The goal of this course is to develop an interdisciplinary introductory science course for first-year college students that will emphasize the methods and relevance of scientific inquiry. Target students are primarily those students that do not intend to major in a science. The course content is intended to include interdisciplinary topics of broad interest in logical sequences. We start, for example, with color vision (physiology, perception, optics, spectroscopy), autumn foliage (isolation of chlorophyll, photosynthesis, light as energy), and the origin of oxygen-rich atmosphere (respiration, flow of energy through biosphere, ecosystems). This theme (light, energy, and matter) then leads us through topics in astronomy, physics, chemistry, geology, and biology, all in context and without traditional discipline boundaries. Laboratory demonstrations and exercises will be exploration-driven with students actively participating in defining the questions that are asked and how we look for answers. In the last half of the year, small groups of students will carry out self-directed research projects and present their results to the class. Three faculty from different disciplines will teach the course through lectures to the entire class (approximately 1/3 of the meetings) and in smaller discussion groups (2/3 of the meetings). Course content is able to evolve and change depending on the faculty involved in a given year. A lab director will facilitate weekly lab exercises, and senior students from all disciplines will serve as teaching assistants and role models. Students will be graded by the quality of exploration reports, projects, and personal journals (no timed exams). An Advisory Committee of outside persons will provide input on course content and evaluation.
