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Biology [clear]
| Title | Offering | Standing | Credits | Credits | When | F | W | S | Su | Description | Preparatory | Faculty | Days | Multiple Standings | Start Quarters | Open Quarters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Bret Weinstein
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | Nearly all of the complexity in the observable universe is due to one process: Selection-natural, sexual and otherwise. And though the basics of evolutionary selection can be summarized in a single phrase ("survival of the fittest"), the details are surprising in the extreme, raising profound questions at every juncture. Why, for example, has a simple, shared drive to increase 'reproductive success' taken aardvarks and spruce trees in such different directions? And why would a peahen choose to burden her sons with a giant handicap to their movement by mating with a male carrying genes for massive tail? We will take a broad approach to selection, studying what is known, but focusing on that which remains mysterious. The adaptive interplay between genetic, epigenetic (regulatory) and cultural traits will be of particular interest. We will also place special emphasis on understanding the tension between selection exerted by mates, and that exerted by environmental factors. Fall quarter will be spent constructing a basic toolkit for evolutionary analysis: What is an adaptation and how can it be recognized? How can we infer function? What is the relationship between a trait's short and long-term adaptive value? We will scrutinize structures; behaviors and patterns found in the wild, and refine our ability to understand them through the language of game theory. During the winter quarter, we will focus on pushing our model of selection to its limits, and beyond, by applying it to the most complex and surprising adaptive patterns in nature, with a special emphasis on adaptive patterns manifest in We will read, have lecture, and detailed discussions. Discussions will be central to our work. Students will be expected to generate and defend hypotheses and predictions in a supportive and rigorous environment. We will go out and look at nature directly when conditions are right. Each quarter, we will take a multi-day field trip to observe thought-provoking patterns in unfamiliar environments. There will be assignments, but the program will be primarily about generating deep predictive insight, not about producing a large volume of work. It is best suited to self-motivated students with a deep commitment to comprehending that which is knowable, but unknown. | biology, medicine, psychology, and public policy. This program will focus on how to think, not what to think. As such, it will be useful to in any career in which critical thinking is important. | Bret Weinstein | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter | |||
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Ruth Hayes, Kevin Francis and Amy Cook
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | Humans have a complex, intricate, and paradoxical relationship with other species. We are animals and we define ourselves against them. We celebrate our kinship with animals and use them as laboratory specimens. We create animal characters and infuse them with human qualities. We befriend animals and we eat them. In this program, we will integrate perspectives from the arts, sciences and humanities to explore such seeming contradictions in our understanding, representation and treatment of animals. In fall quarter, we will study animal form, function and evolution. Students will practice observational approaches to learning about animals, including drawing, laboratory dissection and field study. They will also study animal morphology, comparative anatomy, and biomechanics as a foundation for animating the locomotion of different kinds of animals. Students will explore evolutionary biology as a framework for understanding the biological parallels between humans and animals. Finally, we will examine how artists and writers have represented animals in images, stories and films. In winter quarter, we will shift our focus to human and animal neurobiology, cognition, emotion, and behaviour. As we study these topics, we will investigate how scientists and artists anthropomorphize animals in their work and explore the implications of this practice. Consider the scientist who empathizes with a chimpanzee's elation or an elephant's sadness or a dog's pain. Does this empathy provide valuable insight into the experience of another species or simply reveal the ability to project one's own sentimental fancies onto another creature? And how do we test these intuitions? Or consider animators who create films populated with animal characters. Why do they select particular species to represent specific human qualities? And how do these fictional representations of animals affect how we treat real animals? In each of these cases, we risk putting ourselves in dialog with anthropomorphized versions of animals without recognizing the full extent of our own narcissism. During both quarters, students will participate in lectures, seminars, labs and writing workshops. They will learn how to analyze several types of media, including books and films, and will be expected to develop and improve their writing through a variety of assignments. This program will also encourage students to reflect on their own assumptions and attitudes about other species. During fall quarter, art workshops will emphasize the development of basic skills in drawing and animation. During winter quarter, students will continue developing these skills and will also explore their own scientific and/or creative approaches to representing animals. | art, animation, science and education. | Ruth Hayes Kevin Francis Amy Cook | Mon Wed Thu Fri | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter | ||
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Paula Schofield and Andrew Brabban
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 12Spring | The aim of this program is to apply fundamental knowledge and theories of biology and chemistry to practical, real world situations. The application of biology and chemistry has huge impacts on our society, particularly influencing our economy and quality of life. Cutting edge techniques and processes are continually being developed by biologists and chemists to produce the medicines, chemicals and materials we use daily. Products include pharmaceuticals - from synthetic drugs to gene therapies - used to prevent disease and cure illness; biocompatible materials for use in the medical field; fossil-fuel derived synthetic polymers (plastics, fibers, rubbers etc.); and modern "green" or "sustainable" materials that include biodegradable polymers. These products are widely used by the general public, as well as in a wide array of industries and professions: agriculture, sports, health-care, law enforcement, the military, automotive, food, etc. In this program we will focus on the practical applications of modern biology and chemistry, studying both small and large molecules, natural and synthetic. Based predominantly in the laboratory, students will learn the theoretical principles and relevant lab and instrumentation techniques needed to synthesize, isolate and analyze small molecules and macromolecules. We will examine small biological molecules as well as organic molecules, moving to important biological macromolecules (DNA, RNA, proteins) and synthetic polymers (plastics, fibers, biodegradable polymers, green materials). Theory and techniques of molecular cloning, protein biochemistry, biocatalysis, and transgenics will be emphasized, as well as synthesis and characterization of relevant organic molecules, polymers and green materials. Seminars on technical literature and student presentations will be significant components of the program. We will also discuss the professional biologist's and chemist's relationship with industry, government and universities, and examine employment opportunities for biologists and chemists. Students will be evaluated based on their laboratory techniques, laboratory reports, class presentations, and homework assignments. | biotechnology, biology, chemistry, polymer and material science, health science, education and medicine. | Paula Schofield Andrew Brabban | Mon Tue Wed Wed Thu | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | |||
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Jennifer Calkins
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 8 | 08 | Evening and Weekend | S 12Spring | The theory of evolution provides the best framework through which we can understand the diversity of biological systems. In this course, we will use evolutionary theory to help us explore biological patterns ranging from the structure of a cell to the organization of ecosystems as well as biological processes ranging from the replication of genetic information to the generation of energy. In the context of our study we will investigate the diversity of biological systems, its origin, and its current threats. More specifically, we will study the structure, information, and energetics of biological systems and will ask how the theory of evolution can explain the patterns and processes at these levels. For example, we will ask the following questions: What are the structures of biological systems such as cells, organisms, and communities? How do biological systems store, replicate, and share information using genetic material, neurobiological processes, and behavior? How do systems capture, exchange, store, and utilize energy through photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and ecological exchange?This course will prepare students for further study in biology and will provide them with the biological literacy necessary to engage complex issues from cloning to conservation with knowledge and understanding. The course will include lectures and small-group seminar discussions as well as lab, computational, and field-based projects. Readings will include portions of a basic biology text, peer-reviewed research papers, and readings from popular science. Students will be responsible for keeping a journal, doing the readings, participating in group discussions and projects, and completing weekly assignments. Students will be evaluated on their participation, their assignments, and their performance on two exams. | Jennifer Calkins | Wed Sat | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | ||||
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Martha Rosemeyer and Donald Morisato
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 12Spring | How do seeds form? How do plants develop from seeds? How do plants adapt to particular environmental conditions? The modification of plant evolution by human selection has played a major role in the history of agriculture. Ecological agriculture is based on an understanding of plant biology, either through the grazing of livestock or the growing of food crops. This program focuses on the science of crop botany and genetics as a basis for propagation, seed-saving and plant breeding. In one strand, the basic life cycle, plant physiology and reproductive botany of crop members of the plant families most important for agriculture will be explored. This systematic survey will make connections to their center of diversity and origin. In a second strand, the principles of plant breeding will be presented through an introduction to Mendelian and quantitative genetics. Some of the agricultural methods of plant reproduction, by both sexual and vegetative propagation, will be considered. Readings may include Ashworth's , Deppe's , and Nabhan's . The adaptation of crop plants to specific environments, especially in this era of climate change, becomes increasingly critical for the future of sustainable agriculture. Laboratory and field experiments, as well as field trips to local farms and plant breeding centers, will provide an applied context for our inquiry. | agriculture, biology and plant breeding. | Martha Rosemeyer Donald Morisato | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | ||||
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Martha Rosemeyer, Thomas Johnson and David Muehleisen
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | What is a food system? Why does it matter? A battle for the future of our food system is being waged between competing visions. On one side is the global, industrial-based system that provides large quantities of inexpensive food along with significant environmental and social impacts. The competing vision is a local, community-based system that produces higher quality, more expensive food while seeking to minimize environmental and social impacts. We will explore these competing visions from a critical perspective of social and ecological sustainability. Critical questions that will inform our inquiry include: Can a humane, socially just agricultural system that minimizes environmental degradation meet the food needs of the world? Can farmers be stewards of the soil, biodiversity and landscape? Can we grow high-quality food that is available to everyone? How did we get into this food system predicament anyway? Are local, sustainable food systems best?This program will provide a broad, interdisciplinary study of agriculture. We will emphasize developing "systems" thinking and skills associated with community work, expository writing, laboratory and library research, as well as quantitative reasoning skills. Lectures will focus on ecological principles applied to agroecosystems, soil science and fertility management, crop and livestock management, as well as local to global food system structure, socio-economic aspects of agriculture and agricultural history. Labs will provide a hands-on introduction to soil ecology and fertility. Students will identify needs, gather data and write a report of relevance to developing a sustainable local food system. Multi-day field trips will allow students to visit farms working toward sustainability, meet key players in food system change and attend meetings such as the Washington Tilth Producers conference and Eco-Farm conference in California. : The Agroecology portion of fall quarter will emphasize energy flow and biodiversity as applied to agricultural systems, using Steve Gliessman's textbook, second edition. A social science approach will focus on the role that ideas and institutions have played in shaping US agriculture. We will work toward assessing the needs of our local food system. Seminar books will support our inquiry. Field trips, as well as attending the Tilth Conference in Yakima are planned. : The agroecology portion will focus on soil science, soil ecology and nutrient cycling. We will work with civic engagement as a way to move us toward our vision. A policy workshop focusing both on local and national policy such as the 2012 Farm Bill is planned. Students will gather data and write a report on a particular aspect appropriate to developing a local food system in Thurston County. There will be an emphasis on lab exercises, critical analysis, library research and expository writing. Seminar books will again support our inquiry. A field trip to attend the Eco-Farm conference in California will be part of the curriculum. Students interested in continuing their studies of agriculture in spring quarter can continue with with Donald Morisato and Martha Rosemeyer or with Dave Muehleisen and Stephen Bramwell. | Farm, nursery and garden management; agriculture, food system and environmental consulting firms; state and county agricultural and natural resource agencies; and agricultural and food justice non-profit organizations. | Martha Rosemeyer Thomas Johnson David Muehleisen | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter | |||
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Alison Styring, Steven Scheuerell and George Freeman
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Program | FR ONLYFreshmen Only | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | S 12Spring | The word environment encompasses multiple meanings, from the natural to the built, from the interiors of our minds to the spiritual. In each case there is a constant interface of environments with one another and with other creatures, each defining and circumscribing our experience of the world. Some of our essential questions revolve around how we define the environment and how we are shaped by as well as how we shape the environment, both natural and built. For example, does the concept of wilderness include humans? Is the ecological niche of a human essentially different from that of other living things? We will explore the habitats we occupy along with other creatures in those environments. We will explore dichotomies that foster dynamic tensions, such as the dichotomy between concepts of "natural" versus "human". We intend to investigate these tensions through our study of psychology, personal biography, biology, environmental studies, ornithology and cultural studies. In fall quarter we will develop the foundational skills in environmental studies and psychology needed to understand and critique the writings and current research in community ecology, animal behavior and conservation biology, and to examine the conscious and unconscious, and the theories of perception and cognition in psychology. We will examine parallels and linkages among disciplines in terms of methods, assumptions and prevailing theories. In winter we'll continue building on this foundation and move ourselves from theory to practice through an emphasis on methodologies, analyses, and their underlying assumptions. In spring quarter we'll implement the skills and knowledge we've developed through specific student-directed projects and our optional field trip. The faculty will foster creativity, experimentation and imaginative processes as means of discovering and bringing a new awareness to our extraordinary world. The students will respond to the themes of the program through individual and collaborative projects. To build our learning community we will use experiential collaboration activities such as Challenge and Experiential Education as a means to develop a sense of commitment and group citizenship. We will use multicultural discussion opportunities such as Critical Moments to explore the politics of identity and meaning. We will develop our observational skills via field workshops and field trips. We will have writing and quantitative reasoning workshops to further develop students' current skills and to develop advanced skills in these areas. Students completing this program will come to a stronger understanding of their personal lives as situated in a variety of contexts. They will develop strategies for engaging in a range of settings to promote social change, in-depth personal development, increased self-awareness, critical commentary and analyses, and practices that promote stewardship of our personal lives, our immediate environment and global communities. | psychology, behavioral sciences and environmental science. | Alison Styring Steven Scheuerell George Freeman | Mon Tue Thu Fri | Freshmen FR | Fall | Fall Winter | |
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Dylan Fischer and Clarissa Dirks
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 12Spring | The southwestern U.S. is unique in the diversity of habitats that can occur along with dramatic temperature and moisture gradients. Major advances in ecology have been made in these extreme environments, and important work in global change biology is currently being conducted in these systems. This program will use field sites in the Desert Southwest as living laboratories for investigating patterns in ecology, biology, microbiology and evolution. Students will learn about arid environments, plant ecology, field biology, and gain specialized training in microbiology or plant molecular genetics. Students will co-design field projects exploring ecological and co-evolutionary relationships at organism and molecular scales.We will use detailed studies of southwestern cottonwood trees and tardigrades (water-bears) as examples that will let us dive deeply into laboratory and field experiments. We will pair those investigations with broader exploration of southwestern environments to learn about multiple ecosystems and organisms. Early in the program, students will learn to conduct DNS analyses on plants and microscope-based identification of microscopic animals called tardigrades (water-bears). All students will participate in a mandatory two-week field ecology module where they will participate in a major research project examining the effects of desert-tree genetic diversity on ecosystems, learn to identify plant species of the Southwest, keep detailed field journals, conduct research projects, and survey isolated canyons for patterns related to evolutionary history. Along the way, we will visit environmental and culturally significant sites in the Southwest, from cactus forests to canyons and mountain peaks. Finally, at the end of the quarter all students will reconvene for a program conference where students will present their research over the quarter.Our reading list will include major natural history texts related to the Southwest and evolutionary relationships for the organisms we find there. We will emphasize active participation in the scientific process and communication skills. Because of the field component of this program, students should be prepared for extensive time living and working in the field, and should be committed to working through conflicts in group dynamics. | ecology, biology, botany, zoology, microbial ecology and environmental science. | Dylan Fischer Clarissa Dirks | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | ||||
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Benjamin Simon, Glenn Landram and Lydia McKinstry
Signature Required:
Winter Spring
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | S 12Spring | This year-long, laboratory-based program will offer students a conceptual and methodological introduction to biology and chemistry with a focus on health and medicine. We will use organizing themes that link the science of human health with the economic, financial, ethical and legal issues associated with the demand and cost of medical research and public health care. Over the course of three quarters, we will study portions of general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, general biology, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, nutrition, statistics, economics and management, and human behavior. Students will use scientific processes, quantitative reasoning and hands-on experiences to develop problem-solving skills directed at understanding these subjects in the context of human health. This program is primarily designed for students contemplating work in medicine and allied health fields, including nursing, physical therapy, midwifery, athletic training, nutrition and others. This program is also appropriate for students interested in public health or public policy who want a solid foundation in biology and chemistry or students who wish to study rigorous science as part of a liberal arts education. Program activities will include lectures, laboratories, small-group problem-solving workshops, homework, field trips and seminars. Our readings and discussions will be concerned with the economic, ethical and scientific aspects of human health as they relate to the global community as well as individuals. Students will undertake assignments focused on interpreting and integrating the topics covered. During spring quarter, students will participate in small-group collaboration on a scientific investigation relevant to the program content. Project topics will be developed under the direction of the faculty and students will describe the results of this research through formal writing and public presentation. All program work will emphasize quantitative reasoning, critical thinking and development of proficiency in scientific writing and speaking skills. Upon completion of this program students will have gained some of the prerequisites necessary for careers in the allied health fields and public health administration. Students will also be prepared for further studies in upper division science. Students who master the biology and chemistry work in this program will be prepared to enroll in the Molecule to Organism program. Students preparing for medical school will likely need further coursework in inorganic or general chemistry to fulfill prerequisites for medical school. Overall, we expect students to end the program in the spring with a working knowledge of scientific, social and economic principles relating to human health and public health care. We also expect that they will have gained an ability to apply these principles to solving real world problems relating to natural science, disease and human health. | medicine and allied health fields, and public health administration. | Benjamin Simon Glenn Landram Lydia McKinstry | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | ||
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Noelle Machnicki and Lalita Calabria
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | Fungi. What are they? Where are they and what are they doing there? How do they get their energy? What roles do they play in ecosystems? How do they grow? What do they taste like? How do they interact with other organisms? The central theme of this program is to answer these and other questions about fungi. Many people are familiar with green plants and their role in using solar energy to turn carbon dioxide, inorganic elements and water into sugars and other molecules. Fungi, which convert sugars and other organic molecules back into carbon dioxide, inorganic elements, water and energy, are less familiar. Nevertheless, fungi play pivotal roles in the various nutrient cycles within terrestrial ecosystems. They also form symbiotic relationships with plants to create mycorrhizae and have a different type of symbiotic relationship with algae to form lichens. In addition, fungi cause a wide variety of diseases that can be important in particular ecosystems as well as in agriculture and medicine. This program will focus on understanding these unique, ubiquitous and interesting organisms. We will cover fungal and lichen taxonomy, the ecology and biology of fungi and lichens, lab techniques for studying/identifying them, current research, as well as social and economic aspects. There will be an emphasis on work in the laboratory learning to classify fungi and lichens using chemical and microscopic techniques, along with a wide variety of taxonomic keys. These topics will be explored in the field, in the lab, and through lectures, workshops and student research project presentations. Students should expect to spend a minimum of 50 hours/week on program work. Students will be engaged in technical writing, library research, critical thinking and developing their oral presentation skills. | ecology, biology, natural history, education, and environmental studies. | Noelle Machnicki Lalita Calabria | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | ||||
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Clarissa Dirks
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 8 | 08 | Day | Su 12Summer Session II | Living systems will be studied on the molecular, cellular, and organismal level. Topics that will be covered include, but are not limited to, the scientific method, biomolecules, cell structure and function, Mendelian genetics, evolutionary biology, introduction to ecology, and plant and animal physiology. The lab component will reinforce concepts and ideas explored in lectures, readings, and workshops. This biology course is excellent preparation for students interested in taking more advanced life science courses or for future work in the areas of environmental science. | Clarissa Dirks | Tue Wed Thu | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | ||||
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Carolyn Prouty
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Course | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 6 | 06 | Day | Su 12Summer Session I | This course draws from public health, epidemiology, bioethics, and human rights philosophy to consider health and disease in a global context. What are the social, economic, and epidemiological forces that have led to vast inequalities in health outcomes globally? As we investigate how Western ideas apply in non-Western countries, we will explore ethical dilemmas that researchers, healthcare providers, and policy makers encounter in resource-poor environments. Finally, we will examine the epidemiology, physiology, and pathology of specific conditions including HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, maternal morbidity and mortality, nutritional deficiencies, and parasitic diseases, paying particular attention to connections between infections and inequalities, malnutrition, and human rights. | Carolyn Prouty | Tue Wed Thu | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | ||||
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Cindy Beck
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 6, 12 | 06 12 | Evening | Su 12Summer Full | Students will study the anatomy and physiology of the human body using a systems approach while exploring the interrelationship of health and disease in the human body. Each body system will be covered utilizing a traditional lecture and laboratory format. This course meets prerequisites for nursing and graduate programs in health sciences. | health and medicine | Cindy Beck | Tue Wed Thu | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | |||
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Erik Thuesen
Signature Required:
Fall
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Contract | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | Erik Thuesen | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | ||||||
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Donald Morisato
Signature Required:
Winter
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Contract | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 12Winter | Individual study offers students the opportunity to develop self-direction, to learn how to manage a personal project, and to focus on unique combinations of interesting topics. Students are invited to submit a proposal if they are interested in investigating one of the following areas in genetics and developmental biology: molecular mechanisms of axis determination, pattern formation, embryogenesis, stem cells, gene regulation, and epigenetic inheritance. In order to be successful, students should have a solid background in the principles of molecular biology and be able to work independently. | Donald Morisato | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter | |||||
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Martin Beagle and Erin Martin
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | This program offers an integrated study of biology and chemistry that serves as an introduction to the concepts, theories, and structures which underlie all the natural sciences. Students in this program will develop foundational scientific skills and an appreciation for the human dimensions of science. Emphasis will be placed on developing ways of thinking and methods of analysis. Further details about specific themes and topics will be added in the coming weeks. In fall quarter, we will structure our weekly learning around coordinated sequences of core modules that include lectures, workshops, laboratory and/or field work, and seminar. Much of the time will be spent in workshops where students are expected to collaborate in small groups, solving problems and discussing concepts to acquire confidence in their knowledge and real facility with scientific principles. Laboratory work that closely parallels and amplifies the core material will be an integral part of the program. Seminar will enable us to apply our growing understanding of scientific principles and methodology to societal issues, such as the impact of geoduck aquaculture on water quality and aquatic communities; the debate over unpasteurized dairy products for public consumption; and the commercial pursuit of genetically modified organisms. We will emphasize analysis of the issues through reading, discussion, and writing. All students are expected to take part in all of these core activities, but students may participate more intensively in areas of special interest through additional lab work or readings. We will continue with this format in winter quarter. In addition, students will work in small groups on a research project that allows them to pursue questions sparked by their curiosity about the natural world and provides hands-on experience in scientific method. Students who successfully complete the program will have a solid background in general biology and general chemistry. They will have also practical experience in scientific method and improved abilities to reason critically. Students who successfully complete this program will be prepared for more advanced study in science programs such as Molecule to Organism or Environmental Analysis. The main prerequisite is an eagerness to work hard and to explore the “real life” applications of the scientific method. Students should also be competent in high school algebra. | biology, chemistry, environmental studies, geology, and health professions. | Martin Beagle Erin Martin | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter | |||
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Kevin Francis, David Paulsen and Rachel Hastings
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 12Spring | What does our ability to speak and understand language reveal about the human mind? How much of our knowledge of language can be attributed to an innate language capacity and how much is dependent on individual experience? How are children able to develop a detailed and abstract understanding of their native language at a very young age? And how did human language evolve in the first place? In this program we will study theories of cognition, brain structure, and consciousness as they relate to the complex phenomena of language evolution, acquisition and use.We will explore diverse kinds of evidence that shed light on the evolution of language, including recent work in evolutionary biology, animal behavior, neurobiology, cognitive neuroscience, and the evolutionary genetics of language. To understand the nature of linguistic processing we will look at the structure of language and ask what capacities must be present within human cognition in order for us to produce and understand human languages. We will study the ideas of Noam Chomsky and others who argue for a "universal grammar" as an explanation of rapid language acquisition and similarity among languages. We will also examine the parallels between human language and communication in other animals. Finally, we will reflect on the strategies adopted by scientists to reconstruct events in the deep past.Program activities will include seminar, lectures and workshops. We will devote significant time to providing background material in linguistics, evolutionary biology, and cognitive neuroscience that pertains to the evolution of language. We will read scientific and philosophical material that addresses fundamental questions about consciousness, the relationship between mind and brain, and the relation between cognition and the human capacity for language. As part of this program, students should expect to participate actively in seminar, write several essays, and complete a final research project. | biology, cognitive science, linguistics, philosophy and psychology. | Kevin Francis David Paulsen Rachel Hastings | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | ||||
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Gerardo Chin-Leo and Erik Thuesen
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 8 | 08 | Day | Su 12Summer Session II | This program introduces principles of marine biology focusing on the marine life and marine habitats of the Pacific Northwest coast. We will study the environment, taxonomy, adaptations, and ecology of marine organisms as well as the major oceanographic features of the northwest coast. There will be various field trips including a camping trip to the Olympic Peninsula and possibly a sailboat trip. | Gerardo Chin-Leo Erik Thuesen | Tue Wed Thu | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | ||||
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Karen Hogan
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 12 | 12 | Evening and Weekend | F 11 Fall | Models allow us to test our understanding of particular systems and, if the models are good, to make predictions. Types of models include conceptual, graphical, mathematical, and systems simulation models. In biology, processes that can be modeled range from Michaelis-Menten analysis of enzyme kinetics, to diffusion of carbon dioxide and water into and out of a leaf, to population dynamics of plant and animal species, to global climate models. This program will look at a range of approaches to modeling different levels of biological processes. After an introduction to modeling concepts and techniques, students will work in groups to construct models of biological processes of their own choosing. A high level of engagement and initiative is expected in this program; upper-division credit is possible. Students willing to share their expertise in some area of mathematics or computing are encouraged to participate. | Karen Hogan | Wed Sat | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | ||||
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James Neitzel, Steven Verhey and Michael Paros
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | S 12Spring | biology, chemistry, education, medicine, pharmacy and health science. | James Neitzel Steven Verhey Michael Paros | Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | ||
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Heather Heying
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Program | FR ONLYFreshmen Only | 16 | 16 | Day | S 12Spring | The natural world exists with or without humanity’s interpretation of it. As observers and users of symbols, it is easy to mistake ourselves for the creators and masters of what we are trying to explain. In this program, we will learn through direct experience of nature: we will learn to trust our own senses. Knowledge and interpretation will also come through writing about nature, and measuring and analyzing aspects of it. We will spend two weeks of the ten on class field trips, and individuals will develop a sense of place by finding and revisiting the same natural site every week throughout the quarter. We will focus on observation as central to a careful, critical and creative understanding of our world. We will learn the disappearing art of unitasking, of clear undivided focus. Readings will come from science, literature, and the philosophy of science; evolutionary explanations for nature’s complexity will be prominent. Students will write every week, both scientific and creative prose. If you are already a skilled writer who loves to write, you will find an outlet here. If you do not enjoy writing, or would like to further develop some basic skills, you will also find this useful, and hopefully pleasant. Similarly, we will do some math in this program. If you find numbers and their manipulation exciting, you will have fun with this. If you are a math-phobe, we will try to reveal some of its beauty and wisdom to you. Words and numbers are symbolic representations of our world; if we do not understand them, they have undue power over us. As we learn to use them as tools that we can master, they allow us to further our own understanding, experience and representation of the world. | biology, communications and field research. | Heather Heying | Freshmen FR | Spring | Spring | ||||
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Lalita Calabria
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Course | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 6 | 06 | Evening and Weekend | Su 12Summer Session I | This course is designed to increase your awareness and appreciation of the biological, cultural, and economic importance of plants. Through this awareness and appreciation of plants you can begin to develop a "Botanical Sense of Place". We will begin by reflecting on your personal experiences with plants from youth to the present in the form of a creative nonfiction-style essay. These experiences are the foundation of your botanical knowledge, and they will serve as tool for connecting the major concepts we learn in class with your real-life experience of plants. In lectures, we will survey the major groups of the Plant Kingdom including bryophytes, seedless vascular plants, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. We will also draw on contemporary scientific journals articles to help you gain in-depth understanding of certain biological concepts and to apply this understanding to current events. In labs, students will gain hands-on experience studying plants with microscopes as we examine the form and function of plant structures in the context of their evolutionary history. On field trips, students will learn to recognize and identify the common native plants of the Pacific Northwest. | Lalita Calabria | Tue Thu Sat | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | ||||
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David Muehleisen and Stephen Bramwell
Signature Required:
Spring
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 12Spring | What does it take to start up and run a small-scale agricultural business? Do you know how to grow organic food? Are you interested in contributing to the success of the campus Organic Farm? Join us on the farm for hard work and a wide-ranging examination of these and other questions.In this three-quarter program which begins spring quarter, we will integrate the theoretical and practical aspects of organic small-scale direct market farming in the Pacific Northwest by working on the Evergreen Organic Farm through an entire growing season (spring, summer and fall quarters). All students will work on the farm a minimum of 20 hours per week. The program is rigorous both physically and academically and requires a willingness to work outside in adverse weather on a schedule determined by the needs of crops and animals.Our exploration of critical agricultural topics will occur through a curriculum that is intricately tied to what is happening in the fields as the growing season progresses. The major focus of the program will be developing the knowledge and skills needed to start up and operate a small-scale agricultural operation based on a sound understanding of the underlying science and business principles. At the same time, hands-on farm work will provide the context for developing applied biology, chemistry and math skills.Each quarter, we will cover a variety of seasonally appropriate topics needed to operate a sustainable farm business. In the spring, we will focus on soil science and nutrient management, annual and perennial plant propagation, greenhouse management, crop botany, composting, vermiculture, and market planning. In the summer our focus will be on entomology and pest management, plant pathology weed biology and management, water management and irrigation system design, animal husbandry, maximizing market and value-added opportunities and regulatory issues. The fall quarter's focus will be on season extension techniques, production and business planning, the use and management of green and animal manures, cover crops, and crop storage techniques and physiology.Additional topics will include record keeping for organic production systems, alternative crop production systems, apiculture, aquaponics, urban agriculture, small-scale grain-raising, mushroom cultivation, and techniques for adding value to farm and garden products. Students will learn how to use and maintain farm equipment, ranging from hand tools to tractors and implements. Students will have the opportunity to develop their personal agricultural interests through research projects. Topics will be explored through on-farm workshops, seminars, lectures, laboratory exercises, farm management groups, guest lectures, field experimentation and field trips to regional agricultural operations. Books typically used in the program include by Gershuny, by Mohler and Johnson (eds.), by Wiswall, by Ekarius, by Altieri, and by Coleman. If you are a student with a disability and would like to request accommodations, please contact the instructor or the office of Access Services prior to the start of the quarter. Access Services, Library Bldg. Rm. 2153. Contact Program Coordinator Steve Schmidt, PH: 360.867.6348; TTY 360.867.6834; E-mail: schmidts@evergreen.edu. If you require accessible transportation for field trips, please contact the instructor well in advance of the field trip dates to allow time to arrange this.Students planning to take this program who are receiving financial aid should contact financial aid early in fall quarter 2011 to develop a financial aid plan that includes summer quarter 2012. | farm and garden management; working with non-profit organizations focusing on food, land use and agriculture; State and County Extension; and State and Federal regulatory agencies. | David Muehleisen Stephen Bramwell | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | ||||
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Stephen Bramwell and David Muehleisen
Signature Required:
Summer
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | Su 12Summer Full | This is a spring, summer, fall program and is open only to students continuing from the spring. For the full program description, see . | Stephen Bramwell David Muehleisen | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | |||||
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Laura Citrin and Carolyn Prouty
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 12Winter | Why is the rate of caesarian section births rising? What are the ethical implications when parents choose for certain traits in embryo selection? How do our ideas of masculinity and femininity shape male and female reproductive health? How is infertility, abortion, and maternal mortality experienced differently across race and class? This program will explore the sociological, psychological, historical, political, and ethical issues related to reproduction and childbirth, mainly in the US, but we look at the global manifestations of these issues as well. We will learn basic female and male reproductive anatomy and physiology in humans, including the physical processes involved in birth.Through lecture, seminar, film, reading and discussion stimulated by multiple guest speakers from the community, students will examine such topics as conception, pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period; ethical issues in fertility (including infertility) and obstetrics; power and hierarchy in reproductive health care; and breakthroughs in the technologies of reproduction. Students can expect to read and analyze primary scientific and social science literature, academic and popular texts, and to learn to recognize and think critically about their own evolving perspectives surrounding reproduction and birth. | Laura Citrin Carolyn Prouty | Mon Wed Thu | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter | ||||
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Paula Schofield and Andrew Brabban
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Program | FR ONLYFreshmen Only | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | Are you curious about the world around you? Would you like to really understand "buzz terms" the media uses such as sustainability, green materials, climate change, the water crisis, the energy debate, genetic engineering, DNA fingerprinting and cloning? How can we believe what we are being told? What is the evidence? How is scientific data actually collected, and what analytical methods and instrumentation are being used? Are the correct conclusions being drawn? As responsible citizens we should know the answers to these questions.In this two-quarter program we will use various themes to demystify the hype surrounding popular myths, critically examine the data, and use scientific reasoning and experimental design to come to our own conclusions. In fall quarter we will study "water" and "energy" as themes to examine our environment, considering local, nationwide and global water issues. We will also examine current energy use and demand, critically assessing various sources of energy: fossil fuels, nuclear, hydropower, etc. We will begin the program on , one week before the regularly scheduled start of fall quarter (during Orientation Week). This will enable us to prepare for an extended field trip the following week by beginning our study of energy, and to establish our learning community. The field trip, to Eastern Washington, will be a unique opportunity to visit Hanford Nuclear Facilty and Grand Coulee Dam. Personalized tours at each will include the B-Reactor at Hanford, the world's first full-scale nuclear reactor which produced the plutonium used in the "Fat Man" bomb dropped over Nagasaki, Japan, in August of 1945, and at Grand Coulee, the largest hydropower producer in the United States. On this trip we will also learn key field science techniques: how to take measurements in the field, collect samples for laboratory analysis, and identify and precisely determine the concentrations of nutrients and pollutants. In winter quarter we will use "natural and synthetic materials" as a theme to study petrochemical plastics, biodegradable plastics and other sustainable materials, biomedical polymers, as well as key biological materials such as proteins and DNA. We will carefully examine the properties of these materials in the laboratory and study their role in the real world. "Forensics" will be our final theme, learning techniques such as DNA fingerprinting, blood spatter analysis and ballistics, as well as other modern forensic procedures. We will gather our own data from mock crime scenes to practice these techniques. Winter quarter will culminate in a student-originated and designed research project.In this field- and lab-based program, scientific analysis—rather than conjecture or gut-feeling—will be the foundation of our work. Throughout our studies we will use and apply state-of-the-art scientific instrumentation. Other class activities will include small group problem-solving workshops, seminars and lectures. | environmental and laboratory sciences, the liberal arts and education. | Paula Schofield Andrew Brabban | Mon Tue Wed Thu | Freshmen FR | Fall | Fall Winter | ||
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Bob Haft and Donald Morisato
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | Both science and art take things apart. In some instances--like the evisceration of a frog or an overly-analytical critique of a poem --the process can result in the loss of the vital force. In the best scenario, carefully isolating and understanding individual parts actually reconstitutes the original object of study, bringing appreciation for the whole that is greater than the parts. Sometimes taking things apart results in a paradigm shift: suddenly, the ordinary becomes extraordinary.In one strand of this program, we will use a biologist's tool kit to explore how living organisms function. We will learn how biology takes apart and studies life in different ways. In fall, we will focus on visual perception, beginning with anatomy, proceeding onto the logic of visual processing, and concluding with an examination of the specialized neurons and molecules involved in phototransduction. In winter quarter, we will play with the idea of mutation, exploring how genetics can be used to dissect complex processes, in addition to providing an entry point for the molecular understanding of inheritance at the level of DNA.Another strand takes visual art as its point of departure. Here, we will combine what we learn about the anatomy and physiology of the eye with a study of how to use sight to apprehend and appreciate the world around us. We will work with different tools--charcoal pencils and camera, for example--both to take things apart, and to construct new things. During fall quarter, we will learn the basics of drawing. In winter, we will switch to using black-and-white photography as a means of studying life at a more macroscopic level than in the biology lab. Ultimately, our goal here is the same as that of the scientist: to reconstitute and reanimate the world around us.There are ideas for which literature provides a more sophisticated and satisfying approach than either science or the visual arts. Thus, in a third strand, we will examine how literature depicts and takes apart the emotional and behavioral interactions that we call "love." Authors that we may read include Shakespeare, Stendhal, Henry James, Virginia Woolf, James Baldwin, John Berger, Haruki Murakami and Louise Gluck.Our goal is to weave these strands together, to produce an understanding about the world that is informed by both cognition and intuition. Throughout our inquiry, we will be investigating the philosophical issue of objectivity. This is a rigorous program that will involve lectures, workshops, seminars, studio art and laboratory science work. Student learning will be assessed by weekly seminar writing assignments, lab reports, art portfolios and exams. | biology, visual arts, sciences and the humanities. | Bob Haft Donald Morisato | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter | |||
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Paul Butler and Dylan Fischer
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | Temperate rainforests are poorly understood and highly valued ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest and other coastal landscapes around the world. This type of ecosystem supports complex interactions among constituents of the atmosphere, the forest and the underlying geology. By focusing on the biogeochemistry and nutrient cycling of the forest, we will understand the interplay between the biotic and abiotic components of these ecosystems. We will examine the pools and fluxes of organic and inorganic nutrients as well as the processes that link them. We will examine forest ecosystem science in temperate rainforests worldwide, and our lectures and field labs will emphasize the temperate rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula, with a three-day field trip at the beginning of the quarter. Students will gain field experience with group independent studies on campus and at remote sites. Students will acquire experience with various sampling techniques that are used measure nitrogen, water, and carbon in forested ecosystems in a single, intensive, multiple-week lab exercise on forest biogeochemistry. Weekly seminars will focus on reading a major forest-ecology textbook and and understanding scientific articles from the primary literature. Each student will develop a scientific research proposal throughout the quarter that requires the development of research and quantitative skills. Finally, controversy over forest management is an integral component of human interactions with modern temperate rainforests. We will explore current and past controversies in forest ecology related to old-growth forests, spotted owls and other endangered species, sustainable forestry, and biofuels. We will also visit local second growth forests to examine the impacts of sustainable forest management on temperate rainforest ecosystems. Readings and guest lectures will introduce students to major ecological issues for temperate rainforests. | forest ecology, chemistry, geology and field research. | Paul Butler Dylan Fischer | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | ||||
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Andrew Brabban
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | V | V | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | S 12Spring | Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. This independent learning opportunity allows advanced students to delve into real-world research with faculty who are currently engaged in specific projects. Students typically begin by working in apprenticeship with faculty or laboratory staff and gradually take on more independent projects within the context of the specific research program as they gain experience. Students can develop vital skills in research design, data acquisition and interpretation, written and oral communication, collaboration, and critical thinking that are valuable for students pursuing a graduate degree or entering the job market. (biotechnology) studies microbiology and biotechnology, focusing particularly on bacteriophages as model organisms in molecular genetics, as major players in microbial ecology and as therapeutically important antimicrobials. His research (in collaboration with phage biologist Elizabeth Kutter) involves approximately 12 students each year who explore bacterial metabolism and the infection process under a variety of environmental conditions, phage ecology and genomics, and the application of phages as antibacterial agents targeting human and animal problems. Current projects include the development of phage treatments to control O157:H7 in the guts of livestock and infections of both humans and dogs. Studies of such infections under anaerobic and stationary-phase conditions and in biofilms are under way, as are studies of phage interactions in cocktails and the sequencing/genomics of phages. Students who commit at least a full year to the research project, enrolling for 4 to 16 credits each quarter, will learn a broad range of microbiology and molecular techniques, with opportunities for internships at the USDA and elsewhere, and to present data at national and international conferences. | biology, biotechnology, health sciences. | Andrew Brabban | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | ||
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Benjamin Simon
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | V | V | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | S 12Spring | Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. This independent learning opportunity allows advanced students to delve into real-world research with faculty who are currently engaged in specific projects. Students typically begin by working in apprenticeship with faculty or laboratory staff and gradually take on more independent projects within the context of the specific research program as they gain experience. Students can develop vital skills in research design, data acquisition and interpretation, written and oral communication, collaboration, and critical thinking that are valuable for students pursuing a graduate degree or entering the job market. (biology) is interested in immunology, bacterial and viral pathogenesis, vaccine development, and gene therapy applications. Recent focus has been on developing novel methods for vaccine delivery and immune enhancement in finfish. Students with a background in biology and chemistry will gain experience in laboratory research methods, including microbiological techniques, tissue culture, and recombinant DNA technology. | Benjamin Simon | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | |||
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Clyde Barlow
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | V | V | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | S 12Spring | Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. This independent learning opportunity allows advanced students to delve into real-world research with faculty who are currently engaged in specific projects. Students typically begin by working in apprenticeship with faculty or laboratory staff and gradually take on more independent projects within the context of the specific research program as they gain experience. Students can develop vital skills in research design, data acquisition and interpretation, written and oral communication, collaboration, and critical thinking that are valuable for students pursuing a graduate degree or entering the job market. (chemistry) works with biophysical applications of spectroscopy to study physiological processes at the organ level, with direct applications to health problems. Students with backgrounds in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics or computer science can obtain practical experience in applying their backgrounds to biomedical research problems in an interdisciplinary laboratory environment. | Clyde Barlow | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | |||
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Clarissa Dirks
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | V | V | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | S 12Spring | Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. This independent learning opportunity allows advanced students to delve into real-world research with faculty who are currently engaged in specific projects. Students typically begin by working in apprenticeship with faculty or laboratory staff and gradually take on more independent projects within the context of the specific research program as they gain experience. Students can develop vital skills in research design, data acquisition and interpretation, written and oral communication, collaboration, and critical thinking that are valuable for students pursuing a graduate degree or entering the job market. (biology) aims to better understand the evolutionary principles that underlie the emergence, spread, and containment of infectious disease by studying the co-evolution of retroviruses and their primate hosts. Studying how host characteristics and ecological changes influence virus transmission in lemurs will enable us to address the complex spatial and temporal factors that impact emerging diseases. Students with a background in biology and chemistry will gain experience in molecular biology techniques, including tissue culture and the use of viral vectors. | Clarissa Dirks | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | |||
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David McAvity
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | V | V | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | S 12Spring | Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. This independent learning opportunity allows advanced students to delve into real-world research with faculty who are currently engaged in specific projects. Students typically begin by working in apprenticeship with faculty or laboratory staff and gradually take on more independent projects within the context of the specific research program as they gain experience. Students can develop vital skills in research design, data acquisition and interpretation, written and oral communication, collaboration, and critical thinking that are valuable for students pursuing a graduate degree or entering the job market. (mathematics) is interested in problems in mathematical biology associated with population and evolutionary dynamics. Students working with him will help create computer simulations using agent-based modeling and cellular automata and analyzing non-linear models for the evolution of cooperative behavior in strategic multiplayer evolutionary games. Students should have a strong mathematics or computer science background | theoretical biology, computer science, mathematics. | David McAvity | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | ||
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Donald Morisato
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | V | V | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | S 12Spring | Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. This independent learning opportunity allows advanced students to delve into real-world research with faculty who are currently engaged in specific projects. Students typically begin by working in apprenticeship with faculty or laboratory staff and gradually take on more independent projects within the context of the specific research program as they gain experience. Students can develop vital skills in research design, data acquisition and interpretation, written and oral communication, collaboration, and critical thinking that are valuable for students pursuing a graduate degree or entering the job market. (biology) is interested in the developmental biology of the Drosophila embryo, a model system for analyzing how patterning occurs. Maternally encoded signaling pathways establish the anterior-posterior and dorsal-ventral axes. Individual student projects will use a combination of genetic, molecular biological and biochemical approaches to investigate the spatial regulation of this complex process. | biology, health sciences. | Donald Morisato | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | ||
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Michael Paros
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | V | V | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | S 12Spring | Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. This independent learning opportunity allows advanced students to delve into real-world research with faculty who are currently engaged in specific projects. Students typically begin by working in apprenticeship with faculty or laboratory staff and gradually take on more independent projects within the context of the specific research program as they gain experience. Students can develop vital skills in research design, data acquisition and interpretation, written and oral communication, collaboration, and critical thinking that are valuable for students pursuing a graduate degree or entering the job market. (biology, veterinary medicine) is interested in animal health and diseases that affect the animal agriculture industry. Currently funded research includes the development of bacteriophage therapy for dairy cattle uterine infections, calf salmonellosis, and mastitis. A number of hands-on laboratory projects are available to students interested in pursuing careers in science. | biology and veterinary medicine. | Michael Paros | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | ||
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Robert Knapp and Clarissa Dirks
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | More than two billion people in the world lack access to clean water and sanitation, but each person in the United States uses an average of 80 gallons of clean water daily. Scientific innovations have led to the development of vaccines, yet in developing countries the lack of good refrigeration makes it difficult to deliver heat-intolerant vaccines to many of the people who need them. Clean water and electricity for refrigeration are only two examples of how our societal infrastructure provides U.S. citizens with services that are not available in many other places.This program will examine the scientific, technical, and political issues behind these problems and explore potential avenues toward a healthier and more sustainable world. To explore these broader themes, we will focus on everyday issues such as drinking water, waste water, infectious disease and household energy. We will investigate the definition of needs, the development of techniques, and the building of effective organizations for spreading information and solutions for topics such as bioremediation, rainwater catchment, vaccine delivery and efficient stoves.In the fall we will examine several case studies relevant both to western Washington and to other regions of the world, such as sustainable treatment of human waste at a personal level and as a problem of community infrastructure, climate impacts of household energy use for cooking, or equitable mechanisms for distributing vaccines or other measures against infectious disease. We will study techniques and behaviors that work at the individual level, and we will investigate ways that social networks, markets, and private and public organizations allow scaling up from demonstrations to widely effective programs. Students will learn concepts from molecular biology, microbiology, ecology, mechanical and civil engineering, and organizational theory, as well exploring key questions of ethics and values. In the winter, students will continue to build their background knowledge and apply their learning to develop well-researched project plans which can be executed, at least as a proof of principle, within the constraints of our program.Students will read books and articles, write short papers that reflect on the case studies and academic topics we investigate, take active part in workshops, laboratory sessions and field trips, and acquire presentation skills. Students can expect both individual and collaborative work, including the possibility of significant interaction with local sustainability workers. The winter project will lead up to a presentation to the entire class at the end of the program. | biology, health, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, community service, development studies, and organizational sociology. | Robert Knapp Clarissa Dirks | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter |
