PHY 115: Science and Scientists

Spring 2012 MWF 11:30 a.m. - 12:25 p.m. Room 102, Tyler Hall

Instructors: Shashi Kanbur, Mark Cole

Offices: Kanbur: 124a, Snygg Hall

Cole: 105c, Theatre Department, Tyler Hall

Phone: Kanbur x 2679

Cole x2130 or x4883

e-mail: ;

Office Hours: Kanbur: MWF 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm and by appointment

Cole: T&Th: 10:00 am - 11:30 am and by appointment

Angel will be used

BOOKS: (required)

Great Feuds in Science: Ten of the Liveliest Disputes Ever, Hal Hellman

Scientific Feuds: From Galileo to the Human Genome Project, Joel Levy

Copy Center reader for PHY 115

Texts are available at the College Bookstore

Course Description: Major scientific principles, the personalities that shaped them and the excitement of scientific research merge with a study of creative theatre techniques (drawn from improvisation, playwriting & acting) to develop a collaborative experience that explores science and art in a lively, imaginative and innovative manner.

This interdisciplinary course merges science with the arts/humanities in a unique approach that explores scientific principals and the personalities behind them through the lens of theater. The course aims to teach a number of key scientific principles, demonstrate the excitement of scientific research and introduce the basics of theatre and playmaking through an investigation of the very human narratives behind some of the major scientific principles of our time.

Fulfills General Education Knowledge Foundations requirements in the Natural Sciences and Fine and Performing Arts.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • Students will comprehend the scientific themes identified at the start of the course at the level typical of most 100 General Education science courses. This includes being able to carry out some quantitative analysis.
  • Students will identify and interpret the historical context of the scientific theme and the personal history of the scientists involved.
  • Students will examine and practice the theatre techniques used to create dramatic texts.
  • Students will demonstrate an ability to write and/or perform a dramatic text (monologue, scene, short play), which incorporates and illuminates a scientific theme studied in the course.

COURSE OUTLINE

WEEK ONE: Jan. 23 - Jan. 27

  • Mon. – Introduction, expectations etc. receive packet on science syllabus plus possible topics for plays.
  • Wed. – SMK – the nature of science – essay on a timeline of the history of science paying particular attention to Renaissance.
  • Fri. – MC – The Collaborative Spirit. Elements of play: objectives and actions. Saying “yes”.

Cynthia Hopkins, The Truth: A Tragedy performance at 7:30 pm,

Fri., Jan. 27 in Waterman Theatre. Attendance Required.

WEEK TWO: Jan. 30- Feb. 3

  • Mon. – Class Discussion of The Truth: A Tragedy with Cynthia Hopkins
  • Wed. –SMK – Nature of Science, Start gravity, calculus, Newton’s Laws of Motion – Newton vs. Leibniz. Homework on some quantitative problems related to this.
  • Fri. – Discussion with guest artist, Chris Monger
  • WEEK THREE: Feb. 6 - Feb. 10
  • Mon. – SMK – Continue with problems on Calculus, Newton’s Laws of Motion.
  • Wed. – SMK – Einstein, Special and General Relativity
  • Fri. – MC – The Given Circumstances: who, what, where, when and why. Developing a dramatic situation

WEEK FOUR: Feb. 13 - Feb. 17

  • Mon. – SMK - Problems in Special Relativity
  • Wed. – SMK – Quantum Mechanics, Young’s double slit experiment, Electromagnetic spectrum – quantitative homework
  • Fri. – MC – Theatrical Time and the Theatrical Space

WEEK FIVE: Feb. 20 - Feb. 24

  • Mon. – SMK Solvay Congress of 1927 – the birth of Quantum mechanics
  • Wed. – First Presentations: works in progress
  • Fri. – First Presentations continued: works in progress

WEEK SIX: Feb. 27 - Mar. 2

  • Mon. –Science Exam/Quiz
  • Wed. – MC – Research for second project
  • Fri. – MC – Given Circumstances, Language, Dramatic Action

WEEK SEVEN: Mar. 5 - Mar. 9

  • Mon. – SMK – Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology – essay on the Big Bang Theory
  • Wed. – SMK – Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology
  • Fri. – MC – Character interaction and conflict

SPRING BREAK Mar. 12 - Mar. 16

WEEK EIGHT: Mar. 19 - Mar. 23

  • Mon. – SMK –Darwin’s theory of evolution – essay on the development of this theory
  • Wed. – MC – Scene and Dialogue
  • Fri. – MC – Content and Form

Sat. March 24: Weekend Intensive with Cynthia Hopkins: Tentatively scheduled for

10am - noon and 1:00 pm - 4:00pm. Place: Room 102

WEEK NINE: Mar. 26 - March 30

  • Mon. – SMK – The basics of Genetics – essay on the significance of the discovery of DNA
  • Wed. – MC – Dramatic Structure
  • Fri. – Presentation of works in progress

WEEK TEN: April 2 - April 6

  • Mon. – Presentation of works in progress
  • Wed. – Defining the Dramatic Action
  • Fri. – Good Friday, NO CLASSES

WEEK ELEVEN: April 9 - April 13

  • Mon. – Triggers, Suspense and Moving Forward
  • Wed. – Revisions
  • Fri. – Preparation for Quest Presentation

WEEK TWELVE: April 16 - April 20

  • Mon. – Preparation for Quest Presentation
  • Wed. – Quest Day. The Class will participate in a Quest Presentation. The content, time and place are TBD. This will involve the entire class so keep Quest Day open and let us know if you are involved in any other Quest presentations.
  • Fri. – Review

WEEK THIRTEEN: April 23 - April 27

  • Mon. – Presentation of works in progress
  • Wed. – Presentation of works in progress
  • Fri. – Exam 2

WEEK FOURTEEN: April 30 - May 4

  • Mon. – Presentation of works in progress
  • Wed. – Presentation of works in progress
  • Fri. – Last Day of Classes

Note: The final exam time is, May from 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Attendance required.

Course schedule is subject to change

Requirements: Exams, Assignments, Creative Writing & Performances Related to the Student Written Dramatic Texts, Attendance at outside events

Evaluation: (Plus and minus grading will be used)

Science Quizzes = 25% of course grade

Theatre projects = 25% of course grade

Final Project = 25% of course grade

Attendance & participation = 25% of course grade (includes attendance & participation in classes, Quest, outside performances and weekend intensive with Cynthia Hopkins).

Note Well: no eating or drinking in class; and refrain from gum chewing. Also, turn off cell phones and all electronic devices. Please remove hats in class.

Class begins promptly at 11:30, so be on time. It is rude and disruptive to come in late. It is equally as rude to leave early. Remember, it is not acceptable to miss class or leave early for a meeting with your advisor or to register. Work out advisement times early so you are not forced to compromise.

You are required to attend (on Friday, January 27) the ARTSwego production of Cynthia Hopkins’ The Truth: A Tragedy. Also filmmaker and writer Chris Monger will speak on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 7:30 pm in the Campus Center Auditorium. You are strongly encouraged to attend. Both Hopkins and Monger will visit the class.

There will be a writing assignment based on your viewing of The Truth: A Tragedy.

If you require assistance through the Disability Support Services office, get in touch with the office by phone (x3358) or email . The office is located in room 183 in the Campus Center. The staff is dedicated to meeting the needs of students with special needs. The office provides support services, the availability of adaptive technologies, and other assistance required to meet the mission of helping all students succeed.

Intellectual Integrity

About the college’s policy on Intellectual Integrity: It is important that all students recognize their responsibility to uphold the highest standards in the area of academic integrity. The college policy is stated in the Student Handbook, in the section titled “Judicial Policies.” The definition of Intellectual Dishonesty includes these statements:

“Examples of intellectual dishonesty include making up or falsifying data, etc. It may also take the form of intellectual carelessness, which, while not intentionally deceptive, has the same outcome and may be treated as academic dishonesty.”

“Some examples of cheating include, but are not limited to…copying an examination, assignment or other work to be evaluated…. inappropriate collaboration on work to be evaluated…. buying/selling examinations, term papers, etc…submitting work for which credit has already been received in another course without the express consent of the instructor.”

“Some examples of plagiarism include utilizing a direct quotation without citing the source…paraphrasing the ideas, interpretation, expressions of another without giving credit…and representing the thought of others as their own by failing to acknowledge or document sources.” The procedures for dealing with Intellectual Dishonesty are outlined in the Student Handbook. Penalties can include failure of a class.

Bibliography

“The Cosmic Perspective”, sixth edition, by Bennett, Donahue, Schneider, Voit. Pearson,

2007

“Scientific Feuds: From Galileo to the Human Genome Project”, Joel Levy. New Holland, 2010.

“Great Feuds in Science: Ten of the Liveliest Disputes Ever”, Hellman, H.

Wiley, 1998.

“Backwards and Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays,” D. Ball, Southern Illinois University Press, 1983. [classic]

“A More Perfect 10: Writing and Producing the 10-minute Play,” G. Garrison, Focus Publishing, 2009.

“Improvisation for the Theatre”, V. Spolin, Northwestern University Press, 1977. [classic]

“Playwriting in Process”, Michael. Wright, Focus Publishing, 2010.

Berry, Cicely. From Word to Play: A Handbook for Directors. London: Oberon Books, 2008.

PHY 115: Science Syllabus

1.The Scientific Method, a rough timeline of the development of the Scientific Method.

2.Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler and Galileo.

3.Kepler’s Laws of Motion.

4.Newton’s Laws of Motion.

5.Newton’s Law of Gravity.

6.Elementary Calculus – differentiation and integration.

7.Basics of Special and General Relativity.

8.Basic concepts of Quantum Mechanics – Light.

9.Basics of Stellar Evolution.

10.Classification of Galaxies.

11. The Big Bang Theory of the Universe.

12. Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.

13. Basics of Genetics.

Science Themes for PHY 115 Course: Spring 2012.

1. The Nature of Scientific Inquiry and the Scientific Method

-What is the Scientific Method? Historical Context (Non-Western, Greeks, Copernicus,

-Brahe, Kepler, Galileo. Possible topics:

a)a timeline of the history of the scientific method

b)Copernicus and the development of the heliocentric theory of the Solar System

c)Brahe spending years undertaking naked eye observations and Kepler analyzing these to eventually produce the heliocentric model of the Solar System with elliptical orbits for the planets

d)Urban VIII vs Galileo

2.Calculus, Gravity, Newton’s Laws of Motion.

-Why calculus is important, what it is, Newton’s laws of motion and gravity. Possible topics:

a)Newton vs Leibniz on the development of Calculus

b)Emile du Chatelet and the formula for kinetic energy

c)Bernoulli family’s jealousies and contributions to math/science

3.Quantum Mechanics, Wave particle duality in light. Electromagnetic spectrum. Possible topics

a)Fifth Solvay Congress of 1927

b)Eddington’s observations of bending of starlight around the Sun

c)Lorentz and Einstein

d)Einstein and Quantum Mechanics

4.Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology: Stellar Evolution, Galaxies and the Big Bang Theory of the Universe. Possible Topics include

a)Chandrashekar and Eddington dispute

b)Curtis-Shapley debate about the size of the Universe

c)Henrietta Leavitt and the Cepheid PL relation

d)The search for extra-terrestrial life through the search for extra-solar planets

e)Penzias and Wilson

5.Darwin’s theory of evolution – Possible Topics include

a)Life on the Beagle

b)Darwin and Wallace

c)Darwin and the wider public

6.The discovery of the structure of DNA

The story of the discovery of the structure of DNA incorporating Franklin, Watson, Crick and Wilkins

1