Art and physics, for most, seem like disparate fields. However, the same revolutionary ideas that broke stylistic molds for artists also inspired tectonic shifts in our understanding of physical reality. If you’ve ever walked into an art museum and felt intimidated by paintings with random splashes of color and felt like you couldn’t discern any reasonable meaning, it’s probably because the composition challenges your very understanding of light, space, and time. This is the same feeling that many students have when confronted with Einstein’s theory of relativity and Schrödinger’s quantum mechanics. These proven physical theories challenge our intuition and bring into question our standard definitions of light, space, time, and even matter. In our HSSP class, we (an art enthusiast and a fledgling physicist) will aim to dissect the modern paradigm shift in thought around the early 20th century and onward by exploring connections underlying modern art and physics. Since this class really aims at understanding the roots of an intellectual revolution, there will be an emphasis on in-class activities focused on getting into the mindset of the pioneering artists and physicists of the 20th century. This may include but is not limited to active discussions, hands-on art projects, and group problem solving. We will also spend time on developing some theoretical background in special relativity and quantum mechanics to understand their implications and how they change our perception of reality. Come with an open mind and an enthusiasm to learn. We hope to challenge you to explore new perspectives and look forward to learning from you as well!

We will be exploring connections between different periods of art (from ancient to contemporary) and developments in the sciences (physics, chemistry, and biology). Some topics to be investigated include how artists and scientists approach the wave-particle duality of light, dimension of time, and different ways to visualize macroscopic and microscopic worlds. Each class will include both active discussion and hands-on work, so be prepared to explore different art media and styles each week!

Have you ever wanted to make water disappear, concoct homemade root beer, or extract DNA from the food in your kitchen? If you are enthusiastic about learning, enjoy asking crazy questions, and want to channel your inner mad scientist, this class is for you! We will be exploring topics such as chemical reactions, microbiology, and more through hands-on experiments.

Did you take general chemistry (such as AP Chemistry) and love VSEPR theory, but want to learn more? Wish that your biology class (any level) explained how amino acids magically connect together to form polypeptides (which then fold into proteins)? Then this class is for you! We’ll study organic chemistry, including reactions involving alkyl halides, alkenes, alkynes, alcohols, aromatic rings, and carbonyl compounds. Class time will be a mix of lecture and problem solving (both synthesis and reaction mechanism questions). I’ll also provide some questions as homework; I won’t require you to do them, but you’ll likely learn a lot more if you practice! Throughout the class, principles and strategies will be emphasized over memorization, but there will be lots of material covered at a very fast pace!