Why Continuing Education Is Important for Scientists

The dominant ideas within the realm of science are constantly being built upon and changing. It is the very nature of science to test and test again, pushing strong theories forward and throwing down weak ones. With the many scientific advances taking place every day, it only makes sense for scientists to immerse themselves in continuing education any time they get the chance. If not, there’s a good chance they’ll fall behind in their field. Continuing education can help familiarize scientists with new research, the latest lab techniques and how to minimize errors in their everyday work. Through continuing education, scientists demonstrate their commitment to being lifelong learners, even long after they have completed a college degree.

The Advantage of Taking Online Classes

Online classes are convenient for scientists, especially those who work during the day. Online classes are flexible enough to allow them to access their continuing education courses in the evenings or weekends so that they can continue working full-time. In fact, many online classes are designed with the working adult in mind. Not only will you not have to commute to a college campus or some other learning institution, but you will be able to take your classes from virtually any location on the map. Online universities offer the same high-quality education through their online classes that you would expect to receive at a traditional campus. The key difference is the format—that the content is tailored for online students.

How Free Online Classes Can Supplement Your Career

Many scientists wish they had access to some of the latest science course material from the nation’s top universities, but the cost of taking those courses is often prohibitive. However, many top universities are making complete courses available online for free, including online textbooks, extensive lecture notes and sometimes even supplementary course videos using Open Courseware. Open Courseware in science makes this undergraduate and graduate-level course content available to the general public absolutely free. Some of the well-known universities offering such courses include MIT, the University of Virginia, UMass—Boston, and UCLA. While these courses are not credit-bearing, they still provide an excellent resource for independent study, and can keep you abreast of the latest in scientific thought and research. Course listings have included: Introduction to Ionizing Radiation; Graduate Biochemistry; Frontiers and Controversies in Astrophysics; and Marine Chemistry.

• Introduction to Modern Physics: From quantum mechanics and beyond, learn about 20th-century physics here. [Tufts]
• The Moon: Learn all about the moon’s rotation and orbit, polar ice, interior, surface and more. [The Open University]
• Galileo and Einstein: Learn about some of the earliest scientists and science theories, as well as the contributions of Galileo and Einstein. [University of Virginia]
• Modern Biology: Study equilibrium, ionic states, energy, bioselectivity and other concepts here. [Carnegie Mellon]
• Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism: Get an introduction to physics by learning about electricity and magnetism here. [MIT]
• General Biology I: Study the life processes of molecular and cellular systems. [UMass Boston]
• Astrophysics I: This graduate-level course covers galactic dynamics and more. [MIT]
• Telescopes and spectrographs: Discover how astronomical images are created and captured. [The Open University]
• General Chemistry: Lessons here cover ideal and real gases, bonding types, bond energy, Gibbs energy, acids and bases, and a lot more. [UC Berkeley]
• Introduction to Solid State Chemistry: Get an introduction to chemistry and chemical engineering here. [MIT]
• Analysis of Biological Networks: In this course, you will learn about biological processes according to hierarchy. [MIT]
• Seminar in Geophysics: Thermal and Chemical Evolution of the Earth: Take this seminar to study the different perspectives on mantle flow. [MIT]
• Science promotion: Discover ways to engage the public in science discussion. [The Open University]
• Natural Science Parts I and II: Units here cover genetics, life cycles, scientific concepts, variation of life, photosynthesis, the atmosphere, basic chemistry, and more. [Western Governors University]
• Marine Chemistry: You’ll study ion composition in water, residence time, and chemical oceanography here. [MIT]
• Organic Chemistry I: This course will provide you with a solid introduction to organic compounds. [UMass Boston]
• Organic Chemistry II: This is the second half of the introduction to organic chemistry offering. [UMass Boston]
• Frontiers and Controversies in Astrophysics: Study dark energy, extra-solar planets and black holes in this course. [Yale]
• Quantum Theory II: Study in depth the principles of quantum theory. [MIT]
• Cosmology: Study CMB radiation, cosmic structure formation and more. [MIT]
• Introduction to Life Sciences: This course covers a range of life sciences topics, including ecology and genetics. [UCLA]
• Graduate Biochemistry: This advanced course will prepare you to solve complex problems in biology. [MIT]
• Crossroads of Earth Resources and Society: Explore the impact that humans have had on the Earth’s resources, from the American Indians to nuclear power. [UC Berkeley]
• General Science: You’ll learn about the scientific method, science technology and other basic principles here. [University of Southern Queensland]
• Introduction to Ionizing Radiation: Learn about the effects of radiation, radiation sources, and more. [MIT]
• Fusion and Plasma Physics: Take this course to get an introduction to plasma physics and fusion engineering. [MIT]
• Principles of Radiation Interactions: Discover how radiation interacts with biological materials. [MIT]
• Relativity: Serious physics students study special relativity in this course. [MIT]
• Introduction to Oceanography: Watch these lectures to get an introduction to the biological processes at work in the ocean. [UCLA]
• Chemistry of the Main Group Elements: Study the s-block and p-block elements here. [Connexions]
• Field Geology I: Study the geologic history of western North America here. [MIT]
• Tropical Meteorology: Study energy balance, tropical cyclones and other behavioral aspects of tropical meteorology. [MIT]
• Animal Behavior: Learn about evolution, behavioral genetics, social insects, ecology and more. [UC Berkeley]
• Orchestrating cell separation in plants: what are the risks and benefits?: Study plant and cell biology here. [University of Nottingham]
• Deep Ocean: Study ocean life here. [Fathom]
• Neutron Science and Reactor Physics: Learn about the properties of the neutron when you take this class. [MIT]
• Nuclear Power Plant Dynamics and Control: Study reactor dynamics here. [MIT]
• Clinical Microbiology: Study viruses, bacteria, mold, protozoa, parasites, and other microbiology topics when you take this class. [Western Governors University]
• Conservation and Biodiversity: Learn about the elements and forces that impact ecosystems here. [University of Nottingham]
• Structural materials in cells: Here is another cellular biology class to teach you about lipids, proteins, and more. [The Open University]
• Cell Biology: Learn all about cell growth, transport, transformation, receptors and membranes in higher organisms. [MIT]
• Managing Nuclear Technology: You’ll get a well-rounded idea of all the factors at play for nuclear technology management, use and disposal. [MIT]
• Neutron Interactions and Applications: Study nuclear engineering principles in this course. [MIT]
• Principles of Inorganic Chemistry III: This advanced course covers s- and p-block elements. [MIT]
• Kitchen Chemistry: This fun course will help you apply chemistry principles to kitchen experiments and cooking basics. [MIT]
• Essentials of Geophysics: This introductory class covers seismology, geomagnetism and more. [MIT]
• Science and Communication: Develop skills for applying your research projects to the greater scientific community. [MIT]
• Physical Chemistry: Study wave mechanics and quantum theory here. [MIT]
• Introduction to Biology with Research Focus: Students who want to continue to work on large research projects will enjoy this course that addresses research in genomics, molecular medicine, and other fields. [MIT]
• Five Ages of the Universe: Study the five ages of the universe, starting from the Big Bang. [University of Michigan]