Seven Wonders of the Russian World This course serves as an introduction to seven wonders of the Russian World which include the country's natural beauty, her unique language, cultural achievements, and attainments of post-Glasnost popular culture. Indeed, the fate of the contemporary world may well be linked with the success of post-Glasnost Russia. Students will gain some insights into how Russians think through a brief exposure to the Russian alphabet and the beautiful intonational patterns of the Russian sound system.

Keys to Engineering Success The course will provide a strong sense of self and an ability to persevere in order to succeed in engineering career and personal life. The course will help students to become a lifelong learner, to develop creative thinking skills and to prepare for diversity of people in workplace and communities.

A Tour of the Chemical Elements The course will be an exploration of the unique and surprising properties, behaviors, and histories of some of the chemical elements. Find out why helium is a component of natural gas...how did it get there? Find out why Arthur C. Clark (author of "2001, a Space Odyssey") called fluorine the most vicious substance known to man. Find out how neon, argon, krypton, and xenon were discovered. Find out why diamonds feel cold to the touch. Find out why the corrosive and poisonous gas ozone is an essential component of the earth's stratosphere. Find out the source of the radioactive gas radon found in many basements. Find out what radioactive element heavier than uranium is found in most homes.

Exploring Careers in Health Professions First-year colloquium designed for students interested in learning about the many career options in health professions and understanding the academic competencies required for admission to programs of study in the health professions. Students will participate in skill and interest assessments, investigate potential career choices using web-based resources, submit weekly journals describing their exploration of health care as a career, and discuss current issues that affect the daily work lives of health care professionals.

Planning for Law School and Related Careers “Planning for Law School & Law Related Careers” is a first year colloquium designed for students interested in learning about the intricacies of law school, the profession, and law-related careers. Students will be introduced to the academic competencies required for admission into law school through lectures, group discussion on current issues in law, guest lectures, and assignments.

Careers in Crop Production Crop production fulfills a vital role in our society. The departments of Plant Sciences and Soil, Water and Environmental Science offer a degree program in this discipline that enables the student to pursue a rewarding career where there is an increasing demand for graduates. You will have the opportunity to learn about working with field crops, permanent tree crop production, turf science, and/or a broad array of horticultural crops that are grown throughout the western United States and other regions in the world. In this class we explore this degree program and career opportunities by offering weekly talks and oportunities for discussion with employers and faculty members. Each student will prepare an internship proposal in environmental science which will include a resume and cover letter. This class is for undecided students and new crop production majors.

Computational & Applied Mathematics Introduction to the methods and standards of research in computational and applied mathematics, to the values which characterize this field of study, to current interdiciplinary projects offered on campus, and to related career opportunities. Prerequisite(s): 4 or 5 on Calculus AP exam or permission of instructor. Course may not be repeated for credit.

The Other Kazakhstan Have you wondered what Kazakhstan is really like, beyond Borat? The ninth largest country in the world with extensive natural resources such as oil and natural gas, it is an important emerging democracy located at the crossroads of East Asia and the Middle East. In this course, we will survey Kazakhstan's colorful history, literature, music and films. Good for students interested in international studies, business, economics, literature, or history, we welcome a mix of Kazakh and non-Kazakh students in the course.

Radioactive Tracers in Clinical Medicine This course will briefly cover how radioactive tracers are used in clinical medicine, with examples of imaging studies in actual patients. The field of nuclear medicine uses radiotracers in applications that cover virtually every medical discipline. This colloquium will introduce the student to some of these applications in cancer, heart disease, stroke, epilepsy, AIDS, infectious disease, and a variety of other disorders in which nuclear medicine studies yield valuable clinical information.

Earth Explorations This colloquium will explore a range of global and local environmental topics through class and small group discussions. We will address the following: What is Global Change, the Greenhouse Effect and the Ozone Hole? What can we do about it? What is the role of environmental studies in today's world? How can the internet be used to improve our understanding of environmental issues?

Death and the Human Experience This course will explore some of the manifold ways in which humans have represented and responded to their physical end. Meditation about death found in literature, visual art, philosophy, music and film will illuminate the human condition as well as educate participants about the value of this great shared source of humanity: a conscious awareness of our mortality.

The Impact of Junk Science on Our Daily Lives The goal is to provide an opportunity for students to explore the impact that junk science-masquerading as real science-has on our daily lives through legislation, regulation and litigation, and to evaluate the associated outcomes as "good, "bad" or "benign" for society. Specific topics that might be addressed includes: Audi's "sudden acceleration" problem, Merrill's difficulties with Bendectin, the global warming warning, the ozone hole horror, Alar and apples, telescopes or squirrels, paper or plastic, assessment of risk, etc.

Europe in the 1990's Europe is an exciting continent, rich in culture and history. In many places in Europe, we can easily reach an international border within an hour or less, and can experience a different language, culture and even an entirely different cuisine. High-speed trains connect major European cities like Paris, Rome, London, and Amsterdam, making it even easier to experience and appreciate European diversity. During the 1990's, we have seen many changes in Europe, with new countries emerging and old countries disappearing from the map. Unification and dissolution bring about new problems and reshape old problems. This seminar deals with a variety of current issues in Europe and its nations. Although many of these issues may be interpreted as primarily economic or political in nature, the seminar will be Europe's struggle between diversity and unification. We will discuss this theme in the context of specific topics, such as immigration, the environment, ethnic conflict, the common market currency, planning and policies across borders. The seminar will meet once a week. Students' performances will be evaluated on the basis of attendance, participation, and five written assignments.

Arizona Water Issues Students will research and discuss a wide range of topics related to the use and misuse of water throughout Arizona. Some of the fundamental tools for studying water will be used to examine questions ranging from water supply, to water quality, to water conservation. The course will have a very practical orientation, with material designed not only to introduce the student to basic hydrologic principles but to help understand and deal with water-related issues after graduation. Cooperative learning groups, internet discussion groups and problem-based learning will be used to enhance the limited lecture component of the class.

Of People, Plants and Medicine The course will review plants with use as medicines and herbal dietary supplements available in the United States and to review the traditional and contemporary health and healing benefits claimed by these products. Students will examine the history of plants and herbals, current studies involved in the discovery, analysis and development of natural products for their application and use as agents for the diagnosis and remedy of human diseases and disorders.

Introduction to Medical (and other) Ignorance Who's afraid of Ignorance? All of us at one time or another, especially in medicine. And yet ignorance is our ally as well as our foe. For, without the unknown, there could be no learning, no discovery, no wonder or creativity; there could be no curiosity, no triumphal apprehension, no puzzle, no room to explore. Ignorance compromises all the things we know and don't know (known unknowns); all the things we don't know (unknown unknowns); all the things we think we know but don't (errors), and more . . . It is a vast and fertile domain, a plenum of promise for skilled ignorami. This interdisciplinary seminar series, derived from the innovative Curriculum on Medical Ignorance at the UA College of Medicine, will catalyze wondering, questioning, creating, daring, failing, learning, and other ignorance-driven skills essential for survival in "the age of uncertainty": the 21st century.

Science and Human Values in the 21st Century This seminar will examine current scientific advances and their impact on humanity. We will discuss issues crucial to the coming century with both scientific literacy and a humane sense of values. Topics include robotics and artificial intelligence, astronomy and cosmology, space exploration and colonization, computers and the internet, DNA and genetic engineering. Class discussion will focus on a series of "readings" which will include works of art, poetry, short stories, non-technical articles, and segments of film and video.

Poetry as Communication This course will look at the poem as communication, communion and catharsis. The focus will be on the reader's perception of modern poetry as a means of our most intimate form of communication and as a special kind of speech.

Love and War, Death and God In this course we will explore essential aspects of literature and its meaning in philosophical, ethical, religious, historical, and moral terms. To introduce freshmen to the fundamental ideas of literature in its historical context, we will discuss intriguing masterpieces from the German Middle Ages which deal with issues such as the intricacies of love and horrors of war, the fear of dying and the hope for God. In the high Middle Ages medieval German poets produced some of the most important literary works of Western culture, and addressed many of the most relevant issues in human life both then and today: love, war, death, and God. The relationship between men and women plays as much a significant role as the relationship between human beings and God. The German poets' statements are still relevant for us today, both because they had different ideas and yet also pursued quite similar concepts in their lives. In this sense, this course will introduce students to a range of fundamental concerns all people from all time periods and all cultures shared, and also provide them with insight in the history of Western literature with a special focus on medieval German literature.

From Margin to Center This course explores the question of minority, i.e., marginalized cultures in contemporary Germany. While not explicitly focusing on the actual unification of the two postwar German states, we will examine instead how different approaches to "German culture" foster either unifying or marginalizing views of its various components. Readings will include works written by "non-native" speakers of German. (Authors draw on Afro-German, Jewish, Turkish, Iranian, Muslim, German, and US-American backgrounds.) We will devote some attention to the representation of minorities in contemporary German texts

Information Literacy in the Social Sciences The amount of information doubles approximately every 7 years challenging each of us to learn to access, evaluate and manage this critical component of knowledge. This course will explore different aspects of information literacy including technology, economics, social structure and critical evaluation. Objectives of the course: 1) Students will understand how to use current information technologies to search for, retrieve, and manage needed information. This will include email, internet navigation, and web page creation. 2) Students will learn how to evaluate information using critical thinking skills. 3) Students will learn about intellectual property (copyright) as will as the economic and political aspects of information in our society. 4) Have fun with this course.

Information Literacy in the Sciences The amount of information doubles approximately every seven years challenging each of us to learn to access, evaluate and manage this critical component of knowledge. This course will explore different aspects of information literacy including technology, economics, social structure and critical evaluation.

How to Save the American Democratic Institutions The colloquium is based on a variety of readings, scholarly discussion, and intellectual debate. Students will learn ideas about the challenges of the 21st century and alternative solutions to vital problems of our society. The students will have an opportunity to practice writing term papers, giving presentations and participating in discussions.

Information Literacy in the Fine Arts and Humanities The amount of information doubles approximately every 7 years, challenging each of us to learn to access, organize and evaluate this critical component of student learning. This course will explore different aspects of information seeking skills such as search strategies, technology and critical thinking skills. Student projects will revolve around a theme or themes in the fine arts and humanities.

The Mathematics of Natural Patterns Have you ever noticed the similarities between sand ripples on the beach, the ribs of a Saguaro cactus and your fingerprints? This colloquium will explore these and many other striking instances of pattern formation in nature. We will discuss how mathematicians and physicists have classified regular structures on the basis of their symmetries and model how nature creates patterns. Through visits to experimental laboratories on campus, user-friendly interactive computer simulations, and Web surfing, students will discover the beautiful simplicity of natural patterns.

Data Analysis: Digging Out the Truth in Current Issues The colloquium presents issues of current interest in areas not commonly associated with mathematics. Discussion and study of each issue will show that the use of data analysis tools is critical in achieving a satisfactory conclusion. The problems have been selected carefully. They are contemporary issues that have attracted public attention and debate. Yet, the audience only requires good sense and standard high school mathematics to work with them. Part One: Surviving in a Technological Society. Seven problems of current interest. Part Two: Fair Lending Practices: Do banks discriminate? A Case Study.

Crime and Justice in the United States This course is designed to introduce students to the field of criminology and criminal justice. Crime rates in the US are higher than any time in the recent past and prison populations are larger than at any time in history. Criminology is the scientific study of the causes of crime and delinquency and includes study of changes in the amount of crime and in the types of crimes people commit. Criminal justice is concerned with the treatment of crime by the legal system, including the justifications for imprisonment. This colloquium will introduce students to these field and the issues currently confronting them. Principles in criminology and criminal justice will be illustrated by a focus on contemporary issues.

Water Quality and the Environment This course will focus on issues related to water, water quality, water pollution, and water use and their relations to the environment and humanity. Students will be required to make one presentation on a chosen topic dealing with any water-related issue. The topics to be covered in this colloquium include: basic chemistry and composition of water; the natural water cycle in the environment; definition and discussion of "clean" versus "polluted" water; is water being used and/or abused by humans? Is water quality changing?

Biotechnology: Genes for Hire Biotechnology encompasses a set of recent biological and biochemical discoveries that have led to advanced techniques for manipulating newly discovered genes in novel and exciting ways. These advances have revolutionized our understanding of life processes and have provided the means for the development of products that will dramatically improve the health of humans, animals and plants. Since the United States has a leading position in this field, the industries manufacturing these products are playing an increasingly important role in the U.S. economy and are providing many employment opportunities for properly trained individuals. This colloquium discusses the nature of recent advances in genetic engineering, and how they have impacted human and veterinary medicine and agricultural technology, and their prospects for the future.

Berlin - A Topography of Culture and History In this course, we will take a conceptual walk through the Berlin of this century to view, address and reflect on the significance of various locales in relationship to German culture. The "tour" will begin at the Reichstag (German Parliament) in 1919, and end with a view of the Potsdamer Platz today.

Indian Arizona: People, Places, and Things Most of the residence halls at the University of Arizona were named after Arizona Indian people and Arizona Indian places; e.g. Cochise, Hopi, Maricopa, Navajo, Yavapai, Gila. Students will learn about the connections between people and place and between people and their material culture - things. The class will meet in the Arizona State Museum and feature Museum's artifact collections. Students will gain diverse perspectives on the meaning of place and enhance their own appreciation of place.

Using Everyday Mathematics The colloquium presents problems and situations students may have experienced in the past or could face in the future. The students will learn how to approach the solution to these problems using basic mathematical ideas and techniques. They will practice these ideas and techniques on similar problems. Students will research one specific everyday problem and discuss in class how mathematical ideas can be used in its solution.

Global Environmental Debates This colloquium will explore a range of global and local environmental topics through class and small group discussions. We will address the following: * What is Global Change, the Greenhouse Effect and the Ozone Hole? *What can we do about it? *What is the role of environmental studies in today's world? *How can the internet be used to improve our understanding of environmental issues? This course stresses practical skills that everyone needs to succeed in school and beyond: written and verbal communication, critical thinking and analysis, and group collaboration. In particular, we will practice innovative ways of organizing information called "Mind" or "Concept" maps. Students will use the internet to find background information about issues discussed in class. Your grade is based on class participation and a series of short writing or outlining assignments. The text "The Forgiving Air - Understanding Environmental Change," is used.

The Nature of Our Mind A general introduction to the scientific study of the mind, and to the connections between mind and brain. After a general introduction, with special emphasis on the so-called brain-mind (or mind-body) problem, the course will proceed with a presentation of selected experimental observations of "the mind in action." These data, and their explanations, have shaped a whole new conception of how the mind works.

Law and Public Policy: Analyzing Cases and Statutes and the Policy Issues This class will examine how law forms through legislative and judicial processes. The class will closely scrutinize several court cases and at least one legislative scheme. Class discussions will focus on conflicting social and economic issues that are at issue in the cases or statutes. Students will be required to hypothesize alternatives to the existing law, and analyze the consequences and compromises contained in their hypotheses.

Optics: A Revolution in Light From Aristotle through Galileo and Newton to the Internet, optics has played a critical role in changing our world. This course will look at the history and technology of light, from the first telescope to the latest in mirrors and lasers. Join us at the Optical Sciences Center, one of the world's premier optical research centers, to learn more about this exciting field.

Water Resources in the Tucson Basin: Natural Resources In the Western U.S. it is said, "Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting." History has proved this to be all too true. Here’s a chance to see what all the fighting is about, while developing library and presentation skills. The semester’s results will be posted on class web page. Join us!

If It’s on the News, It Must Be True: Information Literacy Skills In this class, you will learn information literacy and technology skills while examining the issue of mass media news literacy. Consumers of news and information in the Information Age should know how what they watch, read or log on to is produced. You will learn to be a critical evaluator of information. You will also work on a project that fulfills a personal information need.

Exploring Real Numbers Numbers have fascinated mathematicians and laypeople for millennia and we will examine these fascinations in this course. There will be weekly homework assignments given during the semester and students will be encouraged to work in groups on the problems. The problems will be written up and shared with the class. There will also be an exploratory project due at the end of the semester. This project will take as much as a month to work on and it will be presented to the class much like a research paper at a conference. This project is also expected to be a group efforts with groups of 2 or 3 students working together.

Great Questions! Why do students, teachers, and researchers all ask questions? How do their questions help to define the university and its disciplines? When does it help to think across disciplines? A geneticist, a psychologist, and a literary historian have teamed up to discuss some of the Big Questions that arise in general education courses. We will read a variety of documents available on the internet. Each student will keep a journal, post discussions to a class web page, and explore the university by joining the faculty members in selected campus activities.

The Human in Humanities Exploration of the human experience as it is evident in the visual and verbal arts, and of human development as it is furthered through higher education, by reading selected texts and with field trips to the UA Art Museum and the Center for Creative Photography.

The Science and Ethics of Risk and Safety Humans and all other living things on earth evolved in a hostile environment, naturally polluted with dust, noise, electromagnetic waves, radiation, smoke, radioactivity, chemicals and gases. The environment has never been clean or risk free and nothing we do is risk free. In fact, without risk, humans wouldn’t have evolved. This seminar will be especially valuable for students in pre-law, pre-med, political science and philosophy.

Water Resources in the Tucson Basin: Institutional Resources Six different organizations in Tucson using or trying to manage water are visited each semester. Students, working in pairs as newspaper reporters, write articles on institutions visited in a feature story format. The resulting class newsletter is published in hard copy and on the class Internet page. Note: field trips may last until 2:30 p.m., so students should arrange their schedules accordingly. Great fun!

Censorship and the Internet-Knowledge Navigation: Learning Technology Skills In our technology and information driven economy, students must be pro-active, life long learners. To be successful in academic pursuits in the University, and as members of our society, it is necessary to acquire an integrated set of skills and knowledge that will expand learning beyond the classroom and textbook. These skills will advance the ability to think critically about the structure, organization, and presentation of communication and information. Students need to understand how to effectively use rapidly changing technologies as tools for finding and sharing information. In this class, students will learn the skills mentioned above while examining the issue of censorship and the Internet. Is the Internet a common carrier, to be regulated like phone companies? Is it a giant bookstore, or more like broadcast media? How do we reconcile first amendment rights? Students will engage in group discussions and collaborate activities with hands-on work in the electronic classroom. They will learn how to access electronic information, evaluate and select information appropriate for their needs, identify perspectives and bias, and manage data and information. Group inquiry and discussion projects will result in a World Wide Web page. Students will learn how to use electronic mail and listservs, navigate the internet, create World Wide Web pages, and work toward consensus in a group.

Careers in Environmental Science Want to learn about the environment and what environmental scientists do? Want to hear about real environmental science careers from practicing professionals? Want to learn how to use the resources of UA Career Services to find that career for you? Well then, this is the course for you. Join us!