English

This course discusses a number of economic, social and environmental challenges that exert massive demands on the urban environment. The critical urban issues, focused on the built environment, include public housing, urban transportation, sustainable development, building conservation and resource management. The course is oriented towards public policies and urban management based on an interdisciplinary approach which includes urban planning, laws and regulations, land management, stakeholder engagement, technology and governance. 

In recent decades, research in the field of neuroscience has suggested new interventions and applications in social domains such as law, education, and economics, and challenged us to redefine our understandings of responsibility, choice, and what it is to be human. One of the applications, consumer neuroscience, is an important step in the analysis and understanding of consumer behavior through the rigorous application of the knowledge and techniques of neurosciences, and appears as a new fundamental tool for the present and future of market research. This course addresses challenges in advancing scientific understanding of the biological basis of decision-making, and translational applications of this knowledge to the areas of marketing and consumer behavior.

This course discusses statistical mechanics and thermodynamics in the advanced undergraduate level with vigorous mathematical treatment. It serves as a core course for physics major students as well as an elective core for those who are interested to gain a deep understanding of statistical mechanics and thermodynamics and to apply related techniques in their own majors. This is also an essential course for those who plan to pursue postgraduate studies in physics or related disciplines. Both conceptual ideas and mathematical treatment are emphasized. Topics include: Elements of Ensemble Theory, Boltzmann, Fermi and Bose-Einstein statistics. Partition function and the laws of Thermodynamics. Disorder and entropy; concept of temperature; the free energy. Density of states. Classical gas, electrons in metals, and black body radiation. Heat capacities. Thermal properties of magnetic systems. Assessment: assignments, final exam, test, lab reports.

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale program. Enrollment is by consent of the instructor. The course is intended for students who have a strong background in political science or international relations. The course is an overview of international relations of the East Asian region and focuses on the economic and political issues surrounding the Asia-Pacific rim. Topics covered include: historical and contemporary patterns of state relations in East Asia, US security alliances in East Asia and the new Asian Pivot, the rise of China, the nuclear crisis in the Korean Peninsula, territorial disputes, regional multilateral institutions, East Asian development models and economic integration, environmental challenges, energy security, and other related issues. Required readings include: THE INTERNATIONAL POLITICS OF ASIA-PACIFIC by M. Yahuda and POLITICS IN EAST ASIA: EXPLAINING CHANGE AND CONTINUITY by T. Lim. Specific readings are assigned on the following topics: The Korean Peninsula, The People's Republic of China, China-EU Relations, Nationalism and Territorial Disputes, Japan's Domestic and Foreign Policy. Assessment is based on a final oral exam.