Instructor Insights

Instructor Insights pages are part of the OCW Educator initiative, which seeks to enhance the value of OCW for educators.

Course Overview

This page focuses on the course 2.A35 Biomimetic Principles and Design as it was taught by Prof. Michael Triantafyllou in Fall 2013.

This course is a Freshman Advising Seminar on the topic of biomimesis/biomimetics, or the scientific method of learning new principles and processes based on systematic study, observation, and experimentation with live animals and organisms.

Course Outcomes

Course Goals for Students

  • Gain exposure to methods of biomimetics 
  • Understand biomimetic principles
  • Explore genetic algorithms
  • Confidently approach biomimetic problem solving 

Possibilities for Further Study/Careers

  • Pursuit of an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering
  • Application of the processes and methods of biomimetics to another field of study

Curriculum Information

Prerequisites

None. This is a freshman-level course.

Requirements Satisfied

MIT's Freshman Advising Seminar requirement

Offered

Occasionally, during the fall semester.

 

Student Information

Less than 10 students took this course when it was offered in Fall 2013.

Breakdown by Year

All freshman

Breakdown by Major

When choosing a Freshman Advising Seminar, students are encouraged not to focus too intently on what they think their majors might be.

The Classroom

  • A classroom with several dozen student desks, blackboards, and a projector.

    Room 1 of 1

    Seminar

    The weekly seminars took place in this classroom.

 

How Student Time Was Spent

During an average week, students were expected to spend 6 hours on the course, roughly divided as follows:

Seminar

2 hours per week
  • Met one time per week for 2 hours per session; 11 sessions total.
  • Discussed and critiqued topics covered in the textbook
 

Out of Class

4 hours per week

Read the assigned chapters from the textbook

 

Semester Breakdown

WEEK M T W Th F
1 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
2 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting was scheduled during this session. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
3 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting was scheduled during this session. No session scheduled. No classes throughout MIT.
4 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting was scheduled during this session. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
5 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting was scheduled during this session. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
6 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting was scheduled during this session. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
7 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
8 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting was scheduled during this session. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
9 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting was scheduled during this session. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
10 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting was scheduled during this session. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
11 No classes throughout MIT. No session scheduled. Class meeting was scheduled during this session. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
12 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting was scheduled during this session. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
13 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
14 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting was scheduled during this session. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
15 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
16 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
Displays the color and pattern used on the preceding table to indicate dates when classes are not held at MIT. No classes throughout MIT
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when lecture sessions are held. Class meeting
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when no class session is scheduled. No class session scheduled