Courses

Prerequisites: No prior scientific knowledge is required, but facility with high school?level algebra and comfort with quantitative computations is important. What is energy, really, and how do we conserve it? What does energy conservation have in common with Humpty Dumpty, Buddha’s Second Noble Truth, and the Arrow of Time? How is an “alternative energy” alternative? How do you know how much energy you actually use every day? This course presents the development of the concept of energy, links the development to the social and historical contexts in which it took place, and describes the contributions of the people who propelled the development. Students gain an understanding of the scientific concept of energy, and the ability to apply that understanding in quantitative analysis of contemporary issues in energy sources, utilization, efficiency, and conservation, through individual or group projects.