Academic Options

Description: Earthquakes, meteorite impacts, rapid climate change, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, landslides, solar flares, and floods are natural disasters that affect our economy, public policy, and safety. Where, why and how frequently do natural disasters occur? Are predictions possible? Are media portrayals of risk and damage realistic? This course, aimed at the nonspecialist, investigates these intriguing questions. Excerpts of “disaster films”, in conjunction with lectures and discussions are used to identify the causes, consequences and sometimes erroneous perceptions of natural hazards. Examples from Atlantic Canada and contemporary disasters are used to assess local risk and real-time events worldwide.

Description: Innovation involves the creation and diffusion of new products, processes and methods that drive productivity increases and sustainable growth. This course uses microeconomics to examine the public sector’s role in promoting innovation and firms’ receptor capacity to recognize and address productivity gaps with investments in innovative products, processes and methods.

Description: An introduction to solar system astronomy and the night sky for science students. The historical development of astronomy, and celestial coordinate systems are discussed, with focus on the planets and satellites of our solar system. Planetarium sessions are included, as are opportunities to observe the night sky through small telescopes.

Description: The workings of the Earth's climate system are examined and then applied to help understand contemporary climate change. The role of numerical climate models is discussed with the aim of interpreting climate change predictions for the coming decades. Finally, the impacts of climate change are studied with a focus on the various mitigation and adaptation strategies needed.

Description: Students will explore how the different areas of psychology understand, inform, and at times contradict, knowledge of and diversity in sex and gender.

Description: On a planet of 8 billion heading to 10+ billion people, how we choose to feed ourselves now, and in the future, has profound implications for both human and non-human life and, ultimately, the stability of life support systems upon which modern human societies depend. This course is a focused exploration of the biophysical demands of feeding humanity and the known global-scale impacts. The complexities and trade-offs of major food systems are evaluated via tools such as Life Cycle Assessment and Dietary Scenario Analyses. Strategies to effect change are explored, including alternative production methods, shifting diets, and more.

Description: In this course, science students learn and practice core concepts of communicating science to a non-scientist audience. Multiple forms of delivery are discussed, practiced, and critiqued, including written, oral, and visual. The impact of social media on the ways in which scientists communicate with the public are also explored.

Description: This course explores the role that developmental events (internal and external) play in health and disease, emphasizing their role in programming stress responding and metabolic processes across the lifespan. Students learn about underlying epigenetic mechanisms, environmental/sociocultural influences, disease processes impacted (e.g., stress-related and metabolic-related diseases), societal implications, and prevention/mitigation strategies.

Description: This course introduces concepts and methods for analyzing industrial sustainability through an interdisciplinary lens including economic, social and environmental considerations. The business case for industrial sustainability, the tools necessary to decouple economic growth of our business sectors from resource use and environmental degradation, and the role of sustainable industries in the sustainable development agenda are explored.

Description: Coral reefs are iconic marine ecosystems both biologically and economically. This class introduces students to the biology of both tropical and cold-water corals, key characteristics of their abiotic environments, human impacts at both local and global scales, and management options for sustainable resource use and the protection of biodiversity. This course includes a five-day field trip to the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Science.

Description: This course is an introduction to modern cryptographic techniques and its mathematical foundations. The material covered includes: elementary number theory and algebra, classical cryptosystems, probability, the Data Encryption Standard, prime number generation and primality tests, public key cryptosystems, and further applications, such as digital signatures and identification.

Description: Students will develop leadership skills and build confidence while applying their scientific knowledge. Through in-class activities and a science-based practicum, students gain experience with various aspects of leadership, allowing for integration and application of their expertise.

Description: This course will focus on how science communication can be leveraged to generate social change in the face of historical colonialism. Students will hear from diverse voices in the field, explore the concept of decolonization in the context of science communication, and strengthen science communication skills by developing their own projects, obtaining a deeper understanding of what it means to communicate science to everyone.