2009-2010 Bulletin – PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University

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TITLE INTERDISCIPLINARY ENGINEERING COURSES
Of the following courses, some
may be requirements for degree
programs, and others may be
taken as electives. See your departmental
program of study or consult with
an adviser for more information.
ENGI E1102x and y Design fundamentals
using advanced computer technologies
Lect: 4. 4 pts. Professor McGourty.
Core requirement for all entering SEAS students.
Students learn the basics of engineering design
from problem definition to detailed conceptual
design. Computer technologies such as advanced
three-dimensional graphical and computational
applications are applied in the service of authentic
community-based design projects, using the
state-of-the-art design facility, the Botwinick
Multimedia Learning Laboratory. Aligned with the
technical components of the design, students
develop collaboration, communication, problem
solving, and project management skills, as well as
a life-long orientation of social responsibility and
community service. Lab fee: $300.
ENGI E2261x Introduction to accounting and
finance
Lect: 3. 3 pts. Professor Webster.
Prerequisite: ECON W1105. The concepts and
methods underlying the financial statements of
business corporations. Attention to problems of
asset valuation, income determination, cash
flows, and cost and profit behavior in response to
changes in the level of business activity. Analysis
of selected corporate financial statements, capital
structure, and leverage. Strategies and analytical
methods for the evaluation of capital projects.
SCNC W3010x and y Science, technology
and society
Lect: 3. 3 pts. Professor McGourty.
Prerequisite: Students must have declared their
concentration/major. By investigating the scientific
and technical evolution and subsequent diffusion
of contemporary technological innovations, students
learn how science and technology fit into
the bigger picture; i.e. how technologies technically
develop from concept to diffusion into society,
how they work, and how they are bi-directionally
related to social forces, cultural values, economic
trends, environmental factors, and political influences.
An essential part of the course work is
participation in a community-based learning project,
working with local nonprofit organizations.
EEHS E3900y History of telecommunications:
from the telegraph to the Internet
Lect: 3. 3 pts. Professors Schwartz and Nebeker.
Historical development of telecommuncations
from the telegraphy of the mid-1800s to the
Internet at present. Included are the technologies
of telephony, radio, and computer communications.
The coverage includes both the technologies
themselves and the historical events that
shaped, and in turn were shaped by, the technologies.
The historical development, both the
general context and the particular events concerning
communications, is presented chronologically.
The social needs that elicited new technologies
and the consequences of their adoption are
examined. Throughout the course, relevant scientific
and engineering principles are explained as
needed. These include, among others, the concept
and effective use of spectrum, multiplexing
to improve capacity, digital coding, and networking
principles. There are no prerequisites, and
no prior scientific or engineering knowledge is
required. SEAS students may not count this
course as a technical elective.
ENGI/CHEN E4020x Safeguarding intellectual
and business property
Lect: 3. 3 pts. Professor Pearlman.
Designed for both University engineering students
and engineers in industry to provide a broad
background in those aspects of the law that are
most frequently encountered in a professional
engineering career. Topics include patents, protection
of know-how, contracts, employer-employee
rights, confidential relationships, unfair competition,
trademarks, and the like. Principles of law
are illustrated by case studies.
IEOR E4998x and y Managing technological
innovation and entrepreneurship
Lect: 3. 3 pts. Professor McGourty.
This course will focus on the management and
consequences of technology-based innovation.
The course explores how new industries are created,
how existing industries can be transformed
by new technologies, the linkages between technological
development and the creation of wealth
and the management challenges of pursuing
strategic innovation.
URBS V3310x Science and technology in
urban environments
Lect: 3. 3 pts. Professors Cross and McGourty.
Prerequisite: Students must have declared their
concentration/major. The course examines the
role of science and technology in urban settings,
using examples from modern cities. It explores
how technology shapes towns and cities, and
how urban environments—including politics,
economics, culture, and the natural environment—have
influenced the development, acceptance,
and application of technology. An essential
part of the course work is participation in a community-based
learning project, working with local
nonprofit organizations.
SEAS 2009–2010