Emmanuel's School of Science & Health educates critically thinking science and health professionals in both the methods and value of scientific inquiry in solving important issues facing society today.
“Aren Gerdon, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry, served as principal investigator on projects funded by NSF in 2013 and 2019The wonderful thing about support from the National Science Foundation is that you are only funded a second time if you were successful the first. The undergraduate students who dedicate themselves to these projects produce the results, publications and conference presentations that demonstrate the high level of research done at Emmanuel.
How does the brain change with substance use and addiction? Drugs of abuse seize your brain’s reward system and release excessive amounts of dopamine, and over time, affect neuroplasticity and increase tolerance levels. Understanding the science behind addiction is crucial for developing effective prevention and treatment strategies.
This advanced course examines our current understanding of the effects of drugs on the brain and behavior as well as our current understanding of the development of severe substance use disorders or addiction. You will develop and hone skills in reading, interpreting, and communicating primary literature in neuroscience.
Fingerprints. Fiber samples. Trace amounts of blood, paint, soil. The building blocks of a crime scene. While television shows glamorize the work of forensic scientists, these highly skilled and detail-oriented technicians provide a vital link between science and the law. In recent years, we’ve seen how scientific evidence has been used in court to both convict criminals and exonerate the innocent.
Learn to unlock the mystery of crimes through the application of modern techniques through the analysis of trace evidence, forensic toxicology and drug analysis, DNA profiling and other sub-disciplines. Special emphasis will be placed on the techniques of sampling a crime scene and the use of physical evidence.
Did you ever notice that groups of close friends dress alike? How does prejudice and stereotyping against minority groups promote inequitable social interactions? Why, in a crowded place, is any one individual hesitant to take responsibility in an emergency?
Social psychology deals with the study of people and the environmental contexts in which they live. This course encompasses a broad range of topics, such as conformity, attitudes, gender, attraction and love, and prejudice and discrimination. Through lectures, discussions, demonstrations and group activities, we will take a scientific approach to explore these everyday topics. We will examine classic, as well as more contemporary, research in social psychology, critically evaluate this research and apply social psychological findings to real world situations.
Ask five scientists what motivates them, and you’ll get five different answers—to push the limits of what’s been done, solve a problem deemed unsolvable, find a better cure for common illnesses, or develop a cure for an uncommon one. The emerging fields of biotechnology, genetic engineering and molecular biology are having a revolutionary impact on our lives.
Delve into—and get inspired by—studies around transplantation, artificial organs, drug design and delivery systems, exotic epidemics, gene therapy and more. Readings from a wide spectrum of books and periodicals serve as basis for class discussion, in which you will be encouraged to view the challenges of modern biology from scientific, social and ethical viewpoints.
