Cosmic Intelligence and Information Systems

Students enrolled in this certificate program will study the information systems that govern the cosmos. This program is designed to guide students to use data to improve our understanding of the universe to support space settlement.

In addition to evaluating functionality and design, students will explore scientific computing principles, algorithms and simulations to test contemporary theories.

Cosmic Intelligence and Information Systems

Choose any three of the courses listed below and one three-credit elective from any certificate program.

INT 500: Models of the Universe (3 credits)

This course explores the fundamental components in the cosmos and the historical evolution of current scientific theories about the origins of the Universe. Students shall review various models including historical, expanding, and the cellular universes; investigate the formation of solar systems; lifecycles of stars; supernovae and creation of elements; the Milky Way; distances of stars and galaxies; parallel Universes; multiverse; bubble universe; baby universes; and the big rip and the big bang theory.

INT 501: Scientific Computing I: Data and Algorithms (3 credits)

This course provides an introduction to the tools and techniques in scientific computing for space exploration. Students shall examine qualitative and quantitative methods for the design and analysis of computing algorithms. Specific topics may include observational and experimental studies, fundamental data structures, abstract data types, data mining, integration of satellite imagery with data from other sources, automata theory, filters, SLAM, optimization, and algorithm analysis and various types of algorithms (recursive, backtracking, divide and conquer, dynamic programming, greedy, branch and bound, brute force, and randomized).

INT 502: Scientific Computing II: Simulations and Processes (3 credits)

This course examines applications of simulations and algorithms to understand the fundamental processes and phenomena in the Universe. Specific topics may include general theory of systems modelling; principles of discrete-event, continuous, and hybrid system modeling; Monte Carlo methods; evaluation of simulations and observations from telescopes and satellites; autonomous cosmic intelligence; recursive disctinctioning processes; machine learning; measurements of galaxies and structures from galactic and extragalactic surveys; roles of dark matter and dark energy; influences of gravity; N-body simulations; and computing performances for large-scale scientific applications.