The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied

The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Columbia University Science and Engineering in the Columbia Core Timothy Cross AKU-FAS Core Curriculum Workshop Babson Conference Center Friday, 27 February 2009

Talking Points School Visions q Programs and Requirements q Core Course Characteristics q Frontiers of Science (Columbia College) q First-Year Design Course (Columbia Engineering) q The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Columbia University 2

School Visions Columbia College q Provide education that allows students to have … 1. Intellectual mobility 2. Social mobility 3. Career mobility Columbia Engineering q Prepare students so they are … 1. Technologically adept 2. Liberally educated 3. Socially engaged 4. Entrepreneurial The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Columbia University 3

Programs and Requirements Columbia College Core q q q q Contemporary Civilization (2 semesters; 8 credits) Literature Humanities (2 semesters; 8 credits) Art Humanities (1 semester; 4 credits) Music Humanities (1 semester; 4 credits) Frontiers of Science (1 semester; 4 credits) University Writing (1 semester; 3 credits) Global Core (2 semesters; 6 -8 credits) Core requirements comprise 10 semesters during first two years, with 8 semesters common to all students. The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Columbia University 4

Programs and Requirements Engineering School Core q q q “First-Year Design Course” (1 semester; 4 credits) At least one professional-level course (1 semester; 3 credits) Required Non-Technical Courses (16 -18 credits) § University Writing (1 semester) § Contemporary Civilization (2 semesters) or Literature § q Humanities (2 semesters) or Global Core (2 semesters) Art Humanities (1 semester; 4 credits) or Music Humanities (1 semester; 4 credits) Principles of Economics (1 semester; 3 credits) § Elective Non-Technical Courses (9 -11 credits) The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Columbia University 5

Programs and Requirements Shared Courses Frontiers of Science Literature Humanities Contemporary Civilization Global Core Music Humanities Art Humanities University Writing Columbia College First-Year Design Course Columbia Engineering The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Columbia University 6

Programs and Requirements Sample College Core Schedule First Year Sophomore Year Fall Spring Literature Humanities Contemporary Civilization Frontiers of Science* University Writing* Arts Humanities* Music Humanities* Global Core* *Can be taken either fall or spring semester The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Columbia University 7

Programs and Requirements Sample SEAS Core Schedule First Year Sophomore Year Fall Spring First-Year Design Course 1 Professional. Level Course 1 Contemporary Civilization 2 University Writing 1 Principles of Economics 1, 3 Art Humanities 1, 4 Professional. Level Course 1 1 Can be taken either fall or spring semester Could substitute either Literature Humanities or Global Core 3 Can be satisfied with AP Economics 4 Could substitute Music Humanities 2 The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Columbia University 8

Columbia College Core Frontiers of Science q q Attempt to create science course analogous to core courses in social sciences and humanities Course-wide lectures § Taught by senior faculty -- 4 modules per § § q semester Fill role of common source material along or common text Address big, general questions Individual discussion sections § Taught by mix of faculty and Columbia § § q Science Fellows (postdoctoral students) Fill role of small core classes Address practical, more detailed problems Part of three-course science requirement The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Columbia University 9

Columbia College Core Frontiers of Science Ambitions “A one-semester course that integrates modern science into the Core Curriculum to change the way students think about questions of science and about the world around them. ” q Content ambitions § Multidisciplinary -- different § q scientific disciplines contribute Show “cutting edge of science” -focus on recent breatkthroughs Skill ambitions § “Scientific habits of mind” § Common scientific methods, such as “back-of-the-envelope” calculations and the use of proxies The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Columbia University Scientific Habits of Mind 1. A Sense of Scale 2. Expecting the Improbable 3. Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics 4. Discoveries on the Back of an Envelope 5. Insights in Lines and Dots 6. Correlation, Causation … Confusion and Clarity 7. What is Science? 10

Columbia College Core Frontiers of Science Modules q Fall 2008 § Evolution § Astronomy § Climate § Biodiversity q Spring 2009 § Astronomy § Climate § Quantum § § § The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Columbia University Mechanics Chemistry Biochemistry Brain and Behavior 11

Columbia Engineering Core First-Year Design Course q Required course for all first-year Engineers § Four sections of ~45 students per semester § Instructional team (faculty, graduate fellows) q Both hard and soft skills § Technical skills (Maya, CAD, prototyping) § Professional and soft skills (teamwork and project management, budgeting, interacting with clients, communications skills) The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Columbia University 12

Columbia Engineering Core First-Year Design Course q Students work on real projects from community clients § Emphasizes open-ended problem§ q solving Students work on more than 70 projects per year Projects have focused on three main area § Adaptive technologies § Urban problems § Educational challenges q Client feedback is essential in evaluating student performance The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Columbia University 13

Columbia Engineering Core Ambitions q Non-technical requirement aims to produce “well rounded” engineers § § q Shared Core courses with the College Shared liberal arts programs with the University Community-based learning courses and programs aim to support socially engaged engineers § § § Required in First-Year Design Course; optional thereafter Projects are community selected Project success determined by tangible results for clients The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Columbia University In 2007 -2008, more than 600 students worked on 100 projects for local CBOs, businesses, nursing homes, schools, and churches. In 2008 -2009, we expect to have close to 800 students working on community-based learning projects. 14