Course Schedule and Catalog
Course Schedule - Spring Semester 2026
Meeting location information can now be found on student schedules in ESTHER (for students) or on the Course Roster in ESTHER (for faculty and instructors).Additional information available here.
Meeting location information can now be found on student schedules in ESTHER (for students) or on the Course Roster in ESTHER (for faculty and instructors).Additional information available here.
COLL 171 001 (CRN: 25856)
SURVIVAL BY DESIGN
Long Title: SURVIVAL BY DESIGN: MECHANICS, BIOMIMCRY, AND THE SCIENCE OF STAYING ALIVE (WIESS)
Department: College Courses
Instructors:
Meeting: 8:00PM - 8:50PM M (12-JAN-2026 - 24-APR-2026)
Part of Term: Full Term - No WL Purge
Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Course Type: Seminar
Language of Instruction: Taught in English
Method of Instruction: Face to Face
Credit Hours: 1
Course Syllabus:
Course Materials: Rice Campus Store
Restrictions:
Must be enrolled in one of the following Level(s):
Undergraduate Professional
Visiting Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Section Max Enrollment: 19
Section Enrolled: 19
Waitlisted: 1 (Max 99)
Current members of the waitlist have priority for available seats.
Enrollment data as of: 25-NOV-2025 1:42AM
Final Exam: No Final Exam
Description: This course delves into the ways we can improve our survival strategies in nature through studying mechanics and physics—a deeper exploration of the science behind survival; meanwhile, the course explores how nature’s own survival mechanisms can inform engineered solutions—the art of biomimicry. The course will be supplemented by knowledge of geophysics, dynamic and fluid mechanical systems. Based on the TV show Survivor, students will be split up into teams to work with for the rest of the semester, doing group projects, presentations, and mini competitions with the other teams. At the end of the semester, we are looking to answer: How can mechanical principles help develop reliable survival strategies? On the contrary, how does biomimicry shape engineering solutions in urban spaces? We will answer these questions with in-class presentations and discussions while also learning practical survival skills like fire starting and shelter making. Once students have developed a greater knowledge of engineering and natural solutions, we finish the course with a debate in the teams, covering the ethical issues behind biomimicry.