Janet Fischer and Mark Olson Bio 110: Principles of Evolution, Ecology, and Heredity. An introduction to Mendelian genetics, micro- and macro-evolutionary processes, the origin and diversification of life on earth and ecological patterns and processes at organismal, population, community and ecosystem levels. Offered every Spring.
Janet Fischer Bio 323: Ecological Concepts and Applications. Interactions of organisms with their environment and how these interactions are influenced by human activities. Special emphasis is placed on principles of population, community and ecosystem ecology. Class exercises and discussions involve critical evaluation of current research and applications of ecological concepts to conservation and management. Most labs are field-oriented, including an overnight trip to the Poconos. Prerequisite: BIO 220.
Bio 310: Experimental Design in Biology. An exploration of the challenges and rewards of experimentation in biology. In this seminar, we will use case studies to illustrate the basic principles of experimental design, including hypothesis generation, assigning treatments, replication/pseudoreplication, confounded variables and statistical power. Case studies will be chosen to represent a wide range of sub-disciplines of biology, including biomedical research. Prerequisite: BIO 220.
NSP 138: Lakes as Sentinels. Lakes are considered to be sentinels of environmental change because they respond rapidly to meteorological conditions and are closely linked to the surrounding catchment. The course will focus on basic physics, chemistry, and biology of lakes, as well as the importance of freshwater to humankind. Hands-on experiences in the field and laboratory will be emphasized.
Mark Olson Bio 210: Biostatistics. An introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics from the perspective of the life sciences. The emphasis will be on research design and on the use of graphical and computational methods in interpreting and communicating results. This course satisfies the statistics requirement in the Biology major curriculum. Prerequisite: BIO 110.
NSP 109: How and Why We Run. Running is both a fundamental form of locomotion and a popular physical activity. This course will examine the act of running from a scientific perspective, focusing on the physiology and biomechanics of running, as well as the emotional and cognitive effects of sustained aerobic activity. We will also explore reasons why different studies can provide contradictory results, and how research on running is represented in the popular media. Note that this course will not require any actual running.