Splash Biography
JACOB FELDMAN, Studying Chemistry and Comparative Literature
Major: Chemistry/Comparative Literature College/Employer: Yale Year of Graduation: 2027 |
|
Brief Biographical Sketch:
Hi! My name is Jacob, and I'm a first-year student in Yale College studying chemistry and comparative literature. I was born in White Plains, NY (about 1.5 hours west of New Haven) and grew up in the surrounding area. I've loved science all my life and am very, very passionate about chemistry. I'm currently a student researcher in the Holland Group in the Chemistry Department, where I work on the synthesis of novel organometallic compounds. Aside from science, I enjoy learning about foreign languages and literatures. I started learning French in middle school and fell in love with the language. I'm currently learning German and Toki Pona (a constructed language) and hope to someday learn Japanese as well. I also love vexillology (the study of flags), crossword puzzles, and hedgehogs. Past Classes(Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)E4942: Mathematics in The Simpsons and Futurama in Sprout Fall 2024 (Oct. 05 - 12, 2024)
It looks like someone's just solved one of the most famous unanswered problems in all of mathematics. Who was the pioneering genius who finally figured it out? A sentient calculator? A hyper-advanced AI? The resurrected corpse of Albert Einstein? Or could it be... Homer Simpson? Homer's attempt to solve Fermat's Last Theorem is little more than a freeze-frame gag in a 1998 episode of The Simpsons, but it speaks to a broader love affair between the show and all things math. In this course, we'll talk about how the writers of The Simpsons have been slipping math jokes and references into their episodes—and (almost) getting away with it—for over 34 years. We'll also talk a little bit about the math and physics of The Simpsons's sister series, Futurama.
E4944: A Crash Course in Canadian Politics in Sprout Fall 2024 (Oct. 05 - 12, 2024)
Canada is one of the United States' closest allies, and you'd probably be forgiven for mistaking a Canadian for an American. But do you know anything about how Canada's government works? Do they have political parties like Democrats and Republicans? Justin Trudeau seems to be in the news a lot—what does he do? And are they really still a part of the British monarchy? Understanding Canadian politics isn't just interesting—it's also incredibly helpful in trying to make sense of modern American politics. In this class, we'll talk about the bedrock of how Canada's government works as well as issues and politicians that are relevant to Canadian politics today.
S4880: Edible Chemistry: Science You Can Eat in Splash Spring 2024 (Apr. 06, 2024)
You might have seen someone point to a bag of chips or candy and say: "oh, don't eat that... it's full of chemicals." But the reality is that all of our food—everything from bread to beef to bananas—is made of chemicals! In this class, we'll talk about the tasty science behind food: what different kinds of molecules do different foods contain? How do those molecules change and react when we cook food? And how do our bodies sense different molecules through taste? You'll never look at food in the same way again... :)
H4882: Charles Baudelaire and the Flowers of Evil in Splash Spring 2024 (Apr. 06, 2024)
Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867) is widely considered to be one of the greatest poets in the history of the French language. His work brought about the beginnings of modernity in French art, and his poetry collection Les Fleurs du mal (The Flowers of Evil) is now celebrated for its revolutionary ideas on the poetics of Beauty and Death. Yet Baudelaire's poetry was less widely embraced during his lifetime: when The Flowers of Evil was first published in 1857, it was met with horror and scandal—even leading some of its poems to be formally censured by a French court. In this class, we'll discuss and analyze a handful of poems from The Flowers of Evil and also talk about Baudelaire's tempestuous personal journey from his rocky childhood up until his death in poverty and sickness.
*Quick Note: Baudelaire's poetry often explicitly speaks to topics that some might find difficult to discuss, such as death and sexuality.*
H4883: The Simpsons and American Culture in Splash Spring 2024 (Apr. 06, 2024)
Homer: "Do you want the job done right, or do you want it done fast?"
Marge: "Well, like all Americans… fast!"
Homer's Life Coach: "You have what made America great: no understanding of the limits of your power and a complete lack of concern for what anyone thinks of you."
Homer: "If you don’t like your job, you don’t go on strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed—that’s the American way."
Though The Simpsons may—on its surface—appear to be a silly, carefree show about couch gags and steamed hams, a closer look reveals intelligently planned plotlines that offer poignant, satirical takes on modern life in the U.S. Over the years, they've tackled sensitive topics like gun ownership and religion—all while bringing the laughs. In this class, we'll talk about the ways in which American culture influenced The Simpsons and, of course, the ways in which The Simpsons influenced American culture.
H4895: Quarks and Quatrains: At the Intersection of Science and Poetry in Splash Spring 2024 (Apr. 06, 2024)
We often think about science and art as two conflicting forces with two conflicting perspectives on the world: one rational and steeped in logic, the other creative and steeped in emotion. But an in-depth examination of artistic traditions, both antiquated and modern, reveals that many scientific themes and ideas are much more "poetic" in nature than you might otherwise think. In this class, we'll search for scientific themes in the oeuvres of major poets, read poetry written by major scientists of the last few centuries, and discuss the deep philosophical relationships between these two domains of knowledge.
H4798: Toki Pona: The Language You Can Learn in One Hour in Splash Fall 2023 (Nov. 11, 2023)
Yes, you read that right! Toki Pona, a constructed language created by Canadian linguist Sonja Lang in 2001, can be learned extremely quickly thanks to its small vocabulary. While most languages have hundreds of thousands of unique words—the Oxford English Dictionary has 171,476 entires!—Toki Pona has only 120. This not only makes Toki Pona very easy to learn but also adds a puzzle-like element to the language: since Toki Pona doesn't have words for most real-world objects or actions, you have to create words yourself based on those 120 building blocks. Thus, when you're learning Toki Pona, you're solving a puzzle with every word you speak.
mi wile pana sona e sina toki pona! (I hope to teach you Toki Pona!)
H4802: Flags! What They Mean (And Why They Matter) in Splash Fall 2023 (Nov. 11, 2023)
To put it simply: flags are everywhere! We see the American flag almost every day—in classrooms, in people's homes, and on uniforms—and you can probably recognize the flags of at least a few foreign countries. (Can you picture the maple leaf on Canada's flag? The spoked wheel on India's flag? The eagle on Mexico's flag?) Flags are all around us, but we rarely stop to think about where they come from—or what they mean. In this class, we'll talk about vexillology (the study of flags) and the history and meaning of these powerful symbols. We'll also look at recent efforts to redesign flags around the world and even propose some designs of our own!
S4809: The Chemistry of Color in Splash Fall 2023 (Nov. 11, 2023)
Did you know that horseshoe crabs have blue blood? That's not to say that they're of noble birth... their blood really is blue! That's because their blood contains hemocyanin, a metalloprotein that transports oxygen using cobalt atoms—and it's cobalt that makes horseshoe crab blood blue. In contrast, our blood uses hemoglobin for oxygen transport; hemoglobin contains iron, making our blood red. So why do cobalt and iron produce different colors? In this course, we'll talk about the chemistry of color (what is color, really, and how is it produced?) and the chemistry behind color-changing reactions, both those seen in a lab and those seen in everyday life. We'll also discuss some applications of this chemistry and why color matters!
S4813: Edible Chemistry: Science You Can Eat in Splash Fall 2023 (Nov. 11, 2023)
You might have seen someone point to a bag of chips or candy and say: "oh, don't eat that... it's full of chemicals." But the reality is that all of our food—everything from bread to beef to bananas—is made of chemicals! In this class, we'll talk about the tasty science behind food: what different kinds of molecules do different foods contain? How do those molecules change and react when we cook food? And how do our bodies sense different molecules through taste? You'll never look at food in the same way again... :)
|