Splash Spring 2023
Course Catalog

Show the world who you are are by repping the colors of your country's flag, or even write out the name of your favorite band!

Woven bracelets or "friendship bracelets" are ALL made out of one very simple knot, and leads to endless patterns and color combinations!

Not only are they a cool fashion statement, but they a great way to show people what you are all about! They also make affordable gifts for friends.

An in depth look at the history of our energy economy. Then a presentation of how hydrogen is currently made, and green hydrogen is poised to impact our energy economy. Included is an electrolysis demonstration of hydrogen production.

Want to be better at public speaking, but just don't know how? Look no further! In this course, we'll go over how to feel better about speaking in front of others -- and practice these skills!

Have you ever heard of a Hangi? Pavlova? Sausage sizzle? What about a paua fritter? If you haven’t, take a culinary journey through New Zealand and learn how these different national dishes reflect its history and culture. In this class, we’ll be learning how food teaches us about indigenous history and culture in the South Pacific, and you’ll even get the chance to take home some of your own food we’ll make in this class. No requirements necessary- anyone can cook!


Prerequisites
No course prerequisites, but we will be cooking and so allergy requirements for dairy, kiwifruit, nuts or gluten may be needed.

Was legendary jazz saxophonist John Coltrane secretly a mathematician? When people talk about the mathematical beauty of music, Bach is among the most-mentioned classical composers, but Coltrane pushed musical harmony miles beyond anything Bach and his contemporaries did, and the methods he used to get there have a surprisingly elegant mathematical foundation: graph theory, which has a wide array of applications, including social network analysis and robot navigation. In this class, we’ll navigate a mathematical and musical journey together as we develop tools to analyze examples of musical harmony from a diverse range of genres. Along the way, we’ll sight-see a bit and look at some other features and uses of graph theory, and, time permitting, we’ll even see how to use this framework to “solve” for chord progressions that work with a given melody. I look forward to sharing this mathematical and musical journey with you!


Prerequisites
No formal prerequisites, but interest in math or music will help, and interest in both will be a bonus!

It's time to put your (fake) money where your mouth is! In this course, we will go over the basics of probability and statistics and how they apply to polling and prediction markets. There will be a demonstration of how prediction markets work and a challenge to make the most money possible given a certain budget and risk (with appropriate rewards!).


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of probability

Have you ever wondered how does your phone or computer connects to the internet? How does it know where to send your whatsapp message so your friend can receive it? In this class, we will go over the basics of computer networking. You will learn about how your internet traffic can travel as ones and zeros to the other end of the world, and the infrastructure making it possible. Depending on time availability, you may have opportunity to see for yourself the inner workings of internet.


Prerequisites
Some basic knowledge of computers and internet

So you want to be an ocean engineer/marine biologist/naval architect?

Hold on, what are ocean engineers? What do marine biologists do other than look at fish? Alternatively, how can I contribute to ocean preservation during my career without pursuing a marine science related degree... and most importantly, why should I care?

We'll dive into some ocean-related challenges and solutions as well as how to pursue some of these career paths.

We will learn about the basics behind molecular orbitals and bonding in molecules. This course will go over the shapes of atomic orbitals and how they interact with each other, and end with you making your very first Molecular Orbital Diagram.


Prerequisites
At least one chemistry class. This will be a relatively difficult (1st year college/senior year HS class) but I will start from the basics of chemical bonding.

Did you know that strawberries have ~5x as many protein-encoding genes as humans do? In this course, we'll get hands-on practice with experimental design while recreating the classic strawberry DNA extraction experiment, while giving an overview of modern genetics research. We'll also be giving a brief introduction to scientific literature, and how to use curiosity to investigate the (fruity) phenomena in life.


Prerequisites
Interest in the biological systems that surround (and constitute!) us :)

Do you know what really happens in the middle of the ocean? If unusual ocean phenomena, extreme weather events, and capturing energy from waves sounds like your cup of salt water, this is the class for you. We’ll talk about these and you’ll also get to take home your own mini wave tank at the end!

Time-permitting, I’ll also open the floor for questions about class content or other random marine topics (such as ocean-inspired art, marine biology, and how to pursue an ocean-related career).

A sense of curiosity is the only prerequisite!

Together, we'll be walking through a game of D&D while learning the terminology and gameplay aspects of the game! Questions are greatly encouraged!

Want to know how to make better decisions? What is rationality and risk? Can mathematics describe the delicate components of the human psyche? What is a ‘strategy’ anyway? Join us as we cover introductory concepts in game theory. We aren’t going to just stick to those boring textbook examples though, we are going to figure out how to come out on top of Monopoly! We’ll dabble in the art of decision making, psychology, game theory, behavioral economics, probability, and of course, Monopoly!

Mythological dragons have long captivated the hearts and minds of writers, with their fierce and awe-inspiring form. But what makes medieval European dragons different from other mythological creatures, and how does historical context affect their portrayal in medieval writings? Why are we so captivated by the idea of dragons? We will uncover the hidden meanings behind several popular legends, such as Beowulf, King Arthur’s court in Historia Regum Britanniae, and St. George and the Dragon in Legenda Aurea. We will begin to understand how dragons have been used as powerful metaphors in Christianity, and have become representative of good versus evil.

It is the most fascinating thing that we all wake up in this universe never having gone to sleep. How is this possible? What's more, there is a paradox at the very heart of reality. You cannot bite your own teeth, you cannot taste your own tongue, and you cannot look into your own eyes. This class will finally get at the heart of reality and answer the question of existence in a way that should be more satisfying than any explanation you have received in the past. This course will feature introductory logic, philosophy, and linguistics to unravel the mysteries of the universe.


Prerequisites
None

We could make an argument for why you should join this class but we’d rather teach you to make it.

A class where you get taught to argue, win and prove that you’re right all the time. This class covers content on how to construct arguments, rebuttals and we’ll have some in-class debates so you can show off your skills. All interested debaters are welcome. No prior experience necessary