of love that is genealogy and family history. Accessible internet tools for beginning basic genealogical research will be presented and discussed. Interesting case studies will show how simple detective skills permit everyone and anyone to mine the current mountain of public documents to uncover the mysteries of who we are, where we came from and why we are here. [Seminar]


Prerequisites
A desire for goodness

This course will cover topics in vertebrate evolution and paleontology such as the evolution of dinosaurs, the evolution of fish and early land vertebrates, the evolution of mammals, and the evolution of humans! This course is divided into four separate lectures which together provide a solid understanding of the diversity of vertebrate evolution over the course of past 525 million years.

Come learn your SAT tips & tricks for a better score. This test is beatable, and I will show you how.

In this class, we will cover the Critical Reading, Grammar and Essay sections. [4-week class]

Big data is leading to a revolution in how many companies, governments, and other entities do research and make decisions. In this course, we will explore some of these advances along with the mathematical and computational structure behind them. [4-week class]


Prerequisites
Strong grasp of algebra and good intuition about statistics and mathematical logic. Basic programming skills are recommended

Come learn the science behind hijacking living organisms to perform all kinds of helpful processes faster and cheaper than ever before! Over the course of four weeks, an ongoing undergraduate research project will be used as the framework for this course.

An open ended, introductory course meant to expose students to a sampling of topics in philosophy including ethics and popular thought experiments. Lessons will include a brief introduction of the material followed by a classroom discussion, allowing students to formulate arguments and assess those of their classmates. If you have any questions email me at zachary.fishman@yale.edu. [4-week class]

When we are little, we have a pretty basic understanding of infinity, how we can count and count and never end. But when we do more complicated work with infinity, it suddenly isn't so intuitive. How do we deal with that concept when it is applied to philosophy, probability, and real-life? What can we learn from using infinitude in fractals? [4-week class]


Prerequisites
Basic algebra

This course will be an introduction to the interdisciplinary study of how the mind works.

We will discuss the methods and tools used in research; we will review important results of Neuroscience and Psychology studies; we will also see whether these results support assumptions drawn from the Philosophical works of Schopenhauer and Descartes.

Key topics: Brain modules (acquired vs. innate), Dualism, Prefrontal Cortex vs. Amygdala, Religion as a potential byproduct of the way our brains work, Moral Typecasting in Babies, Monkeys and Money, Love and Attraction, etc. [4-week class]

Parasites, bacteria and viruses - oh my! These microbes are around us all the time, but what happens when they reside within us? During this 4-week course, we will cover the life cycle of specific pathogens and touch on the medical impact that they have. By the end of the course, participants will be able to discuss the good, the bad and the ugly of these microbes! [4-week class]

Join us for a fun four part lecture series surveying the civilizations that have come to define the Ancient Era. Includes discussions of Egyptian Civilization, Spartan Society, The Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire.

In this course we will be learning about many of the local plants right here in New Haven! We will explore how each one can be used either in medicine or in recreation. Some plants can be used to make teas for illness or ointments for burns and scrapes, others can be used for biofuels or for tools like rope. Come and discover all if the possibilities that are growing in your own backyard! [4-week class]

Why knuckles crack, bruises change color and other things you’ve always wanted to know about the human body. [4-week class]


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of Biology

This four-week class will cover everything and anything concerning food. The subjects considered address the psychology, biology and politics of food, with topics ranging from nutrition and obesity to agriculture and advertising.

Do you like drawing? Have you ever wanted to learn techniques to improve your drawing? If you answered yes, then this class is for you. Over the course of four sessions, I will be helping you improve your drawing. We will start with still life in the first session, and cover topics such as drawing from a picture, and drawing a model. We will also be using different media in our work, including sketch pencils, charcoal, colored pencils and pens!

An introduction to political philosophy. If you want to discuss how people actually vote, take a political science course; if you want to discuss how people should vote--indeed, how people should think politically, take this course. We will consider rights and their place, how resources ought to be distributed, and how identity categories (and intersecting oppression based upon them) play into the mix.
At the least we will talk about classical liberalism and conservatism, social liberalism, the Marxist tradition, second and third wave feminism, anti-racism, and LGBTQ liberation.

This four-week course will cover basic principles of optics and their application to traditional microscopy, and discuss popular methods of imaging biological samples using traditional microscopes. As the course progresses, we will transition into more advanced microscopy techniques, including electron microscopy, breaking the diffraction limit, fluorescence, and optical trapping. Each topic will include real-life examples of applications of the microscopes described.


Prerequisites
A basic understanding of biology would be helpful, but not absolutely required.

What would happen if you wrote five days a week for an entire month? What would you write about? How would you come up with ideas? How would you write even when you really didn't feel like it? What unexpected things would you learn about people, places, things, and yourself? Exercise your writing muscles and imagination in this month-long exploration of the world around us, complete with fun writing exercises and illuminating readings from writers such as David Foster Wallace, Cormac McCarthy, Gay Talese, and more!


Prerequisites
An interest in writing and in thinking about the world around you. A willingness to write a short piece five days a week.