Tulane Science Scholars Program Courses

Instructor: Dr. Khaled Adjerid, Department of Biomedical Engineering

Course Offered: July 1 - 12, July 15 - 26

This course will introduce students to basic biomedical concepts and measurements, as well as lay a foundation for understanding and using technical terminology employed by pre-clinical students and medical professionals. We will focus on the anatomy and physiology of the musculoskeletal systems and their interplay with other systems in the human body. In addition to lectures, students will gain hands-on measurement experience utilizing modern techniques while also gaining hands-on biomedical design experience through labs and activities.

By the end of this course, students will:

• Recall the basic principles governing the function of the human body and be able to describe broad concepts from the cell to the organism levels.
• Master precise anatomical and medical terminology by being able to comprehend and provide explanations.
• Identify and differentiate major structures and components of the human musculoskeletal systems.
• Interpret, analyze, and elucidate the intricate relationships between the musculoskeletal systems and other bodily systems.
• Apply acquired knowledge to investigate and assess potential career pathways within medicine, biomedical science, and biomedical engineering.
• Analyze and synthesize gained anatomical knowledge by explaining governing functions of existing designs, generating novel designs of their own, and by assessing the functionality of the human body’s ‘designs’.

Instructor: Dr. Elizabeth Abboud, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology

Course Offered: June 10 - 21

This course is designed to introduce you to human metabolism from a biochemical perspective. We will explore the composition of human bodies, how our cells utilize various fuel sources, and the relative nutritional value of different types of foods through discussion of the scientific literature, laboratory experiments and environmental explorations.

By the end of this course, students will:

• Identify and describe the major classes of biomolecules and their cellular functions.
• Describe and evaluate the nutritional composition/value of various food sources.
• Apply knowledge of thermodynamics to evaluate costs/benefits of metabolic processes.
• Apply knowledge of metabolism to evaluate normal and dysregulated energetic states.
• Interact with peers to evaluate, discuss, and communicate experimental results.

Instructor: Dr. Alex McSkimming, Department of Chemistry

Course Offered: July 15 - 26

We are all continually surrounded by chemicals, from drugs to fuel to food additives. Ensuring these materials are free of dangerous contaminants is essential for human health and development. This course will introduce students to the most important techniques for purifying chemicals. We will use what we have learned in the classroom to isolate a number of different molecules in the lab, from ethanol to inorganic materials of eye-catching color.

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Understand the principles that guide solubility and crystallinity.
• Understand the basic theory behind separation techniques including extraction, distillation, recrystallization, sublimation and chromatography.
• Separate polar materials from non-polar using all of the above methods.
• Understand what determines the solubility of salts and be able to purify salts using salt metathesis.
• Have a familiarity with the techniques involved in purifying air sensitive chemicals.
• Communicate scientific observations precisely and concisely.

Instructor: Matthew Toups, MS, Department of Computer Science

Course Offered: June 10 - 21

This summer session is an introductory course on computer programming, in which the students design, implement, test and debug programs for computational problems using Python programming language. This course emphasizes program design process, object-oriented software development approach, and practical programming skills that translate to programming in other modern languages. Assignments include practical problems drawn from various fields (such as biology, linguistics, graphics, and games).

Computational tools are a critical part of our everyday lives. Software is the driving force behind cutting edge scientific discovery, blockbuster entertainment, and today's fast‐paced marketplace ‐ and will continue to become even more important. For instance, big tech companies such as Intel aspire to create technology that will enrich life of every person on earth, in the nearest decade. This course is an introduction to techniques and problem‐solving approaches that are used to develop some of these computational tools. Students will use Python programming language to learn basic programming principles, such as:

• representing and manipulating data of different types;
• iteration, conditional execution;
• modular program design using functions;
• object‐oriented programming;
• writing elegant self‐documenting code and testing its proper operation.

The emphasis will be on concepts that are applicable to programming in most programming languages, not just Python, and on solving problems from different application areas. Upon completion of this course, successful students will be able to design, implement and test computational solutions to problems:

• Break a computational problem into manageable subproblems.
• Write an algorithm to solve a specific problem, and then translate that algorithm into a program in Python.
• Write clear, concise documentation for their code and develop tests to verify proper program operation.

Instructor: Dr. D. Jelagat Cheruiyot, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Course Offered: July 1 - 12

This course is designed to introduce you to plants and how different plants and plant products have shaped human existence. We will explore plant history, plant domestication, and plant products through lecture, readings, discussions, and field trips.

By the end of this course, you will:

• Understand the profound influence of plants on human life on earth as well as human cultures.
• Understand why plants are considered chemical factories on our planet earth.
• Be familiar with some of the plants that have influenced human culture and their impact on civilization.

Instructor: Dr. Colin Jackson, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Course Offered: June 10 - 21

We will explore the Solar System in this class. Lecture material will provide both overviews of the bodies in the planetary bodies and more detailed examination of fundamental geologic processes like volcanism, tectonism and impact cratering. Our bias will be towards the rocky inner planets, but we will not leave asteroids or the outer Solar System out. An emphasis will be placed throughout on how observations of the Solar System are made, and in this context the class will also develop a visible light spectrometer so that we can understand the essential engineering, physics, and data associated with this fundamental observational technique.

After completing this course, students will be able to:

• Identify the major and minor bodies that comprise the solar system.
• Characterize a range of geologic landforms observed throughout the Solar System and describe how they form.
• Link the appearance of geologic landforms change to environmental variables (gravity, composition, distance from the Sun, etc.).
• Describe the different types of remote sensing platforms and how these sensors are used to collect data.
• Understand how remote datasets are interpreted to understand the geology of planetary bodies.
• Explain essential techniques used in sample analysis of extraterrestrial materials.
• Construct your own spectroscopic measurement platform and use it to make observations of natural phenomena.

Instructor: Dr. Ryan Gelfand, Department of Physics and Engineering Physics

Course Offered: July 15 - 26

From the intricacies of electricity and circuits to the marvels of programmable microcontrollers, students will delve into the heart of electronic devices that power our modern world. The course begins with the fundamentals of electricity and electrical circuits before moving on to the behavior of various electronic components. Students explore the concept of programmable circuits, where a circuit can be designed and then programmed via computer to make measurements or perform specific tasks. Using the Arduino framework, students learn to use basic computer programming to measure and interact with the physical world around us using electronics. Hands-on labs help students transform theoretical concepts into practical skills as students build their own devices.

Throughout the session, students will complete a series of hands-on labs intended to strengthen understanding. The course will conclude with students constructing their own Bluetooth speaker. All tools, components, and texts will be provided through the course.

Students will:

• Create basic electronic devices to accomplish prescribed tasks
• Program and utilize microcontrollers in devices and experiments.
• Construct and program a Bluetooth speaker.

Instructor: Dr. Matthew Barrios, Department of Physics and Engineering Physics

Course Offered: July 1 - 12

Unleash your inner innovator in this dynamic engineering course! Dive into the world of the engineering design process, solving real-world problems with a team. Engaging lectures guide you through problem-solving phases, while hands-on experience with Fusion 360 and rapid prototyping tools like 3-D printing and laser cutting elevates your skills. Along the way, you'll also cultivate teamwork and project management abilities. Join us and embark on a journey to unlock your creative potential and shape the future!

Students will:

• Apply the design process to the development of a solution to a "real-world" problem.
• Develop skills in using Fusion 360, a 3-D computer aided design software package.
• Gain experience with rapid prototyping techniques, including 3-D printing and laser cutting.
• Develop skills in teamwork and project management.

Instructor: Dr. Michael Joyce, Department of Mathematics

Course Offered: June 10 - 21

Do you like playing games with strategy in them? Ever wonder how chess experts figure out winning moves? Then this is the course for you! You will explore a range of games – many of which will be completely new to you – and learn how to apply ideas from mathematics to figure out the optimal strategy in the game. In doing so, you will be learning how to think like a mathematician and discover that mathematics is much more interesting than memorizing a bunch of formulas! No mathematical background is required – all you need is curiosity and a willingness to work hard.

In this course, students will:

• Learn advanced mathematical thinking in the context of combinatorial games.
• Explore different strategies to win a wide variety of games and learn several techniques to help them analyze the games.
• Develop their intuitions about game strategies into precise mathematical conjectures and claims that they can test.

Instructor: Dr. Thomas Hebert and Dr. Sara Clark, Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology

Course Offered: July 1 - 12, July 15 - 26

This summer session will focus on the field of Neuroscience, which is the study of the brain. Neuroscientists study everything from the electrical activity of individual brain cells to the behavior of animals and people. TSSP students will have the opportunity to learn from the same techniques and equipment that Tulane neuroscientists use in their own research. Lectures are by Tulane faculty and laboratory activities will be supervised by Tulane faculty members and graduate students.

The activities will include the following:

• PowerPoint college lecture presentations.
• Learn basic brain anatomy by studying actual human brain specimens.
• Learn how to test the effects of drugs on the behavior of rats.
• Learn how to prepare brain tissue for study under a microscope.
• Learn how to measure human brain waves.
• Learn how to interpret data through statistical analysis.
• Learn how to write in the style of science.

Instructor: Dr. Jiang Wei, Dr. Matthew Escarra, Dr. Michael Naguib, and Dr. Xin Lu, Department of Physics and Engineering Physics

Course Offered: July 1 - 12

This summer session will focus on the field of Materials, which is an interdisciplinary field applying the properties of matter to various areas of science and engineering. This two-week (ten-day) course is intended for high school students who wish to explore and stimulate their interest in the materials sciences and engineering. The course consists of rotations between six materials science research laboratories in the Department of Physics and Engineering Physics. Each rotation combines lectures with hands-on laboratory activities to excite and introduce students to contemporary methods and issues in superconductivity, optics and lasers, biomaterials, nanomaterials, nanotechnology, and energy harvesting materials and technologies. Emphasis is placed on demonstrating basic principles and hands-on student involvement. Laboratory activities will be supervised by Tulane faculty members and graduate students.

Students will:

• Explore how superconductivity is involved in real world applications, such as magnetic levitation, increased computer speed, and reduced energy consumption.
• Be introduced to the unique properties of nanomaterials as well as the methods for nanofabrication.
• Be introduced to contemporary methods of biomaterials engineering for disparate topics ranging from stem cells and regenerative medicine to cancer therapy.
• Gain an understanding of how the laser works, explore the uniqueness of laser light, and understand how the laser light inspires important new methods in materials processing and studying matter.
• Explore the interaction between materials and light for harvesting the sun’s energy.

Instructor: Dr. Carrie Wyland, Department of Psychology

Course Offered: June 10 - 21

This summer session will focus on the field of Psychology, covering topics from the nervous system and the brain, to learning and memory, to disorders and treatment, to social psychology. It will involve both a lecture component as well as a hands-on laboratory component in which students will experience demonstrations and engage in activities to observe the concepts in action. For students who pass this course with a B or higher and choose to enroll at Tulane University, the Psychology Department will substitute this class for Introductory Psychology (PSYC 1000). Lectures are by Tulane faculty and laboratory activities will be supervised by Tulane faculty members and graduate students.

The activities will include the following:

• Learn to read, write, and think like a psychologist.
• Learn how psychologists ask their research questions.
• Examine real human brain specimens.
• Understand why we sleep and what dreams are for.
• See childhood development in action.
• Understand why we get “tricked” by visual illusions.
• Learn methods of stress reduction.
• Understand how we treat psychological disorders.
• Examine how prejudice plays out in the courtroom.

Instructor: Dr. Richard Snow, Department of Music and School of Science and Engineering

Course Offered: July 15 - 26

This course is intended for young composers and students interested in exploring the use of computers in the creation of music. The course introduces an array of tools, techniques, and motivations associated with Contemporary Computer Music Composition. Students will gain familiarity with the Digital Music Studio and Audio Workstation environments as they prepare frequent short composition assignments. In addition, students will attend and discuss a daily concert presenting recent and historical works of Computer Music. The course culminates in an informal concert of the students' works presented in surround sound on an 8.2 channel system.

Compositional paradigms to be explored in the course include:

• MIDI Arranging
• Sampling and Audio Editing
• Fixed Media Composition
• Interactive Music Composition
• Process Music
• Algorithmic Composition
• Sound Spatialization
• Sonification Techniques
• Computer Programming and Music Composition

The course also covers basic sound synthesis techniques including: FM synthesis, ring modulation, granular synthesis, additive and subtractive synthesis. Software used during the course includes Logic or Reaper, Audacity, Adobe Audition, Pure Data as well as many plug-ins.

Instructor: Jonathan Chambers, MFA, Digital Media Practices, School of Liberal Arts

Course Offered: July 1 - 12

The internet is all around us and coding for it has never been easier and more accessible thanks to open source and free software. In this introductory course (no prior coding experience necessary), students will learn how to code for the web using p5.js (a JavaScript Library) to create interactive and fun applications. Along with the students' own designs, we will be looking at artists, designers and online communities who have been making experimental works with code over the last 50 years. Students will leave this course with a basic to intermediate understanding of coding structure, logic and syntax in addition to a final project.