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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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Dylan Fischer and Clarissa Dirks
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Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | 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 ecosystems. 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 molecular genetics. They will also conduct student-originated research projects in both laboratory and remote environments.We will use detailed studies of southwestern cottonwood trees, lichens, mosses, tardigrades (water-bears) and micromolluscs 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 ecosystems and how climate change impacts organisms within them. Students will learn to conduct DNA analyses on plants and skills in microbiology and molecular biology so that they can apply these methods in new investigations. We will then travel to remote field sites in the Southwest to apply these techniques to questions about organisms in southwestern ecosystems. All students will participate in a mandatory two-week field ecology module each quarter where they will engage in major research projects examining the effects of desert-tree genetic diversity on ecosystems and the biodiversity of cryptic organisms. During the trips, students will learn to identify plant species of the Southwest and conduct field science experiments in these harsh habitats. We will also visit environmentally significant sites in the Southwest, including cactus forests, canyons, mountain peaks and water diversion projects. Students will use research conducted on these trips as the foundation for research papers they will write throughout both quarters. Students will receive specialized training in scientific writing, presentation, statistical analysis of data and techniques in laboratory and field biology.This program is designed for students who have a strong background in biology or ecology and are ready for advanced work. There will be an emphasis on student- and faculty-derived research projects, requiring students to do large amounts of lab and/or field work, reading of the literature, writing a research proposal and presenting their work at the end of the 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.If you are a student with a disability and would like to request accommodations, please contact the faculty or the office of Access Services (Library Bldg., Rm. 2153, PH: 360-867-6348; TTY 360-867-6834) prior to the start of the quarter. If you require accessible transportation for field trips, please contact the faculty well in advance of the field trip dates to allow time to arrange this. | Dylan Fischer Clarissa Dirks | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter | ||||
Steven Scheuerell and Michael Paros
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | A basic understanding of agriculture, with its central role in civilization, is a critical part of a liberal arts education. The United Nations recently announced that agricultural production should increase 70% by the year 2050 to meet development and consumption projections; do you understand the demand this will place on natural resources and the role of agricultural sciences in responding to this challenge? Can you explain the biology, chemistry, and technology that underlie agricultural production systems? Whatever your philosophical and political perspectives may be on food and agriculture, it is essential to have a fundamental understanding of agricultural sciences and technology to foster informed debate about one of the most critical and pressing planetary issues - agriculture.Focusing on key Northwest crop and livestock species such as orchard fruit, wheat, potatoes, cattle, and poultry, this program will teach the fundamentals of agricultural science. During fall quarter, day and overnight field trips will take students to a variety of agriculture operations and processing/storage facilities in the Pacific Northwest to learn about key species and to familiarize ourselves with intensification technologies commonly utilized by organic and conventional farms, such as mechanization, irrigation, herbicides, pesticides, and biotechnology. Students will study the anatomy and physiology of animals and plants in order to learn how things grow and function in response to nutrients and other environmental variables that are managed in farming systems. The basic chemistry required to understand plant and animal nutrition, nutrient cycling and fertilizers will be taught. Applied and environmental microbiology will be taught to learn about the role of microbes in nutrient cycling, and to show examples of how plant-microbe and animal-microbe interactions are managed to optimize the nutrition and health of crops and livestock.In winter quarter we will continue our disciplinary studies and integrate an understanding of plants, animals, microbes, and chemistry to learn the science of soil conservation. This will focus on organic matter management via the utilization of animal manure, compost, crop residues, cover crops, and conservation tillage. Taking a systems approach to combine learning in biology, chemistry, technology, and farm management, we will address on-farm energy flow and nutrient cycling to understand how farms may increase production while minimizing fossil fuel use, pollution, and soil loss. Program format will consist of lectures, readings, and labs that relate to what students see firsthand on fieldtrips. In Winter quarter, a week-long field trip to California’s vast agricultural production areas and the World Ag Expo will serve to integrate program themes. Students unable to participate in the California field trip will complete a case study project to remain eligible to earn full credit. | Steven Scheuerell Michael Paros | Tue Thu Fri | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter | |||
Alison Styring
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 15Winter | Birds are important indicators of habitat quality and are often the focus of conservation-oriented research, restoration, and monitoring. We will cover a variety of field and analytical methods commonly used in bird monitoring and avian research. Students will link theory to practice in the field and lab where they will develop skills in fieldwork, data management, and statistical analysis. Students will demonstrate their learning through active participation in all class activities; a detailed field journal; in-class, take-home, and field assignments; and a final project.An understanding of avian natural history is important to any successful project, and students without a working knowledge of the common birds in the South Puget Sound region are expected to improve their identification skills to a level that will allow them to effectively contribute to class efforts both in the field and in class. | Alison Styring | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter | |||||
Heather Heying, Andrew Buchman and Sarah Pedersen
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Program | FR ONLYFreshmen Only | 16 | 16 | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | What does it mean to observe? When things change—the stakes, the shoreline, or the technology, the observed or the observer—how does what we see change? How are vision and insight intertwined into representations of the natural world? Through the perspectives, methodologies and skills of artistic practice, field studies, literary criticism, evolutionary science and seamanship, we will study, interpret and communicate what we see, how we see and why. Beginning the year with a six-day field trip, we will engage in sail training aboard a classic sailing vessel and practice both foundational field methods in evolutionary studies and the documentation of sights and sounds through recordings and field journals. We will then return to the sea in spring with a two-week long expedition. How will our senses, and the brains that interpret for them, have changed in the interim? What might we see that we could not before? What do we see in the spring that was truly not there in the fall?As we move between sea and shore, we will focus on borders and boundaries: physical, sensory and cultural; metaphorical and literal. Coastlines are both fixed, defining a transition between two other real things, and in constant flux. We will look for pattern and subtlety in the places in between the dichotomies, developing stories about the changes and the boundaries we’ve observed. We will consider what makes a good story in science, art and literature, and we will investigate how to create, tell, assess and destroy stories. The stories that we know to be true sometimes aren’t, and those that we know to be false are sometimes true; we will ask how the stories that we tell and believe are influenced not just by our eyes and other senses, but also by our histories, personal and cultural. What we want to see influences what we do see. Why do our brains deceive us and when?In this program, students will study and practice observation and representation in the fields of audio and video recordings of nature and culture, performance and visual art, evolutionary biology, literary studies and seamanship: | Heather Heying Andrew Buchman Sarah Pedersen | Freshmen FR | Fall | Fall | |||
Donald Morisato and Rita Pougiales
Signature Required:
Winter Spring
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | The human body has long been a natural locus of study, interpretation and storytelling. Corporeal existence has been conceptualized and experienced in radically different ways across time and across cultures, conceived as an irreducible whole by some and as an amalgam of separate systems or individual elements by others. How has our philosophical and biological conception of the body changed over time? How is the body used to find or express meaning? What is the relationship of the body to the mind and the soul?In this program, we will explore the nature and essence of the body and reflect on the experience of being human. Knowledge about the body and our lived experiences within our bodies has been created from the culturally distinct perspectives of biologists, social scientists, artists, philosophers and storytellers. We will read philosophical and historical texts and closely analyze some of the ideas that have helped shape our conception of the body. We will study the genetic development and biological function of the body, carrying out experiments in the laboratory to get a direct sense of the process of scientific investigation. Finally, we will read novels and look at visual images as other ways of engaging with the body, particularly the physical manifestation and representation of emotion. Throughout our inquiry, we will ask how we have come to know what we claim to know.Our investigations will follow a particular progression. In fall quarter, we will consider the body: the history of the conception of the body, images of the body, evolution of the body, the body as the site of meaning-making and genetic approaches to deciphering the development of the human organism. In winter quarter, we will examine aspects of the mind: the Cartesian dualism, the functional organization of the brain, processes of cognition, measuring intelligence, use of language and the importance of emotions. In spring quarter, we will explore the notion of the soul: death and burial rituals in different cultures, philosophical and literary investigations of the soul, ethics, beauty and religion. The program will use regular writing assignments, including essays and papers, to strengthen and deepen analytical thinking skills. We anticipate reading such authors as Michel Foucault, Rene Descartes, Martha Nussbaum, Thomas Kuhn, Oliver Sacks, Antonio Damasio, Clifford Geertz, Gregory Bateson, Paul Rabinow, Joao Biehl, Emily Martin, Virginia Woolf, Robert Musil, Kazuo Ishiguro and Jeffrey Eugenides. | Donald Morisato Rita Pougiales | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | |||
EJ Zita, Bret Weinstein and Nancy Koppelman
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | FR–SOFreshmen–Sophomore | 16 | 16 | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | Earth’s environment has been shaped by human activity for hundreds of thousands of years, since early humans discovered fire. More recently, since Earth warmed out of the last ice age, humans developed agriculture and stable societies enabled the rapid development and self-transformation of cultures. Agricultural activities began to emit greenhouse gases and to change Earth’s air, water and land. People changed as well and began to document their activities, ideas and reflections. Millennia later, modern human societies use fossil fuels and modify landscapes with such intensity that Earth is unlikely to experience another ice age. Both contemporary industrial and ancient subsistence practices are part of the same long story of how human beings have used and shaped the environment and, through it, ourselves.This program will examine how changes in the Earth system facilitated or necessitated human adaptations or evolutions. To Western eyes, until perhaps 150 years ago, the Earth’s resources seemed virtually inexhaustible. Organized human thought and activity unleashed unprecedented powers which reshaped the Earth. Life expectancy increased; arts flourished. The ideas of Enlightenment thinkers and the energies they harnessed seemed to promise unlimited progress. Yet some wondered if progress might have a dark side. They developed critiques of the practices changing how people produced food and materials, traveled and warmed their homes. What can we learn from their voices in the historical record, given what we now know about global warming and other anthropogenic impacts on Earth systems?We’ll ask how human practices changed not only local environments but large-scale global processes. We’ll note patterns of interaction between people and Earth over time. We'll study natural as well as human drivers of climate change, including Sun-Earth interactions, volcanoes and greenhouse gases. We’ll consider the changing role of science in providing the understanding required for people and planet to thrive together. We’ll examine whether/how modern consumer societies are uniquely positioned to hasten and/or slow the dangerous direction in which modern resource use is driving our planet’s ecosystem. Is global warming a disaster, an opportunity or both? How do we adapt now, in the face of the most dramatic change to the Earth system in human history?Our work will include lectures, discussions, workshops, labs, quantitative homework, expository essays, responses to peers’ essays, teamwork and field trips. | EJ Zita Bret Weinstein Nancy Koppelman | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO | Fall | Fall Winter | ||||
Michael Paros
Signature Required:
Spring
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 15Spring | This academically rigorous field-based program will provide students with the fundamental tools to manage livestock and grasslands by exploring the ecological relationships between ruminants and the land. We will begin the quarter learning about the physiology of grasses and their response to grazing and fire. Practical forage identification, morphology and production will be taught. Ruminant nutrition, foraging behavior, and digestive physiology will be covered as a precursor to learning about the practical aspects of establishing, assessing and managing livestock rotational grazing operations. Ecological assessments of energy flow and nutrient cycling in grassland systems will be emphasized. We will divide our time equally between intensive grazing west of the Cascades and extensive rangeland systems in the east. Classroom lectures, workshops and guest speakers will be paired with weekly field trips to dairy, beef, sheep and goat grazing farms. There will be overnight trips to Willamette Valley where we will study managed intensive grazing dairy operations and forage production, and Eastern Washington/Oregon where students can practice their skills in rangeland monitoring and grazing plan development. Other special topics that will be covered in the program include: co-evolutionary relationships between ruminants and grasses, targeted and multi-species grazing, prairie ecology and restoration, riparian ecosystems, controversies in public land grazing, interactions between wildlife and domestic ruminants, and analysis of large scale livestock production systems. | Michael Paros | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | |||||
Gerardo Chin-Leo
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 15Spring | Coastal waters worldwide have experienced an increase in the occurrence of large concentrations of harmful algal species, now commonly referred to as harmful algal blooms (HAB). HAB species that contain toxins can cause direct mortality of marine life. Humans can be indirectly affected through the consumption of contaminated seafood. Large blooms of non-toxic species can also have negative impacts on aquatic habitats by shading benthic plants or by interfering with the activities of other organisms. Furthermore, if these algal blooms are not grazed or diluted, their decomposition by bacteria can deplete the dissolved oxygen in the water, causing the mortality of aquatic organisms and forming dead zones.This program will study the environmental factors controlling the abundance and productivity of aquatic algae, the ecology of harmful algal species and the possible role of human activities in causing the increase of HAB. In addition, we will examine the efforts of scientists and government agencies to monitor HAB and to control their impact on fisheries and public health. The material will be developed through lectures, labs and field trips. In addition, there will be an independent project to learn about current research on HAB. | Gerardo Chin-Leo | Tue Wed Thu Fri | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | ||||
Abir Biswas, Carri LeRoy and Clyde Barlow
Signature Required:
Winter Spring
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | Well-designed and accurate chemical, ecological and geological measurements are key to assessing the biogeochemistry of natural ecosystems. This is a field- and laboratory-intensive science program designed for students with solid preparations in general chemistry, biology, geology and precalculus math who want to pursue more advanced investigations of bio-geo-chemical systems. Students will study statistics, geochemistry, analytical chemistry, freshwater ecology and GIS programming. Instrumental techniques of chemical analysis will be developed in an advanced laboratory. Program work will emphasize quantitative analysis, quality control procedures, research design and technical writing.During fall and winter quarters, we will address topics in carbon and nutrient cycling in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, in addition to analytical chemistry, GIS, statistics and instrumental methods of chemical analysis. Students will participate in group projects studying water quality, trophic structure, organic matter and nutrient cycling processes of local watersheds. Analytical procedures based on EPA, USGS and other guidelines will be utilized to measure major and trace anion and cation concentrations and weathering rates in natural systems, and to measure analytes and phytochemicals critical to quantification of leaf-litter decay processes and marine-derived inputs to ecosystem function in freshwater systems. Computers and statistical methods will be used extensively for data analysis and simulation, as well as for work with GIS.In the fall, there will be a week-long field trip to collect natural waters from diverse sites in Eastern Washington. These samples will form the basis for testing and evaluating chemical analysis methods and for developing a quantitative assessment of the geochemistry of the waters. In the winter, students will collect and analyze samples from a suite of ecosystem compartments (e.g., soil horizons, leaves, woody debris, streams, biota) to quantify nutrient storage and cycling on the landscape.Spring quarter will be devoted to extensive project work building on skills developed in the fall and winter. Students will conduct hypothesis-driven experimental design, sample collection, analysis, and statistical interpretations prior to presenting their results in both oral and written form to conclude the year. | Abir Biswas Carri LeRoy Clyde Barlow | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | |||
Martha Rosemeyer, Lori Blewett, Thomas Johnson and Karen Hogan
Signature Required:
Winter Spring
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | What should we eat? How do we define "organic" and "local" food? Are current food system practices sustainable? What does food sovereignty mean? Why are approximately 1 billion of the world’s population starving and another 1 billion “stuffed” or overstuffed? Is change possible and where does one begin?Throughout history, food and cooking have not only been essential for human sustenance, but have played a central role in the economic and cultural life of civilizations. This interdisciplinary exploration of food will take a systems approach as it examines the biology and ecology of food, while also incorporating political, economic, historical and anthropological perspectives around the issue of food security and sovereignty.More specifically, our interaction with nature through the food system will be viewed through the lens of both science and policy. We will take a biological and ecological approach to the production of plants and animals for food, as well as examine the transformation of the “raw stuff of nature” through the processes of cooking, baking and fermentation. Topics span a range of scales from basic chemistry to agriculture, as we explore the coevolution of humans and their foodstuffs. A study of policy will examine origins of the current global food system and the challenges and opportunities of creating a more equitable food system at the local, national and global scale.In fall quarter, we will introduce the concept of food systems and analyze conventional and alternative agricultural practices. We will examine the botany of vegetables, fruits, seed grains and legumes that constitute most of the global food supply and their selection through evolution and domestication. Our policy focus will include a study of food system planning at the local level, the role of economics and national policies, the challenges posed by climate change and the role of various food movements.In winter quarter, we shift our attention to cooking and basic aspects of nutrition. We will examine animal products, as well as the chemistry of cooking, baking and food preservation. Additionally, the structure of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, as well as antioxidants, minerals and vitamins will be discussed. Seminar will focus on issues of global hunger, obesity, food sovereignty, farm-worker justice, and international food movements. Finally, we will study the basic physiology of taste and smell, critical for the preparation of food.In spring quarter, we will examine will examine the relationship between food and microbes from several different perspectives. Specifically we will examine fermentation, produce specific fermented foods, while studying the underlying microbial ecology. We will also consider topics in microbiology, as they relate to both food safety and food preservation, and the microbiome of the gut. Seminar will focus on cultural aspects of food.Students will directly apply scientific concepts learned in lectures to experiments in the laboratory and kitchen. Field trips will provide opportunities for observing food production, processing and citizen participation in the making of local food policy. Program themes will be reinforced in workshops and seminar discussions focused on topics addressed by such authors as Pollan, Patel and Mintz. | Martha Rosemeyer Lori Blewett Thomas Johnson Karen Hogan | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | |||
Rebecca Sunderman, Andrew Brabban and Toska Olson
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | How can we think analytically and critically about crime in America? Why is crime such a central focus in modern American society? How is a crime scene analyzed? How are crimes solved? How can we prevent violent crime and murder? This program will integrate sociological and forensic science perspectives to investigate crime and societal responses to it. We will explore how social and cultural factors including race, class and gender are associated with crime and criminal behavior. In addition, we will consider criminological theories and explore how social scientists can help identify offenders through criminal profiling and forensic psychology.Through our forensics investigations, we will examine subjects including biology, chemistry, pathology and physics. We will study evidentiary techniques for crime scene analysis, such as the examination of fingerprints, DNA, blood spatter, fibers, glass fractures and fragments, hairs, ballistics, teeth, bones and body remains. Students will learn hands-on laboratory and field approaches to the scientific methods used in crime scene investigation. Students will also learn to apply analytical, quantitative and qualitative skills to collect and interpret evidence. Students can expect seminars, labs, lectures, guest speakers and workshops, along with both individual and group project work.This is an introductory program about science, critical thinking and the perspectives of sociology, chemistry and biology through the lens of crime analysis. Students interested in developing their skills in scientific inquiry, critical thinking and interdisciplinary studies should consider this program. Students who may not consider themselves to be "science" students are encouraged to enroll. | Rebecca Sunderman Andrew Brabban Toska Olson | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter | |||
Carrie Margolin, Wenhong Wang and Carolyn Prouty
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | Is ADHD a real disease? Should vaccinations be mandatory? When, if ever, should health care be rationed? Are eating disorders contagious? Should Evergreen ban smoking? Questions such as these arise in the intersections of public and private health, and demand that we examine our individual beliefs and practices, our biological selves, and our medical policies and institutions.This two-quarter interdisciplinary program will build a background in human biology, introductory psychology, and sociology, affording students the knowledge to help make informed analytical choices in their own lives, and to investigate health and health policies from a societal level. Attaining good health is a multifaceted process, therefore our exploration of healthy lifestyles will include an exploration of physiological, psychological, financial, and emotional health. We will learn what choices and decisions we can make that will lead to a better quality of life throughout the lifespan.Enhancing our study of human systems biology (introductory anatomy and physiology), we will examine topics such as cancer, tobacco, and HIV/AIDS, the Affordable Care Act, how cultures interact with medical systems, and end-of-life decision-making. These specific topics will provide the platform to explore concepts in medical sociology such as health care systems, social and cultural constructions of health and illness, the social determinants of health, role development of health care professionals and their relationships with patients, and ethical issues confronted by health care professionals.The program format will include workshops, lectures, films, seminars, physiology labs, guest presentations and group and individual projects. We will focus on clarity in oral and written communication, critical thinking skills, basic microscopy and dissection skills, and the ability to work across significant differences.Students who complete both quarters will have a solid foundation in human physiology, psychology, and medical sociology with a working knowledge of the biological, social and ethical principles relating to human health and public health. Credit may be earned in introduction to human anatomy and physiology, introduction to psychology, and medical sociology. | Carrie Margolin Wenhong Wang Carolyn Prouty | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter | ||||
Rebecca Chamberlain and Cindy Beck
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Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | 8 | 08 | Weekend | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | During this year-long program, we will explore the human experience and health from the inside out. What can we do to achieve healthy bodies, minds, and spirits, sometimes referred to as being in the “flow?” Combining science and humanities, we will look at our relationships to food, family, community, culture, movement, fitness, and the environment. Through a study of theory and practice, we will learn to cultivate healthy patterns and lifestyles that develop the body and mind, creativity and human potential, and sustainable relationships with our communities and the natural world. Food For Thought: What is our relationship to food? How does it sustain healthy individuals and communities? How does it affect human potential? What is the role of food in diverse cultures? What is its influence on the history and environment of the places we live? As we explore themes through science, history, culture, literature, folklore, and social media, we will ask: How does the food we eat nourish our cells [another community], and how do our thoughts influence our cells and well-being? We will study nutrition through a practical physiological platform as well as through the tantalizing effects food has in enhancing the senses, creating culture and identity, and through its symbolism in literature, memoirs, films, historical, and journalistic accounts. Students will develop skills of analysis, writing, and performance as they explore the stories, myths, cultural and family traditions around food, from hunting and gathering and early agricultural communities to the global economic, political, and nutritional issues that challenge the world today. Participants will research locally raised and harvested foods including their cultural, environmental, nutritional, and economic influences. Research projects will culminate in a media campaign to promote local foods and connect themes to the larger community. In the Flow: We will deepen our understanding of health, fitness, creativity, and well-being as we continue to train our minds and bodies. How do people achieve their peak potential? What are the principles of movement and mindfulness that give us clues to how the body's healing processes work? From science and medicine to psychology and contemplative practices, we will explore anatomy, physiology, psychoneuroimmunology, epigenetics, exercise, and psychosomatic processes. We will look at fitness versus sports in our society, and how we can incorporate movement into everyday life. Humans need to move and are not made to be sedentary; how has this relatively new phenomenon become a health issue? We will also explore the role of creativity, emotional, and spiritual health, as we look at a variety of diverse philosophic, psychological, historical, cultural, artistic, and literary traditions. As we analyze texts from the world’s literary, mythic and wisdom traditions, we will ask: what have different cultures and traditions suggested about how to achieve balance and well-being? How can we maximize various physiological and psychological processes that integrate our interior lives and imagination with outer experiences and healthy patterns? How does this help us cultivate relationships to our communities and the natural world? Field-trips and activities will encourage both collaborative and self-motivated learning, and students will continue to refine their critical reading, writing, and thinking skills through research and writing projects, essays, poems, and memoirs about health and movement. The Power of Place: We will continue our study of health and the human experience by looking at our interactions with the environment; how does it nourish us, and how do we nurture it? How do healthy patterns help us cultivate relationships to our communities and the natural world? We will explore the role of the physical senses, natural history, literature, and practices of writing, walking, and pilgrimage--even stargazing and basic wilderness skills--as we engage with the natural world through multicultural and interdisciplinary perspectives. We will study local landmarks, historical sites, and native flora and fauna, through scientific research, essay writing, community studies, oral history, art, performance, journalism, or media projects. Fieldtrips, assignments, and activities will encourage both collaborative and self-motivated learning. Students will look at issues unique to their local environment as well as conditions in the global environment. They will choose important issues to focus on, and present their work through final projects and public presentations. | Rebecca Chamberlain Cindy Beck | Sat Sun | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | ||
Thane Taylor, Pauline Yu and James Neitzel
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | This program will offer students a conceptual and methodological introduction to biology, chemistry, mathematics and computation. In order to understand our world from a scientific perspective, we need to be able to analyze complex systems at multiple levels. We need to understand the ways that matter transforms chemically and how energy and entropy drive those transformations. Biological systems can be understood at the molecular level, but we also need to know about cells, organisms and ecological systems and how they change over time. The language for describing these systems is both quantitative and computational. The integration of biology, chemistry, mathematics and computing will assist us in asking and answering questions that lie in the intersections of these fields. Such topics include the chemical structure of DNA, the mathematical modeling of biological population growth, the equations governing chemical equilibria and kinetics, and the algorithms underlying bioinformatics. Program activities will include lectures, small group problem-solving workshops, laboratory and field work and seminar discussions. Students will learn to describe their work through scientific writing and public presentations. Our laboratory work in biology and chemistry will also allow us to observe phenomena, collect data and gain firsthand insight into the complex relationship between mathematical models and experimental results. There will be a significant laboratory component—students can expect to spend at least a full day in lab each week, maintain laboratory notebooks, write formal laboratory reports and give formal presentations of their work. Biology laboratories in this program will include participation in the SEA-PHAGE program coordinated by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the use of bioinformatics tools on a bacteriophage genome. In addition to studying current scientific theories, we will consider the historical, societal and personal factors that influence our thinking about the natural world. We will also examine the impacts on societies due to changes in science and technology. During spring quarter, there will be an opportunity for small student groups to conduct an independent, scientific investigation designed in collaboration with the program faculty.This program is designed for students who want a solid preparation for further study in the sciences. Students who only want to get a taste of science will find this program quite demanding and should consult the faculty before the program begins. Overall, we expect students to end the program in the spring with a working knowledge of scientific, mathematical and computational concepts, with the ability to reason critically and to solve problems and with hands-on experience in natural science. | Thane Taylor Pauline Yu James Neitzel | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | |||
Amy Cook and Julie Russo
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Program | FR–SOFreshmen–Sophomore | 16 | 16 | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | Leonardo da Vinci Throughout the centuries that span Leonardo's Mona Lisa (painted in the early 1500s) and William Gibson's cyberpunk classic (published in 1988), the worlds of science and art have been in dialogue, and those conversations lie at the heart of this two-quarter program. We will explore the many meanings of “science”: how do scientists and non-scientists define it, and on what points do they agree and disagree? We will examine science in a variety of contexts to gain a deeper understanding of how it functions in culture(s): what is the relationship between what chemist and novelist C.P. Snow termed “the two cultures” (the sciences and humanities) and the larger culture(s) of which they are part? To answer this question, students will consider, in detail, the choices that artists, writers and media creators make about how to interweave science with storytelling and aesthetics. We will undertake this journey by navigating a conceptual double helix that bridges introductory life science and introductory media studies (analyzing film, television, and new media). Such a schema involves thinking through how research and ideas about the nature of life have been shaped by media technologies and representations, and vice versa. In Fall quarter, we will begin a path of study in general biology with a focus on cell biology and genetics. Over the course of two quarters, we will cover major concepts in organic chemistry, microbiology, evolutionary biology, physiology, and ecology. Equally importantly, students will supplement their humanities toolkit by honing their critical thinking, reading and writing skills. Equipped with this knowledge and these skills, we will examine and critique how issues like biotechnology, epidemics, race and gender have been presented in the news media and both nonfiction and science fiction film and television, from to . In Winter quarter, we will continue our study of biology with a focus on organisms (plants, animals and fungi) and ecosystems. We will also explore the media's portrayal of these concepts through themes such as monsters, anthropomorphism, reproduction and eugenics, and the human/machine binary. The scope of our analysis will expand to include computers, the internet, video games, and other independent or varied multimedia. Singers and songwriters like Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, Maddy Prior and Ray Troll incorporate themes from biology and geology into their music. Visual artists like da Vinci have delved into science to lend their work a high degree of scientific accuracy and filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg hire scientists for similar reasons. Mary Shelley, Barbara Kingsolver, William Gibson and a host of other creative writers merge science and art to produce what may be called “lab lit.” How these artists attempt to achieve balance between the application of scientific exactitude and the exercise of artistic license will be a guiding question in winter quarter.Program activities will include biology lectures and labs, seminars on texts that explore science from a variety of different perspectives, film/media screenings and discussions, and field trips. Students will have the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of science, culture and media and to develop their skills in the analysis of texts and in academic and creative writing and media practice. | Amy Cook Julie Russo | Tue Wed Thu Thu Fri | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO | Fall | Fall Winter | |||
Alison Styring
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 14 Fall | Birds are among the most diverse vertebrates found on the earth. We will explore the causes of this incredible diversity through a well-rounded investigation of general bird biology, the evolution of flight (and its implications) and the complex ecological interactions of birds with their environments. This program has considerable field and lab components and students will be expected to develop strong bird identification skills, including Latin names, and extensive knowledge of avian anatomy and physiology. We will learn a variety of field and analytical techniques currently used in bird monitoring and research. We will take several day trips to field sites in the Puget Sound region throughout the quarter to hone our bird-watching skills and practice field-monitoring techniques. Students will keep field journals documenting their skill development in species identification and proficiency in a variety of field methodologies. Learning will also be assessed through exams, quizzes, field assignments, group work and participation. | Alison Styring | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | |||||
Tyrus Smith, Peter Boome, TBD, Suzanne Simons, Frances Solomon, Barbara Laners, Peter Bacho, Anthony Zaragoza, Paul McCreary, Gilda Sheppard and Mingxia Li
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Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day and Evening | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | This year’s program is designed to help students explore the history of how working hands have built the material world around us and shaped the environment, which in turn has molded our own consciousness. Realizing the capacity of working hands and the possible dual relationship between our hands with our mind is the critical first step toward empowerment of the working majority and potential social transformation.Arguably, all human expressions of intelligence both in art/craft and the written/spoken word are rooted in the hands. We will examine the theories and practices in humanities, social sciences, mathematics, natural sciences, media and technology that simultaneously represent and influence works by the hands of individuals, groups and organizations to change our society and environment locally, nationally and globally throughout the ages. For example, hands of different genders, races and social affiliations, hands that cradle, cook, weed, maneuver, calculate, experiment, film, draw, write and type will all be possible study subjects. Metaphors originated from hands, such as feel one’s way, to grasp the meaning, the right touch vs. heavy-handed, to be in touch vs. out of touch, and handling it right vs. wrong, as well as in one’s hand vs. out of one’s hand just begin to inform us how important our hands are in our consciousness. Hand gestures that solidify social bonding, express trust and admiration, and symbolize social contract are the beginning toward building social capital and cohesive communities. Our coordinated studies program consists of two major components: 1) whole campus yearlong lyceum/seminar where faculty and students will study the program theme from a broad multi-disciplined perspective, and 2) quarter long courses with a more focused approach. These courses will cover topical areas such as sociology, government, politics, education, math, law, public health, life science, media art, youth study, environment, community development, women's empowerment and political economy. The two components are linked through the program theme. In both components, we will pay particular attention to the “hands-on” style of learning through critical reflection and creative practices. Besides lyceum/seminar, a student will select two additional courses each quarter depending on career interest. The majority of the classes in the program are team-taught.Fall quarter will lay the foundation for the rest of the year, both substantively and in terms of the tools necessary for students to operate effectively in the learning community.During winter quarter, students will collaborate to investigate the characteristics and motivations of social entrepreneurs and develop action plans to promote social change.In spring quarter, we will bridge the gap between theory (mind) and practice (hand) by carrying out an action plan developed during winter quarter. | Tyrus Smith Peter Boome TBD Suzanne Simons Frances Solomon Barbara Laners Peter Bacho Anthony Zaragoza Paul McCreary Gilda Sheppard Mingxia Li | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | |||
David Muehleisen and Paul Przybylowicz
Signature Required:
Fall
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 14 Fall | This is the third quarter of a spring-summer-fall program.This three-quarter program (spring, summer and fall quarters) will explore the details of sustainable food production systems using the underlying sciences as a framework. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of agriculture, the various topical threads (botany, soils, horticulture, business etc.) will be presented throughout all three quarters, and while our primary focus will be on small-scale organic production, we will examine a variety of production systems. Our focus will be on the scientific underpinning and practical applications critical for growing food using ecologically informed methods, along with the management and business skills appropriate for small-scale production.We will be studying and working on the Evergreen Organic Farm through an entire growing season, from starting seed to the sale of farm products. The farm includes an on-campus market stand and CSA as well as a variety of other demonstration areas. All students will work on the farm every week to gain practical experiential learning. This 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 raised on the farm.During spring quarter, we will focus on soil science, nutrient management, and crop botany. Additional topics may include introduction to animal husbandry, annual and perennial plant propagation, season extension, and the principles and practice of composting. In summer, the main topics will be disease and pest management, which include entomology, plant pathology and weed biology. Water management, irrigation system design, maximizing market and value-added opportunities and regulatory issues will also be covered. Fall quarter's focus will be on farm and business planning, crop physiology, storage techniques and cover crops.If you are a student with a disability and would like to request accommodations, please contact the faculty or the office of Access Services (Library Bldg. Rm. 2153, PH: 360.867.6348; TTY 360.867.6834) prior to the start of the quarter. If you require accessible transportation for field trips, please contact the faculty well in advance of the field trip dates to allow time to arrange this. | David Muehleisen Paul Przybylowicz | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | |||||
Dylan Fischer
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Program | FR ONLYFreshmen Only | 16 | 16 | Day | S 15Spring | How do trees, and forest communities, function? What makes them tick? What determines the tallest trees in the world? What makes trees some of the oldest organisms on earth? These and many other questions about trees have captivated humans since the dawn of time. In this program we will closely examine trees in their variety of form and function. We will use our studies to learn how understanding of tree form and function integrates study of botany, mathematics, physics, chemistry, geography and ecology.Our studies will be divided between those that focus on individual trees, forests and whole forests. We will also read classic and recent texts about human interactions with trees and how our relationships to trees still help shape our collective identities and cultures. Students will learn how to read and interpret recent scientific studies from peer-reviewed journals and be challenged to reconcile popular belief about the roles of trees with scientific observations. Day trips, workshops, labs and a multiple-day field trip will allow us to observe some of the largest trees on the West Coast and observe and measure trees in extreme environments. Communication skills will be emphasized, particularly reading scientific articles and writing for scientific audiences. We will also practice skills for communicating to a broader public using nonfiction and technical writing. | Dylan Fischer | Freshmen FR | Spring | Spring | |||||
Paula Schofield, Richard Weiss, David McAvity, Neil Switz, Brian Walter, Abir Biswas, Michael Paros, Clyde Barlow, Judith Cushing, Dharshi Bopegedera, Rebecca Sunderman, EJ Zita, Donald Morisato, Clarissa Dirks, James Neitzel, Sheryl Shulman, Neal Nelson and Lydia McKinstry
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | V | V | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. Research opportunities allow science students to work on specific projects associated with faculty members’ expertise. Students typically begin by working in an apprenticeship model 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, modeling and theoretical analysis, written and oral communication, collaboration and critical thinking. These are valuable skills for students pursuing a graduate degree or entering the job market. Faculty offering undergraduate research opportunities are listed below, with specific information listed in the catalog view. Contact faculty directly if you are interested. (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. (geology, earth science) studies nutrient and toxic trace metal cycles in terrestrial and coastal ecosystems. Potential projects could include studies of mineral weathering, wildfires and mercury cycling in ecosystems. Students could pursue these interests at the laboratory scale or through field-scale biogeochemistry studies, taking advantage of the Evergreen Ecological Observation Network (EEON), a long-term ecological study area. Students with backgrounds in a combination of geology, biology or chemistry could gain skills in soil, vegetation and water collection and learn methods of sample preparation and analysis for major and trace elements. (biotechnology) studies the physiology and biochemistry of prokaryotes of industrial and agricultural importance. Students who commit at least a full year to a research project, enrolling for 4 to 16 credits each quarter, will learn a broad range of microbiology (both aerobic and anaerobic techniques), molecular (DNA analysis and cloning), and biochemical techniques (chemical and pathway analysis, protein isolation). Students will also have opportunities for internships at the USDA and elsewhere, and to present data at national and international conferences. (chemistry) would like to engage students in two projects: (1) There is concern that toxic metals are found in unsafe quantities in children’s toys and cosmetics. I would like to engage a student in the quantitative determination of these metals using the AA and the ICP-MS. Students who are interested in learning to use these instruments and quantitative analysis techniques will find this project interesting. (2) Science and education. We will work with local teachers to develop lab activities that enhance the science curriculum in local schools. Students who have an interest in teaching science and who have completed general chemistry with laboratory would be ideal for this project. (computer science, ecology informatics) studies how scientists might better use information technology and visualization in their research, particularly in ecology and environmental studies. She would like to work with students who have a background in computer science or one of the sciences (e.g., ecology, biology, chemistry or physics) and who are motivated to explore how new computing paradigms can be harnessed to improve the individual and collaborative work of scientists. Such technologies include visualizations, plugins, object-oriented systems, new database technologies and "newer" languages that scientists themselves use such as python or R. (biology) aims to better understand the evolutionary principles that underlie the emergence, spread and containment of infectious disease by studying the coevolution 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. (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. (organic chemistry) is interested in organic synthesis research, including asymmetric synthesis methodology, chemical reaction dynamics and small molecule synthesis. One specific study involves the design and synthesis of enzyme inhibitor molecules to be used as effective laboratory tools with which to study the mechanistic steps of programmed cell death (e.g., in cancer cells). Students with a background in organic chemistry and biology will gain experience with the laboratory techniques of organic synthesis as well as the techniques of spectroscopy. (biology) is interested in the developmental biology of the 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. (biochemistry) uses methods from organic and analytical chemistry to study biologically interesting molecules. A major focus of his current work is on fatty acids; in particular, finding spectroscopic and chromatographic methods to identify fatty acids in complex mixtures and to detect changes that occur in fats during processing or storage. This has relevance both for foods and in biodiesel production. Another major area of interest is plant natural products, screening local plants for the presence of salicylates, which are important plant defense signals and in determining the nutritional value of indigenous plants. Students with a background and interest in organic, analytical or biochemistry could contribute to this work. (computer science) is interested in working with advanced computer topics and current problems in the application of computing to the sciences. His interests include simulations of advanced architectures for distributed computing, advanced programming languages and compilers, programming languages for concurrent and parallel computing and hardware modeling languages. (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 mastitis. A number of hands-on laboratory projects are available to students interested in pursuing careers in science. (organic, polymer, materials chemistry) is interested in the interdisciplinary fields of biodegradable plastics and biomedical polymers. Research in the field of biodegradable plastics is increasingly important to replace current petroleum-derived materials and to reduce the environmental impact of plastic wastes. Modification of starch through copolymerization and use of bacterial polyesters show promise in this endeavor. Specific projects within biomedical polymers involve the synthesis of poly (lactic acid) copolymers that have potential for use in tissue engineering. Students with a background in chemistry and biology will gain experience in the synthesis and characterization of these novel polymer materials. (computer science) is interested in working with advanced computer topics and current problems in the application of computing to the sciences. Her areas of interest include simulations of advanced architectures for distributed computing, advanced programming languages and compilers, programming languages for concurrent and parallel computing, and hardware modeling languages. (inorganic/materials chemistry, physical chemistry) is interested in the synthesis and property characterization of new bismuth-containing materials. These compounds have been characterized as electronic conductors, attractive activators for luminescent materials, second harmonic generators and oxidation catalysts for several organic compounds. Traditional solid-state synthesis methods will be utilized to prepare new complex bismuth oxides. Once synthesized, powder x-ray diffraction patterns will be obtained and material properties such as conductivity, melting point, biocidal tendency, coherent light production and magnetic behavior will be examined when appropriate. (physics) develops optical instruments for use in biophysical and biomedical applications, including low-cost diagnostics. Projects in the lab are suitable for motivated students with quantitative backgrounds in physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics or computer science. (mathematics) is interested in problems relating to graphs, combinatorial games and especially combinatorial games played on graphs. He would like to work with students who have a strong background in mathematics and/or computer science and who are interested in applying their skills to open-ended problems relating to graphs and/or games. (physics), who has expertise in energy physics, modeling and organic farming, is researching sustainability and climate change. Many students have done fine projects on sustainable energy and food production in her academic programs. Zita is working with Judy Cushing to model land use impacts on climate change and with Scott Morgan to plan and facilitate sustainability projects on campus. More information on Zita's research is available at . | Paula Schofield Richard Weiss David McAvity Neil Switz Brian Walter Abir Biswas Michael Paros Clyde Barlow Judith Cushing Dharshi Bopegedera Rebecca Sunderman EJ Zita Donald Morisato Clarissa Dirks James Neitzel Sheryl Shulman Neal Nelson Lydia McKinstry | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | |||
Andrew Brabban
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | V | V | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. Research opportunities allow science students to work on specific projects associated with faculty members’ expertise. Students typically begin by working in an apprenticeship model 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, modeling and theoretical analysis, written and oral communication, collaboration and critical thinking. These are valuable skills for students pursuing a graduate degree or entering the job market. (biotechnology) studies the physiology and biochemistry of prokaryotes of industrial and agricultural importance. Students who commit at least a full year to a research project, enrolling for 4 to 16 credits each quarter, will learn a broad range of microbiology (both aerobic and anaerobic techniques), molecular (DNA analysis and cloning), and biochemical techniques (chemical and pathway analysis, protein isolation). Students will also have opportunities for internships at the USDA and elsewhere, and to present data at national and international conferences. | Andrew Brabban | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | |||
Clyde Barlow
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | V | V | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. Research opportunities allow science students to work on specific projects associated with faculty members’ expertise. Students typically begin by working in an apprenticeship model 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, modeling and theoretical analysis, written and oral communication, collaboration and critical thinking. These are valuable skills 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 | |||
Clarissa Dirks
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | V | V | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. Research opportunities allow science students to work on specific projects associated with faculty members’ expertise. Students typically begin by working in an apprenticeship model 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, modeling and theoretical analysis, written and oral communication, collaboration and critical thinking. These are valuable skills 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 coevolution 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 | |||
David McAvity
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | V | V | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | 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 | ||
Donald Morisato
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | V | V | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. Research opportunities allow science students to work on specific projects associated with faculty members’ expertise. Students typically begin by working in an apprenticeship model 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, modeling and theoretical analysis, written and oral communication, collaboration and critical thinking. These are valuable skills for students pursuing a graduate degree or entering the job market. (biology) is interested in the developmental biology of the 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 | ||
Michael Paros
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | V | V | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Scientific Inquiry. Research opportunities allow science students to work on specific projects associated with faculty members’ expertise. Students typically begin by working in an apprenticeship model 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, modeling and theoretical analysis, written and oral communication, collaboration and critical thinking. These are valuable skills 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 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 | ||
Neil Switz
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 6 | 06 | Day | F 14 Fall | W 15Winter | S 15Spring | Research opportunities allow science students to work on specific projects associated with faculty members’ expertise. Students typically begin by working in an apprenticeship model 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 skills in research design, data acquisition and interpretation, modeling and theoretical analysis, written and oral communication, collaboration and critical thinking. Laboratory experience is especially important – and useful – for students planning to pursue graduate studies or enter the technical job market. (physics) develops optical instruments for use in biophysical and biomedical applications, including low-cost diagnostics. Projects in the lab are suitable for motivated students with quantitative backgrounds in physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics or computer science. | Neil Switz | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | |||
Alison Styring and Amy Cook
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Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 15Spring | One of the key elements in conservation biology is the study of organisms in the wild, often called wildlife biology. Originally a field that focused on the management of game animals, this discipline has developed into something much broader, playing a key role in the conservation of a wide variety of types of animals and habitats. Modern wildlife biology pulls from a variety of fields including genetics, taxonomy, animal behavior and ecology.In this program we will focus on two groups of animals: birds and fishes. We will learn the taxonomy, behavior and ecology of these animals in the context of labs, fieldwork and lecture. Building on this background information, students will look at several key issues in the conservation of birds and fishes. These include conservation efforts around native fishes of the arid West, river restoration and salmonids, and management and conservation of aquatic and terrestrial bird species.What is the experience of the urban salmon or the urban crow? How do people respond as deer, coyotes and bears make greater and greater use of their neighborhoods? Wildlife biology is not just about animals; humans also come into the equation. As urban and suburban areas expand, modern wildlife biology increasingly deals with fragmentation of habitat and the interaction between humans and animals. We will examine these interactions as well as more traditional human-wildlife interactions in the form of hunting and fishing.Program activities will include lectures, labs and workshops focused on the biology of birds and fishes and their conservation and management. Seminar will include papers in the primary literature and books and other readings on select topics in wildlife biology. Students are expected to develop their skills in critical thinking, collaborative work and college writing. | Alison Styring Amy Cook | Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring |