Track 1
STEM in Society: Human Ingenuity, Human Values
Course Description:
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math are powerful products of human ingenuity and skill. But precisely because they are human, STEM disciplines are inseparable from every other aspect of human life. Social, moral, political, even personal values and choices in everyday life impact, and are impacted by, STEM. For example:
- Brilliant engineering gives us fuel-efficient cars. But a group of brilliant engineers also helped Volkswagen deceive the public into thinking the gas mileage of its diesel cars was better than it was.
- Life-saving MRI technology depends on the discoveries of nuclear physicists. So does the atom bomb.
- Mathematical modeling can help predict the results of political elections before they take place. But it’s possible that hearing a prediction about an election can influence voters, thus potentially changing the results of the election!
In this course we will explore some of the many points of intersection between STEM and Society. Topics will include some subset of the following:
- The nature and importance of scientific methods: is science valuable because of its results? Or because of its methods? Why should we remember, care about, and understand “wrong science” of times past? What’s the difference between science and technology? Between being scientific and being unscientific?
- Environmental ethics and policy: why (or why not) care about the values of renewability (in resources), sustainability (in systems and institutions), biodiversity and indigenousness (in plants animals humans and landscapes)?
- Science, technology, and engineering ethics: do experts have special obligations to educate the non-expert public? Do scientists and engineers on research teams have to act as whistleblowers? Should scientists refrain from/pursue discoveries that could be deadly “in the wrong hands”? Is progress for the sake of progress really good? And if not, what is the goal of good science?
- Students will have the opportunity to choose one unit of content by popular vote.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Spot ethical, social, and policy-related concerns that arise in STEM contexts
- Understand something of the history of science and what distinguishes science from other human ways of knowing
- Identify reasons given in support of different positions on questions of social, moral, and political importance in STEM contexts
Credit Hours: 1
Track 2
STEM in Society: Agriculture and the Future of Food
Course Description
This course explores how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics influence agriculture and food systems in society. Students will examine modern agricultural innovations such as precision livestock technology, data use in farming, genetic modification, sustainability, and future food systems.
Course Learning Goals
- Explain how STEM is used in modern agriculture
- Describe major technologies shaping food production
- Evaluate social, ethical, and policy-related questions connected to agricultural innovation
- Interpret basic agricultural data
Topic Overview
- Unit 1: STEM and Agriculture Foundations
- Unit 2: Technology and Livestock Systems
- Unit 3: Genetics and Biotechnology
- Unit 4: Sustainability and Future Agriculture
Course Requirements
This course focuses on practicing skills of written and oral discussion and debate. To demonstrate proficiency in these skills students will:
- participate in in-class exercises and discussions
- complete a field trip and observation writeup
- write reflections on themes and topics explored throughout the course
- as a final project, propose and present a STEM-based solution to an agricultural problem
Credit Hours: 1