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| Title | Offering | Standing | Credits | Credits | When | F | W | S | Su | Description | Preparatory | Faculty | Days | Multiple Standings | Start Quarters | Open Quarters | |
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Amanda Kugel
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Course | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 6 | 06 | Evening | Su 16 Session I Summer | Anatomy and Physiology is the study of the structure and of the organs and organ systems of a living body. Students will conduct scientific investigations using scientific knowledge and methodology that will enable them to make educated conclusions based on critical thinking and problem solving skills. The areas studied will be an integration of biology and chemistry and will include, but are not limited to: organization of the body, chemical basis for life, cells & tissues, integumentary system, skeletal system, muscular system, nervous system, endocrine system, blood, circulatory system, lymphatic & immune systems, respiratory systems, digestive system & metabolism, urinary system, and reproductive system. An emphasis will be placed on real-world applications, and active-learning exercises will be included along with laboratory experiences. By the end of this course, students will have an even greater appreciation of the complexity and wonder of the human body. | Amanda Kugel | Mon Wed | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | |||||
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Amanda Kugel
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Course | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 6 | 06 | Evening | Su 16 Session II Summer | Anatomy and Physiology is the study of the structure and of the organs and organ systems of a living body. Students will conduct scientific investigations using scientific knowledge and methodology that will enable them to make educated conclusions based on critical thinking and problem solving skills. The areas studied will be an integration of biology and chemistry and will include, but are not limited to: organization of the body, chemical basis for life, cells & tissues, integumentary system, skeletal system, muscular system, nervous system, endocrine system, blood, circulatory system, lymphatic & immune systems, respiratory systems, digestive system & metabolism, urinary system, and reproductive system. An emphasis will be placed on real-world applications, and active-learning exercises will be included along with laboratory experiences. By the end of this course, students will have an even greater appreciation of the complexity and wonder of the human body. | Amanda Kugel | Mon Wed | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | |||||
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Michael Paros
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 16Winter | Why do humans keep pets and at the same time raise animals for food? What are the psychological and moral complexities that characterize our relationships with animals? What is the impact of human-animal interactions on the health and well-being of people and animals? How do we assess the relative welfare of animals under a variety of circumstances? This program is an interdisciplinary study of human (anthro) and animal (zoo) interaction. This topic of inquiry will be used to study general biology, evolutionary biology, zoology, anthropology, and philosophy. Through field trips, guest speakers, reading, writing, and discussion, students will become familiar with the multiple and often paradoxical ways we relate to companion animals, animals for sport, zoo animals, wildlife, research animals, and food animals. We will use our collective experiences, along with science-based and value-based approaches, to critically examine the ever-changing role of animals in society.We will begin the quarter by focusing on the process of animal domestication in different cultures from an evolutionary and historical perspective. Through the formal study of animal ethics, students will also become familiar with different philosophical positions on the use of animals. Physiology and neuroscience will be used to investigate the physical and mental lives of animals, while simultaneously exploring domestic animal behavior. Students will explore the biological basis and psychological aspects of the human-animal bond. They will then study the science of animal welfare and complete a final project in which they will apply their scientific and ethical knowledge to a controversial and contemporary animal welfare question. Students will finish the quarter with a multiple-day trip to University of British Columbia, where they will visit with faculty and students doing active research in animal welfare science.Students will be expected to read primary literature in such diverse fields as animal science, ethology, neurobiology, sociobiology, anthropology, and philosophy. Student success in this program will depend on commitment to in-depth understanding of complex topics and an ability to combine empirical knowledge and philosophical reflection. | Michael Paros | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter | ||||||
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Chico Herbison and Amy Cook
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Program | FR–SOFreshmen–Sophomore | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | This program will explore issues of identity and our tendency to see the world in binary (that is, "either/or") terms. We all rely, in varying degrees, on certain categories and labels to help us understand ourselves and our environment. What if those categories blurred or merged and we began to see plants, animals, and people in “and/both” terms rather than “either/or” fashion? What does it mean to be “black and white” or “male and female” or “human and machine”? One of the goals of this program is to expose flaws in binary forms of thinking and analysis and, in the process, help students question the very foundations of what is considered normal in our world.The sciences, the arts, and popular culture will be our primary investigative tools. Topics for exploration will include race, biology, and genetics; the fusion of human and machine (cyborgs, artificial intelligence, implants, and prostheses); diversity, gender, and sexuality in nature (for example, marine invertebrates that have both male and female sex organs or transgender expression among hummingbirds); how mixed-race and transgender identities help challenge the mythologies of race and gender; and what cinematic representations of vampires, monsters, and aliens can teach us about the meanings of "human" and other topics.Our learning goals will include development of analytical/critical thinking, reading, and writing skills; communication skills; and the ability to work across disciplines and differences. Weekly activities will include lectures/presentations, labs, workshops, film screenings, and seminars. Students will be required to submit weekly lab reports and seminar assignments, maintain an Identity Journal, and produce and present a final project. | Chico Herbison Amy Cook | Tue Wed Thu Thu Fri | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO | Fall | Fall | |||||
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Erik Thuesen
Signature Required:
Fall
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | In the 19th century, well-known European scientists such as Darwin, d'Orbigny, and Bonpland traveled in Argentina and brought their knowledge of the flora and fauna back to Europe. The marine, desert, and alpine environments of the Southern Cone harbor flora and fauna are very different from similar environments in North America. In this two-quarter program, we will carry out intensive natural history studies of the unique organisms and ecosystems of Argentina, focusing on those of Patagonia. After an introductory week in Olympia at the start of fall quarter, the study-abroad portion of the program will commence with a four-week intensive study of Spanish language in Buenos Aires, which will prepare us for our travels and studies in Argentina during fall and winter quarters.We will read primary literature articles related to the biodiversity of Argentina, and each student will be responsible for presenting different topics during weekly seminars. We will begin to study the flora and fauna of the Southern Cone through preliminary readings, lectures, and classwork in Buenos Aires. We will take a short trip to the subtropical province of Misiones, then move to the coastal and mountain regions of Patagonia where we will study the area's natural history, beginning with field studies on the Atlantic coast, and then moving to the Andean Lakes District, taking advantage of the progressively warmer weather of the austral spring. Students will conduct formal field exercises and keep field notebooks detailing their work and observations.During winter quarter (summer in the Southern Hemisphere), students will reinforce their language skills with two weeks of intensive Spanish studies in Patagonia, examine montane habitats, and then work in small groups on focused projects examining topics of biodiversity. It will be possible to conduct more focused studies on specific ecosystems or organisms, including those of southern parts of Patagonia. Clear project goals, reading lists, timelines, etc., will be developed during fall quarter in order to ensure successful projects in winter quarter. Examples of individual/small group projects include comparisons of plant/animal biodiversity between coastal, desert, and alpine zones; comparative studies on the impacts of ecotourism activities on biodiversity; and examining community composition of intertidal habitats along a gradient from north to south, among others. | Erik Thuesen | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | |||||
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Andrew Brabban and Abir Biswas
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 16Spring | This upper-division science program will examine the interplay between the biological and chemical processes of the Earth's hydrosphere and lithosphere. Many environmental processes occur as a result of specific microbial processes that are intrinsically controlled by the substrate (geology) and the geochemical parameters (redox, pH), making these studies inherently interdisciplinary.Over the quarter, we will investigate biotic and abiotic controls on the cycling of important elements (specifically key biological and chemical elements of carbon, nitrogen, iron, etc., and elements we often consider toxic such as arsenic and heavy metals) in both "pristine" and polluted systems, and in aerobic to anaerobic systems. Students will cover topics in environmental microbiology examining the roles microorganisms play in the environment, their metabolism, and the broad diversity of the ecosystems they occupy. Likewise, students will cover topics in geochemistry and geobiology examining the role of microbes in element cycling at the Earth's surface. Laboratory work will focus on both classical microbiological methods, as well as newer biochemical and molecular procedures to determine the biodiversity of soil and water samples and the activity of specific organisms within an ecosystem. In addition, students will learn field sampling techniques, collect soil and/or water samples in the field during day trips, and conduct relevant geochemical analyses in the laboratory to elucidate element cycles. Weekly seminars and student presentations discussing recent research from the primary literature will be important components of the program. | Andrew Brabban Abir Biswas | Mon Mon Tue Wed Wed Thu | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | |||||
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Carolyn Prouty, Laura Citrin and Rita Pougiales
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | FR–SOFreshmen–Sophomore | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | Bodies are tangible; they have form and substance, a materiality that we can perceive, sense, and touch. Bodies, too, can sense and feel the world they inhabit—the heat of the sun, the pain of a thorn, the coolness of water, the slap of an insult, the jolt from a pleasant surprise. Bodies are organisms that grow, change, and die. It is within these bodies that we experience what we call a And yet, bodies are also signs; like a text, we learn to read (and misread) our body and the bodies of others. The color, size, age, and sex of a body (among other features) are computed to determine meaning and value. Some bodies matter in our cultural, political, historical field more than others; some bodies are prized and imitated. The body, in its psychological, biological, and social realms, will be at the center of our study. We will investigate the knowledge we have created about the body and how that knowledge relates to broader cultural, historical, environmental, and political forces. Our study will integrate current research and scholarship from the fields of psychology, biology, anthropology, feminist epistemology and philosophy, public health, literature, and sociology. We will study introductory anatomy and physiology—the basics of how our bodies work—in order to know something about the physical matter of which our bodies are comprised, and concepts in public health that help us to understand the contexts which determine health and illness. Our work in social psychology will examine the everyday interplay between embodied individuals and the social world in which we live, move, think, emote, and act. Through anthropological, sociological, and feminist lenses, we will examine the history, institutions, and cultural beliefs that shape how and why bodies are judged to be healthy or sick, normal or abnormal, beautiful or ugly, virtuous or deviant, powerful or weak.In this lower-division program for freshmen and sophomores, we will pay special attention to nurturing intellectual skills and sensibilities. In particular, we will help students learn to listen and observe attentively, do close and critical reading with challenging texts, contribute clear and well developed writing, make relevant contributions to seminar discussions, and acquire research and laboratory skills in biology, social psychology, and anthropology. | Carolyn Prouty Laura Citrin Rita Pougiales | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO | Fall | Fall Winter | |||||
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Lalita Calabria
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | The Pacific Northwest (PNW) supports one of the world's most diverse assortments of bryophytes and lichens. Bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts) are the earliest land plants. Lichens, are not plants at all- they are a diverse group of symbiotic organisms composed of a fungal partner with an algae and/or cyanobacteria. Together, bryophytes and lichens occur on nearly every continent and ecosystem in the world and are among the most sensitive indicators of environmental change. In the ecosystems where they occur they work to stabilize soils, reduce water and nutrient run-off and provide habitat and nesting material for invertebrates and vertebrates. Moreover, lichens and mosses represent ~30% of the world’s eukaryotic biological N-fixation and peat-moss alone stores nearly 33% of all global terrestrial carbon.This upper-division science program focuses on bryophytes and lichens- their taxonomy, ecology and biology. Field trips will emphasize life history of these species as well as the sight recognition of major groups and proper collection methods. Lab activities will involve identifying collected specimens to species using dichotomous keys and developing proficiency in techniques for the identification of mosses and lichens, such as thin-layer chromatography and chemical thallus testing for lichens, dissection and slide-making techniques and use of compound and dissecting microscopes. Many of these lab skills can be applied broadly to other taxonomic groups of plants and fungi. Lectures and seminars will focus on readings from bryology and lichen textbooks as well as a variety of essays and scientific papers relating to the evolution, systematics and ecology of these taxa. Students will conduct quarter-long group research projects, which may include herbaria-based taxonomic studies and field-based floristic studies. | Lalita Calabria | Mon Mon Tue Tue Wed Thu | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | |||||
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Stephen Beck and Karen Hogan
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 12 | 12 | Evening and Weekend | F 15 Fall | Why and how should we care for our planet? Do we have reason to care only about other human beings, or should we care about non-human animals as well? How about other organisms -- or even whole ecosystems? And what about people and other living things in the future? How does knowledge of living things help us to care about them?In this program, we will take as our focus questions about our reasons to protect and preserve life, human and non-human, now and in the future. We will study biology, specifically evolution and ecology, to understand the variety and complexity of life, and we will study philosophical ethics, specifically environmental ethics, to understand our ethical place in the world. This program will help students to widen their understanding of the world and their place within it. | Stephen Beck Karen Hogan | Mon Mon Wed Wed Sat Sat Sat Sat Sat | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | |||||
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Tyrus Smith, Peter Boome, Dee Dunn, Suzanne Simons, Frances Solomon, Peter Bacho, Barbara Laners, Arlen Speights, Anthony Zaragoza, Paul McCreary, Mingxia Li and Gilda Sheppard
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Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day and Evening | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | This program will focus on developing strategies for creating and navigating change as we look toward the future. The goal is to enhance students' capacities to respond to and promote change on personal and institutional levels. Within this context, students will study historical trends and contemporary practices that will shape and impact their future endeavors. By analyzing and evaluating the effectiveness of existing models, students will develop proactive interventions to address pressing community problems.The topic of change will be approached through studies in philosophy, history, sociology, psychology, political economy, scientific inquiry, environmental studies, law, literature, visual/media arts, mathematics, and logic. Students will enhance their knowledge with skill development in the following areas: writing, mathematical reasoning, media literacy, multimedia technology, statistics, public speaking, and organizational and community development.During the fall, students will explore historical and philosophical traditions that inform efforts to design pathways for future possibilities. This includes investigating personal and societal notions of the natural and social worlds as portrayed through arts and humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.During the winter, students will utilize an interdisciplinary approach to explore and understand contemporary models of change. This includes researching specific community-based problems and identifying proactive strategies that address such concerns.During the spring, students will investigate successful models of change to extrapolate how such models might be useful, but also might be limited in their capacity to address future possibilities, and to propose proactive community-based interventions tailored to specific community concerns. | Tyrus Smith Peter Boome Dee Dunn Suzanne Simons Frances Solomon Peter Bacho Barbara Laners Arlen Speights Anthony Zaragoza Paul McCreary Mingxia Li Gilda Sheppard | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | ||||
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Jennifer Martinez
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 8 | 08 | Day | Su 16 Session II Summer | The Communicating Science program will be dedicated to training future scientists and health professionals to communicate more effectively with the public. As the strain for federal funding continues, the ability to communicate scientific research effectively is more important now than ever. Questioning and skepticism is implicit in science. However, researchers have a responsibility to share the meaning and implications of their work. Everyone -- researchers, public officials, potential investors, the media, educators and students -- all have a vested interest in the direction of future research. The goal of this program is for students to learn to communicate clearly and effectively about research and why it matters, in terms non-scientists can understand.With a focus on communication, this program will explore research based on cell signaling and intercellular communication. This will include topics such as: signaling pathways, the importance of the extracellular matrix, and aberrant signaling that can lead to cancer and other pathologies. Those who are unaware of the uncertain nature of science can react to articles in these fields with misplaced hope or unnecessary alarm. This program will address this issue by providing a stronger understanding of current research and its relevance to society. Students will attend lectures for background knowledge. Students will participate in workshops to develop skills in reading and analyzing scientific literature. Improvisation and public speaking activities will enhance abilities of audience adaptation and highlighting relevant ideas. In addition, students will learn how to adapt their scientific writing to a variety of audiences. Upper-division science credits may be awarded to students who have taken the Introduction to Natural Sciences program or equivalent coursework and successfully complete an independent library research assignment and presentation, in addition to completing all program requirements. | Jennifer Martinez | Mon Tue Wed Thu | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | |||||
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Martha Rosemeyer, Thomas Johnson and Carolyn Prouty
Signature Required:
Winter Spring
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | More than three-quarters of the arable land mass of the planet is influenced by human needs and desires for food and fiber. There are competing visions for the future of our agriculture and food systems. A global, fossil-fuel-based system provides large quantities of inexpensive food along with significant environmental and social impacts. Another vision is a local, community-based system that produces higher quality, but more expensive, food while seeking to minimize environmental and social impacts. Critical questions that will inform our inquiry include: Can we grow high-quality food that is available to everyone? How did we get into this current agricultural predicament of industrial production and a global population that is simultaneously both “stuffed” and “starved?” How can an individual make a difference?This program will provide an interdisciplinary study of agriculture in the context of food systems. We will explore competing ideas while developing ecological and holistic thinking, which will be applied in hands-on laboratory and field exercises, expository and scientific report writing, critical analysis of film, and quantitative reasoning. Seminar will examine history, policy, and socioeconomic and political contexts of agriculture and health.In winter, we will focus on soil science, particularly soil ecology and nutrient cycling in lecture and lab. We will also examine food and agricultural policy at the national, state and local level, as well as the prospects for creating more sustainable food systems. Our learning will be supported by an extended field trip to the Ecological Farming Conference in California and visits to a number of rural farms and urban agriculture projects. Seminar will examine U.S. agricultural history, food system policy, economics, and moral and ethical dimensions of food production. In spring, we will combine the topics of global farming systems, public health, and the health of agricultural workers. We will study basic ecological principles and practices involved in sustainable agriculture, indigenous agriculture, and permaculture. Farming intersects with larger questions of occupational health, including health-related burdens of workers in agriculture broadly, and specifically in migrant laborers in the United States. Integrating scientific and political population-based analyses, students will examine public health principles, tools, and policies related to pesticide exposure and other chemical, biological, and physical risks faced by agricultural workers. Seminar will focus on understanding structural history of agriculture, exploring the common roots of both malnutrition, hunger, and obesity. A three-day field trip and three-credit independent project or in-program internship will complete in-class learning. | Martha Rosemeyer Thomas Johnson Carolyn Prouty | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter Spring | |||||
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Donald Morisato and Martha Rosemeyer
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | 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 and reproductive botany of crop members of the most important plant families 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 Kingsbury's Nabhan's , and Navazio’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. | Donald Morisato Martha Rosemeyer | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | ||||||
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Michael Paros
Signature Required:
Spring
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 16Spring | 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 | ||||||
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Donald Morisato, Rita Pougiales and Joseph Tougas
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 16Spring | In what ways can the human being "improve"? Can improvements be made before birth as well as after birth? In seeking improvement, what is the proper balance between what we do and what we do? In this program, we consider the history of eugenics—the application of genetic principles to "improving" the human species—from its inception in the late 19th century to its most recent manifestation in contemporary medicine. We will study concepts in genetics, molecular biology, and reproductive biology to help us understand what is scientifically possible for altering human development. We will turn to anthropological studies to consider the social and political context within which such research is conducted. In particular, we will focus on what is cultural about the scientific practices and aims underlying genetic research. Additionally, we will read philosophy and literature to help us investigate what might be desirable and perhaps dangerous in this quest for "improvement."Program activities will include a laboratory component with experimental work in genetics and molecular biology. Regular writing assignments will be used to strengthen and deepen communication and analytical thinking skills. We anticipate reading such authors as Plato, Aristotle, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Mary Shelley, Francis Galton, Daniel Kevles, Michel Foucault, and Richard Powers. | Donald Morisato Rita Pougiales Joseph Tougas | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | ||||||
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Heather Heying, David Phillips and Bret Weinstein
Signature Required:
Fall
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | Why are there so many species on the planet? Why are there more species nearer the equator than at the poles? This program seeks robust, meaningful explanations for these complex phenomena. In parallel, it approaches human cultural variation in a biotic context, addressing the questions: Where have humans traditionally fit in relation to biological nature, and how has our unparalleled within-species diversity been shaped by nonhuman forces? This program will introduce students to a unique and broadly applicable set of analytical tools, and apply them across a range of settings and scales that would be impossible in a traditional academic context.We will study patterns across space and time, revealing the selective forces that shaped the distribution, form, behavior, and interaction of organisms from all extant branches of the tree of life. From mycorrhizal fungi that live in the roots of trees to bats collecting fruit high in the moonlit canopy, organisms are best understood embedded in the context of the forces that gave rise to them.Though all sciences share a method of inquiry, the theoretical toolkit necessary to understand complex biological systems is different from the more familiar tools of the fundamental sciences, such as chemistry and physics. When an insect extracts nutrients from a leaf by detoxifying compounds built to deter herbivory, both the insect, and the plant whose leaf is consumed, have invested resources in an objective, and their gains and losses can be evaluated in terms similar to those in economics and engineering. We will apply concepts such as sunk costs, zero-sum game, and adaptive landscapes across systems and taxa.We will compare Pacific Northwest rainforest to the Ecuadorian Amazon, witnessing ecology’s most extreme, ubiquitous, and mysterious species-diversity pattern: the latitudinal diversity gradient. We will compare the Amazon at Earth’s most species-rich location—Yasuní—with equatorial montane, cloud forest, and altiplano habitats, revealing dramatic predictable reductions in species diversity that occur at a given latitude, with increases in elevation. And we will compare the high-diversity Amazonian habitat in the humid lowland east to the comparatively low-diversity habitats of the arid Andean rainshadow to the west.In tandem with our study of habitats, we will seek to understand indigenous cultures that have historically inhabited these biomes. We will consider the impact of glaciation and the role it played in initiating the diaspora of New World populations which diversified across the entirety of the Americas before Europeans arrived in the 15th century. Where there is archaeological evidence, we will interpret it in the context of the precolonial world.In fall, we will focus on logical tools, concepts, and language needed to understand evolutionary patterns. We will investigate levels of selection, and grapple with the relationship between genes, cultural memes, and epigenetic markers. We will take several field trips within Washington to experience relevant phenomena (e.g., Hoh rainforest, indigenous fishing on the Klickitat River, the channeled scablands). In winter and spring, we will travel to Ecuador, visit several sites, and spend extended field time investigating patterns across a tropical landscape of unparalleled diversity. | Heather Heying David Phillips Bret Weinstein | Mon Wed Thu | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | |||
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Clarissa Dirks and Carri LeRoy
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Program | FR ONLYFreshmen Only | 16 | 16 | Day | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | Some organisms have adaptations that allow them to survive in extreme environments such as those with high temperatures, high salt concentrations, extreme cold, or without water. This program will focus on the biology, ecology, and physiology of microorganisms, fungi, plants, and animals which call extreme environments home. Specifically, we will be interested in the various behavioral, physiological, and morphological adaptations organisms have developed that allow them to live in places we would not expect to find life. In this program, we will undertake an exploration of extremophiles across the globe. We will explore organisms that dwell in deep sea vents, hot springs, polar regions, vast deserts, clouds, lava fields, caves, salt flats, and other extreme habitats. We will also explore the unique environments parasitic organisms inhabit and their interactions with host species. We will engage in the study of some of these environments with laboratory exercises and spring field trips to locations harboring these organisms.We will pair our studies of extreme organisms with studies of climate instability and how humans will need to adapt to changing environmental conditions. We will engage in these topics through readings and other media. Seminar discussions of these readings along with readings in the primary literature will provide us with a deep understanding of the range of responses humans and other living things have to extreme environments. We will engage with topics in evolutionary biology and natural selection and discuss assisted migration and ecosystem restoration.By taking this program, you will have an opportunity to earn all credits for a year of college-level General Biology. The program will also give you an introduction to basic skills including introductory statistics, experimental design, and math skills needed to solve problems in biology. Through this program, you will also have an opportunity to undertake group research projects and focused study in a related area, thereby developing important skills. These are skills that are useful broadly in the life sciences and will help you apply your hands-on experience to understanding morphological and physiological adaptations and designing scientific experiments. | Clarissa Dirks Carri LeRoy | Tue Wed Thu Fri | Freshmen FR | Winter | Winter | ||||
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Dylan Fischer and Erik Thuesen
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Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 16Spring | This program is designed to provide a premier hands-on experience in learning how to conduct field science in ecology at the advanced undergraduate level. We will focus on group and individual field research to address patterns in ecological composition, structure, and function in natural environments. Students will participate in field trips to local and remote field sites and will develop multiple independent and group research projects in unique marine and terrestrial ecosystems from the Puget Sound to the east side of the Cascades (in Washington).We will work as a community to develop and implement field projects based on: 1) workshops in rapid observation and field data collection; 2) participation in large multiyear studies in collaboration with other universities and agencies; and 3) student originated short- and long-term studies. Students will focus on field sampling, natural history, and library research to develop workable field-data collection protocols. Students will implement observation- and hypothesis-driven field projects. We will learn to analyze ecological data through a series of intensive workshops on understanding and using statistics in ecology. Students will demonstrate their research and analytical skills through scientific writing and presentation of all group and individual research projects.Specific topics of study will include community and ecosystem ecology, plant physiology, forest ecology, marine ecology, ecological restoration, riparian ecology, fire disturbance effects, bird abundance and monitoring, soundscape ecology, insect-plant interactions, disturbance ecology, and statistics in biology. We will emphasize identification of original field research problems in diverse habitats, experimentation, statistical analysis, and writing in journal format. All students will be expected to gain competency in advanced statistics and scientific writing. | Dylan Fischer Erik Thuesen | Tue Wed Thu Fri | Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | |||||
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Karen Hogan
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 12 | 12 | Evening and Weekend | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | Virtually all life on Earth that most of us will ever see is made possible by plants. This program will provide a foundation to understand what plants do and how they do it. Winter quarter will focus on plant structure and function — how plants acquire resources, grow and develop, and respond to the physical environment. Spring quarter will focus on plants at ecological level, including population dynamics, interactions between plants and other species, and the role of plants in the global ecosystem. While we will take a scientific approach to the study of plants, this program is intended to be accessible to non-scientists and does not assume a strong background in the sciences. Learning experiences will include lectures, workshops, seminars, frequent short quizzes, a midterm and a final exam, and some outdoor activity (mostly in spring). Each quarter, students will keep a field journal and write two iterations of a research paper based on their developing understanding of plant biology. This class is not intended to enable students to identify every plant they see, but we will spend some time in spring on basic principles of taxonomy and plant identification using dichotomous keys.Winter quarter will focus particularly on plant structure and function. Spring quarter will be more concerned with topics in ecology and evolution. | Karen Hogan | Mon Wed Sat | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter Spring | ||||
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Clarissa Dirks
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 8 | 08 | Day | Su 16 Session II Summer | Living systems will be studied on the molecular, cellular, and organismal level. Topics that will be covered include, but are not limited to, biomolecules, cell structure and function, genetics, gene expression and regulation, evolutionary biology, biodiversity, introduction to ecology, plant and animal physiology, and the scientific method. The lab component will reinforce concepts and ideas explored in lectures, readings, and workshops. Some components of our work will take us outside to do field surveys and learn about the ecosystem and habitats around us. This biology course is excellent preparation for students interested in taking more advanced life science courses or for future work in environmental science. | Clarissa Dirks | Tue Wed Thu | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | |||||
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Donald Morisato
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 16Winter | The union of a sperm and egg initiates the process of development in which a single cell—the fertilized egg—eventually produces hundreds of different cell types that form distinctive tissues and organs. If the developmental program is encoded in the genome, how are the key regulatory genes expressed in the right place and at the right time, and what do these genes do? Genetics provides a powerful approach for studying complex biological pathways. By analyzing mutations that result in developmental defects, geneticists can not only learn how normal genes control cell growth and cell communication, but can also gain insights into the logic of how an organism establishes its major body axes and achieves spatial patterning. This advanced program will provide an overview of the genetic strategies used to study questions in developmental biology. How do we make and isolate mutations that affect a complex process? How do we analyze the order and location of gene action in developmental pathways? How do we identify the gene that corresponds to a mutant phenotype and analyze its function at the molecular level? We will focus on several model organisms, including the fruit fly We will also consider several developmental mechanisms underlying evolutionary change. A key aim of this program will be the analysis of experimental design and logic. Emphasis will be placed on reading and interpreting primary research papers, in both seminar discussions and written critiques. There will be a significant laboratory component applying contemporary genetic and molecular biological techniques to the study of development. We will also consider some of the philosophical and ethical implications of this scientific work by reading and discussing novels that explore these topics. | Donald Morisato | Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter | ||||||
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Andrew Brabban and Heesoon Jun
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | Human life begins as a combination of the parental genetic material in a single fertilized egg and, through development, it becomes an intricate and reactive organism composed of ten trillion differentiated cells. The nervous system alone contains hundreds of billions of cells, forming trillions of electrical connections and serving as the foundation for an immensely complex consciousness capable of thousands of thoughts and feelings per day. In this two-quarter-long interdisciplinary program, we will examine health and human development from evolutionary, developmental, physiological, integrative (allopathic and complementary), and psychological perspectives.Within the psychological component of our program, students will explore the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders and essentials of healthy development from a holistic perspective. This will include understanding the interaction between nervous systems and environment and examining Diagnostic Statistical Manual Mental Disorders (DSM) from developmental, sociopolitical, and cultural aspects. We shall also focus on the biochemical, psychosocial, and spiritual aspects of specific conditions (e.g., trauma, the repeated experience of not being good enough, the profound psychological effects resulting from betrayal, etc.) on the development of psyche and its impact on healthy/unhealthy development. The importance of mindfulness for staying healthy will be emphasized and students are encouraged to practice mindfulness daily. Attention will also be paid to the psychopharmacology of legal and illegal drugs. In addition, we will explore multicultural perspectives of health and human development. No one model will prevail over another, but rather an integration of ideas, concepts, and thoughts will be presented. Within the biological component, we will approach the human body from an evolutionary and structural/functional perspective. Starting at a molecular level (genetics, cell structure, biochemistry, and gene regulation) and building through cell processes to organ systems, we will examine the human body as an integrated system that reacts to physiological and environmental factors (diet, stress, disease, and pharmacology).The program activities will provide students an opportunity to work collaboratively. Students will develop critical thinking, quantitative reasoning and writing skills and will learn that human health and development are complex, fluid, and dynamic through workshops, lectures, seminars, guest presentations, laboratory work, and group and individual projects. This is a full-time program and students will be expected to work efficiently for a total of 40 hours each week. | Andrew Brabban Heesoon Jun | Mon Mon Wed Thu Thu | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter | ||||
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Ted Whitesell, Krishna Chowdary, Rob Cole and Alison Styring
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | This two-quarter program is designed to introduce the interdisciplinary field of environmental studies. This field employs the tools of natural and social sciences as well as the humanities to understand and effectively address the enormous environmental challenges of this generation. The program will use a variety of teaching styles, including field trips, films, guest speakers, case study and research projects, as well as lectures and seminars on a wide array of critical environmental issues. Readings will include classics of environmental literature that have inspired and informed citizens for generations, notable contemporary books in the field, textbooks, scientific articles, and a novel. A central goal of this program is to advance students' ability to think critically and in-depth about environmental challenges and solutions. The program will expose students to the following range of topics: climate change; pollutants in our air, freshwater, oceans, and soils; the mass extinction of species; sustainability and sustainable development; ecological restoration; environmental justice; protected areas; sustainable energy; human population and the environment; science and advocacy; and threats to Puget Sound, along with efforts to protect it.Focusing on ecosystems and environmental issues in the Pacific Northwest, the fall quarter will emphasize development of the skills and tools necessary to pursue environmental studies at a more advanced level. This means instruction and practice in using the following: systems-thinking; the principles of population, community, ecosystem, and landscape ecology; ornithology; the study of landscapes and soundscapes; urban ecology; social science principles essential for understanding sustainability and conservation; field research methods; introductory quantitative and qualitative analytical methods; and the general nature of biogeochemical cycles. Emphasis will also be placed on developing skill in analytical writing as practiced in the social and natural sciences, based on research using library databases of peer-reviewed journal articles, and demonstrating competency in formatting citations and references.The winter quarter will take a more global perspective on environmental studies. Students will be challenged to apply and more fully develop the skills and knowledge introduced in the fall quarter through in-depth research projects on critical environmental problems and associated solutions. Lectures and seminars will expose students to a more advanced and in-depth examination of critical environmental problems and solutions around the world. | Ted Whitesell Krishna Chowdary Rob Cole Alison Styring | Tue Tue Wed Thu Thu | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter | ||||
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Jennifer Martinez, Sara Rose and Lydia McKinstry
Signature Required:
Winter Spring
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | This introductory-level program is designed for students who are prepared to take their first year of college-level science using an interdisciplinary framework. This program offers an integrated study of biology, chemistry, and physics that serves as an introduction to the concepts, theories, and structures which underlie the natural sciences. The goal is to equip students with the conceptual, methodological, and quantitative tools they need to ask and answer questions in a variety of disciplines using the models and tools of chemistry, physics and biology. Students will also gain a strong appreciation of the interconnectedness of physical, biological and chemical systems, and an ability to apply this knowledge to complex problems.Program activities will include lectures and small-group problem-solving workshops, where conceptual and technical skills will be developed. 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. We will make extensive use of quantitative applications in all program activities.All laboratory work and approximately one-half of the non-lecture time will be spent working in collaborative problem-solving groups. It will be a rigorous program, requiring a serious commitment of time and effort. Overall, we expect students to end the program in the spring with a solid working knowledge of scientific and quantitative concepts and the ability to reason critically and solve problems.Students completing this program will have covered material equivalent to one year of general biology with laboratory, one year of general chemistry with laboratory, and two quarters of algebra-based physics with laboratory. Successful students will be prepared to pursue upper-division work in chemistry, biology, and environmental science. | Jennifer Martinez Sara Rose Lydia McKinstry | Mon Mon Tue Tue Wed Wed Thu Thu Thu | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | |||
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Joseph Tougas, Pauline Yu and Sean Williams
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Program | FR ONLYFreshmen Only | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | This first-year program focuses attention on the idea that each of us has a unique way of understanding the world because of the contexts to which we have been exposed. What is your context? How has it shaped the ways you interact with humans, institutions, and the natural world? Considering these questions opens the idea of having not just one, but several lenses through which we have built our understanding: we use all of our senses in addition to larger societal, linguistic, and biological structures to inform and guide us. The languages we use and the social structures in which we live can be thought of as systems of representation—tools that living organisms can use to get a grip on reality. In the case of language, we might say that is the material we have to work with, ( ) is the order in which we can combine those materials, and is the place where language becomes meaningful or useful. Other systems of representation—in music, visual art, and science, for example—have similar structures. How do you make sense of the world when your “lived vocabulary” includes rhythms and notes, shapes and lines, molecules and ecosystems, or color and light? How does your picture of the world change when your epistemology—your way of knowing—includes multiple systems of representation and is not limited to just words and syntax? In learning by doing, we will explore how artists use geometry and math, how musicians use physics, and how scientists engage the mystery of their environment. We will examine these systems of representation and develop new ones through creative play to explore the range of human experiences.Weekly activities will include lectures, films, and seminars. There will also be field trips in each quarter, workshops, collaborative presentations, and guest lectures. Students are expected to focus on enhancing their college-level writing skills throughout the program; each quarter's major writing assignments will require students to master the process of revision. In fall quarter, students will be introduced to important skills in approaching this material through multiple modes; issues of perspective, critical analysis, and context are important factors in deepening our understanding. As we move into winter quarter, students will have more chances to develop individual and collaborative projects focusing on particular areas of interest. | Joseph Tougas Pauline Yu Sean Williams | Mon Mon Tue Tue Wed Wed Thu Thu | Freshmen FR | Fall | Fall Winter | ||||
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Gerardo Chin-Leo
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 8 | 08 | Day | Su 16 Session I Summer | 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 survey of a local estuary and a camping trip to study the rocky intertidal habitats of the Olympic Peninsula. | Gerardo Chin-Leo | Tue Wed Thu | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | |||||
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Amy Cook and Pauline Yu
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Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | This program focuses on marine organisms, the sea as a habitat, the relationships between the organisms, and the physical/chemical properties of their environments and their adaptations to those environments. Students will study the biology and ecology of marine organisms and physical and chemical oceanographic concepts as they apply to those organisms. The program will offer students the opportunity to refine their field sampling skills and associated statistics and laboratory techniques. Throughout the program, students will focus on the identification of marine organisms and key aspects of the ecology of selected species and marine habitats and develop their understanding of impacts on the marine habitat as a result of the Anthropocene, the era of human influence. Physiological adaptations to diverse marine environments and the evolutionary history of the sea will be also be emphasized.We will study physical features of marine waters, nutrients, biological productivity, and regional topics in marine science. Concepts will be applied in faculty-designed experiments and student-designed research projects both in the lab and in the field. Data analysis will be facilitated through the use of Excel spreadsheets and elementary statistics. Seminars will analyze appropriate primary literature on topics from lectures and research projects.The faculty will facilitate identification of student research projects, which may range from studies of trace metals in local organisms and sediments to ecological investigations of local estuarine animals. Students will design their research projects during winter quarter and write a research proposal that will undergo class-wide peer review. The research projects will then be carried out during spring quarter and, at the end of spring quarter, students will document their work in written research papers and oral presentations. | Amy Cook Pauline Yu | Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter | |||||
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Paula Schofield and James Neitzel
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | This program develops and interrelates concepts in experimental (laboratory) biology, organic chemistry, and biochemistry, thus providing a foundation for students who plan to continue studies in chemistry, laboratory biology, field biology, and medicine. Students will carry out upper-division work in organic chemistry, biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, and genetics in a yearlong sequence. The program integrates two themes, one at the cell level and the other at the molecule level. In the cell theme, we start with the cell and microbiology and proceed to the whole organism with the examination of structure/function relationships at all levels. In the molecular theme, we will examine organic chemistry, the nature of organic compounds and reactions, and carry this theme into biochemistry and the fundamental chemical reactions of living systems. As the year progresses, the two themes continually merge through studies of cellular and molecular processes in biological systems.Each aspect of the program will contain a significant laboratory component. On a weekly basis, students will write papers and maintain laboratory notebooks. All laboratory work and approximately half of the non-lecture time will be spent working in collaborative problem-solving groups. Spring quarter student-designed research projects are a culmination of all major concepts learned throughout the year.This is an intensive program. The subjects are complex, and the sophisticated understanding we expect to develop will require devoted attention and many hours of scheduled lab work each week. | Paula Schofield James Neitzel | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | ||||
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Lalita Calabria
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Course | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 4 | 04 | Day | Su 16 Session I Summer | This lab and field-based botany course is designed as an introduction to the evolution and diversity of land 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 enrich our understanding of important 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 organs, cells, and tissues. On campus plant walks and field trips students will learn to recognize and identify some of the common native plants of the Pacific Northwest. | Lalita Calabria | Tue Thu | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | |||||
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Dylan Fischer and Lalita Calabria
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 16Winter | How do plants sense and respond to changes in their external environment? What are the chemical signals produced by plants in response to external stimuli (light, gravity, temperature) and how are these signals amplified within the larger plant community? This program focuses on these questions through the study of individual plants (autecology), the interactions among plants (synecology), and the physiological interactions of plants with their environment (ecophysiology). Students will learn field and laboratory methods for studying plant ecology and plant physiology including vegetation sampling methods, soil analysis and methods for measuring plant growth, photosynthesis and nutrient cycling. Lecture topics will include plant communities; competition and facilitation ecology; plant growth and development; plant hormones; water use; photosynthesis; rooting; and the potential effects of large-scale disturbances, such as climate change, on plant communities. We will apply what we learn about plant physiology to better understand current research in the broader fields of ecosystem and community ecology. Our readings will be divided between current widely used texts in plant physiology and ecology, historical papers of great importance, and current research papers from technical journals. Local day trips, workshops, labs, and a multiple-day field trip will allow us to observe field research on plant physiology, plant restoration, and the plant ecology of diverse environments, as well as conduct student-driven research on plant ecology and physiology.This is also a writing intensive program for technical science writing. Communication skills will be emphasized, particularly reading scientific articles and writing for scientific audiences. | Dylan Fischer Lalita Calabria | Tue Wed Thu Fri | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter | |||||
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Krishna Chowdary and Lalita Calabria
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Program | FR–SOFreshmen–Sophomore | 16 | 16 | Day | S 16Spring | How do plants move? Growing from tiny seeds to giant trees, turning to face the sun, slowly reorienting in response to gravity, and rapidly ejecting spores, plants have developed diverse mechanisms for adjusting their bodies in physical space and in response to their environments. This program will explore the fascinating intersection of physics and botany by focusing on plants in motion. We will study plants in the lab and in the field to learn how the laws of physics constrain and enable their form and function and particularly their growth and motion. Topics will include plant growth and reproduction, tropism, transport, and conversion of energy from sunlight to sugar. Labs will involve both observation and experimentation, including the study of plant anatomy, photosynthesis, and water and nutrient transport.We welcome students new to studying college level science, and will pay particular attention to developing foundational skills in quantitative and scientific reasoning. We will work to create a supportive learning community and to improve scientific literacy through interactive lectures, seminars, workshops, labs, and field trips. Regular assignments and assessments will include readings, homework sets, short papers, lab notebooks, and exams. Students will complete a quarter long group research project related to plant physics that will culminate in a popular science and/or science education demonstration at Evergreen’s Spring 2016 Science Carnival.Students who successfully complete this program will have covered the equivalent of one quarter of introductory botany/plant biology with lab and topics in algebra-based physics with lab, and will be prepared for further introductory programs with significant science content such as Introduction to Environmental Studies, Introduction to Natural Science, and Matter and Motion. | Krishna Chowdary Lalita Calabria | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO | Spring | Spring | ||||||
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David Muehleisen
Signature Required:
Summer
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | Su 16 Summer | Do you want to produce food for yourself, your family and others in your community? What does it take to grow food and feed yourself and others every day throughout the year? This three-quarter program (spring, summer and fall quarters) will explore the details of sustainable food production systems using the three pillars of sustainability—economic, environmental and social justice—as our lens. Our focus will be on small-scale organic production, but we will compare and contrast that system to other production systems. Our primary focus will be on the scientific underpinning of sustainable and Organic food production, critical thinking and observation skills necessary to grow food using ecologically informed methods. In addition we will explore the farm management and business skills necessary to operate a small-scale farming operation.We will be studying and working on the Evergreen Organic Farm through an entire growing season, from seed propagation to harvest and on to market. The farm includes a small-scale direct 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 the crops and animals raised on the farm.During spring quarter, we will focus on soil science, nutrient management, and crop botany. Additional topics will include introduction to animal husbandry, successional crop planning, season extension, and the principles and practice of composting. In summer, the main topics will be disease and pest management, which includes entomology, plant pathology and weed biology. In addition, 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, seed saving practices and cover crops.Additional topics covered throughout the program will include record keeping for organic production systems, alternative crop production systems, techniques for adding value to farm and garden products, hand tool use and maintenance, and farm equipment safety. We will also cover communication and conflict resolution skills needed to work effectively in small groups.Topics will be explored through on-farm workshops, seminar discussions, lectures and laboratory exercises, and field trips. Expect weekly reading and writing assignments, extensive collaborative group work, and a variety of hands-on projects. The final project in the fall will be a detailed farm and business plan which integrates all the topics covered in the program. Books that may be used in the program include by Theriault and Brisebois, by Huelsman, 3 ed by Magdoff and van Es, , by Damerow, by Costenbader, by The Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture. 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 Program Coordinator ), PH: 360.867.6348; TTY 360.867.6834; E-mail: 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. Students planning to take this program who are receiving financial aid should contact financial aid early in fall quarter 2016 to develop a financial aid plan that includes summer quarter 2017. | David Muehleisen | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | ||||||
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David Muehleisen and Paul Przybylowicz
Signature Required:
Fall
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | Have you ever wondered what it takes to be successful at farming? The Practice of Organic Farming, formerly the Practice of Sustainable Agriculture, is a 3-quarter long program (spring, summer and fall quarters) that can help you answer this question and more. This program will explore the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in organic farming and food production systems using the underlying sciences as a framework. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of agriculture, the various topical threads (plant science, soils, horticulture, animal husbandry, organic regulations, business etc.) will be presented throughout all three quarters, and our primary focus will be on small-scale, direct market, organic production. We will emphasize 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, to preparing the farm for winter. All students will work on the farm every week to gain practical experiential learning (1 day/wk. in spring, 2 days/wk. in summer and fall). 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.The topics will follow the activities on the Farm throughout the growing season. During spring quarter, our primary focus will be exploring soil and plant sciences, gaining quantitative skills, and developing a working knowledge of the yearly planning documents that guide the Organic Farm. Beginning with the organic system plan and the farm crop plan, we will study the documents and recordkeeping systems needed to guide our work throughout the growing season. In summer, the main focus will be integrated pest management for insects, weeds, and diseases. Marketing, water management, irrigation system design, and regulatory issues will also be covered. Fall quarter's focus will be on farm and business planning and cover crops.The farm practicum provides students with the opportunity to integrate theory with the practice of farming. Students will learn the various elements and systems of the Farm and hands-on skills throughout the growing season. These skills and topics will include: livestock care, greenhouse management, crop establishment and management (seeding, transplanting, irrigating, weeding, harvesting, marketing), monitoring for pests/diseases, equipment maintenance/repair, and composting, Students will also learn how to market produce primarily through a student market stand on Red Square.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.Students planning to take this program who are receiving financial aid should contact financial aid early in fall quarter 2014 to develop a financial aid plan that includes summer quarter 2015. | David Muehleisen Paul Przybylowicz | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | ||||||
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Emilie Bess and Christophor Looney
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 8 | 08 | Weekend | Su 16 Summer | Emilie Bess Christophor Looney | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | |||||||
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Neil Switz and Michael Paros
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Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | Students in this lower-division physics/optics and upper-division biology program will gain exposure to how the sensory organs and systems for touch, taste, smell, hearing, and vision work on a basic scientific level. Students will learn the fundamental steps in sensory perception, starting with the transmission of a given physical phenomenon from the outside world to a molecular cell receptor and ending with neurophysiologic interpretation by the brain.The physics component of the program will focus primarily on the wave behavior and optics underlying the detection of sound and light. In the biology component, the somatosensory, olfactory, gustatory, auditory, and visual systems will be used as focused topics to study more general concepts in molecular cell biology and neuroscience.Weekly assignments will consist of textbook readings with assigned problem sets as well as primary scientific and review papers. Electrophysiology, cell signaling, synaptic function, neuroanatomy, psychophysics, and neural integration will be emphasized for each sensory system studied, with special emphasis on physics of the auditory and visual systems (wave propagation, interference, and ray optics). Laboratory sessions will reinforce the physics and biology concepts learned in lecture and provide students with opportunities to learn fundamental optical, cell, and molecular biology techniques.This program is appropriate for students interested in pursuing further work in biophysics, biological research, neurobiology, and the biomedical sciences. Students who successfully complete this program will attain upper-division credit in cell biology, molecular biology, and neuroscience, and lower-division credit in both introductory physics (equivalent to one quarter of algebra-based physics) and biophysics. | Neil Switz Michael Paros | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | ||||||
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David Muehleisen
Signature Required:
Winter
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SOS | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 16Winter | Interested in learning more about agriculture and/or food? Got an individual agriculture/food related project that you’d like to complete? This Student-Originated Studies (SOS) will support students pursuing individual work in agricultural and food related topics. Topics may include on-farm internships and/or research projects. Twelve credits of this SOS will focus on individualized learning goals.The remaining four credits will be earned through common work and a required weekly group meeting to help form a peer support group for your ILC. This program is ideal for self-motivated students with an interest in agriculture and/or food systems.Students will hold in-program internships or research projects that will be 25-30 hours per week in scope. All students will come together as a class once a week to discuss each students progress on fulfilling their designated contract learning objectives. The common work will potentially include a group meeting one day a week, maintenance of a detailed field journal to capture research, field and on-farm learning, weekly readings and seminar, group discussion papers, and a final paper and presentation. In the required weekly group meetings, students will explore timely issues relevant to small scale, local, and direct market farming, and food related topics. These issues may include, but are not limited to, appropriate scale technology, nutrient cycling, water use and law, food production regulations, finances, farm and crop planning and farm business planning, sustainable production practices and other relevant issues decided upon by the group. Students’ individual projects/internships will provide the foundation for exploring relevant farming topics and give a richer and broader basis for discussion. | David Muehleisen | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter | ||||||
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Steven G. Herman
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 8 | 08 | Day, Evening and Weekend | Su 16 Session II Summer | Summer Ornithology is a three-week bird course taught entirely in the field. We leave campus shortly after our first meeting, travel through some of the finest birding country in Oregon, camp the first night in a remote site about halfway to our target location. The next morning novices are introduced to the business of birding, including use of binoculars and the basics of bird identification. The next afternoon we are in our campsite on Steens Mountain, a 28 mile long fault block that rises to nearly 10,000 feet some 150 miles east and south of Bend. Based there, we study birds the majority of daylight hours for the remainder of the course. Our studies are built around banding birds after we have captured them in mist nets and taken them to a central location for processing. All birds are routinely released within a few minutes of capture. Typically we band between 400 and 500 birds of about 25 species, focusing on aspects of banding protocol including met placement, removing birds from nets, identification, sexing, ageing, and record-keeping. We balance the in-hand work with field observations, and take local field trips to provide instruction in the myriad aspects of natural history and local culture in the High Desert of southeastern Oregon. We focus in particular on the wildlife of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. This course has been taught for over 30 years; more than 24,000 birds have been banded in that time. The only prerequisites are enthusiasm for studies in natural history and a fascination with wildness in the American West. Entry level students are welcome. Upper Division credit is awarded for Upper Division work. Two links to photo essays describing aspects of the program are here: and a slide show through . | Steven G. Herman | Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | |||||
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Dylan Fischer and Clarissa Dirks
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Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | Forested ecosystems are complex biogeochemical systems represented by a genetically diverse array of species. Forests are some of the largest carbon sinks on Earth, while hosting a complex array of ecological interactions linked to ecosystem processes. Further, genetic variation is poorly understood in these systems for both macro- and microorganisms. By focusing on genetic variation, evolutionary history, and biogeochemistry in these forests, we will learn about the interplay between biotic and abiotic phenomena. We will examine techniques for assessing genetic diversity, ways of understanding patterns in population genetics, and the potential for linkages between genetic variation in forest organisms and ecological processes in forests.Our lectures, laboratory work, and field labs will focus on forests across a range of elevations, latitudes, and climates. We will also have a multi-day overnight trip at the beginning of the quarter to see patterns in forest ecosystems and large-scale experiments firsthand. Laboratory work will allow students to learn about new methods and applications in molecular biology and ecological genetics. Students will also acquire experience with various sampling techniques that are used to measure nitrogen, water, and carbon in forested ecosystems. Weekly seminars will focus on understanding scientific articles from the primary literature. Students will develop scientific research projects throughout the quarter that require the development of research and quantitative skills. We will emphasize fundamental concepts in ecology and genetics, techniques in molecular biology and biogeochemistry, scientific writing, and communication skills. | Dylan Fischer Clarissa Dirks | Tue Wed Thu Fri | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | |||||
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Bret Weinstein
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Research | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | V | V | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | Research opportunities allow students to work on specific projects associated with faculty members’ expertise. Students typically begin by working in an apprenticeship model with faculty 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. (evolutionary biology) works on a wide range of topics, from evolutionary ecology, to adaptive dynamics. Students have the opportunity to focus on the interaction between selection on genes and culture, especially in humans. This type of inquiry often involves questions of consciousness, and the interface between creatures and novel environments. | Bret Weinstein | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | ||||
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Paula Schofield, Richard Weiss, Andrew Brabban, Neil Switz, Brian Walter, Abir Biswas, Michael Paros, 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 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | 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. Contact them directly if you are interested. (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 can 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. She 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. With Dharshi, students will work with local teachers to develop lab activities that enhance the science curriculum in local schools. Students with an interest in teaching science who have completed general chemistry with laboratory would be ideal for this project. (3) Dharshi is also interested in looking at chemicals present in e-cigarettes. A student interested in this project could work on the organic or inorganic chemicals. (biology) conducts research in many areas of microbiology and ecology. Her recent work in microbiology has focused on the biodiversity and distribution of tardigrades in different ecosystems. She also 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 hosts. Lastly, she is conducting snail surveys in Washington state to better characterize the species in the state, something that hasn’t been done in many decades. Depending on the project, students will gain experience in molecular biology technique, microbiology, field ecology, genetics, bioinformatics, and tissue culture. (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. The other major area of interest is in plant natural products, such as salicylates. Work is in process screening local plants for the presence of these molecules, which are important plant defense signals. Work is also supported in determining the nutritional value of indigenous plants. Students with a background and interest in organic or analytical biochemistry will 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 areas of interest include simulations of advanced architectures for distributed computing, advanced programming languages and compilers, and programming languages for concurrent and parallel computing. (physiology, microbiology, veterinary medicine) is interested in animal health, diseases that affect the animal agriculture industry, and basic ecology of bacteriophage in physiologic systems. 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, with a particular emphasis on microbiology. (organic, polymer, materials chemistry) is interested in the interdisciplinary fields of biodegradable plastics and biomedical polymers. Research in the field of biodegradable plastics is becoming 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. Students will present their work at American Chemical Society (ACS) conferences. (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 advanced programming languages and compilers, programming language design, programming languages for concurrent and parallel computing, and logic programming. (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 are interested in applying their skills to open-ended problems relating to graphs and/or games. (computer science, mathematics) has several ongoing projects in computer vision, robotics, and security. There are some opportunities for students to develop cybersecurity games for teaching network security concepts and skills. In robotics, he is looking for students to develop laboratory exercises for several different mobile robotic platforms, including Scribbler, LEGO NXT and iRobot Create. This would also involve writing tools for image processing and computer vision using sequences of still images, videos treams and 2.5-D images from the Kinect. In addition, he is open to working with students who have their own ideas for projects in these and related areas, such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and analysis of processor performance. (marine science) studies the developmental physiology and ecology of marine invertebrates. She is interested in the biochemistry of the seawater-organism interface, developmental nutritional biochemistry and metabolic depression, invasive species, carbonate chemistry (ocean acidification), and cultural relationships with foods from the sea. Students have the opportunity to collaboratively develop lines of inquiry for lab and/or field studies in ecology, developmental biology, physiology, marine carbonate chemistry and mariculture. (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 and Scott Morgan to establish a new research program at Evergreen. She and Cushing will model land use impacts on climate change; she and Morgan will plan and facilitate sustainability projects on campus. More information on Zita's research is available at . | Paula Schofield Richard Weiss Andrew Brabban Neil Switz Brian Walter Abir Biswas Michael Paros 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 | ||||
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Andrew Brabban
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | V | V | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | 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 | ||||
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Clarissa Dirks
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | V | V | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | 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) conducts research in many areas of microbiology and ecology. Her recent work in microbiology has focused on the biodiversity and distribution of Tardigrades in different ecosystems. She also 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 hosts. Lastly, she is conducting snail surveys in Washington state to better characterize the species in the state, something that hasn’t been done in many decades. Depending on the project, students will gain experience in molecular biology technique, microbiology, field ecology, genetics, bioinformatics and tissue culture. | 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 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | 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 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | 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 | |||
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Michael Paros
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | V | V | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | 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. (physiology, microbiologyveterinary medicine) is interested in animal health, diseases that affect the animal agriculture industry, and basic ecology of bacteriophage in physiologic systems. 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, with a particular emphasis on microbiology. | biology and veterinary medicine. | Michael Paros | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | |||
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Neil Switz
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Research | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 6 | 06 | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | 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 | ||||
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Ruth Hayes and Gerardo Chin-Leo
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | FR–SOFreshmen–Sophomore | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | This program will examine marine environments and life from the perspectives of science and the visual and media arts, emphasizing animation. Marine life constitutes a majority of the biomass and diversity of life, and marine microorganisms play major, complex roles in global ecological processes. We will focus on these relationships and how human activity affects them. In the past century, humans have severely impacted Earth’s ecosystems, degrading habitats and over-exploiting natural resources. Some scientists have termed this period of human influence the Anthropocene. We will explore ways that science and art can increase understanding of natural phenomena and human impacts on them, contributing effectively to solving environmental problems. We will learn how artists and marine scientists use close observation, analysis, and integrative thinking to communicate important concepts and values. We will experiment with ways to represent the movements, behaviors, and functions of microorganisms, as well as the larger structures of marine environments. Artists routinely base their works on scientific findings; students will practice such research-based creative strategies to respond to and represent marine phenomena in their drawings and animation.Students will explore how marine sciences and visual arts inform each other. Lectures will present concepts and terms unique to each discipline and include creative works about and inspired by the natural world. Labs, workshops, and field trips will offer experience in marine environments and conceptual and technical skills with which to represent them in drawing and animation. Through readings, writing assignments, and seminar discussions, students will learn how scientists and artists can contribute to understanding complex natural phenomena, raising awareness of and mitigating environmental problems. Students will integrate their learning in polished thematic creative works.In fall quarter, we examine ecosystems such as estuaries, intertidal zones, and the deep sea, taking an ecological perspective and emphasizing the role of microorganisms in these habitats. Students will learn drawing and animation skills as they explore how to represent microorganisms and their activities in small- and large-scale environments. In winter, we shift focus to the diversity of marine life and how organisms have adapted to environmental changes. Students will pursue more ambitious approaches to creative representations of marine life, environments, and the challenges they face. A multi-day field trip to the Friday Harbor Marine Labs will provide hands-on experience and inspiration for students' creative projects. Both quarters, we will join with other programs in common activities focused on issues related to the Anthropocene. | Ruth Hayes Gerardo Chin-Leo | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO | Fall | Fall Winter | |||||
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Gerardo Chin-Leo and Ruth Hayes
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 16Spring | In order to provide another entry point for students at all levels interested in animation and marine biology, Visualizing Microbial Seascapes (VMS) will explore the same themes as the fall/winter program did. This is a continuation of the fall/winter VMS program. This program examines marine environments and life from the perspectives of science and the visual and media arts, emphasizing animation. Marine life constitutes a majority of the biomass and diversity of life, and marine microorganisms play major, complex roles in global ecological processes. We will focus on these relationships and how human activity affects them. In the past century, humans have severely impacted Earth’s ecosystems, degrading habitats and over-exploiting natural resources. Some have termed this period of human influence the Anthropocene. We will explore ways that science and art can increase understanding of natural phenomena and human impacts on them, contributing effectively to solving environmental problems. We will learn how artists and marine scientists use close observation, analysis, and integrative thinking to communicate important concepts and values. We will experiment with ways to represent the movements, behaviors, and functions of microorganisms, as well as marine environments' larger structures. Artists routinely find inspiration in scientific findings; students will practice such research-based creative strategies to respond to and represent marine phenomena in drawing and animation.Lectures will present concepts and terms unique to animation and marine biology and include creative works about and inspired by the natural world. Labs, workshops, and field trips will offer experience in marine environments and conceptual and technical skills with which to represent them visually. Through readings, writing assignments and seminar discussions, students will learn how scientists and artists can contribute to understanding complex natural phenomena, raising awareness of and mitigating environmental problems. Students will integrate their learning in polished thematic creative works. | Gerardo Chin-Leo Ruth Hayes | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring |