Vaguely interested in science but bored by what they teach in high school? Very interested in science and looking to explore different fields? If you are interested in learning more about: stem cells, genetic engineering, neuroscience, cancer, aging, virology, hormones, computational biology, as well as more practical things like, how to find internships doing medical research in high school or what jobs actually exist for biotech people, this is the class for you. Each lesson covers the basics within a specific field; the second part will cover the most recent biotechnological advances in that field, with an emphasis on applications.

Look beyond premed into the rapidly expanding world of biotechnology. If you are considering studying science in college, but aren’t sure what area interests you, this is the class for you. If you think you know what you like, but want to be sure before you eliminate all other possibilities, this also is the class for you. Every week we will look at a different field in biotechnology. Each lesson will provide an overview the basic science needed for a general grasp of the that week's field. The second part will cover the most recent biotechnological advances in that field, with an emphasis on applications. Depending on student interest, the class may also explore the ethical dilemmas presented by certain advances. There will also be occasional in-class group projects. The topics covered will include but not be limited to virology, stem cells, genetic engineering, cancer, aging, memory and the brain, bioinformatics, and synthetic biology.

Explore the foundations of cryptography and the applications to information security today. Jump into the world of Facebook and public health records where the wealth of publicly available data has revolutionized the way we protect information and view our right to "privacy". This class will include some math and methods, as well as coding (depending on student interest)- although no prior experience is required.

"Success is as dangerous as failure. Hope is as hollow as fear" ~Taoteching This class will first provide a brief overview of the fundamental principles in traditional Taoist philosophy before opening up the floor to discuss the potential application of these principles- or lack thereof, in the postmodern era. Possible questions may include: Is innovation possible in a society without ambition? If desire is an integral part of human nature, how can one effectively live without it? If "right" and "wrong" are artificially constructed distinctions, what will stand in the way of theft and violence? Students will also be encouraged to think of everyday situations relevant to their own lives.

Look beyond premed into the rapidly expanding world of biotechnology. If you are considering studying science in college, but aren't sure what area interests you, this is the class for you. If you think you know what you like, but want to be sure before you eliminate all other possibilities, this also is the class for you. Every week we will look at a different field in biotechnology- primarily within medicine, but not always. Each lesson will begin by going over the basic science needed for a general grasp of the field itself. The second part of the lesson will cover the most recent biotechnological advances in that field, with an emphasis on practical application. Depending on student interest, the class may also explore the ethical dilemmas presented by certain advances. The topics covered will include but not be limited to virology, stem cells, genetic engineering, cancer, aging, memory and the brain, the human genome project, and synthetic biology.