Evolution

Description

This program considers both the process of evolution and the biodiversity that results from evolution.  In winter quarter we’ll focus on the fundamentals of evolution by natural selection.  We’ll discuss the history of evolutionary thought from classical typological thinking to modern concepts, including the fundamentals of Mendelian and molecular genetics.  We’ll consider the social context in which evolutionary thought developed, with particular attention to the life and work of Charles Darwin.

Evolution has produced millions of species and a great diversity of life forms and physiologies.  In spring quarter we will study the evolutionary adaptations and phylogenetic relationships of major groups of organisms and discuss the methods by which these relationships are elucidated, including both morphology and genetics. We’ll investigate how organisms have responded adaptively to natural selection by the physical circumstances of life on Earth, from single-celled aquatic organisms to large terrestrial organisms.

Students will be expected to approach the topics rigorously from a scientific perspective.