Published 11 October 2011
A selection of interesting science courses to get an insight into the science curriculum at AUC.
The National Institute for Subatomic Physics is an institute that carries out research in the area of (astro)particle physics. Scientists and engineers work together on research into the smallest building blocks of matter and the forces that act between them. These minuscule particles are studied in collision processes using large particle accelerators, including those of CERN near Geneva, as well as in interactions of high-energy cosmic particles in the Earth's atmosphere or in seawater.
Nikhef is a partnership between the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM) and four universities: Radboud University Nijmegen, University of Amsterdam, Utrecht University and VU University Amsterdam. Nikhef is located at Science Park Amsterdam.
Teacher: Dr. Sebastian de Haro
On 22-24 February , AUC students visited the world's largest particle accelerator at CERN, Geneva. They went down to the 100 m underground ATLAS detector.
They also visited the synchrotron and nuclear reactor facilities ESRF/ILL in Grenoble, France.
The trip was part of the 300-level course "Symmetries and the Quantum Universe" and was partially sponsored by Nikhef (Nationaal instituut voor subatomaire fysica).
Teacher: Prof. Dr. Ronald Griessen
Every day during a whole month students of the PhysLab course carried out various experiments at the VU University to develop valuable skills such as formulating research questions, setting up an experiment, interpreting the data and placing the experimental results within the relevant context. Here two students are measuring with Laser Doppler Anemometry the velocity profile of a viscous fluid flowing in a tube. This is relevant for the flow of blood in blood vessels. Very important is that it stimulates students to explore new phenomena, formulate hypotheses and check their validity: this is the essence of research.
Teacher: Dr. Forrest Bradbury
What is the sound made by a guitar with “strings” that are 10 microns long, 50 nanometers in diameter, and made of crystalline silicon? How do physical interactions change at the length scale of a virus or a small molecule? Might there be important applications of nano-structured materials in energy, electronics, or medicine?
This course explores physical attributes inherent in nano-structured systems, the current methods for studying and creating nanomaterials, and a sample of research topics in nanoscience.
Nano-Guitar, fabricated and imaged (with a scanning electron microscope) by Dustin Carr and Harold Craighead at the Cornell Nanofabrication Facility.
Teacher: Dr. Paul Hudson
The course goal is to examine Earth’s surface as a complex system by explicitly considering the interaction and feedback between Earth’s four major spheres: The lithosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere, and consider how these phenomena are manifest on Earth’s surface. System Earth provides a solid conceptual foundation with appropriate laboratory assignments and field excursions to prepare students for advanced courses within environmental Earth sciences.
Students in AUC's System Earth took a field trip to Texel Island (Dutch North Sea) to examine coastal environmental change and beach management, a pressing issue in regions prone to sea level rise and climate change. Students gained experience with coring to extract samples from the ground to examine differences in the particle size and organic content of sedimentary layers, possibly caused by sea level rise and large storm events. The samples are then returned to the laboratory for detailed physical and chemical analysis.
Teachers: Prof. Dr. Ronald Griessen and Dr. Michiel van Drunen
Physics and technology play an important role within the course Energy, Climate and Sustainability. At the practicum of the VU University in Amsterdam, AUC students get familiarized with photovoltaic cells to harness solar energy, small wind turbines and build an engine to convert heat into useful mechanical work. Patience, intuition and a touch of mechanical handiness are necessary to build the Stirling engine shown in the picture. However, when the engine turns with more than 1000 rpm the pleasure is enormous. It also helpsstudents to assimilate the theory developed during the lectures.
Teacher: Dr. Paul Hudson
Are floods increasing in magnitude and frequency? Are droughts becoming more severe? Are such “hydrologic” disasters events triggered by natural or human causes? What does this mean for human settlement, agriculture, river erosion, and aquatic ecology? The answer to these questions is at the core of modern hydrologic sciences. Hydrology is an interdisciplinary science that considers the processes controlling the distribution and movement of Earth’s water, as well as its physical, chemical, and ecological interactions with Earth’s surface. The goal of this course is to provide a broad and rigorous overview of the field of physical hydrology within a watershed framework. Specific topics will include climatic controls, infiltration, runoff, groundwater, channel hydraulics and streamflow, flood mechanisms, river and floodplain management, water resources, and global environmental change. Students will be exposed to modern theory and methods of hydrologic sciences through lectures, laboratory assignments, and field trips.
The Rhine River flood of 1995.
The event triggered a new approach to flood risk assessment and watershed management in the Netherlands, and is now being globally implemented.
Teacher: Dr. Maarten Marx
Three students won the 3rd prize in the Visualization track of the Open Data Challenge 2011 with their site politiekinzicht.com. The prize was awarded by Vice President of the European Commission Neelie Smit Kroes. Among the members of the jury was Tim Berners Lee. The application was created under supervision of Maarten Marx and based on data from his PoliticalMashup project.
Teacher: Dr. Cor Zonneveld
Students in Introduction to Biology visited the Hortus Botanicus in the center of Amsterdam. One of the challenges of biology is becoming acquainted with the rich diversity of life. Reading about this diversity doesn’t quite convey it. We thus went to the Hortus where a collaborator guided the students along the Evolution Trail. Seeing the plants alive that are mentioned in the book gives a complementary experience, allowing for easier digestion of the material. Here the guide shows the students the gymnosperm tree Cycas.
Teacher: Dr. Forrest Bradbury
Classical mechanics adequately describes the movement of everyday objects: from ocean tides and clock pendulums to rockets and bobsleds. By covering Newton’s laws of motion, energy, conservation laws, frames of reference, and oscillations, the student will be able to tackle problems in disciplines ranging from astronomy to engineering.
The course also includes a laboratory exercise on compressed air and water rocketry. Students will predict the flight path of a simple self-built rocket and compare their predictions to measurements taken by an onboard accelerometer.
Source: AUC
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