Spring 2026 Course Search

Building on structural and reactivity insights developed in Chemistry 1, this course delves into molecular structure and modern theories of bonding, especially as they relate to the reaction patterns of functional groups. We will focus on the mechanisms of reaction pathways and develop an understanding for how those mechanisms are experimentally explored. There will be numerous readings from the primary literature, including some classic papers that describe seminal experiments.

Chemicals often get a bad rap, from headlines warning of "toxic chemicals" to marketing labels that boast "chemical-free or all natural" products. But what are we really afraid of? In this course, we’ll use chemophobia as a starting point to explore the fundamental principles of chemistry. Why do certain substances evoke fear, and are those fears grounded in science? Through a combination of lectures, discussions, and hands-on experiments, students will critically examine the chemical nature of  us, everyday substances, from food and water to cosmetics and cleaning agents.

While the language of classical Chinese poetry is practically inaccessible to even today’s native speakers of Chinese, the poetry of the five contemporary poets studied in this course is written in the vernacular and serves as a rich source of authentic texts for this course, which integrates language learning with poetry study. The five poets, all born after 1980, each offer a unique perspective into the changing society and culture of modern China.

This advanced Chinese course engages students in a deep exploration of China’s two most influential philosophical traditions—Confucianism (儒家) and Daoism (道家)—through direct engagement with authentic classical texts. We will read selections from The Analects (《论语》) by Confucius, The Daodejing (《道德经》) by Laozi, and the Zhuangzi (《庄子》), accompanied by the instructor’s own translations to facilitate comprehension of classical Chinese.

When you first learn how to paint, the focus is typically on gaining facility with the application and manipulation of paint to articulate the subject. In this intermediate course, we shift our attention to the often overlooked step that precedes painting: preparing the surface. 

This course is for experienced student artists with a firm commitment to serious work in the studio. Students will work primarily on self-directed projects in an effort to refine individual concerns and subject matter. Students will present work regularly for critique in class as well as for individual studio meetings with the instructor. Development of a strong work ethic will be crucial.

Fake news, reality television, “IRL” – asserting the veracity of our perceptions is a constant preoccupation in contemporary culture. What is real? Realism is a widely used term with multiple connotations: verisimilitude, authenticity, objectivity, truth, fact.

This course introduces students to two foundational texts in Chinese thought: The Twenty-four Stories of Filial Piety, which highlight the Confucian ideal of devotion to one’s parents, and the Tales of Zhuangzi, which reflect Daoist values of spontaneity, naturalness, and freedom. By reading these works in translation and in modern Mandarin at the student’s language level, the class explores the interplay between Confucian and Daoist perspectives—two traditions that have profoundly shaped Chinese culture.

Part of the Chemistry 1-4 suite, this will examine the energetics of chemical changes. Focusing on the enthalpic and entropic contributions to free energy change, we will examine how energy or work can be extracted from chemical systems and how these systems behave as they tend toward equilibrium. Types of equilibria to be covered will include acid/base, solubility, phase change, metal-ligand interactions and oxidation/reduction. The energetics of electron transfer reactions will be examined along with the practical considerations of making use of such reactions to power electric devices.