Science, Math, and Research Training (SMART)

The coursework for this Endeavor community involves taking between 1–2.5 units in the fall semester and a 1–2.5 units course in the spring semester.

*If you have Advanced Placement (AP) credit in Calculus, be sure to read the Incoming Advanced Placement (AP) Credit Information

BIOL 192 satisfies the general education requirement for natural science (FSNB), as well as required for majors/minors in biology as well as biochemistry and molecular biology.

MATH 211 satisifies the general education requirement for symbolic reasoning (FSSR), as well as required for many majors

CHEM 192 satisfies the general education requirement for natural science (FSNC), as well as required for majors/minors in chemistry as well as biochemistry and molecular biology.

BIOL 192: Science Math and Research Training I with Lab
CHEM 192: Science Math and Research Training II with Lab

Year-long course provides an, interdisciplinary, integrated introduction to biology and chemistry, with an accompanying integrated lab. Based on the material in the first course of the major in each of these disciplines, this course will focus on current scientific problems facing today’s world such as HIV/AIDS or antibiotic resistance. The course is team taught by two faculty members, one from each discipline. Teaching will be integrated so that links between concepts are readily apparent and students are stimulated to think beyond traditional science methodology. The laboratory will be comprised of hands-on and investigation based experiences using both experimental and computer simulation approaches. The SMART course is designed for students considering a major in either biology or chemistry and also meets requirements for students who go on to study medicine or other health sciences fields. To be taken in consecutive semesters in the first year and with an accompanying year-long calculus course. Completion of the full year of SMART (CHEM 192) will substitute for CHEM141 and BIOL 199. Three lecture and Three laboratory hours per week.

MATH 211: Calculus I

Calculus is the mathematical language that allows humans to understand and describe change. To prepare for the future workforce, Forbes recommends gaining familiarity and prowess with change. In this semester of calculus you will learn the two key concepts that model instantaneous and total change: the derivative and the integral. These powerful tools can be used to explore a wide array of problems, including modeling the spread of a virus or measuring income distribution.

MATH 212: Calculus II

Techniques of integration; applications of integration; improper integrals; Taylor’s Theorem and applications; infinite series; differential equations; applications to the sciences, social sciences, and economics.

CMSC 150: Introduction to Computing (optional for SMART students)

Techniques for writing computer programs to solve problems. Topics include elementary computer organization, object-oriented programming, control structures, arrays, methods and parameter passing, recursion, searching, sorting, and file I/O. Three lecture hours and two laboratory hours per week. Students who have received credit for courses numbered CMSC 221 or higher may not take CMSC 150 for credit.

Note: Knowledge of the topic of CMSC 150 is a prerequisite to all higher numbered Computer Science courses.

I already have Advanced Placement (AP) credit for Calculus I. If I am selected into the program, will I still be required to take Calculus I?

Mathematics, particularly mathematical modeling, is an integral part of the SMART curriculum.SMART Calculus I is closely integrated into the program curriculum so retaking Calculus I is an option, since due to the integration of topics, the SMART Calculus I experience will be quite different from AP calculus. Another option is to take SMART Computer Science in the fall and spring and then join SMART Calculus II in the spring.

I already have Advanced Placement (AP) for Calculus II. If I am selected into the program, will I still be required to take Calculus II?

Mathematics, particularly mathematical modeling, is an integral part of the SMART curriculum. SMART Calc II course is closely integrated into the program curriculum so one option is to take SMART Computer Science in the fall and spring and then retake Calculus II via the SMART Calculus II in the spring. Due to the integration of topics, the SMART Calculus II experience will be quite different from AP calculus. For students eager to take upper-level mathematics, another option is SMART Computer Science in the fall and spring semesters and Multivariable Calculus or Linear Algebra in the fall.

Dr. Shannon Jones is Director of Biological Instruction and Coordinator of the URISE and SMART programs

Dr. Dan Pierce is Assistant Professor of Biology

Dr. Emma Goldman is Assistant Chair and Associate Professor of Chemistry

Dr. Michael Norris is Assistant Professor of Chemistry

Dr. Marcela Torres is Director of Mathematical Studies

As part of the Endeavor program, you will participate in the popular Roadmap to Success pre-orientation program, where you will take a short course led by the SMART faculty.

Short Course Description: Calling BS

We live in a world with ever-increasing amounts of data from all sorts of sources. Thinking like a scientist involves questioning this information. How do we make sense of these data? How can we tell what is “real” data and what is . . . BS? This short course will invite students to build tools for data representation, distinguish between misinformation and disinformation, and investigate how scientific exploration can be used to call out and dispel BS.