FYS 51 Science, Society, and You: A Complicated Relationship
Students will investigate the causes of and possible solutions to real-world challenges such as the disparate impacts of climate change in urban areas and how this correlates with population, the crossover to humans of animal-borne diseases, and the impact of big pharma on people’s lives--balancing life-saving treatments with the inherent trust needed to use such drugs. You will investigate these challenges by developing research plans that consider the broader societal impacts of both the solutions you might suggest and the methods you might employ in doing your research.
This course will involve extensive collaborative work, bringing together team members with different academic interests, and all three sections will frequently meet together. You will gain experience in scientific thinking, reading, and writing as well as insight into how science can be used (or misused) in addressing contemporary problems. Open only to first year frosh.
This course is recommended for students who are interested in majoring in the sciences.