The format of the course will be that of a seminar, with students giving presentations aimed at honing their ability not only to tackle tough questions, but also to articulate their ideas, in both oral and written form. An introduction to living systems. Topics studied include diversity of life, physiology of plants and animals, evolution, and ecology. Lectures on selected topics will be supplemented with problem-based learning opportunities as well as discussions of current events and selected papers from recent scientific literature. The laboratory complements the lecture and provides an introduction to experimentation and communication of experimental results.
Students also conduct an independent research project.
Opportunities to attend research presentations and visit outside research facilities are provided. This course will be limited to an enrollment of 16. BIO 112 is designed for students with a strong interest in the biological sciences and is a prerequisite for upper-level biology courses. Topics include kinetics, chemical equilibria, solid state chemistry, coordination chemistry, nuclear chemistry, and an introduction to organic chemistry and biochemistry. Lectures will be supplemented with discussions from recent scientific literature, including material from students' independent literature research projects.