Teaching

BIOL 136 - Biological Inquiry Seminar - Sensing the Environment

Animals must make decisions when faced with the tasks required for survival and reproduction, such as foraging, avoiding predators, selecting a habitat and finding mates. Their decision-making process is based on information their sensory systems obtain from their environment. This Inquiry Seminar will focus on how animals acquire and use information from their abiotic and biotic environments to survive, grow and reproduce. Specific topics will be driven by student interest.

BIOL 146 - Biological Inquiry Seminar - Darwinian Medicine

Evolution is the backbone of biology, but only in the past few decades has modern evolutionary theory been used to understand human health and disease. The application of evolutionary theory to medicine has driven important advances in our understanding of topics such as cancer, obesity and infectious diseases, with significant health applications. This course focuses on how evolution shaped humans to be susceptible to disease and how we can apply this knowledge to public health. Specific topics are driven by student interest, and may include cancer, allergies and autoimmune diseases, aging-related diseases, and the coevolution of humans and novel pathogens such as HIV and SARS-CoV-2. This is a seminar course that includes reading of primary literature, writing, discussion sections, and student presentations.

BIOL 120 - Organismal Biology

This course will address the organization and function of multicellular organisms. Although focused primarily on plants and animals, other kinds of organisms will be discussed. Regulation, homeostasis, and integration of function; nutrient acquisition, processing, and assimilation; photosynthesis; gas exchange; reproductive patterns; and development are all topics that are included in this course. Readings from an introductory text and the secondary and primary scientific literature will be required.

BIOL 220 - Ecology and Evolution

We will explore the roles of ecological and evolutionary processes in shaping life's diversity. Lab sessions will combine group work in field research projects with quantitative analyses and synthesis of your findings in terms of published results from the primary literature. These projects will result in a written and/or oral presentation of your findings.

BIOL 344 - Animal Behavior

We will explore the fundamentals of animal behavior from both a mechanistic and an evolutionary standpoint. Lab sessions will focus on experiments and will culminate in independent research projects with quantitative analyses and synthesis of your findings as a written and/or oral presentation. BIOL 389 - Evolution

BIOL 389 - Evolution

This course will focus on the mechanisms of evolutionary change, ranging from short-term microevolutionary processes within populations to the origins of new species. Topics will include evidence for evolution, short-term microevolutionary processes, natural selection, adaptation, phylogenetic reconstruction, divergence and speciation, 'evo-devo', and human evolution. Classroom sessions will consist of lectures, discussions, and student presentations.

BIOL 482 - Senior Seminar: Sex and Evolution

An application of evolutionary principles to understanding phenomena related to sexual reproduction. This seminar will emphasize theory and empirical tests of theory reported in the primary literature in evolution, behavior, and genetics. Exact topics will depend on student interests. Classes will involve discussions, student presentations, and short lectures.