“Seeing Yourself in Science” (IB98) aims to increase science self-efficacy in undergraduate students. This course will teach students how to use science as a tool to reach a diverse set of personal goals. The course is 15 weeks long and meets every Tuesday from 2-4pm in room VLSB4110. Over the course of the semester, students will conduct scientific studies of their own design investigating any question that interests them and is related to their everyday lives. This is a stark departure from traditional research courses, as many of those classes still require students to perform research in a predetermined field which may not inherently be relatable. In this class you will expand your definition of a scientist to include yourself, gain new skills to use science in your everyday life, and create your own scientific story.

We will establish a set of community rules together during the first week of class. This may include (but is not limited to): what attendance, engagement, and participation look like in the class, as well as deadline flexibility. We consider this a collaborative learning course, meaning that participants should expect a few lectures on certain topics some weeks, while other weeks will primarily be discussion with other students, and still other weeks may be actively working on research projects. In general, the expectation is that you attend each class to the best of your ability and participate in a compassionate way.

Course grades will largely be about participation and collaboration with your colleagues (60%) in refining research questions, data collection protocols and interpreting results, discussing how science is a tool we all can use beyond pursuing it as a career (20%) and practicing how to communicate your scientific story with friends and family (20%).

We request that students who would like to enroll in this course fill out a short application with their name and why they are interested in participating, but students can also enroll right away without waiting for permission!