Electives
Minds, Machines, and Knowledge (philosophy, Prof. Arlo-Costa)
(Fall '05) Bridging the gap between philosophy and artificial intelligence, this class strove to explain knowledge in humans, and then translate that into knowledge in machines. However, given its home in the philosophy department, the emphasis was strongly on how the human mind knows and learns, and how we recognize knowledge. Readings included Nozick, Churchland, Searle, Gettier, and Lewis.
Computer Supported Cooperative Work (HCI, Profs. Kraut and Herbsleb)
(Fall '05) While HCI focuses mostly on helping people work with technology, CSCW studies how to help people work with people, relegating the technology to a background, and hopefully mostly invisible role. In this class we read papers on topics ranging from privacy to peripheral awareness to charitable contribution. For the project component of the class, my group, which included Vivek Nalur, Rachel Chung, and Bryon Balint, studied the viability of different methods of ratings presentation. To satisfy the requirements of the course, students were also required to lead a class session, which included creating slides to summarize the week's readings and directing the flow of the class discussion.
Evolutionary Psychology (psychology, Prof. Rakison)
(Spring '06) Given my background in psychology, I couldn't let the opportunity to take this class pass, as nothing like it was offered at UCSD during my attendance there. Evolutionary psychology is not a sub-field, like developmental or sensation and perception, but rather is a meta-topic that attempts to explain why modern humans exhibit certain psychological traits given their evolutionary history. This course required students to complete a research proposal, a summary paper of a field within evolutionary psych, and to lead a class session, which included creating a sheet of discussion points and questions based on the assigned readings.
Complex Technological Systems Past, Present, and Future (history, Prof. Hounshell)
(Spring '06) While people like to imagine that the internet is a complete novel technological revelation, this class attempts to show that it is merely the continuation of a pattern of emerging systems, from 12th century Dutch water control systems through the telegraph, telephone, and electrical grid, to the internet, and perhaps beyond. By understanding how systems evolve, and how people resist or buy in, one can better understand the impact of and response to evolving and upcoming systems.
Technical Writing (english, Inst. Andrus)
(Summer '06) While various classes have required essays, papers, and documents ranging from one page to 70 pages, I felt it was important to take a class geared towards real-world writing skills. For this course I completed a proposal to change a University policy, and set of technical instructions, along with several shorter assignments analyzing samples of writing.