Pets, Politics and Pandemics: Navigating Life with Lessons from Science
Explore principles of social justice, climate change, propaganda, and disinformation.
Modules/Weeks
Weekly Effort
Discipline
School
Format
Cost
Course Description
- Learn theoretical methods to apply to various personal, social, political, and natural phenomena, gaining new insights into subjects they may have been previously exploring.
- Explore fundamental concepts of systems theory that underpin a wide array of topics across diverse fields such as social justice, climate change, and economic structures.
- Engage with creative teaching methods, including observations of pets and wildlife, to deepen understanding of complex subjects like propaganda, disinformation, and the unidirectionality of time.
- Connect the broad applicability of systems theory to real-world examples, such as politics and pandemics, using an interdisciplinary approach that makes the subject matter both enjoyable and insightful.
What You Will Learn
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
Utilize systems theoretical methods to analyze complex systems, enhancing their ability to understand intricate subjects and phenomena.
Apply these analytical tools to gain fresh insights into areas they have previously explored, ranging from social justice to the unidirectionality of time.
Engage in critical discussions on topics such as climate change, propaganda, and disinformation, fostering a deeper comprehension of contemporary challenges.
Develop a broad and interconnected perspective on social, political, and natural arenas, empowering them to evaluate and navigate the complexities of our multifaceted world.
Course Outline
Module 1: Introduction to Pets, Politics and Pandemics
Module 2: Life’s problems, what Is a system, and who cares anyway?
Module 3: Understanding scientific systems
Module 4: Applying your knowledge to real world situations
Module 5: Now it’s your turn
Instructors
Professor Simon Billinge’s research advances the study of nanoscale structure and its role in the properties of diverse materials used for energy, catalysis, environmental remediation, and pharmaceuticals.
Prof. Billinge earned his Ph.D in Materials Science and Engineering from University of Pennsylvania in 1992, following a BA at Oxford University. He spent 2 years at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico as a post-doc before joining the faculty as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Michigan State University in 1994. He became Associate Professor in 1999 and full Professor in 2003. In 2008 he took up his current position as Professor of Applied Physics, Applied Mathematics and Materials Science at Columbia University and Physicist at Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Read full bio: https://www.apam.columbia.edu/faculty/simon-billinge
Please note that there are no instructors or course assistants actively monitoring this course.