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Anthony Silvestri, PhD
Colorful pigments, bubbling cauldrons, goose feathers, exotic resins, gums, rolls of parchment, glue and beaten gold... In this course students will explore the daily schedule, inventory and development of a typical medieval scriptorium. We will explore the history of the book, and its development from ancient scroll to medieval codex, using examples from the KU collections. We will study the materials and techniques used by the makers of illuminated manuscripts. Students will learn first-hand about these materials and techniques as they make their own medieval illumination, using historic pure pigments, homemade gesso and gold.
Chris Kroh
This course will explore the diversity and complexity of political systems and cultures in other countries. In an increasingly integrated and interdependent world, it is critical for us to gain a greater understanding of how political decision-making is undertaken in other countries to ensure a greater appreciation for both our own system and the alternatives to it presented within the world community. During the weekend, we’ll consider Britain’s government and participate in a mock Prime Minister’s Question Time. We’ll also evaluate the U.S. government and design a new electoral and governmental system for our country.
Jim West
Biomechanics and biomedical engineering is a rapidly evolving and growing area. This course will teach you some basic physiology of the muscles, anatomy of how the body is put together, and how we use engineering to analyze it. Engineering is about breaking big problems into smaller problems, so this course will be about finding simple solutions to complex problems. Students will learn how muscles move and how they pull bones. We will cover some basic engineering principles of springs and pulleys to accomplish basic body movement. After learning how the body is put together and how muscles are constructed and operate, students will perform a spring experiment to show how springs work, and another experiment with pulleys, and then relate them to the body. On the second day, we will cover muscles in more detail and conduct an experiment with frog legs.
Carol Holstead (grades 9–12 only )
Magazines have personalities. They can be edgy, colorful, friendly, or elegant. A magazine expresses its personality through its stories and also through its design — its use of typefaces, art, photos, colors, space, paper, and even its binding. In this course, we’ll explore how magazines express their personalities through design. Students will learn the fundamentals of magazine design, and they will create their own layouts.
Jeremy Martin, PhD (grades 9–12 only)
Why does tic-tac-toe always end in a tie if the players are competent? What about more complex strategy games like chess? What about games like backgammon that involve an element of luck? In this course, students will study the mathematics behind a wide range of strategy games — some familiar, some obscure. It turns out that many apparently simple games have subtle and beautiful winning strategies. Students will spend a significant amount of class time working in small groups, experimenting with different games and making their own conjectures.
Mark Daly, PhD
Hear ye fans of Merlin and Magic in general! If magic and the Middle Ages interest you, if you know the phrase "by Merlin’s beard," then this course may be for you. We will look at the concept of magic in the Middle Ages using the development of the story of Merlin as a case study of competing ideas on the supernatural between secular and sacred powers and between the social classes. We will start with the 12th century Vita Merlini by Geoffrey of Monmouth and continue our journey looking at various texts up to the 14th century. Participants will gain a better understanding of the role of magic in Western society. Some activities include deciphering spells and potions and even trying them out.
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