Syllabus

Description: This course will introduce students to the concepts of scientific visualization and animation. Specifically, it will consider ways to: represent curves and surfaces, use representations of curves and surfaces to create static and dynamic visual content, incorporate visualization and animation techniques into models of static and dynamic systems, and use visualization and animation to improve scientific understanding.

Textbook: There is no textbook for this course. The OpenGL Programming Guide (v1.1) is available online if you need it. Readings are on reserve.

Outline: This course is organized as follows, though specific topics and dates may change. (Readings are listed in the right-most column.)

Part I: Introduction

8/28

Coordinate Systems and A Review of Analytic Geometry

Globus and Raible

8/30

Example: Cartography

9/4

Introduction to Differential Equations

9/6

Example: Trajectories

Part II: Visualization of Multi-Dimensional Shapes and Data

9/11

Parametric Curves and Surfaces I

9/13

Parametric Curves and Surfaces II

9/18

Example: Bezier Curves and Example: Animation and Tweening

9/20

Parametric Curves and Surfaces III

9/25

Guest Lecture: 3D Printers and Rapid Prototyping

9/27

Parametric Curves and Surfaces IV

10/2

Example: Functions from \(\mathbb{R}^{2}\) to \(\mathbb{R}^{2}\), from \(\mathbb{R}^{3}\) to \(\mathbb{R}^{3}\) and from \(\mathbb{R}^{2}\) to \(\mathbb{R}^{1}\)

Boring and Pang and Helgeland and Andreassen

10/4

Example: Bezier Surfaces

10/9

Presentation of Assignment 2

10/11

Parametric Curves and Surfaces V

Part III: Visualization of Dynamical Systems

10/16

A Brief Review of Probability

10/18

An Introduction to Markov Chains I

10/23

An Introduction to Markov Chains II

10/25

Visualization of Markov Chains

10/30

Presentation of Assignment 3

11/1

Diffusion and Dispersion: SIR and SIS Models I

11/6

Diffusion and Dispersion: SIR and SIS Models II

Part IV: Final Project

11/8-11/15

Project Meetings

11/20

Preliminary Presentation of Final Projects

11/27

Public Exhibition

11/29

Critique

12/4

Final Project Presentations

12/6

Final Project Presentations (cont.)

Attendance at lectures is not mandatory but is strongly encouraged. You are expected to come to class prepared to ask and answer questions. Hence, you should complete the readings on a topic before it is discussed in lecture.

Grading: Final grades will be based on your performance on: 3 programming assignments (20% each) and 1 final project (40% total).

Programming Assignments: 3 programming assignments will be assigned during the semester. Note that their due dates are subject to change.

Programming Assignment 1 ; Due: 9/18 (Basics)
Programming Assignment 2 ; Due: 10/9 (Animation and Visualization of Simple Dynamics)
Programming Assignment 3 ; Due: 10/30 (Exploratory Visualization)

Make sure you read and understand all of the policies related to programming assignments.

Office Hours: You may meet with Prof. Bernstein during his scheduled office hours or you may schedule an appointment with him. You also may meet with Prof. Sochacki during his scheduled office hours or you may schedule an appointment with him.