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	300 Steele Building CB# 3504 UNC-Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3504 email: fys@unc.edu phone: (919)843-7773

Computer Science

COMP 050 [006D]: Computers Make it Possible
Quantitative Intensive (QI) [GC Natural Science - no lab, physical]
Diane Pozefsky
Do you want to make a difference in the world? Do you want to learn how? Computers can help and this course will show you how. We will study how computers have changed our society and have themselves changed to meet those needs. This is a project-oriented course and projects will focus on helping address societal problems. Class material will cover broad
topics such as how computers work and their influence on society as well as more detailed subjects such as the fundamentals of databases and how we build security into systems. Projects will address such problems as capturing information that reflects our disappearing biodiversity, local
problems of pet overpopulation, or making computer prorams that can help the visually impaired. Students are asked to come with a problem that they would like to address and a desire to make a difference.

COMP 051: Technology and Entrepreneurship: Propitious Partners
Communication Intensive (CI)
Diane Pozefsky
What does it take to launch a successful business? There are some things that have always and will always be needed: a good idea, a solid business plan, and good people to execute the idea. In the twenty-first century, however, there is another necessary dimension: technology. Advertising on the Internet is the most obvious use of technology, but there other aspects of technology that can also make or break a business. We will look at the fundamental technologies that are important to an entrepreneurial endeavor. Because we learn from studying what has already been done, we will study both successful and failed businesses, exploring the role that technology played or could have played. In support of this work, each student will do an in-depth study of such a company. Because even the entrepreneurial world demands team effort, projects in the class will require group work. The final project of the course will give students the opportunity to design a business or a non-profit activity that they would like to start and investigate how technology could help.

COMP 056 [006D]: The World Wide Web: What, How, & Why
Quantitative Intensive (QI) [GC Natural Science - no lab, physical]
John B. Smith
This seminar will explore use, and ponder the World Wide Web. It will consider "what" the Web is from a technical point of view, including the basic communications technologies and protocols that make it possible. It will consider "how" to use it for challenging, worthwhile academic and aesthetic purposes. It will consider "why" the Web has achieved its current importance, why this pattern of growth promises to continue, and what implications this has for out society. The seminar will include strong skills development components, including critical thinking, frequent writing and presentation of information in multiple on-line forms, and, if participants have sufficient background, Web programming.

COMP 060 [006D]: Robotics with LEGO
Quantitative Intensive (QI) [GC Natural Science - no lab, service]
Gary Bishop; Henry Fuchs
We will explore the process of design, and the nature of computers, by designing, building and programming LEGO robots. In the classroom we will read and discuss key papers from the beginnings of the computer age to help us understand the machine and our system creations. In the lab we will learn how to use computers to read sensor values and to control actuators. At the end of the semester, we will hold a competition to evaluate our robots. Previous programming experience is required.

COMP 061 [006D]: 3D Animation with Computers – Your Cinematic Debut
Quantitative Intensive (QI) [GC Natural Science - no lab, physical]
Greg Welch
We will take a hands-on exploration of computer-based three-dimensional modeling and animation. We will use a single commercial modeling and animation software package throughout the entire course, advancing from relatively simple to moderately advanced features. Each student will plan an animated story, model the necessary objects and scenery, and then animate those models. At the end of the course each student will publicly introduce and present their animated short movie.

COMP 065 [006D]: Folding, From Paper to Proteins
Physical and Life Science (PL) [GC Natural Science - no lab, life]
Jack Snoeyink
Paper folding, or origami, is an ancient Japanese folk art. Protein folding is one of the most important riddles of modern science. Both involve basic geometry, and increasingly involve computation. In this seminar we will explore the art, science, and mathematics of folding through lectures and discussions led by students, guests, and the instructor, and through projects involving artistic folding, mathematical puzzles, scientific exploration, and/or historical research. Evaluations will be based on participation in all aspects.

COMP 066 [006D]: Random Thoughts
Quantitative Intensive (QI) [GC Natural Science - no lab, physical]
James Coggins , Stephen Pizer, John Halton
This seminar explores in depth the notions of "randomness" and its antithesis, "structure." What does "random" mean? How can we test hypotheses of randomness? How do computers generate "random" numbers and just how random are they? How are random numbers used in simulation and image processing? Is the addition of random noise to a signal always bad for perceiving the signal's content? (The answer is no!) We will collectively conduct several classic experiments to explore the nature of randomness. Students will prepare short research reports from a list of topics, and will present their findings to the seminar. Each student will also select from a list of computational experiments to perform. Computer programming skills will be helpful, but are not required. Grades will be based on participation in class discussions, research papers and presentations, and a final exam.

COMP 070 [006F]: Computability, Unsolvability, and Consciousness
Philosophical and Moral Reasoning (PH) [GC Philosophical]
David Plaisted
The course will introduce Turing machines, which have a finite control, can move back and forth on a one dimensional tape, and can read and write on the tape. The students will construct Turing machines to convince themselves that Turing machines are in principle as powerful as any other computer. It will be shown that there is no general method for deciding whether a Turing machine, started with a particular input, will eventually halt. This implies that formal reasoning methods are of limited power, and leads into the Lucas argument that the human mind cannot be modeled by a computer.
Course website: http://www.cs.unc.edu/~plaisted/comp006

COMP 071 [006D]: Problem Solving and the World Wide Web
Quantitative Intensive (QI) [GC Natural Science - no lab, physical]
Kye Hedlund
Problem solving strategies such as divide and conquer, incremental design, back tracking and recursion are explored through the writing of simple computer programs. Typical applications of these programs are the control of simple robots and the display of geographical applications on the World Wide Web. Programs are written not just to be correct but also to exemplify good writing and communication style. Parallels are drawn between the writing of the computer programs and the writing of English compositions. This is not a course in computer programming and credit may be earned for both this course and COMP 14 (Introduction to Programming). Coregistration in (English 11 or 12) is required.

COMP 072 [006D]: What's Under the Covers? A Hands-On Introduction to Computers
Quantitative Intensive (QI) [GC Natural Science - no lab, physical]
Anselmo Lastra
We will explore the process of design, and the nature of computers, by designing, building and programming LEGO robots. In the classroom we will read and discuss key papers from the beginnings of the computer age to help us understand the machine and our system creations. In the lab we will learn how to use computers to read sensor values and to control actuators. At the end of the semester, we will hold a competition to evaluate our robots. Previous programming experience is required.

COMP 080-001: Enabling Technology: Computing in the Service of People with Disabilities
Gary Bishop
Nearly one in seven Americans has a significant disability; should they be exceptions? Through readings, guest lectures, videos, and projects we will explore the legal, moral, cultural, and technical issues and opportunities raised by this "minority you can join at any time". We will focus on ways that computer technology can be used to mitigate the effects of disabilities and the sometimes surprising response of those we intended to help. We will work together with teachers, experts and individuals with disabilities to develop ideas and content for new enabling technologies. Previous computer experience is helpful but not required; creativity, ability to think "outside the box", and the desire to make the world a bit better are more important. This is an Apples Service Learning Course.