This course is an introduction to branes in string theory and their world volume dynamics. Instead of looking at the theory from the point of view of the world-sheet observer, we will approach the problem from the point of view of an observer which lives on a brane. Instead of writing down conformal field theory on the worldsheet and studying the properties of these theories, we will look at various branes in string theory and ask how the physics on their world-volume looks like.

Lectures and discussion introducing the range of topics relevant to plasma physics and fusion engineering. Introductory discussion of the economic and ecological motivation for the development of fusion power. Contemporary magnetic confinement schemes, theoretical questions, and engineering considerations are presented by expert guest lecturers. Tour of Plasma Science and Fusion Center experimental facilities.

In this undergraduate level seminar series topics vary from year to year. Students present and discuss the subject matter, and are provided with instruction and practice in written and oral communication. Some experience with proofs required. The topic for fall 2008: Computational algebra and algebraic geometry.

Seminar for mathematics majors. Students present and discuss the subject matter and write up exercises. Topic for Fall 2002: Classical geometry, beginning with Euclid's Elements and continuing to applications of Galois theory that solve the geometry problems of antiquity. No prior knowledge of Galois theory required. Instruction and practice in oral communication provided.

Seminar for mathematics majors. Students present and discuss the subject matter, taken from current journals or books. Topics vary from year to year. Topic for Fall 2002: Quantum calculus. Instruction and practice in oral communication provided.

A seminar on planning and operation of modern electric power systems. Content varies with current interests of instructor and class; emphasis on engineering aspects, but economic issues may be examined too. Core topics include: overview of power system structure and operation; representation of components, including transmission lines, transformers, generating plants, loads; power flow analysis, dynamics and control of multimachine systems, steady-state and transient stability, system protection; economic dispatch; mobil and isolated power systems; computation and simulation.

Required for all Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences majors in the Environmental Science track, this course is an introduction to current research in the field. Stresses integration of central scientific concepts in environmental policy making and the chemistry, biology, and geology environmental science tracks. Revisits selected core themes for students who have already acquired a basic understanding of environmental science concepts. The topic for this term is geoengineering.

The main objective of this cross disciplinary course is to understand the historical development and the current status of ideas and models, to present and question the constraints from the different research fields, and to investigate if and how the different views on mantle flow can be reconciled with the currently available data.

This course is a seminar in topology. The main mathematical goal is to learn about the fundamental group, homology and cohomology. The main non-mathematical goal is to obtain experience giving math talks.

"This course provides an introduction to important philosophical questions about the mind, specifically those that are intimately connected with contemporary psychology and neuroscience. Are our concepts innate, or are they acquired by experience? (And what does it even mean to call a concept 'innate'?) Are 'mental images' pictures in the head? Is color in the mind or in the world? Is the mind nothing more than the brain? Can there be a science of consciousness? The course will include guest lectures by Professors."

Ship longitudinal strength and hull primary stresses. Ship structural design concepts. Effect of superstructures and dissimilar materials on primary strength. Transverse shear stresses in the hull girder. Torsional strength of ships.Design limit states including plate bending, column and panel buckling, panel ultimate strength, and plastic analysis. Matrix stiffness, grillage, and finite element analysis. Computer projects on the structural design of a midship module. This course is intended for first year graduate students and advanced undergraduates with an interest in design of ships or offshore structures. It requires a sufficient background in structural mechanics. Computer applications are utilized, with emphasis on the theory underlying the analysis. Hydrostatic loading, shear load and bending moment, and resulting primary hull primary stresses will be developed. Topics will include; ship structural design concepts, effect of superstructures and dissimilar materials on primary strength, transverse shear stresses in the hull girder, and torsional strength among others. Failure mechanisms and design limit states will be developed for plate bending, column and panel buckling, panel ultimate strength, and plastic analysis. Matrix stiffness, grillage, and finite element analysis will be introduced. Design of a ship structure will be analyzed by "hand" with desktop computer tools and a final design project using current applications for structural design of a section will be accomplished.

Subject provides a solid theoretical foundation for the analysis and processing of experimental data, and real-time experimental control methods. Includes spectral analysis, filter design, system identification, simulation in continuous and discrete-time domains. Emphasis on practical problems with laboratory exercises. Subject is designated as a d'Arbeloff Laboratory "gateway" subject.

This is an advanced topics course in model theory whose main theme is simple theories. We treat simple theories in the framework of compact abstract theories, which is more general than that of first order theories. We cover the basic properties of independence (i.e., non-dividing) in simple theories, the characterisation of simple theories by the existence of a notion of independence, and hyperimaginary canonical bases.

" This course is a client-based land analysis and site planning project. The primary focus of the course changes from year to year. This year the focus is on Japan's New Towns. Students will review land inventory, analysis, and planning of sites and the infrastructure systems that serve them.ĺĘThey willĺĘalso examine spatial organization of uses, parcelization, design of roadways, grading, utility systems, stormwater runoff, parking, traffic and off-site impacts, as well as landscaping. LecturesĺĘwill coverĺĘanalytical techniques and examples of good site-planning practice. Requirements include a series of Assignments and Labs and a client-based project."

" The goal of this course is to illustrate the spectroscopy of small molecules in the gas phase: quantum mechanical effective Hamiltonian models for rotational, vibrational, and electronic structure; transition selection rules and relative intensities; diagnostic patterns and experimental methods for the assignment of non-textbook spectra; breakdown of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation (spectroscopic perturbations); the stationary phase approximation; nondegenerate and quasidegenerate perturbation theory (van Vleck transformation); qualitative molecular orbital theory (Walsh diagrams); the notation of atomic and molecular spectroscopy."

Discusses social, ethical and clinical issues associated with the development of new biotechnologies and their integration into clinical practice. Basic scientists, clinicians, bioethicists, and social scientists present on four general topics: changing political economy of biotech research; problems associated with the adaption of new biotechnologies and findings from molecular biology for clinical settings; the ethical issues that emerge from clinical research and clinical use of new technologies; and the broader social ethics associated with investigations of population genetics and social problems. Use of cases and recent literature.

This course explores how social theories of urban life can be related to the city's architecture and spaces. It is grounded in classic or foundational writings about the city addressing such topics as the public realm and public space, impersonality, crowds and density, surveillance and civility, imprinting time on space, spatial justice, and the segregation of difference. The aim of the course is to generate new ideas about the city by connecting the social and the physical, using Boston as a visual laboratory. Students are required to present a term paper mediating what is read with what has been observed.

A reading and discussion subject on advanced topics in the engineering of software systems. Focus on software development. Topics differ but are chosen from: software process and lifecycle; requirements development, specification and analysis; design principles; testing, formal analysis, and reviews; quality management and assessment; product and process metrics; COTS and reuse; evolution and maintenance; team organization and people management; software engineering aspects of programming languages; and software psychology. Prerequisite is basic knowledge of programming and an introductory class in software engineering. The second prerequisite can be waived with permission of the instructor and additional background reading.

Computation over unreliable and anonymous protocols such as the World Wide Web. Problems of persistence, concurrency control, transactions, and transactions across multiple servers. The relational database management system as a tool for attacking these problems. Students work in small mentored teams on diverse projects. This is a course for students who already have some programming and software engineering experience. The goal is to give students some experience in dealing with those challenges that are unique to Internet applications, such as: concurrency; unpredictable load; security risks; opportunity for wide-area distributed computing; creating a reliable and stateful user experience on top of unreliable connections and stateless protocols; extreme requirements and absurd development schedules; requirements that change mid-way through a project, sometimes because of experience gained from testing with users; user demands for a multi-modal interface.

This is an introduction to the study of the solar system with emphasis on the latest spacecraft results. The subject covers basic principles rather than detailed mathematical and physical models. Topics include: an overview of the solar system, planetary orbits, rings, planetary formation, meteorites, asteroids, comets, planetary surfaces and cratering, planetary interiors, planetary atmospheres, and life in the solar system.