The Tulane Science Scholars Program gives high school students the opportunity to take college-credit courses in the summer at Tulane before high school graduation. This year's summer program includes TWELVE 3-credit courses.
CENG 1100: Innovations in Chemical Engineering
Section 1: July 8 - July 19
Section 2: July 22 - August 2
Instructor: Dr. Katie Russell
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
This summer session will introduce students to the basic concepts and calculations in the field of chemical engineering. Through lectures and readings, students will gain a strong understanding of chemical engineering fundamentals. Students will also work in small groups on labs designed to strengthen understanding and gain “hands-on” experience. Modern techniques and exposure to real-world applications will be emphasized. Lectures are by Tulane faculty, and Tulane faculty members and graduate students will supervise laboratory activities. Students will:
- Gain an understanding of introductory concepts of chemical engineering including common units of measurement, analytical instruments, equations of state, and material balances.
- Learn how to model a simple process using Aspen HYSYS.
- Experiment with multiphase equilibrium.
- Explore common industrial separation processes and visit the New Orleans Sewage and Water Board.
- Analyze carbon dioxide transfer in an absorption column.
- Learn basic biotechnology techniques and preform a bacterial transformation.
- Study the chemical engineer’s role in energy production and visit the Tulane Power Plant.
This 2-week summer program will be held on Tulane University's campus with lecture from 10:00-11:30 am and laboratory from 1:00-3:30 pm. Students will have a break between lecture and lab sessions. Sample calendar (from Summer 2017) can be found here.
CMPS 1005: Python Programming: Introduction to Computer Science
July 22 - August 2
Instructor: Dr. Anastasia Kurdia
Department of Computer Science
Scholarships sponsored by Presenting Sponsor, Capital One
This summer session is an introductory course on computer programming, in which the students design, implement, test and debug programs for computational problems using Python programming language. This course emphasizes program design process, object-oriented software development approach, and practical programming skills that translate to programming in other modern languages. Assignments include practical problems drawn from various fields (such as biology, linguistics, graphics, and games).
Computational tools are a critical part of our everyday lives. Software is the driving force behind cutting edge scientific discovery, blockbuster entertainment, and today's fast‐paced marketplace ‐ and will continue to become even more important. For instance, big tech companies such as Intel aspire to create technology that will enrich life of every person on earth, in the nearest decade. This course is an introduction to techniques and problem‐solving approaches that are used to develop some of these computational tools. Students will use Python programming language to learn basic programming principles, such as:
- representing and manipulating data of different types;
- iteration, conditional execution;
- modular program design using functions;
- object‐oriented programming;
- writing elegant self‐documenting code and testing its proper operation.
The emphasis will be on concepts that are applicable to programming in most programming languages, not just Python, and on solving problems from different application areas. Upon completion of this course, successful students will be able to design, implement and test computational solutions to problems:
- Break a computational problem into manageable subproblems.
- Write an algorithm to solve a specific problem, and then translate that algorithm into a program in Python.
- Write clear, concise documentation for their code and develop tests to verify proper program operation.
This 2-week summer program will be held on Tulane University's campus with lecture from 10:00-11:30 am and laboratory from 1:00-3:30 pm. Students will have time for lunch between sessions. Sample calendar (from Summer 2017) can be found here.
EBIO 1050: Introduction to Conservation Genetics
July 8 - July 19
Instructor(s): Dr. Dorothy Cheruiyot and Zoe Diaz-Martin
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
This course will introduce students to the principals of conservation genetics and offer an understanding of how these principals are studied and integrated into management practices. College style lectures will first review the fundamentals of DNA and genes and proceed to highlight the processes of evolutionary genetics, including natural selection, gene flow, migration, and drift. The second week of lecture will then highlight the genetic management of plant and animal populations and will explore how wildlife managers incorporate evolutionary genetics into their decision-making process. Labs are focused on experiential learning and will help students to contextualize and synthesize the reading and lecture information through engaging activities and field trips. Labs will also provide students with wet lab training in DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and gel electrophoresis. Students will:
- Understand how evolution impacts populations
- Use tools that evolutionary biologists and conservation genetics employ
- Explore how conservation biologists use genetic information to manage animal populations
This 2-week summer program will be held on Tulane University's campus with lecture from 10:00-11:30 am and laboratory from 1:00-3:30 pm. Students will have time for lunch between sessions.
EBIO 1080: Introduction to Plants and Human Affairs
July 22 - August 2
Instructor: Dr. Dorothy Cheruiyot
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
This course is designed to introduce you to plants and how different plants and plant products have shaped human existence. We will explore plant history, plant domestication, and plant products through lecture, readings, discussions, and field trips.
By the end of this course, you will:
- Understand the profound influence of plants on human life on earth as well as human cultures
- Understand why plants are considered chemical factories on our planet earth
- Be familiar with some of the plants that have influenced human culture and their impact on civilization
This 2-week summer program will be held on Tulane University's campus with lecture from 10:00-11:30 am and laboratory from 1:00-3:30 pm. Students will have time for lunch between lecture and lab sessions.
EBIO 1231: Exploring Animal Behavior
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
This 2-week summer program will not be taught during summer 2019. We hope to offer this course again in the future.
ENGP 1005: Introduction to Electronics with Laboratory
Department of Physics and Engineering Physics
This 2-week summer program will not be taught during summer 2019. We hope to offer this course again in the future.
ENGP 1010: Introduction to the MakerSpace**
July 8 - July 19
Instructor: Dr. Timothy Schuler
Department of Physics and Engineering Physics
In this course students will be introduced to the software and tools used in modern rapid prototyping facilities. Students will learn the basic techniques of building their own prototypes using modern machines such as 3d printers and laser cutters, and incorporating electronics into their designs using programmable circuits. The course focuses on practical application and a “hands-on” lab approach to learning design software and creating working models using the tools of the Tulane MakerSpace. Students will:
- Learn the basics of modern design software including electronics, vector graphics, and 3-D CAD modeling.
- Learn how to design for tools such as 3-D printers, laser cutters, and CNC machines.
- Learn to use modern rapid-prototyping machines to create working models.
- Design and build their own projects.
This course is independent of ENGP 1015, but the courses are structured to complement each other.
This 2-week summer program will be held on Tulane University's campus with lecture from 10:00-11:30 am and laboratory from 1:00-3:30 pm. Students will have time for lunch between lecture and lab sessions.
ENGP 1015: Introduction to Engineering Design with Lab**
July 22 - August 2
Instructor: Dr. Matthew Barrios
Department of Physics and Engineering Physics
This course will introduce students to the engineering design process. Through team projects geared toward creating physical solutions for real world problems, students will be challenged to begin thinking critically and apply physical fundamentals to complex systems. Daily lectures will highlight phases of the design process, including problem identification, conceptual design, and early prototyping. Additionally, students will gain experience with computer-aided design and be provided an introduction to rapid prototyping. Students will:
- Apply the design process methodology to the development of a solution to a "real-world" problem.
- Develop skills in using Solidworks, a 3-D computer aided design software package.
- Gain experience with rapid prototyping techniques, including 3-D printing and laser cutting.
- Develop skills in teamwork and project management.
This course is independent of ENGP 1010, but the courses are structured to compliment each other.
This 2-week summer program will be held on Tulane University's campus with lecture from 10:00-11:30 am and laboratory from 1:00-3:30 pm. Students will have time for lunch between lecture and lab sessions.
NSCI 1015: Basic Neuroscience with Laboratory
Section 1: July 8 - July 19
Section 2: July 22 - August 2
Instructor: Dr. Thomas Hebert and Dr. Sara Clark
Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology
This summer session will focus on the field of Neuroscience, which is the study of the brain. Neuroscientists study everything from the electrical activity of individual brain cells to the behavior of animals and people. TSSP students will have the opportunity to learn from the same techniques and equipment that Tulane neuroscientists use in their own research. Lectures are by Tulane faculty and laboratory activities will be supervised by Tulane faculty members and graduate students. The activities will include the following:
- PowerPoint college lecture presentations.
- Learn basic brain anatomy by studying actual human brain specimens.
- Learn how to test the effects of drugs on the behavior of rats.
- Learn how to prepare brain tissue for study under a microscope.
- Learn how to measure human brain waves.
- Learn how to interpret data through statistical analysis.
- Learn how to write in the style of science.
This 2-week summer program will be held on Tulane University's campus on with lecture from 10:00-11:30 am and laboratory from 1:00-3:30 pm. Students will have time for lunch between lecture and lab sessions. Sample calendar (from Summer 2017) can be found here.
PHYS 1015: Materials Science and Engineering
July 8 - July 19
Instructors: Dr. Douglas Chrisey, Dr. Diyar Talbayev, Dr. Jiang Wei, Dr. Matthew Escarra, and Dr. Ryan Glasser
Department of Physics and Engineering Physics
This summer session will focus on the field of Materials, which is an interdisciplinary field applying the properties of matter to various areas of science and engineering. This two-week (ten-day) course is intended for high school students who wish to explore and stimulate their interest in the materials sciences and engineering. The course consists of rotations between six materials science research laboratories in the Department of Physics and Engineering Physics. Each rotation combines lectures with hands-on laboratory activities to excite and introduce students to contemporary methods and issues in superconductivity, optics and lasers, biomaterials, nanomaterials, nanotechnology, and energy harvesting materials and technologies. Emphasis is placed on demonstrating basic principles and hands-on student involvement. Laboratory activities will be supervised by Tulane faculty members and graduate students. Students will:
- Explore how superconductivity is involved in real world applications, such as magnetic levitation, increased computer speed, and reduced energy consumption.
- Be introduced to the unique properties of nanomaterials as well as the methods for nanofabrication.
- Be introduced to contemporary methods of biomaterials engineering for disparate topics ranging from stem cells and regenerative medicine to cancer therapy.
- Gain an understanding of how the laser works, explore the uniqueness of laser light, and understand how the laser light inspires important new methods in materials processing and studying matter.
- Explore the interaction between materials and light for harvesting the sun’s energy.
This 2-week summer program will be held on Tulane University's campus with lecture from 10:00-11:30 am and laboratory from 1:00-3:30 pm. Students will have a break between lecture and lab sessions. Sample calendar (from Summer 2017) can be found here.
PSYC 1100: Exploring Psychology
July 8 - July 19
Instructor: Dr. Carrie Wyland
Department of Psychology
This summer session will focus on the field of Psychology, covering topics from the nervous system and the brain, to learning and memory, to disorders and treatment, to social psychology. It will involve both a lecture component as well as a hands-on laboratory component in which students will experience demonstrations and engage in activities to observe the concepts in action. For students who pass this course with a B or higher and choose to enroll at Tulane University, the Psychology Department will substitute this class for Introductory Psychology (PSYC 1000). Lectures are by Tulane faculty and laboratory activities will be supervised by Tulane faculty members and graduate students. The activities will include the following:
- Learn to read, write, and think like a psychologist.
- Learn how psychologists ask their research questions.
- Examine real human brain specimens.
- Understand why we sleep and what dreams are for.
- See childhood development in action.
- Understand why we get “tricked” by visual illusions.
- Learn methods of stress reduction.
- Understand how we treat psychological disorders.
- Examine how prejudice plays out in the courtroom.
This 2-week summer program will be held on Tulane University's campus with lecture from 10:00-11:30 am and laboratory from 1:00-3:30 pm. Students will have time for lunch between lecture and lab sessions. Sample calendar (from Summer 2017) can be found here.
SCEN 1015: Computers and Musical Creativity
July 22 - August 2
Instructor: Dr. Richard Snow
Department of Music and School of Science and Engineering
This course is intended for young composers and students interested in exploring the use of computers in the creation of music. The course introduces an array of tools, techniques, and motivations associated with Contemporary Computer Music Composition. Students will gain familiarity with the Digital Music Studio and Audio Workstation environments as they prepare frequent short composition assignments. In addition, students will attend and discuss a daily concert presenting recent and historical works of Computer Music. The course culminates in an informal concert of the students' works presented in surround sound on an 8.2 channel system.
Compositional paradigms to be explored in the course include:
- MIDI Arranging
- Sampling and Audio Editing
- Fixed Media Composition
- Interactive Music Composition
- Process Music
- Algorithmic Composition
- Sound Spatialization
- Sonification Techniques
- Computer Programming and Music Composition
The course also covers basic sound synthesis techniques including: FM synthesis, ring modulation, granular synthesis, additive and subtractive synthesis. Software used during the course includes Logic or Reaper, Audacity, Adobe Audition, Pure Data as well as many plug-ins.
This 2-week summer program will be held on Tulane University's campus with lecture from 10:00-11:30 am and laboratory from 1:00-3:30 pm. Students will have time for lunch between lecture and lab sessions. Sample calendar (from Summer 2017) can be found here.
SPHU 1010: Introduction to Public Health
July 22 - August 2
Instructor: Dr. Elisabeth Gleckler
School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Course description will be updated soon
This 2-week summer program will be held on Tulane University's campus with lecture from 10:00-11:30 am and laboratory from 1:00-3:30 pm. Students will have time for lunch between lecture and lab sessions.
SPHU 1020: The Cell, The Individual, and The Community
July 8 - July 19
Instructor: Dr. Lorelei Cropley
School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
This course provides a foundation of knowledge about the human body in relation to health and disease. It gives an overview of important concepts on the biological mechanisms of disease at eh cellular, microbial, individual, and community levels. The course will focus on a natural progression in the development of health and disease, moving from a discussion at the cellular level, to the microbial communities, then manifestations in the individual and finally, to disease effect and interventions at the community level. Furthermore, each session will offer insights into current public health hot topics and research trends. Hot topics include Emerging Infectious Diseases (such as Zika), Impact of Climate Change, Disease in the News (including Flesh Eating Bacteria and Brain Eating Amoeba). Includes the One Health concept of the relationship between animals, people, and the environment.
Topics to be explored in the course include:
- Basic Cell Theory: The Rock Versus "The Rock"
- Microbes: The Good, The Bad, and The Deadly
- Humans Fight Back! Immune System and Response to Disease
- WORMS! Diseases caused by helminths
- Mosquitoes are the Deadliest Insect on the Planet: Change my Mind (Includes Arthropod diseases and arboviruses)
- Current Plagues: Influenza, HIV/AIDS, and Tuberculosis
- Lower and Upper Respiratory Diseases: you are at risk!
- Contact Diseases: Also, why you don't want an armadillo as a pet
- Water and Foodborne Diseases: Why we are only supposed to eat oysters in "R" months
- Cancers Caused by Microbes: How a Vaccine can Prevent Cancer
- Disease Related to Nutrition: Why Sitting is the New Smoking
- Future Trends: Bioterrorism and Emerging Infections Diseases
This 2-week summer program will be held on Tulane University's campus with lecture from 10:00-11:30 am and field trips, guest lectures, and films from 1:00-3:30 pm. Students will have time for lunch between morning and afternoon sessions.
These summer courses will be held on Tulane University's uptown campus. Each course is offered for three hours of Tulane credit (may be transferable to another university).
