Prerequisites: Biol 340. This course will utilize clinical (pathological) case studies to reinforce physiologic knowledge and provide students a strong basis for future studies in biomedical and health related fields. Effective From: Spring 2013

Prerequisites: BIOL 205 with a C or better and BIOL 206, or permission of instructor. This course will use the examination of an on-campus ecosystem, the dining hall, as a framework for learning about a number of applied ecological concepts. We will investigate topics such as food webs, nutrient cycling, microbial ecology, and agroecology as they apply to the organisms and biological processes, present in our dining hall. Course work will involve extensive reading and discussion of scientific and popular literature, supplemented by regular class trips to the dining hall and related on-campus facilities. Effective From: Fall 2012

Prerequisite: R120:201 and R120:202 with a grade of C or better. This course will examine the physiology of neurons such as excitability, impulse conduction, synaptic of neural signaling and neural plasticity. The objective is to provide students with a basic understanding of neural signaling and communication. Effective From: Fall 2012

Prerequisite: BIOL 205, BIOL 206, R120:201 and R120:202 with a grade of C or better. A lab course focusing on research in Animal Behavior. This course will cover foraging, predator avoidance, territoriality, and mate choice. Labs will be inquiry based with students designing experiments to test hypotheses concerning aspects of animal behavior. Effective From: Fall 2012

Prerequisite: R120:340/BIOL 340 or R120:345 and R120:355 or R120:356 or R120:352 with a grade of C or better. Popular science fiction media will be utilized to initiate thinking critically and creatively about the biological sciences; from the molecular level to whole organism physiology. Students will explore the potential biology of fictitious organisms, and determine real-life analogues. These topics will be used as a vehicle to improve scientific writing and to apply biological knowledge in a new and unique way. Effective From: Fall 2012

Description: Understanding collective intelligence is one of the main challenges of contemporary science. Social dynamics are essential for the organization of gregarious and social organisms, and they are an important part of many human activities including the selection of social and industrial norms, the growing use of crowd-sourcing and viral marketing in social networks, and the influence of media and entourage on the outcome of democratic processes.

This course will emphasize an integrative view of collective animal behaviors, with elements of ethology, behavioral ecology, sociology, socio-physics, and mathematical and computer modeling. It will also address topics in the evolution of sociality, the development of social and cultural conventions, and the applications of swarm intelligence.

The course objectives are (1) to provide you with an understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of organization in large-scale groups; (2) to understand how these mechanisms are incorporated into the behavior of different animal groups; (3) to highlight the importance of interdisciplinary research by studying and discussing scientific work spanning multiple disciplines. Effective From: Fall 2012