PHY 319 - Introduction to Astrobiology - Fall 2006

Syllabus

Course Overall Goals

1. To give an introduction to an emerging field of inquiry at the forefront of current research in biology and astronomy
2. To show how methods and results from different scientific disciplines are used in the search for life's origin and for evidence of life elsewhere in the Universe

Course Objectives for the Student

1. To go beyond what one has learned in descriptive astronomy and biology courses or what one has read in popularizing books on search for extraterrestrial life
2. To learn how to use basic physics laws to describe complex phenomena
3. To build skills in problem solving, modelling and doing research

Administrative Information

Lectures: MWF 9:30 - 10:25 AM, Rm. 106 Physics Bldg.

Attendance to Lectures: Attendance to lectures is strongly encouraged, both from an instructional and administrative point of view. Please don't come in late or leave early, as it is very disruptive in a small classroom. It is during lectures that one has the best opportunity to learn by asking questions or otherwise participating in discussions and other activities; reading and written assignments are communicated in class. Attendance to the presentations of the final projects (see below) is mandatory.

Instructor: Gianfranco Vidali (Office: 221 Physics Bldg.; gvidali@syr.edu; 443-9115 (office); 443-1801 (lab)).
Research interests: the study of physical and chemical processes in the interstellar medium. Visit the Laboratory Astrophysics Web page (http://physics.syr.edu/ESPAHome.htm).

Office Hours: Wednesday 3:00 - 4:00 PM, and by appointment.

Add/Drop: See the undergraduate secretary, Arlene Johnston , Rm 111 of the Physics Bldg., next to the computer cluster.

Textbook: J.I. Lunine "Astrobiology: A Multidisciplinary Approach", Pearson Addison Wesley - available at the SU Bookstore. Additional required reading material will be distributed in class, or will be made available in the S.U. Physics Library or through the Web.

An Important Resource: please consult the Web page for this course (http://phy.syr.edu/courses/PHY319) often, since several assigned readings will be available only through the Web.

Coursework and Grading

This course offers the motivated student an opportunity to pursue one's desire to learn about one of the most fascinating topics in astronomy and biology, i.e., the exploration of how life emerged on Earth and of where else in the Universe we might be able to find it.

This course is meant to go one step beyond the level of a descriptive astronomy course or book. It illustrates how results from many branches of science are applied to describe and understand phenomena that are relevant to the emergence of life on Earth and how this knowledge is applied to shape the strategies that are used to search for life in the Universe. Although this course is slanted towards the astronomical/astrophysical aspects of astrobiology, methods and results from other disciplines (chemistry, biology, and earth sciences) are integrated into the course material.

The course is at the 300 level. It is designed to be taken by science and engineering majors, and by students from other disciplines who satisfy the prerequisites (see below). The fact that the course is a 300-level course doesn't mean that one has to be a junior student in order to take it, but rather it implies that one should possess a certain degree of maturity: one is expected to impose on him/herself a certain level of self-direction and discipline, as it will be asked from him/her to learn a lot of new material and to apply it right away. This requires a certain flare for being able to go to the heart of a problem and to grasp it in its main attributes, sometimes bypassing the usual method of trying to learn all about it with all the details all at once before attempting to take a plunge into the next problem. Disconcerting as it might appear, this way of working will come in handy and should be considered an important tool in the bag of tricks when one graduates, whatever job one will take.

There will be a fair amount of coursework. Because of the novelty of the subject matter, no single book can cover the material of this course in its entirety, and one needs to read from different sources. As the course is conceived, the basic tools are given first, and to progress in the course one needs to have mastered these tools; thus, it is imperative that one doesn't fall behind.

Pre-requisites This course is designed for students who have received some instruction in the sciences before, either at the college level or at an advanced high-school level, and have acquired some proficiency in calculus. You might want to ask the instructor if in doubt.

Coursework consists in: doing the assigned readings after each lecture, the assigned homework sets, and in working on a final project. The final project consists in presenting a mini-lecture of about 20 minutes on a topic relevant to the course and approved by the instructor. Guidelines for the final project will be given later in the course. The Timetable (http://physics.syr.edu/courses/PHY319/timetable.html) contains a list of bibliographic resources for each lecture. The instructor will assign specific readings at the end of each lecture.

Grading. Students will be graded on homework assignments (25%), two exams (25% for the midterm and 30% for the final) and the final project (20 %). The final exam is on all material of the course, with an emphasis on the part that had not been covered in the midterm exam. A numerical score will be given for each piece of evaluated material. The final letter grade will reflect: the mastery of the subject matter, the proficiency attained in performing certain tasks (problem solving, researching, communicating), and the amount of work done. As often is done in upper division undergraduate and in graduate courses, there will be no curving: thus, it is possible that the majority of the class receive a high grade (such as A's and B's).

Homework assignments. Homework assignments, as underscored by the weight given to them in the grading, perform a very important function: they test what one has learned; they develop or build thinking skills; and they make one revisit under a new light material learned in class or on books. Homework assignments will be given out once a week or every two weeks; students are expected to turn them in within one week of the day they were assigned. 10% of the maximum score will be taken away for assignments turned in late but within 24 hrs of the past deadline. Additional points will be taken for each successive 24 hr. period, for up to 80% of the maximum possible grade.

Honesty Please read this carefully.
Homework assignments: You may consult with other fellow students in order to discuss solution strategies for the assigned problems. But eventually you must work out the problems yourself; what you turn in must be your own product . Turning in an assignment copied from somebody else's solutions or completed by somebody else (and this includes incorporation of material obtained from books, articles and the Web without giving proper attribution) is considered cheating.
Exams: It is a violation of the academic code to seek or give assistance during the exams. The instructor is the only person you can communicate with during the tests. Please do not make any changes or marks to the graded exams, if you want to preserve a right to appeal grading mistakes. The general Syracuse University guidelines will be followed in case of violations.

Timetable A detailed, up-to-date timetable with information about material covered in lecture and bibliographic resources is posted on the Web (http://physics.syr.edu/courses/PHY319/timetable.html) and will be revised frequently.

Help The instructor is here to help you. Take advantage of this opportunity. Learning will be much easier.