Fall Numbers Sections

Morning Sections

(MWF 11:30am-12:30pm)

Aine McCarthy, Assoc Prof of Economics

• Core 121-03 – MWF 11:30am-12:30pm

Kidonomics: Data, Daycare and Dream

This introductory course explores how economic forces shape the lives of children and families while building students’ skills in data analysis. Students will learn core economic concepts—including public goods, incentives, markets, and government policy—and apply them to issues affecting children and communities. Topics include fertility rates, childcare and preschool, taxes and social benefits, child poverty, public education, and urban planning. Along the way, students will work with real-world data to develop data literacy skills, learning how to interpret graphs, evaluate evidence, and use data to better understand social policy around kids. No prior background in economics or children is required.

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Duncan Parks, Lecturer in Biology

• Core 121-02 – MWF 11:30a-12:30pm

Networks and Trees

The branching network known as a tree is a fundamental geometry in both natural and human systems, from circulatory systems in animals and plants to transportation and utility networks. We will start by applying an understanding of graph models to a variety of real-world examples (such as routing and distribution problems). We will use mathematical tools to build optimal networks in utility or telecommunications contexts, and use directed graphs to generate critical-time schedules, with a diversion into the structure of generative AI models. We will then use those tools to build evolutionary trees and evaluate cross-species comparisons in a tree-based context. Finally, we will examine the branching patterns of human circulatory systems and actual plants, examining both the performance of those systems and the fractal geometries that govern their development. Students need not have advanced mathematical skills to use these tools, and students of all backgrounds will encounter new methods and approaches in this course.

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Eric Tymoigne, Assoc Prof of Economics

• Core 121-01 – MWF 11:30a-12:30pm

Economy by the Numbers

This course is your guide to understanding the key statistics that describe the economy and how they’re used in real life. We’ll explore well-known economic indicators such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Unemployment Rate, Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Federal Funds Rate, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and more. We’ll examine how different series are constructed, how they can be interpreted, and how we may use them effectively. Along the way, you’ll get hands-on experience with the Excel to find, organize, visualize, and interpret real economic data. You don’t need any background in economics or programming - just curiosity and a willingness to explore the stories behind the numbers.

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MWF 1:50-2:50pm Sections

(Main time)

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Mark Dahl, Director of Watzek Library

• Core 121-08 – MWF 1:50-2:50pm

The Promise and Peril of Cryptocurrency

Hailed by some as digital gold and dismissed by others as financial rat poison, cryptocurrency has fueled celebrity scandals, international crime, and political battles over the past decade—all while consuming terawatts of power. This course will examine whether cryptocurrency represents a positive social and economic innovation, a destabilizing and destructive force, or merely a passing fad.

During the initial weeks of the course, students will explore the blockchain technology that underpins cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and learn about emerging applications including smart contracts and decentralized finance. Later, the course will turn to broader social, political, and economic topics, including cryptocurrency trading and addiction, the role of crypto in unstable economies, crypto culture in the United States, the growing influence of the crypto political lobby, and cryptocurrency’s environmental impact.

Students will engage with these issues through readings, discussion, and hands-on analysis of real-world data. Along the way, they will develop practical skills in data analysis and visualization using Google Sheets and Python.

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Jessica Kleiss, Assoc Prof of Chemistry & Director of ENVS Program

• Core 121-05 – MWF 1:50-2:50pm

Take Charge: Tackling Environmental Problems

You may have come to Lewis & Clark to make a difference in the world. The fundamental premise of this course is that you can and should start doing that right away. This section is fundamentally student-driven: you are in charge of your own educational process. As a class, you will shape the problem that you will address, establish your procedure and timeline, and share the results of your work in a final presentation to a panel of experts. Along the way faculty, staff, alumni mentors, and undergraduate mentors provide support and resources, but all the decision-making is up to you. This course employs a radically different approach to learning than traditional classes – one that puts you in the driver’s seat.

The challenge for Fall 2026 will address the aging US electrical grid, as it is an essential component in the transition to renewable energy sources in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address our changing climate. Your challenge: Propose upgrades to the US electricity grid that can meet our power needs while accommodating increased renewable energy sources. There is no “right” answer to this problem; you are seeking to develop the best solution you can in the face of logistical constraints and conflicting stakeholder interests that lie at the heart of nearly all wicked environmental problems. Welcome to your Take Charge experience!

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Anna Miromanova, Asst Prof of Economics

• Core 121-07 – MWF 1:50-2:50pm

The evolution of “nobody wants to work these days” : The past and present of labor, work, and wages

Why must most individuals sell their labor for wages? This course provides a beginner-friendly introduction to the economics of labor markets through historical, conceptual, and empirical lenses. We will discuss the evolution of labor as a commodity, the persistence of child labor, key labor market institutions such as unemployment, unionization, and minimum wage, the prevalence of “nobody wants to work any more” sentiment, and how labor markets are likely to change with the evolution of AI.

Students will engage with real-world labor market data using a beginner-friendly introduction to the R programming language.* The R module covers data loading, basic cleaning, variable transformation, sample restriction, data merging, summary statistics, cross-tabulation, correlation analysis, and data visualization. These skills are taught as tools for economic inquiry, not as ends in themselves.

This course deconstructs a fundamental question: what is labor worth, and who gets to decide? By the end, students will see the world of work and labor not just as a daily grind, but as a set of questions answerable with data, history, and economic intuition.

* Note: No prior coding experience is required.

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Matt Powell, Visiting Asst Prof of Physics

• Core 121-06 – MWF 1:50-2:50pm

Numbers and Sports: An Introduction to Sports Analytics

As any fan following their favorite team knows, the interest in sports analytics has skyrocketed in recent years. Teams look for a competitive advantage, while media and fans look for new ways to understand the game they love. Gone are the days when a baseball player’s batting average was the agreed upon measure of their ability. Now statistics such as Wins Above Replacement are used to tell a far more complete picture of performance.

This class will be an introduction to sports statistics and analytics. We will begin by introducing statistical techniques and learn how to calculate familiar stats across different sports. We will then discuss and calculate more complex stats that have evolved during the analytics revolution. We will learn to use data software tools to analyze, model, and predict player performance. Students will have the opportunity to investigate analytics questions for the sport of their choice.

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Matt Scroggs, Asst Prof w/Term International Affairs

• Core 121-04 – MWF 1:50-2:50pm

Sports and Data

In professional sports, the rise of analytics has been a topic of great interest as teams and individuals try to get an edge on their opponents. But what are sports analytics? And how are they used to better understand the sports that we follow? This course will provide an introduction to analytics as applied to three major U.S. sports: baseball, (American) football, and basketball.