CSCI 12
Geometry in Stained Glass Winter 2020

This is not the current course catalog

Class Details

Geometry allows us to observe mathematical objects from different viewpoints. It may be approached both visually and algebraically. Building geometric structures in the real world allows us to view them from different angles and sometimes, gain new insights. In this class students will work together to design and build a pentagonal tiling in stained glass. There are only fifteen types of convex pentagons that can tile a two-dimensional surface, and the secret behind their assembly lies in the relationship between edges and angles. We will use Euclidian geometry, drafting by hand using only straightedge and compass, to figure out angles and dimensions. Students will then learn how to cut precise shapes in colored glass, wrap them in copper and solder together into a stained glass window. Students will also work individually or in small groups on projects of their own choosing. These may be two- or three-dimensional geometric figures, including those on non-Euclidian surfaces. In past years a student of organic chemistry modeled cyclohexane and a physics major, the spectral emissions of a star. In 2018 the class built a mirrored glass quasicrystal. Students interested in mathematical tiling patterns, networks, cellular or molecular assembly, crystallography, or simply curious about geometry would be welcome in this class. Exhibition of work on the last day of Winter Study is mandatory. All students must participate in setting up the exhibition and tidying the lab at the end of Winter Study. Please note: we will not be painting images on glass. Adjunct Instructor Bio: Debora Coombs has an MFA from the Royal College of Art in London, England. Her stained glass work is commissioned and exhibited internationally. Debora’s interest in tiling patterns and mathematical projection led to a collaboration with Williams Professor of Computer Science Duane Bailey. Their sculptures are currently on exhibit in the SCHOW science library.
The Class: Format: lecture
Limit: 10
Grading: pass/fail only
Requirements/Evaluation: short paper and final project or presentation
Prerequisites: none, however, self-motivated students with good hand skills, patience and an interest in mathematics will find the course most rewarding
Enrollment Preferences: preference to seniors
Materials/Lab Fee: $285
Attributes: EXPE Experiential Education Courses

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