ARTSINST 337: The Art of Observation: Table Top Explorations In Natural Philosophy (BIOE 337)

Course Description

Observation plays an integral role in scientific explorations - being the first moment that inquiry begins and actively generates questions we pursue. In this class - using table top experiments and explorations in natural philosophy - we will practice the art of observation and learn to use this framework to ask questions. Amongst other approaches - the class will heavily utilize open source microscopy based tools to broadly observe microscopic life forms from various ecosystems including the ocean (plankton) and table top soft-matter experiments to uncover fascinating phenomena visible in our daily lives. This is a project based class culminating with participants making original observations and pursuing imaginative questions that spring from above.