Advising in the Sciences
Many Brown students intend to concentrate in math, science, or engineering. A number of these students, along with students interested in the social sciences and humanities, plan on attending medical, dental, or veterinary school after completing their Brown degree. An even larger number of students are interested in sampling courses in the sciences as part of their liberal education at Brown. All of these students need accurate, early information about course requirements in our science programs as well as the many advising resources at Brown devoted to science, math, and engineering.
Click on the links at left to read about the academic opportunities and resources that Brown offers in the sciences. Visit our new Science Center website for more information about advising and mentoring, research opportunities and interest groups, and faculty and administrators in the sciences.
Biological Sciences
Contact: Marjorie Thompson, Associate Dean of Biological Sciences, 863-3814
Dean Thompson oversees the Biology Undergraduate Affairs Office, which is the key resource center for information and advising for students concentrating in the biological sciences as well as for students taking elective course work in the area. If advisees express interest in the biological sciences, please encourage them to visit the Biology Undergraduate Affairs Office website. The FAQ page is a good place to start to learn about the biological sciences at Brown. Students may also join the biology listserv through the site. Students may also email Dean Thompson directly. Dean Thompson holds weekly open hours, and students may also make individual appointments with her.
Computer Science
Contact: Professor Thomas Doeppner, Vice-Chair of Computer Science, 863-7633
The CS Department offers a number of introductory courses for students concentrating in computer science and for students with a general interest in the subject. CSCI 0150 is a serious introduction to the field that is intended for both potential concentrators and those who may take only a single course in CS. Students planning to concentrate in computer science should take either CSCI 0150/0160, CSCI 0170/0180, or CSCI 0190, which is a one-semester version of CSCI 0150/0160. Information about all CS introductory courses is available at http://cs.brown.edu/ugrad/whatcourse.html.
Engineering
Contact: Professor Alex Zaslavsky, Director of Undergraduate Programs, 863-1406
All students who indicated a primary interest in engineering on their student information form have been paired with an advisor in engineering. If you have an advisee who expresses a desire to concentrate in engineering, please refer him or her to the Engineering Department’s Undergraduate Programs Guide at http://www.engin.brown.edu/undergrad/guide/ScB.htm.
Mathematics
Contact: Professor Tom Banchoff, Math Placement Director, 863-1129
To assist incoming students in choosing the right math course, the math department asked them to fill out an online course placement questionnaire this summer. If your advisees filled out the questionnaire, they should have received an email indicating which math course is right for them. Other students may take the optional Calculus Placement Exam on Monday, September 1, 2008, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in Salomon Center, room 001. Students who want a taste of mathematics outside of the traditional calculus sequence may take MATH 0420: Introduction to Number Theory.
Physical Sciences
Contact: David Targan, Associate Dean of the College for Science, 863-2314
For any issue related to the physical sciences, including computer science, engineering, and math, you and your advisees may contact David Targan in the Dean of the College Office. Dean Targan is spearheading Brown’s Science Center initiative and is thoroughly familiar with science curricula at Brown. Jim Valles, Professor of Physics and Associate Dean of the Curriculum, is another resource for such advising in the Dean of the College Office. You can reach him at James_Valles_Jr@brown.edu or 863-2536.
Pre-Med Advising
Contact: Andrew Simmons, Associate Dean of the College for Health Careers, 863-2781
At Brown, “pre-med” is not a concentration. Rather, it is a set of course requirements dictated by and agreed upon by most medical schools. Brown students can concentrate in just about anything and also fulfill pre-med coursework. The same is true for students interested in dental school, veterinary school, or other health careers. Dean Simmons holds a pre-med Orientation session every year that provides students with essential information on planning a pre-med sequence. This year’s session is on Tuesday, September 2, from 1:00-2:00 p.m. in Salomon 001. The Health Careers website contains comprehensive information about course selection and planning for students interested in health careers.