Astronomy 305V, section 1,  LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE  
Course Syllabus 

Lecture times: TuTh 11:45 am - 1:10 pm, Instructor: René Walterbos
Office hours (rm 204, ASTR*): Tu 9:00-10:00 am, We 10:30-11:30 am & by appointment, any time I am in.
phone/e-mail: 646-5990/rwalterb@nmsu.edu

Teaching Assistant:Nick Ule, Rm 217, ASTR^*., office hrs: Mo 2-3pm, We 2-3pm or by appointment, phone/e-mail: nmule@nmsu.edu

Text book: Life in the Universe, Bennett & Shostak, Addison Wesley (2nd edition)
Class home page: http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/rwalterb/a305g

*The Astronomy Building is on Frenger St, opposite Branigan Library near Food Court. Corrections or updates to the syllabus can always be found on the web page for the course. Always look on web page for assignments, due dates, tests, (limited) lecture notes and links.

This course meets the General Education Requirements for "Viewing a Wider World". This requirement includes two viewing a wider world courses, at least one of which must be taken outside the student's college.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

From the undergraduate catalog: "Viewing a Wider World fosters intelligent inquiry, abstract logical thinking, critical analysis and the integration and synthesis of knowledge; it strives for literacy in writing, reading, speaking, and listening; it teaches mathematical structures, acquainting students with precise abstract thought about numbers and space; it encourages an understanding of science and scientific inquiry; it provides a historical consciousness, including and understanding of one's own heritage as well as respect for other peoples and cultures; it includes an examination of values and stresses the importance of a carefully considered values system; it fosters an appreciation of the arts; and general education provides the breadth necessary to have a familiarity with the various branches of human understanding."

Well, that it quite a mouthful. Where does this course fit in? There is one main theme: Is there life in the Universe outside Earth? If so, in which forms? What are the most likely places to search for it? What are the challenges in finding evidence for it? How would our view of the place we have in the cosmos change if life outside Earth is discovered? 

In this course, we will discuss various aspects of astronomy and the other natural sciences that deal with this large question. We will learn what is already known about our own solar system and the origin and evolution of life on Earth and what the prospects are for existence of life elsewhere in the solar system. We will then move out of the solar system and discuss recent discoveries of planets around other stars and the chances of finding life there. We will conclude the course with a discussion on space travel, prospects for interstellar travel, and the possibility of intelligent life elsewhere.

The objectives are to obtain an appreciation for the many scientific disciplines that enter into research on this topic, understanding what is already known from previous and current research, and where the scientific frontiers and limits are, and to obtain a deeper appreciation for the amazing universe we live in.  Along the way, you will work on your understanding of space, your critical thinking, researching, writing and speaking skills, and form a foundation for future learning in many areas. Students are required to take 2 Viewing a Wider World courses and at least one such course must be outside the student's own college. See undergrad. catalog for details.

The grading for this course is as follows:

homework: 30%
term paper: 10%
midterm: 25%
final exam: 25%
active participation in class: 10% (see below)

Letter grades will be obtained from a curve of the final scores, with the division between above or below average at B-/C+. There is also an absolute grade scale, such that anyone scoring higher than 75% will receive at least a B, and anyone scoring higher than 87% at least an A, irrespective of the final curve.

Official communication to you will often come through your NMSU e-mail box. Please access it regularly, or forward it to your current use address, as your success in college may ride on your ability to respond quickly.

Homeworks will be in the form of small essays or questions taken from the book or assigned in class. Exams are listed on the schedule below. The term paper will require a more substantial essay, which will require consultation of library and web-page resources.

The term paper will be formally assigned later in the semester.This will require you to develop and describe a point of view on a certain topic by gathering information from textbook, lecture notes, and from other sources in the library and on the web. A set of topics will be announced later during the semester. You will need to write a coherent view of your thoughts with proper arguments, citations of relevant literature including all quotations, in a 5-10 page paper, typed. Attending lectures will make it significantly easier to develop your ideas and preferences for certain topics!

Plagiarism is not allowed, be it intended or unintended. Anything you copy from someone else's work, be it from a homework, exam, book, essay, or materials found on the web without proper identification of such sources is plagiarism. Essays or other assignments copied totally or partially from web pages or other sources will be returned with grade zero. Likewise, work copied from other students will be considered cheating. This is equally true for homeworks as the term paper as any other work you may turn in.

The assigned textbook is required. We will follow it extensively, although we will not discuss all the material at the level of detail presented, and we will add supplemental notes and information and links on the home page for the course.

Attendance will be taken every lecture. While attendance is not mandatory, you are strongly encouraged to come to class. It will save you a lot of time in preparing for exams and assignments, and it allows for the 10% credit in your final grade, by providing you the opportunity for class participation (just showing up does not give extra credit). The tests will cover what we focus on during the class hours, not all the material in the book.

Class participation. I strongly encourage discussion during the lectures. You can always interrupt me for asking a question. You can also turn in written questions (put your name!) at the end of each lecture or by e-mail; these will then be answered in the next class period or by e-mail. Regularly turning in questions will help towards your class participation score. We will also have a few in-class debates on the topics discussed in this course. These are organized around panels. Students can serve on panels or take part as audience members. The panel members will prepare and read a brief essay/statement on a particular topic to initiate class discussion on that topic. The audience (other students) will ask questions to the panel members. The instructor will be the moderator. Details will be announced in due course. Regular active participation in class will be part of your grade. You earn the credit by taking part in debates, turning in questions related to the course material, and by taking part in discussions in class.

Make-up exams will only be given for valid excuses, such as medical or family problems or absences related to documented university business. Contact the instructor as soon as possible, BEFORE the exam, so that a make-up exam or assignment can be scheduled. Make up exams may be oral. Late homeworks will only be accepted with valid excuse. There will be some reduction of grade for unexcused late work.

If you take this class with an S/U option, you will need at least a C- to obtain an S.

Drop policy: Before the drop date we will try to contact students who have turned in very little or no work, and have not attended the midterm exam. However, it remains your responsibility to drop the course if you want to make sure to receive a W rather than an F at the end. No students can be dropped after the final drop date.

NMSU POLICIES:

• Link to NMSU Student Misconduct Policy and definition of Plagiarism

• An incomplete can only be given if the student has passed the first half of the course and is precluded from successful completion of the course due to documented illness or family crisis that the instructor believes genuinely precluded successful completion. These circumstances must have developed after the last day to withdraw from the course. Job-related circumstances are not appropriate grounds for an I.

• Feel free to call Jerry Nevarez, Director of Institutional Equity, at 505-646-3635 with any questions you may have about NMSU's Non-Discrimination Policy and complaints of discrimination, including sexual harassment.

• Feel free to call Michael Armendariz, Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities, at 505-646-6840 with any questions you may have on student issues related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. All medical information will be treated confidentially.

APPROXIMATE TIME LINE:

OTHER RELEVANT DATES

• Last day to drop with W: Oct 14 (We)

• Last day to withdraw from University: Nov 13 (Fr)

• Thanksgiving break: November 23 - 27