Biofuels: Algae, Fungi, and Other Surprises
SWLi (9 weeks, .25 credit, prerequisite Intro to Engergy)
In Biofuels: Algae, Fungi, and Other Surprises, students will explore both fossil and alternative fuels to gain a core understanding of the chemical properties of fuels. Further, they will examine the research, applications, and economic and environmental impact of bioethanols and biofuels. With a focusing on biofuels, students will study the fungi-to-bioethanol conversion process and the microalgae-to-biocrude conversion process as well as the harvesting and practical utilization of these fuel resources. Videos for this course were developed in collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Energy, Climate Change, and Biodiversity
SWLi (9 weeks, .25 credit, prerequisite Intro to Energy)
In Energy, Climate Change, and Biodiversity, students will learn about the Earth’s physical climate system, and natural and manmade climate forcings, including the Earth’s orbit around the sun, human population growth, and energy consumption. Students will also explore paleoclimatology (the study of historic climate), predictive computer simulations, and how changes in the Earth’s climate are affecting marine life, vegetation, and animal species at the polar ice caps and worldwide. Videos for this course were developed in collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Engineering Land Speed Vehicles
SWLi (9 weeks, .25 credit, prerequisite Intro to Energy)
Being a racecar driver sounds exciting, but there is a tremendous amount of effort and knowledge required to plan, build, and test these special vehicles. In this two-unit course, students will learn about essential functional systems of speed vehicles. Students will also discover the different types and classes of racecars as well as many of the specific vehicles and teams currently racing on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Videos for this course were filmed at the USFRA's annual World of Speed event under the coordination of LandSpeed Productions, a recognized expert in the sport of land speed racing.