Course Description: An introduction to human biology with an emphasis on how our evolutionary past has shaped us to be as we are today. Topics covered include our relatedness to other living creatures, why and how we age, how our immune system works, mechanisms of genetic disease, the role of nutrition and lifestyle in health including heart disease, basic neurobiology and endocrinology, the hormonal biology of stress, and human reproduction including early development and sexual differentiation. S. (Group II)
Course Delivery- Hybrid: There will be two ways to attend class: in person and virtually. For people on campus and healthy, I strongly encourage you to come to the classroom on Mondays and Wednesdays for class. Class time will include lectures and activities designed to practice and learn the material. Lectures will be recorded and posted after class; students learning remotely will be expected to watch these videos on their own. I also plan to hold Zoom class on Fridays during our regularly scheduled class time, which remote learners in particular, will be strongly encouraged to attend. The exact plan for each Zoom session will vary depending on how many students there are and what has been happening in the course. At a minimum, it will be a time to check in and for Q and A. However, it will also be a time for us to do some work as a group. I will provide weekly updates prior to the online sessions, which will be open to all students in the course.
Course Description: This tutorial will emphasize the integrative nature of the sciences by allowing students to learn about and practice both behavioral and genetic techniques. We will start by reading primary literature that demonstrates the utility of combining behavioral and genetic approaches. Students will later observe fish courtship behaviors. Then they will extract DNA and learn about genotyping techniques that will allow them to determine paternity in this multiple mating system in the fish, Poecilia latipinna.
Course Delivery- Hybrid: As this is a small honors tutorial, we will be able to social distance within a classroom space for discussions and activities. Some meetings will be held only through Zoom or Collaborate. Students will read scientific papers and then come up with a mini project to pursue during the semester.
Course Description: Students gain an understanding of the basic structure and function of the human organ systems. Regulatory mechanisms and compensatory responses to internal and environmental changes will be emphasized. Dissections and experimental techniques are used in the laboratory to illustrate aspects of both physiology and anatomy. This course is not open to students who have credit for ZOOL 325 or 329; science majors who have credit for ZOOL 251 may not enroll in ZOOL 325 or 329 without special consent of the instructor. Spring (Group II)
Course Delivery- Hybrid: Students can expect a "program" associated with each class that can be completed any time before the class session. This will primarily include videorecorded lectures and readings, but also other media (e.g., podcasts, other relevant videos). Class time will be spent with hands-on activities, demonstrations, and discussions. These will take place synchronously and simultaneously for in-person and online students. (Essentially a flipped classroom design.) Lab classes will utilize VisibleBody software, for which students will need to purchase a subscription ($49.99). More information here: https://www.visiblebody.com/ .These activities will be supplemented with hands-on activities with models (for in-person student) or interactive video demonstrations (online students). While a hybrid course, this course can be completed by students working entirely online.
Course Description: Major concepts of biological evolution. Topics include patterns of evolution, such as speciation, phylogenetics, and adaptive radiation. Also covered are the processes of evolutionary change by natural selection, mutation, gene flow, and genetic drift. Concepts are applied to a variety of species, including a focus on human evolution. Prerequisite: BIOL 120, ZOOL 101, or equivalent. Fall, Spring (Group II)
Course Delivery: Fully Remote
Course Description: Evolutionary resume of arthropod groups followed by an introduction to the biology of insects: their structure, classification, life histories, ecology, and behavior. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 122. (Group II)
Course Delivery- Hybrid: The hope is for this course to be in-person until Thanksgiving. The enrollment is currently at 10 students, meaning that the lectures in SCSC180 (the originally assigned classroom) will allow for social distancing. At any times that are necessary, lectures will be pre-recorded and posted on the Blackboard site. The lab is usually held in SCSC305, which seats 16 students. The main lab project for this course includes the preparation of an individual insect collection of museum quality. There are normally field trips scheduled for the first four lab periods. These have been canceled. Nevertheless, it will be possible to collect at home, on campus, and in other localities that can yield specimens of suitable quality and diversity. Throughout most of the semester, students will be able to come into the lab at different times of the day to work on collections, meaning that the full class will not be present at once during the scheduled lab times. If we cannot meet in person at the start of the semester, I will make some recordings in the lab describing collection procedures and curation, and will be able to meet in person at later times as needed. There are other labs that do not involve the insect collection, and these will also be re-tooled to allow students to work on them independently without all of us meeting at once on Wednesday afternoons. These involve microscope slide sets and some labs on insect anatomy.
Course Description: An exploration of the physical nature of electron microscopy with emphasis on the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Students investigate the influence of electron beam parameters on imaging and how to correct imaging problems to optimize analysis. Topics covered include sample selection, sputter coating, cryo-preparation, and elemental analysis by energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Students gain extensive, hands-on experience using the SEM. Lecture and laboratory. Additional lab time required outside of scheduled lab. Prerequisites: any two science courses that count toward a science major or permission of instructor. Fall (Group II)
Course Delivery- Hybrid: The lecture component of this course will be delivered remotely. We will meet synchronously at the scheduled times, and attendance at these synchronous remote sessions is required. There will be lecture videos to watch and take notes on outside of class, and those must be completed prior to the due dates so that students can actively participate in the synchronous class meetings. On occasion, we may move a lecture/discussion to the Friday afternoon lab meeting because our lecture day is Wednesday, and all but one of our "Bishop Days" are on Wednesdays. The possibilities exist to do quizzes in-person. The laboratory component will be done in person. The intent is to do this for the entire semester, but if going remote for the laboratory component becomes necessary, the laboratory will be able to be done remotely. Your flexibility will be appreciated as we navigate the semester.
Course Description: This course will focus on the structure, function, and regulation of organs in humans. Students will gain an understanding of the major body systems including the nervous, cardiovascular, muscular, endocrine, respiratory, and renal. The course will explore physiology using a proximate and mechanistic approach that focuses on important details, terms, and processes. Students will not only learn specific body systems and functions, but will leave the course with an understanding of how these systems are integrated to produce a functional human body. Laboratory work will be used to expose students to the scientific method, experimental design, statistical analysis, presentations, and scientific writing. Prerequisite: BIOL 120 and CHEM 110, or ZOOL 251 with a C- or better. (Group II)
Course Delivery- Hybrid: The structure of ZOOL325 will follow a “flipped” classroom design. Lecture material (short videos and textbook readings) will be available online for all students. Students who can meet in class will work on activities (worksheets, concept mapping, case studies, review questions) to apply and review the lecture material. These activities will also be made available to remote learners. Remote learners will have the option to work with in-person classmates during in-class sessions through a remote conferencing platform. Remote office hours will be offered through Zoom for all students.
Lab Delivery – Students will be split into two groups and alternate between performing a hands-on experiment and a virtual experiment each week (both groups will meet in-person in separate rooms). Remote learners will work with virtual experiments and may choose to be assigned to an in-person classmate for remote conferencing during lab.
Course Description: The evolutionary history of vertebrate anatomy including functional morphology, from a comparative perspective. Laboratory study of representative species complements the lecture portion of this class. Prerequisite: one course in BOMI or ZOOL. Spring (Group II)
Course Delivery- Hybrid: Students can expect a "program" associated with each class that can be completed any time before the class session. This will primarily include videorecorded lectures and readings, but also other media (e.g., podcasts, other relevant videos). Class time will be spent with hands-on activities, demonstrations, and discussions. These will take place synchronously and simultaneously for in-person and online students. (Essentially a flipped classroom design.) The first five labs of the semester will be hands-on dissections and demonstrations. These will be livestreamed and recorded for students working online. The remaining labs will involve the development and implementation of an individual or small group project. This can be completed on campus using available resources (e.g., museum specimens) or working remotely using available resources (e.g., commonly available food items). Final presentations will occur via video the final (remote) week of the semester. While a hybrid course, this course can be completed by students working entirely online.
Course Description: The study of the complex relationship between the endocrine system and animal behavior. We will examine how hormones mediate behavior, and how behavior, in turn, can influence hormone levels. Examples from both vertebrates and invertebrates will be used to investigate diverse topics such as aggression, reproduction, parental care, sociality, sex differences, and stress. Students will learn a basic assay technique for circulating hormones and lead discussions of the primary literature. Prerequisite: BIOL 122. Fall. Group II.
Course Delivery: Fully Remote
Course Description: The scientific study of the factors affecting the distribution and abundance of animals. Ways to gather and analyze data relating to population size, population growth, life histories, competition, predation, community organization and relative abundance of species are taught and practiced during and after our field laboratories. Statistics are taught and used. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 122. Fall (Group II)
Course Delivery- Hybrid: I plan to teach in the classroom, face-to-face, 2 or 3 days a week for lecture as we have a MWF class. One day per week will I will be in my classroom but with my attention on the remote learners. Face-to-face students are welcome to come to class and participate in person, but my primary attention will be on the remote learners. I plan to deliver lectures asynchronously online through blackboard and will use class time to review lectures through discussion and analysis of data and figures, problem sets, primary literature discussions, and case studies. For students not in the classroom, a virtual space will be set up (most likely Zoom) where students will be able to meet up with other classmates, probably mainly with the other remote learners due to technological limitations, during our regular class time and do the work together like those in the actual classroom. In technical/jargon terms, I will be using a 'flipped hybrid' model with an emphasis on synchronous learning but with options and ability to work remotely and asynchronously.
Course Description: The course will focus on how science can inform conservation decisions by offering in-depth exploration of current issues in conservation. Specific topics include biological reserve design, sustainable harvesting, invasive species, maintenance of genetic diversity, endangered species management, and the measurement and preservation of biodiversity. Students will read primary scientific literature and will engage in computer modeling and spreadsheet exercises exploring each topic in detail. Students should be prepared to use basic mathematical skills throughout the course. Prerequisite: BIOL 122 or permission of instructor. Fall (Group II)
Course Delivery- Hybrid: I plan to teach in the classroom, face-to-face, 2 days a week for lecture. If my class is too big to be accommodated comfortably in a room (20 students right now) then I will divide my classroom up in half. Half of one day per week (50 minutes) I will be in the classroom but with my attention on the remote learners. Face-to-face students are welcome to come to class and participate in person, but my primary attention will be on the remote learners. I plan to deliver lectures asynchronously online through blackboard and will use class time to review lectures through discussion and analysis of data and figures, problem sets, primary literature discussions, and case studies. For students not in the classroom, a virtual space will be set up (most likely Zoom) where students will be able to meet up with other classmates, probably mainly with the other remote learners due to technological limitations, during our regular class time and do the work together like those in the actual classroom. In technical/jargon terms, I will be using a 'flipped hybrid' model with an emphasis on synchronous learning but with options and ability to work remotely and asynchronously.
Course Description: This course explores parasitic associations, particularly those of medical and veterinary importance. The evolution, life cycles, and pathology of representative protists, helminths, arthropods, and other groups are discussed in lectures and further examined in the laboratory. The laboratory component emphasizes parasite anatomy and identification, parasite collection, diagnostic techniques, and experimental approaches. Prerequisite: BIOL 120 or BIOL 122. Fall (Group II)
Course Delivery- Hybrid: I plan to meet in person for this course. There are currently seven students enrolled. This is a number that is suitable for the usual meeting place for this class (SCSC180) to allow for social distancing. The lab is usually held in SCSC305. This seats 16 students, indicating that safer social distancing would be possible here as well. The labs are being designed to include for online introductory information provided on the Blackboard site, together with handouts. I will be present during the scheduled lab hours but will allow for students to attend at other, pre-arranged times. The lab equipment and instructions will be ready in advance, and this will allow for some flexibility during the start of the labs.