Courses  
  • BIOL 102:  Introduction to Zoology

This course provides an introductory-level presentation of biological concepts, emphasizing the biology of animals, including humans.  Topics include the chemical basis of life, structural and functional aspects of cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems, embryonic development, heredity, evolution, and ecology.  The course fulfills the Core Curriculum requirement for a laboratory course in the natural sciences.

  • BIOL 122:  General Biology II

This is the second half of the 2-semester introductory biology sequence required for all Biology majors.  The course includes a survey of the major groups of  eukaryotic organisms, focusing on their morphology, physiology, evolution, and ecology.  It is divided into two halves:  the first half of the semester (which I teach) focuses on animals, whereas the second is taught by a botanist and focuses on plants, fungi, and protists. 

  • BIOL 225:  Ecology

    This core Biology course provides a broad overview of the field of ecology, which focuses on interactions among organisms and between organisms and the physical environment.  Major topics include physiological adaptations, population dynamics and population genetics, community interactions, and the cycling of nutrients and flow of energy through ecosystems.  The laboratory component strongly emphasizes the design of field studies, collection and analysis of data, and communication of results. 

    BIOL 297:  Biometry

This course is an introduction to the general principles and use of statistical analyses in the biological sciences.  Topics include probability theory, characterization of data with descriptive statistics, sampling error, elements of experimental design, and hypothesis testing, emphasizing the philosophy and assumptions of statistical analysis as well as the mechanics.  The course is required for the Environmental Science concentration in Biological Sciences, serves as a cognate for other concentrations in Biological Sciences, and fulfills the Core Distribution Requirement in Application of Quantitative Skills.

  • BIOL 425/BIOE 515:  Population Ecology

This is an advanced course in ecology, focusing on the mechanisms that determine the growth and persistence of biological populations.  Topics include population growth and regulation, density dependent and density independent growth, the evolution of life history strategies, species interactions (e.g., competition, mutualism, predation), and the use of mathematical models in conservation biology and natural resource management.