PHYS 104 - Science for Security (3 credits)

(Coreq: PHYS 104L) Important political and economic decisions increasingly require scientific thinking and technological knowledge: Alternative energy, climate change, terrorism, nuclear weapons, health hazards, surveillance, space exploration, and more. This course introduces students to the key concepts in the physical sciences that are necessary to understand these and many other complex national security issues where future leaders will be called upon to make hard decisions. The course uses limited mathematics as necessary, cutting straight to the core concepts necessary to inform decision-making. Students conduct demonstration experiments, participate in discussions and debates, and role-play through topical scenarios. F, S.