Dr. Thomas R. Consi, Research Education Specialist, Sea Grant
| Jan/09 | Mon | 01:00PM-04:00PM | 5-007, bring notebook and pen to class |
| Jan/10 | Tue | 01:00PM-04:00PM | 5-007, bring notebook and pen to class |
| Jan/11 | Wed | 01:00PM-04:00PM | 5-007, bring notebook and pen to class |
| Jan/12 | Thu | 01:00PM-04:00PM | 5-007, bring notebook and pen to class |
| Jan/13 | Fri | 01:00PM-04:00PM | 5-007, bring notebook and pen to class |
Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/06
Limited to 16 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: Curiosity
Pond scum is a derogatory term derived from the notion that green slime on the surface of stagnant water is something disgusting - nothing could be further from the truth! Pond scum is in fact a Lilliputian world inhabited by an array of amazing creatures. This course is about these creatures: who they are, how they work, and the challenges they face living in micro-scale fluid environments.
Topics:
The Light Microscope: Its design and operation. Micro-imaging and video techniques.
The Micro-Environment: At tiny scales fluid flow is reversible, swimming creatures can stop instantly, and drag is not affected by shape. Learn the basic physics of fluid and flow at micro-scales and how microorganisms are adapted to live in this strange, counterintuitive world.
Diversity of Microorganisms: Observe and learn to identify a diverse range of microorganisms. Some row with thousands of tiny hairs, some corkscrew through water, and some simply flow in whatever direction they please!
Measuring Microorganisms: Measure the size and speed of microorganisms and estimate the forces they exert to crawl or swim. Perform experiments to see how they create flow fields for movement, sensing and feeding. Observe their behaviors and speculate on their “cognitive” abilities.
Bio-Inspired Micro-Robots: At the end of the class, you will be challenged to design an aquatic micro-robot inspired by our exploration of live microorganisms.
Sponsor(s): MIT-SUTD Collaboration
Contact: Dr. Thomas R. Consi, consi@mit.edu