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Climate Science

Understand Climate Change and Prediction

A planet’s climate is primarily driven by the energy received from its Sun, which varies with latitude, season, and orbit. The complex interplay between the energy influx and atmosphere, ocean, and land has made Earth a unique planet with stable climate conditions for hundreds of millions of years. This long-term stability has allowed plants and animals to flourish, including humans! What sustained Earth’s temperate climate? What do projections say about future climate? How do we make climate predictions? How likely are our predictions to become reality? This summer experience program will guide you through building a computer model to answer these questions. This class will provide an immersive and interactive learning experience.

This course will prepare you for continued learning in disciplines such as earth and environment sciences, political science, and social justice in college. More specifically, upon completion of this course you will be able to:

  • Explain the unique nature of ongoing climate change in the context of Earth’s climate history
  • Make sense of climate projections
  • Be able to conduct basic statistical analysis with a computer language

UConn Pre-College Summer: Climate Models

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY: Through a grant from Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) to Professor Feng and Department of Earth Sciences, UConn PCS will provide eligible students with a full scholarship which will enable students to participate in the Climate Science course at no cost. Please visit the Scholarships & External Funding page for details on eligibility and more.

Sessions Offered

Session 3: July 13 – July 19

Format

Residential, Non-Credit

This class is meant to be immersive, and students will:

  • Model Earth’s energy balance, greenhouse effect, and feedbacks that drive planetary temperature evolution
  • Model the carbon cycle and the evolution of CO2 in the atmosphere
  • Estimate how temperature may evolve following different future socioeconomical development scenarios
  • Analyze climate simulations and assess their uncertainty

UConn Pre-College Summer: Climate Models

UConn Pre-College Summer: Climate Models

UConn Pre-College Summer: Climate Models

Schedule at a Glance

 

7am – 9am: Breakfast

9am – 12pm: Class

12pm – 1:30: Lunch

1:30pm – 4pm: Class or Workshop

2:40pm – 4:45pm: Closing Ceremony on Friday

5pm – 7pm: Dinner

7pm – 9pm: Social Programming

10:30pm: Room Checks

Meet the Professor

 

Ran Feng, Ph.D.

Dr. Feng is a professor of Earth Sciences at UConn. She leads the Computational Climate Change Lab. Her research and teaching involve the study of climate evolution through Earth’s history and the implications of past warm climate states for future climate change. She develops computer simulations of past climates, which she uses to identify the physics that drive past climate states. Her work has improved the understanding of hydrological cycle, the role of vegetation and ice sheet in driving climate evolution, and the sensitivity of climate models. She has recently won the prestigious Faculty Early Career Development award from the National Science Foundation.  

Pre-Med: Human Anatomy & Physiology

Learn through Direct Examination, Simulation, and Dissection

Participants in this course will be participating human cadaver dissections. The bodies available for dissection were donated by individuals who wanted their remains to be used for education and research purposes. As a UConn PCS participant, you are privileged to have the opportunity to use this anatomical donation. The rules of the anatomy laboratory are based upon PATIENT PRIVACY, RESPECT, SECURITY, SAFETY, and MAINTENANCE. These rules will be observed in the laboratory AT ALL TIMES. Participants must be respectful and mature to handle this commitment and responsibility.

Our Human Anatomy and Physiology course is the perfect starting point for students interested in entering medical or related health-care fields. In this in-depth look at systemic human biology, you will explore how the cardiovascular, pulmonary, musculoskeletal and nervous systems all work together to help you function. In UConn’s new, state of the art Human Anatomy Learning Lab, you will learn how the body is assembled and how the major organs relate to body function. This hands-on experience will provide an inside-out look at human anatomy and physiology and is an opportunity that most students who are interested in the medical field are not afforded until graduate school.

Sessions Offered

Session 3: July 13 - July 19

Format

Residential, Non-Credit

This class is meant to be immersive and students will experience:

  • the way people are put together and how the systems of the body work together using three hands-on approaches:
    1) direct physical examination
    2) simulation with interactive practice dummies
    3) human cadaver dissection

Students in Pre-Med class

Schedule at a Glance

 

7am – 9am: Breakfast

9am – 12pm: Class

12pm – 1:30: Lunch

1:30pm – 4pm: Class or Workshop

2:40pm – 4:45pm: Closing Ceremony on Friday

5pm – 7pm: Dinner

7pm – 9pm: Social Programming

10:30pm: Room Checks

Meet the Professors

 

Jeffrey M. Kinsella-Shaw, Ph.D., P.T. is the tenured and Endowed Livieri Professor of Physical Therapy and the founder and Director of UCONN’s Human Anatomy Learning Laboratory in the Department of Kinesiology. He is the past Director of UCONN’s Doctoral Physical Therapy Program and currently serves on the Executive Board of UCONN’S Brain Imaging Research Center and as a Senior Research Scientist at the Center for the Ecological Study of Perception and Action in the Department of Psychology. His areas of expertise include clinical neuroscience, human anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology, cognitive and perceptual psychology, motor control, motor learning, and neurological physical therapy.

Professor Kinsella-Shaw

Mary Beth Osborne, PT, DPT, earned both her Bachelors of Science and Doctorate in physical therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a board-certified specialist in neurologic physical therapy.  She is currently an assistant professor in residence at the University of Connecticut in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program and involved in teaching courses in the neurologic rehabilitation and health/wellness domains.  She is also the associate director of clinical education.  At UConn, she is serving on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee for the College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Health and is a member of the Service Learning Faculty Fellows cohort for 2023.

She previously served as the co-director of Duke University Health’s neurologic PT residency program and worked as an outpatient neurologic PT where she provided care to individuals with a variety of neurologic conditions including concussion, stroke, degenerative diseases and vestibular dysfunction.  She worked as an adjunct faculty member at UNC Chapel Hill for 5 years assisting with courses covering neurologic PT and evidence-based practice content areas.  She has held positions with the Academy of Neurologic PT including chair of the Brain Injury Special Interest Group, member of the practice committee and is currently a nominating committee member for the Residency and Fellowship Special Interest Group.  She has presented at local and national conferences on various topics in the neurologic PT realm.

UConn Pre-College Summer Mary Beth Osborne, Pre-Med Faculty

Pre-Vet: Marine Animal Health and Veterinary Science

Immerse yourself in the marine world and explore your passions for veterinary science, animal care, animal training and research.

The Pre-Vet: Marine Animal Health and Veterinary Science course will be hosted at Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, CT where students will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the marine world. Throughout this course students will be interacting with aquarium research scientists, veterinarians, animal trainers and animal rescue professionals to understand the science behind their work. Students will gain knowledge and experience through labs and activities focused on animals at Mystic Aquarium including penguins, seals, reptiles, whales and fishes.

Through this course students will participate in labs, tours and activities that will increase their scientific literacy in genetics, hematology, microbiology, anatomy and physiology. Students will learn about careers and education/career pathways directly from working professionals to understand if animal health and veterinary science is a desirable education and career path. Journal discussions will develop students’ skills in reading and analysis of primary scientific literature.

The course involves off-site visits to Mystic Aquarium and the UConn, Avery Point Campus. Supervised transportation is provided by the program and is included in the course cost and fees. Parents/guardians and students will be required to submit Mystic Aquarium participation forms prior to attending this course.

Sessions Offered

Session 3: July 13 – July 19

Format

Residential, Non-Credit

Related Courses

Marine Biology

This class is meant to be immersive and students will experience:

  • Learn about a wide variety of careers in animal health and veterinary science, from professionals in all stages of their careers.
  • Participate in lab programs focused on hematology, microbiology, molecular biology, anatomy and physiology, and learn how each is utilized to analyze an animal’s health.
  • Observe feeding and training sessions with beluga whales, penguins and sea lions, and have the opportunity to learn from and ask questions of their animal care teams.
    • Please note: students will not have direct encounters with marine mammals.
  • Visit behind-the-scenes areas to view animal care, research and veterinary staff at work. This will include a visit to the animal rescue clinic to understand the veterinary care of both animals at the aquarium temporarily for rehabilitation as well as animals permanently in our care.
  • Explore current topics in marine mammal research during journal article discussions.

UConn PCS: Pre-Vet

UConn PCS: Pre-Vet

UConn PCS: Pre-Vet

Schedule at a Glance

 

On Monday and Friday students will follow the regular schedule
On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday students will be off campus for most of the day:

8:30am: Depart to UConn Avery Point Campus or Mystic Aquarium
9:00am: Class on campus
9:30am: Class off campus
12pm: Lunch at UConn Avery Point Campus or Mystic Aquarium
1:00pm: Class on campus
1:30pm: Class on campus
3:45pm: Depart to UConn Storrs
5pm – 7pm: Dinner
7pm – 9pm: Social Programming
10:30pm: Room Checks

Meet the Professor

 

Dr. Laura Thompson, Ph.D.

Mystic Aquarium Research Scientist

University of Connecticut Assistant Professor in Residence of Marine Sciences

https://marinesciences.uconn.edu/person/laura-thompson/

Dr. Thompson is a research scientist at Mystic Aquarium where she has held multiple positions since 2005. Her time at Mystic includes carrying out her PhD studies on dive physiology in Marine Mammals, as a joint student with the University of Connecticut Marine Sciences Program. Dr. Thompson is involved in many aspects of research at the Aquarium including the development of non-invasive sampling techniques and investigating the response of the immune system to environmental and anthropogenic challenges. Her unique area of interest lies in understanding the complicated relationship between diving and health, via adaptation of the immune system in marine mammals as compared with humans. Dr. Thompson holds a BSc with Honours in Marine and Freshwater Biology from Queen Mary College, University of London and a PhD in Oceanography from the University of Connecticut. She is also an Assistant Professor-in-Residence at UConn, and lectures for Marine Biology courses offered at UConn and URI.

UConn PRe-College Summer: Laura Thompson Pre-Vet Faculty

Pharmacy: Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery

Develop a working knowledge of the drug discovery process

Prerequisites: High School Chemistry and Biology with a grade of C or higher

This course will provide students with an overview of the entire drug development process. We will start with how pharmaceutical companies determine what disease they want to target and work our way through the entire discovery process over the one-week course, ending with post-approval monitoring by the FDA. Along the way, we will answer a variety of specific topics including the following: what is a lead compound, what are drug-drug and drug-food interactions, and how do clinical trials work. Much of our discussion on these topics will revolve around the development of currently used drugs such as Lipitor (high cholesterol), Januvia (type II diabetes), and Harvoni (hepatitis C).

By the end of their week in this course, students will be able to describe the general steps taken by a pharmaceutical company to produce a drug. Students will also gain hands on experience in both chemistry and biochemistry-based science experiments. Finally, students will be introduced to several career options associated with drug discovery, research, and pharmacy.

Sessions Offered

Session 3: July 13 - July 19

Format

Residential, Non-Credit

Related Courses

Chemistry

Pharmacy Practice

This class is meant to be immersive and students will experience:

  • Students will learn key steps of the drug discovery process.
  • Students will learn about the interdisciplinary nature of drug research.
  • Students will perform several chemistry-based experiments in the lab.
  • Students will perform an experiment to test the anti-bacterial properties of several compounds.
  • Students will tour several research labs at UConn.

UConn PCS Chemistry

Chemistry Course

Chemistry Course

Schedule at a Glance

 

7am – 9am: Breakfast

9am – 12pm: Class

12pm – 1:30: Lunch

1:30pm – 4pm: Class or Workshop

2:40pm – 4:45pm: Closing Ceremony on Friday

5pm – 7pm: Dinner

7pm – 9pm: Social Programming

10:30pm: Room Checks

Meet the Professor

 

Dr. Kyle Hadden

Dr. Kyle Hadden is Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and the Director of Research and Graduate Programs in the School of Pharmacy at UConn. He received his BS in Chemistry from Wofford College in 2000 and his PhD in Medicinal Chemistry from the Medical University of South Carolina in 2004. Dr. Hadden started his independent career at the University of Connecticut in 2009. Throughout his career, Dr. Hadden’s primary research interests have been the early stage development of small molecules as anti-cancer chemotherapeutics and several projects in this area are ongoing in the Hadden lab.

As the Director of Research and Graduate Programs, Professor Hadden plays a primary role in the recruitment and progression of graduate students. He also works directly with other faculty in the Department and School to enhance individual and collaborative research efforts. Professor Hadden teaches in both the pharmacy and graduate curriculum at UConn and has mentored a wide-range of students and postdoctoral fellows in his research lab.

Nutrition: Human Nutrition and Health

How do dietary behaviors impact human body function and health?

Prerequisite: High School Biology with a grade of C or higher

The field of nutritional science explores the interactions between living organisms and food. Exploring nutritional concepts is applicable to everyday life and a variety of professions that includes medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, physician assistant, dietetics, education, policy, and the food, retail, and restaurant industry. Taking this course will give you an advantage about how what we eat or drink impacts the functioning of the human body and a person’s health.

This course will introduce you to the field of nutritional science and health. Students will have interactive in-class lectures with videos. In addition, students will use critical thinking skills to complete case studies and hands-on activities individually and small groups to further their understanding about dietary behaviors, nutrients in foods and the human body, and linking nutrient intake to overall health. In addition, students will learn about educational pathways and experiences leading to careers in healthcare, nutrition, research, and the food industry.

Image of lecture

Sessions Offered

 Session 3: July 13 – July 19

Format

Residential, Non-Credit

This class is meant to be immersive, and students will be able to:

• Identify factors that impact food and beverage selection
• Identify nutrients in specific foods and beverages
• Discuss how food is processed in the body
• Explore the connection between dietary behaviors and health outcomes
• Identify strategies and steps to pursue a career related to healthcare, nutrition, research, and the food industry

Image of students in class

Image of student

Students in class

Schedule at a Glance

 

7am – 9am: Breakfast

9am – 12pm: Class

12pm – 1:30: Lunch

1:30pm – 4pm: Class or Workshop

2:40pm – 4:45pm: Closing Ceremony on Friday

5pm – 7pm: Dinner

7pm – 9pm: Social Programming

10:30pm: Room Checks

Meet the Professor

 

Image of Professor Chea

Molika Chea is a lecturer in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Connecticut. She has completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Connecticut majoring in Nutritional Sciences and Biological Sciences.
With an interest in understanding the relationship between nutrient function, dietary behaviors, and health, she continued her graduate studies in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Connecticut. She has conducted research with populations in Connecticut about meeting the recommendations for plant-based food groups and the ability to identify whole grain foods.
Dr. Chea currently teaches NUSC 1165: Fundamentals of Nutrition and NUSC 1167: Food, Culture, and Society during the academic year. She is also Associate Director of the Master’s of Personalized Nutrition Online Program and Graduate Certificates in Precision Nutrition and Plant-Based Food and Nutrition Online Program at the Department of Nutritional Sciences. She also teaches an online graduate course, NUSC 5325: Principles of Nutritional Assessment.

Animation Studio

Live Life Animated - Learn the Basics of Animations

In this course, students will gain an understanding of the “tricks of the trade,” storyboard development and character development. The class will also dig into contemporary topics such as collaborative storytelling and navigating multiple animation techniques within a single production. This will offer insight to the process used by professional studio animators.

The goal of this course is to empower students to make animations and then transfer that skill set to make their own animations own using limited materials and technology. Students learn how to make animations on their smart phones using different applications. This content can easily translate to portfolio materials for college applications. This is a great class for students who are curious about studying art, illustration or animation at the college level. No previous animation experience is required!

Sessions Offered

Session 3: July  13 – July 19

Format

Residential, Non-Credit

This class is meant to be immersive and students will experience:

  • Learn fundamentals of animation
  • Learn storyboard and character development
  • Experience "world building"
  • Create material for college application portfolio
  • Feel what it is like to take a college art class
  • Develop the ability to create animations with limited materials and technology
  • Leave with a framed piece of art work

UConn PCS: Animation

UConn PCS: Animation

UConn PCS: Animation

Schedule at a Glance

 

7am – 9am: Breakfast

9am – 12pm: Class

12pm – 1:30: Lunch

1:30pm – 4pm: Class or Workshop

2:40pm – 4:45pm: Closing Ceremony on Friday

5pm – 7pm: Dinner

7pm – 9pm: Social Programming

10:30pm: Room Checks

Meet the Professor

 

John O’Donnell a new media artist who uses a variety of mediums to convey a variety of messages. His current project is the creation of the TurtleDog franchise which is an immersive transmedia project that includes animation, comics, action figures, tape cassettes and 8-bit game design. His practice as a new media artist addresses artifice and nostalgia through representation through video, installation and performance. Ultimately, he is a studio artist compelled to create images that locate an ambiguous degree of resolution through applied awareness of content and form.

John has created performance and installation pieces for Blue House Arts, Dayton, OH, Glass Box Gallery, Seattle WA, New Britain Museum of American Art, Museum of New Art in Detroit, MI, Proof Gallery in Boston, MA, FluxSpace in Philadelphia, PA and SOHO20 Gallery in New York, NY. He has exhibited his prints at the Print Center in Philadelphia, the International Print Center in New York and Seoul Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea. His videos have been exhibited at the Chelsea Art Museum in New York and at film festivals in Boston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Russia.

John O'Donnell's website: https://www.johnodonnellprojects.com/

NYT Article about his work: Domestic Discombobulation in an Odd Kitchen

John O'Donnell

STARTALK Adventures in C-Pop: Chinese Language and Culture Immersion Through Multimedia Storytelling

Chinese Culture and Language Immersion Through Gaming and Storytelling

Prerequisites: Eligible for students that are accepted and have committed to the STARTALK program

The Literatures, Cultures, and Languages Department at the University of Connecticut has received a STARTALK grant - STARTALK Adventures in C-Pop: Chinese Language and Culture Immersion Through Multimedia Storytelling. STARTALK is a federally funded program whose mission is to increase the number of U.S. citizens learning, speaking, and teaching critical need foreign languages. This UConn Pre-College Summer course is the second module of the larger STARTALK program. Interested students are required to submit an application through UConn's Literatures, Cultures, and Languages Department by January 5th, 2025. Only after accepting and committing to the STARTALK program, may those eligible students enroll in this course. For questions regarding the STARTALK program please see contact information here.

Student in Chinese class

The Literatures, Cultures, and Languages Department at the University of Connecticut has received a STARTALK grant - Chinese Culture and Language Immersion through Gaming and Storytelling. STARTALK is a federally funded program whose mission is to increase the number of U.S. citizens learning, speaking, and teaching critical need foreign languages. This UConn Pre-College Summer course is the second module of the larger STARTALK program. Interested students are required to submit an application through UConn's Literatures, Cultures, and Languages Department by December, 2023. Only after accepting and committing to the STARTALK program, may those eligible students enroll in this course. For questions regarding the the STARTALK program please see contact information here.

Sessions Offered

STARTALK Session: July 13 – July 26

Format

Residential, Non-Credit

Related Courses

STARTALK: Korean

This class is meant to be immersive and students will experience:

  1. Improve their Chinese language skills by engaging with modern media such as movies, TV dramas, pop music, and social media.
  2.  Analyze how Chinese language varies across different social contexts, such as formal vs. informal settings, interpersonal relationships, and online communication.
  3. Investigate how cultural factors influence and shape language use through multimedia storytelling and other contemporary cultural expressions.

Meet the Professor

 

Nan Meng
Associate Professor in Residence

Department of Literatures, Cultures & Languages
University of Connecticut

Education:
Ph.D. Ohio State University
M.A. Ohio State University
M.A. Bowling Green State University
 Areas of Expertise:
Chinese pedagogy, language socialization, teacher education, second language acquisition and computer-assisted language learning.

STARTALK: Chinese Culture and Language Immersion