The Freshman Seminar Program has been designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small seminar setting. Freshman seminars are offered in all campus departments, and topics may vary from department to department and semester to semester. Enrollment limited to 15 freshmen.

Often called the “central science,” the field of chemistry straddles the forces and sub-atomic particles described by physics and the proteins, plants, and pandas described by biology. Chemistry is all around us; yet sometimes these connections can be difficult to see in the classroom and textbook setting. In this seminar, we will explore concepts, discoveries, and personalities in chemistry that have been hiding, often in plain sight. This seminar format will be a “chemistry book club”. Together, we will read and discuss 2 to 3 chemistry-oriented science books written for general audiences. This seminar is intended for anyone and everyone with an interest in chemistry, and especially those students who are taking a chemistry class at Cal for the first time (for example, Chem 1A, Chem 4A, or Chem 32). Enrollment in a Chemistry class is not required but is strongly recommended. High school chemistry is strongly recommended.

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