Central to the Program's mission is the education of young lawyers and scientists in issues at the intersection of the two disciplines. The Program is sponsoring new curricular developments at both campuses to bridge the divide with joint learning programs.

New Courses for Spring, 2001

At Caltech

Law 134: Law & Technology
This course will provide a sophisticated introduction to and exploration of the intersection of science and the law, focusing on the intellectual property system and the various means through which the conduct and products of scientific research are regulated. The course will analyze and compare American, international, and theoretical alternative systems, in part by means of economics modeling. The latter portion of the course will explore a particular scientific area in depth, typically using guest lectures or co-teachers to convey the science element (examples include the human genome project; the internet and cyberspace; the law of the sea; and outer space exploration). Some background in law (as by having taken Law 33 - Introduction to Law & Economics) and economics will be helpful.

At Loyola

Biotechnology Law Seminar
This seminar will explore recent scientific advances in human genetics and their impact on law, primarily in the areas of intellectual property, regulation of science and technology, legal ethics, and access to genetic information. Several seminar sessions will be devoted to biological science to provide a knowledge base for the study of human genome research regulation, patent protection for genetic discoveries, and economic transactions in genetic property, information and technology.

Although all advanced students are eligible to enroll, preference will be given to students who intend to participate in the Program for Law & Technology mock trial in Fall, 2001.

At the Crossroads

Distance Learning

Caltech and Loyola are exploring distance learning options so that students at the two institutions may take these courses "jointly" through real-time cross-campus interaction. Such collaboration will facilitate preparation for and participation in the student exercise at fall "At the Crossroad" conferences.