Subject: FSNA

Term: Fall 2021

FSNA 116: Cities (Under Construction) (100/13962)

MWF 11:40-12:30 PM Aug 23-Dec 03, F 12:45-02:00 PM Aug 23-Dec 03

Jim, B

Based on the premise that cities are never "finished," and constantly being remade, we will look at the technological and cultural history of cities from the ancient world to the present day. Students will explore the history of building materials--wood, brick, steel, concrete, and glass--used in the construction of cities. We will also trace the development of city infrastructure such as water and sewage systems; streets, bridges, and subways; electricity, telephone and the internet. Specific technological innovations, such as the elevator and the automobile, will receive special consideration. We will move both geographically and temporally to visit the world's great cities, Athens, Mexico City, Tokyo, and New York City. As we do, we will study the examples of significant building projects, such as the Brooklyn Bridge, the Chicago World's Fair, Washington, DC's Metro, and Cleveland's first skyscraper, the Rockefeller Building. The course will cover the history of the professions--engineering, architecture, and urban planning--that have contributed to the construction of cities, and will review the works of these practitioners, as well as that of artists, reformers, and utopians that have imagined new directions for the city. We will also explore first person narratives of the city, the impact of the city on personal and collective memory, and the possibilities and pitfalls of the "virtual" city. Through lecture, discussion, textual analysis, computer simulations, and writing assignments, Cities (Under Construction) will help students gain a deeper understanding of their role in remaking and sustaining the built environment.

FSNA 116: Cities (Under Construction) (101/13963)

MWF 02:15-03:05 PM Aug 23-Dec 03, F 12:45-02:00 PM Aug 23-Dec 03

Jim, B

Based on the premise that cities are never "finished," and constantly being remade, we will look at the technological and cultural history of cities from the ancient world to the present day. Students will explore the history of building materials--wood, brick, steel, concrete, and glass--used in the construction of cities. We will also trace the development of city infrastructure such as water and sewage systems; streets, bridges, and subways; electricity, telephone and the internet. Specific technological innovations, such as the elevator and the automobile, will receive special consideration. We will move both geographically and temporally to visit the world's great cities, Athens, Mexico City, Tokyo, and New York City. As we do, we will study the examples of significant building projects, such as the Brooklyn Bridge, the Chicago World's Fair, Washington, DC's Metro, and Cleveland's first skyscraper, the Rockefeller Building. The course will cover the history of the professions--engineering, architecture, and urban planning--that have contributed to the construction of cities, and will review the works of these practitioners, as well as that of artists, reformers, and utopians that have imagined new directions for the city. We will also explore first person narratives of the city, the impact of the city on personal and collective memory, and the possibilities and pitfalls of the "virtual" city. Through lecture, discussion, textual analysis, computer simulations, and writing assignments, Cities (Under Construction) will help students gain a deeper understanding of their role in remaking and sustaining the built environment.

FSNA 120: The Impact of Materials on Societal Development (100/13965)

MWF 03:20-04:10 PM Aug 23-Dec 03, M 12:45-02:00 PM Aug 23-Dec 03

Lagerlof, P

This four credit-hour SAGES seminar provides an introduction to various dimensions of academic life through open-ended intellectual inquiry and guided by reading from primary and secondary sources. The course will require practice in written and oral communications in small groups. A primary focus of the seminar will be to examine the impact of engineering materials on societal development through human history using a few specific materials of interest as examples: concrete, steel, and semi-conductors. At the conclusion of the course, students will be encouraged to explore the impact of other materials on the development of specific technologies as a group project.

FSNA 120: The Impact of Materials on Societal Development (101/13966)

TR 10:00-11:15 AM Aug 23-Dec 03, M 12:45-02:00 PM Aug 23-Dec 03

Baeslack, W

This four credit-hour SAGES seminar provides an introduction to various dimensions of academic life through open-ended intellectual inquiry and guided by reading from primary and secondary sources. The course will require practice in written and oral communications in small groups. A primary focus of the seminar will be to examine the impact of engineering materials on societal development through human history using a few specific materials of interest as examples: concrete, steel, and semi-conductors. At the conclusion of the course, students will be encouraged to explore the impact of other materials on the development of specific technologies as a group project.

FSNA 126: Urban Ecology (100/13967)

MWF 11:40-12:30 PM Aug 23-Dec 03, W 12:45-02:00 PM Aug 23-Dec 03

Olbricht, E

This course will explore the natural world in an urban context. Urban spaces are defined by the interaction between human creation (the built environment) and the natural world. We will explore how those definitions can be complicated by human innovation meant to re-create nature, such as engineered wetlands. We'll read some classical ecology to understand how ecological issues differ in cities. Some topics we'll cover include: wildlife management; human/organism conflict and interdependence; urban heat islands; watershed, stormwater, and sewer management; and how trees grow in urban conditions. We'll also explore ethical issues such as environmental justice and sustainable development. Our field trips are meant to illuminate how urban planners, park managers, and others deal with such issues to create positive and healthy environments for their communities. Students will apply arguments and concepts learned in the course readings to the sites we visit..

FSNA 135: BioDesign Basics: The Art of Finding Patient Needs (100/13964)

MWF 02:15-03:05 PM Aug 23-Dec 03, W 12:45-02:00 PM Aug 23-Dec 03

Williams, M

BioDesign basics explores the art of finding patient needs. No prior clinical or medical education is required, as we focus on acquiring and refining the underpinning critical thinking skills needed to identify and articulate unmet clinical patient needs in contemporary healthcare settings. Many--if not a majority of--ideas leading to healthcare innovation are derived from issues that arise during the daily activities of caring for patients. Whether it is frustration with the use of a specific surgical instrument, processes that interfere with health care delivery, better waiting rooms for the family, designing more comfortable hospital gowns, or materials inadequate for intended outcomes, patient needs cover a broad range of physical and emotional states. Many students find the idea of identifying a "patient need" quite ambiguous at first, but the BioDesign process for defining patient need is a widely use national model developed at Stanford University that the student will find contains easy-to-follow steps that are simple and appealing. As an interactive and "hands-on" course, students will be engaged in discussions, events and activities to promote a first-hand understanding of "needs finding" to support individual mastery of writing and oral presentation skills. The Fourth Hour will be centered on "walking tours" of local medical institutions around University Circle as well as actual use of medical devices (wheelchairs and crutches) on campus as ways to help your efforts identify a patient need based on those observations. In short, you will create your own experiences leading to stories that make writing fun. The course requires students to engage in written and oral communications as well as working in small teams to complete open-ended assignments.

FSNA 154: The Green Energy Transformation in Germany (100/13968)

TR 02:30-03:45 PM Aug 23-Dec 03, F 12:45-02:00 PM Aug 23-Dec 03

Yang, P

This seminar introduces students to the development and successes of green technologies in Germany. We will examine the proactive development of renewable energy and energy conservation technologies, commonly referred to as Energiewende, that was started by the German Green movement and promoted by Germany's innovative renewable energy policies. We will consider such questions as: What are the implications of this German success story, both for the US and the rest of the world? What lessons can be applied to other situations? What factors might limit the utility of those lessons? In the process of our investigation, we will examine such important issues as globalization, resource finiteness, and sustainability challenges, including economic crises, climate change, energy insecurity, and global competition.

FSNA 160: Technological Development and Popular Perception (100/13969)

MWF 11:40-12:30 PM Aug 23-Dec 03, M 12:45-02:00 PM Aug 23-Dec 03

Bachmann, R

The central theme of this seminar is the basic functioning of engineered devices and systems. The devices/systems covered will be 1) automobiles, 2) airplanes, and 3) production of electric power. Material for the seminar will come from a wide range of sources, including a reference book "How Things Work", historical references, popular pseudo-technical periodicals, and technical journal articles. We will discuss topics ranging from a) how to characterize the basic physical principles at work in the devices/systems to z) how popular opinion can affect the adoption or abandonment of sound technology.

FSNA 165: Silicon and Its Applications (100/13970)

TR 08:30-09:45 AM Aug 23-Dec 03, M 12:45-02:00 PM Aug 23-Dec 03

Liu, C

Silicon is the second most abundant element found on the planet. Over the last century, science has taught us to take this common material and create the products on which our modern society depends. Quantum mechanics gave birth to the electronic age and the computer. The absorption, emission and reflection of quanta of light (photons) underlie solar cells, light emitting diodes, radiation detectors, and optical fibers. The driving forces behind these discoveries are fascinating. The history of the scientific revolution--the conversion of sand into silicon ingots then into computer chips--is extraordinary. The advancement of computer chips and accessories based on silicon technology now enables your smartphone to direct you to the nearest Taco Bell through its connection to a satellite orbiting the Earth. There are basic processing steps that change an ingot of pure silicon into a practical device such as a chemical sensor or a solar cell. Major topics of this course will include discussion of the history of silicon, from the simple transistor to complex microprocessor, solar cells, and sensors, as well as how the swift changes in computing power and the communications revolution powered by it have impacted our daily modern life. Excellent examples of this silicon-based technology include the use of silicon in solar panels and their place in the green energy revolution, and the expanding role of silicon microsensors as one of the fastest growing areas of technology, especially in the area of biochips for healthcare. Students in this class will have the opportunity to design and construct a simple device on a silicon chip for their group project. This course is designed and intended for students of all disciplines, and each student is expected to participate actively in a group project to make a silicon device in a clean room. Students will participate in a laboratory experience where chemicals and reagents will be used for typical silicon technology processing. During Fourth Hour, students will have the chance to visit the University Solar Farm, laboratories at CWRU that are actively involved in silicon research, listen to guest speakers whose research involve silicon, watch films on usage of silicon technology and master oral presentation skills.

FSNA 170: Two Cultures?: The Relationship between the Sciences and the Humanities (100/13971)

TR 01:00-02:15 PM Aug 23-Dec 03, W 12:45-02:00 PM Aug 23-Dec 03

Rothman, A

More than sixty year ago, C.P Snow famously described the sciences and the humanities as two cultures, divided by a gulf of mutual incomprehension and lack of sympathy. This seminar will begin with Snow's essay and consider whether Snow's diagnosis was correct, how things stand today, and what possible relationships there have been or might yet be between the sciences and the humanities. We will explore alternative historical visions of the relationship between the two cultures, including the context in which Snow's own essay was written. We will then turn to modern versions of this debate, including the "science wars" of the late 1990s, questions of the proper role of university education, and debates about scientific reductionism and the unity of knowledge.

FSNA 171: Using Human-centered Design to Address Needs (100/13972)

MWF 11:40-12:30 PM Aug 23-Dec 03, M 12:45-02:00 PM Aug 23-Dec 03

McGuffin-Cawley, J

In this seminar, we will examine human-centered design (HCD) as a process to create innovative solutions that address people's needs. In this context, design is understood to include both ideation and the sequence of decisions required to select a plan for an object, system, software, device, or skill set to perform a given function. We will learn about and apply the skills and mindset needed to successfully solve problems identified as important to individuals or groups of people. Problem statements will be analyzed to determine who is affected, how they are affected (from multiple point of view), and tractability and cost of a solution. Using HCD, interdisciplinary teams work to understand the problem, brainstorm possible solutions, and ultimately implement the solution that has the greatest potential for impact. In practicing HCD, we will also think critically about its strengths, as well as its limits. What happens when there are competing or even conflicting needs or visions? When working in teams, who gets to decide which actions are taken? What are the criteria for determining a project's success? How easily can the HCD process be applied to other situations and classes of problems? To aid our investigation, we will use the facilities and expertise in Sears think[box] in order to implement designs.

FSNA 171: Using Human-centered Design to Address Needs (101/13973)

MWF 02:15-03:05 PM Aug 23-Dec 03, M 12:45-02:00 PM Aug 23-Dec 03

McGuffin-Cawley, J

In this seminar, we will examine human-centered design (HCD) as a process to create innovative solutions that address people's needs. In this context, design is understood to include both ideation and the sequence of decisions required to select a plan for an object, system, software, device, or skill set to perform a given function. We will learn about and apply the skills and mindset needed to successfully solve problems identified as important to individuals or groups of people. Problem statements will be analyzed to determine who is affected, how they are affected (from multiple point of view), and tractability and cost of a solution. Using HCD, interdisciplinary teams work to understand the problem, brainstorm possible solutions, and ultimately implement the solution that has the greatest potential for impact. In practicing HCD, we will also think critically about its strengths, as well as its limits. What happens when there are competing or even conflicting needs or visions? When working in teams, who gets to decide which actions are taken? What are the criteria for determining a project's success? How easily can the HCD process be applied to other situations and classes of problems? To aid our investigation, we will use the facilities and expertise in Sears think[box] in order to implement designs.

FSNA 172: The Technology of Reading: How Literacy and Technology Intersect (100/13974)

MWF 02:15-03:05 PM Aug 23-Dec 03, F 12:45-02:00 PM Aug 23-Dec 03

Lyons-McFarland, H

"We shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us." -- Marshall McLuhan Tools come and go, and at no time faster than in the current age we live in. Some persist, however, in forms that seem to defy Kurtzweil's concept of the technological singularity: hammers, for example; mousetraps, although hope for a better one springs eternal; and finally, for our purposes, printed books. Methods of recording information have changed over the centuries, culminating (arguably) in the form of the book. But what constitutes a book? What does it mean to read a book, vs. an e-reader, vs. a webpage, vs. some other format? How do we make a physical book and what happens when the resultant object isn't useful for an individual due to culture, disability, or language use? How does technology affect the authority we invest in the book versus the handwritten (or coded) page? This seminar takes an interdisciplinary look at how the book acquired its persistent form, how that form has shaped our experiences of literacy over time, and how those experiences have influenced social expectations of writing, reading, and the place of knowledge in culture. The course will also examine attempts to innovate beyond the physical book into new forms and formats, and conjecture what form- and use-driven shapes recorded information might take in the future.

FSNA 173: Biology in Translation: From the Lab to Our Lives (100/14095)

TR 08:30-09:45 AM Aug 23-Dec 03, F 12:45-02:00 PM Aug 23-Dec 03

Steck, M

Biological research informs many of our everyday decisions. Notably, we relied on biologists to learn about the spread of COVID-19 and what actions might reduce our risk of infection, often without having access to or the technical expertise to understand the original research. Instead, we relied on science journalists and science communicators to translate this research for us. Science communication at its best empowers people and communities to make informed decisions. At its worst, it perpetuates misleading information. What is the role of science communicators in making science accessible? What questions do they ask? How do they transform technical information into engaging narratives? How do they acknowledge the social, political, and economic forces acting on the scientific process? In this course, we will study the articles that scientists write for each other and the popular articles, podcasts, blogs, and documentaries that science communicators compose for a broader audience. In the last unit, you'll be writing your own feature-length science essay that addresses, contextualizes, and responds to an independently chosen question grounded in the biological sciences.

FSNA 173: Biology in Translation: From the Lab to Our Lives (101/14096)

TR 01:00-02:15 PM Aug 23-Dec 03, F 12:45-02:00 PM Aug 23-Dec 03

Steck, M

Biological research informs many of our everyday decisions. Notably, we relied on biologists to learn about the spread of COVID-19 and what actions might reduce our risk of infection, often without having access to or the technical expertise to understand the original research. Instead, we relied on science journalists and science communicators to translate this research for us. Science communication at its best empowers people and communities to make informed decisions. At its worst, it perpetuates misleading information. What is the role of science communicators in making science accessible? What questions do they ask? How do they transform technical information into engaging narratives? How do they acknowledge the social, political, and economic forces acting on the scientific process? In this course, we will study the articles that scientists write for each other and the popular articles, podcasts, blogs, and documentaries that science communicators compose for a broader audience. In the last unit, you'll be writing your own feature-length science essay that addresses, contextualizes, and responds to an independently chosen question grounded in the biological sciences.