Tag: Undergraduate courses
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Courses
HIST 3415: Neighboring Worlds—The Moon, Mars, Venus, and Asteroids in History
We may be on the verge of a new era in humanity’s expansion into outer space. Space agencies in the United States, China, and Russia have all committed themselves to settlements on or near the Moon, and are building enormous rockets to make that possible. A growing number of space agencies have now dispatched satellites or rovers to the worlds near Earth: the Moon, Mars, Venus, and nearby asteroids. These machines have revealed cosmic environments to be more dynamic places – with more dynamic histories – than scientists previously imagined. Companies led by ambitious tycoons are introducing revolutionary technologies that…
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Courses
STIA 4403: Earth and Planetary Science
How did Earth become the planet we know today, and what can it teach us about worlds beyond our own? In this course, we’ll explore Earth as a dynamic system, from the crust that records our geologic history to the movement of water through aquifers, glaciers, and oceans, to the circulation of air that drives weather and climate. We will investigate processes such as rock formation, erosion, and biogeochemical cycles; examine the physics of blackbody radiation and the chemistry of greenhouse gases; and consider how these systems interact over short and long timescales. We’ll then journey beyond Earth to consider…
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Courses
STIA 2700: Space for Environmental Action
The class will introduce how space technologies can be used for societal benefit on earth and explore what a sustained human presence in the space environment means for our future. Topics will include the present and future state of public and commercial satellite earth observing missions, innovations in satellite-data applications for climate action and sustainable development, outlook on emerging space economies, and the sustainability of space operations. Course information
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Courses
STIA 4400: Space Diplomacy
Spaceflight increasingly serves as a powerful tool for diplomacy, fostering collaboration between nations and shaping global relations. This interdisciplinary course explores the role of outer space in international relations, examining how space programs, missions, and technologies influence political, economic, and strategic interactions on Earth. Throughout the semester, students will investigate how spaceflight has served as a tool of diplomacy, while also examining how diplomatic frameworks and negotiations are essential for space exploration. Key topics include the role of multinational organizations like the United Nations in space policy, landmark programs in space history (such as the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and the…
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Courses
STIA 4406: Space Security and Exploration
Satellites provide a foundation for Earth and space science, weather forecasting, treaty verification, strategic and military intelligence, global communications and navigation, and projection of military power. This course will focus on intersections between space and international security, with additional discussion about modern space exploration and new private companies. We will cover four broad areas: fundamentals of astronautics and satellite applications, space security in the Cold War, scientific exploration and commercial development, and modern space security dilemmas. Throughout the course, students will explore technical, strategic, economic, and policy issues using real-world examples. Course information
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Courses
GOVT 3679: Interstellar Politics
Authors writing in the Science Fiction/Speculative Fiction (SF) genre have long explored political themes— such as the rise and decline of empires, the impact of technological change on individual liberty, the nature of revolutionary struggles, the workings of totalitarianism, and the impact of socio-political collapse on humankind. This seminar approaches SF as social-scientific and social-theoretic text. Subjects include the politics of contact, alterity, identity, games, and warfare. Readings include SF novels, as well as scholarly texts on politics and social science. Students are also expected to watch and discuss a limited number of films and videos. This is not a…
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Courses
STIA 4321: Rocket Economics
A new generation of reusable rockets and smaller more powerful satellites are revolutionizing the space business. Rocket Economics will examine the fundamentals of the rapidly expanding space economy driven by applications for commercial, civil, and national security customers around the globe. The goal is to educate future business, government, and science leaders on next generation markets for space-based services. The course will employ case studies, readings, and guest lectures by space industry leaders to inform the dialectic method as we explore the business of space. Students are not presumed to have a technical background. The course will cover the basic…
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Courses
BIOL 4948: Pop Up Astrobiology Lab II
Welcome to Pop-Up Labs! In the second semester of this course, we will follow the whole arc of scientific inquiry and engagement–from project design and sample collection through data generation, analysis, and interpretation. In the fall semester, we designed our project around a planetary analog environment in Iceland. We inventoried samples and extracted DNA. In the spring, we will build libraries and analyze sequencing data about this extreme environment. The year will culminate in a project proposal and presentation that motivates our research within the broader scientific literature and clearly explains our research questions and approach. Course information
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Courses
STIA 4417: National Lab Space Research Forum
This seminar offers students a guided introduction to the cutting-edge space research conducted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Over the course of the semester, participants will hear from prominent LLNL scientists and engineers working on topics such as spacecraft instrumentation, remote sensing, astrophysics, planetary defense, small sats, earth system science, and astrobiology. Students will gain a unique perspective on the inner workings of a national laboratory, and how its structure, priorities, and mission differ from those of a university setting. Lectures will be supplemented with behind-the-scenes case studies of LLNL’s projects and virtual lab tours and reinforced through close…
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Courses
STIA 4418/PHYS 2020: Astronomy and Astrophysics
This class will introduce students to a variety of active research topics in astrophysics today as well as the context and basics of the particular area of study from the Big Bang to the formation of stars and planets. The course will also provide an overview of different astronomical techniques and observatories as well as a discussion of career pathways for students who are interested in astronomy and astrophysics as an undergraduate or graduate major. Finally the course will end with the outstanding big questions in the field and how these are likely to be addressed by the national and…