Optics For Biophysics

TEACHING & OUTREACH: OPTICS FOR BIOPHYSICS

Optics for Biophysics

Optics for Biophysics is an interdisciplinary course training life science, physical science and engineering student in the unifying field of optics. The course is taught as a Studio Physics or Team-Based learning method in combination with a long-term project. The long-term project is to design and build a modern light microscope. Although a lot goes into this course, here I provide a list of equipment needed to build a working light microscope from component parts.

For a preprint of the paper describing this course, click here: Ross-AJP-Optics.pdf

The funds to purchase the equipment for the courses at UMass were purchased through a Cottrell Scholars Award grant to JLR from Research Corporation for Science Advancement.

For a link to a DropBox folder with all the course materials including lectures from early versions of the course, in-class hands-on activities from later versions of the course, a quote from vendors the the equipment, example exams, and all other course information please email me at rossj-at-physics.umass.edu.

For information on other courses that use this framework, go to: Summer Schools, Physics 440: iLab