Under the Microscope: 250 Years of Brown's Material Past

An archaeologist will tell you that to learn a university’s history, you must uncover and investigate its treasures, trash, tools and toys. An engineer will tell you that to understand such objects, you must study how these things were made, in what materials and with what technologies. This co-taught course unites these two disciplines for a unique exploration of Brown’s past, combining interdisciplinary discussions, hands-on laboratory work, and individual historical and material analysis of an artifact selected from 250 years of life on College Hill.