Departmental Seminars (BIOL 495 section T1) - Biological Effects of CO₂ and Climate Change
 

Course Scheduled: Spring 2020, Tuesdays 3:40 pm to 4:30 pm

Credits: 1 credit

Grading: S/F only

Prerequisites: BIOL 312 (Ecology) or equivalent

Instructor(s): Tom Jurik (jurik@iastate.edu) 

There are many ramifications of climate change for life on our planet.  In this seminar course, students will read papers from the scientific literature, do a presentation on a topic of choice, and guide discussion of the topic.  Topics include but are not limited to: ocean acidification, coral bleaching, phenology, range shifts, potential for migration, community structure, food quality, herbivores, plant productivity, the biota of glaciers, biodiversity, fire, sea levels, climate feedbacks, and more.

Undergraduate Research 101 (BIOL 495)

Course Scheduled: Spring 2016 (second-half semester)

Credits: 0.5 credit

Grading: S/F only

Instructor(s): Kevin Quinteros (kevinq@iastate.edu) and Erin McCall (elmccall@iastate.edu)

In this BIOL 495 section, students will learn about doing research as an undergraduate student.  Interested in learning how to get started in a research lab or in the field?  Not sure what kind of research you might like?  Ask any and all questions in this second-half semester course.

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Literature (BIOL 495 section EB)
 

Course Scheduled: Fall 2017

Credits: 1 credit

Instructor(s): Andrew Kaul (adkaul@iastate.edu) and Erica Baken (ebaken@iastate.edu)

In this BIOL 495 section, students will have weekly meetings with discussions led by classmates on the topics of ecology and evolutionary biology.  The course will be structured like a journal club and is a great opportunity for any student interested in research.  If you are interested in signing up for this course, contact the instructors for the reference number. 

Project Yourself!  Collaborative Research with an Aim: Integrated Informatics

Course Scheduled: Fall 2018; specific times/dates to be announced, dependent on enrollees

Credits: 2

Grading: letter grade

Prerequisites: none; students of any major are welcome and juniors/seniors are preferred

Instructor: Eve Wurtele (mash@iastate.edu)

This seminar course is designed for students with varied backgrounds to have an opportunity to work together to create a project that advances science or science education in an area the student cares about.  It is a chance to learn skills of collaboration and multidisciplinary research, to be creative, and to make new friends.  Examples of projects include:

• Use state-of-the-art bioinformatics software and databases to research the origin and function of a new "orphan" gene in humans
• Design a computer mini-game based on new software to engage middle schoolers about elephant biology
• Create an app or multimedia presentation on the history of women in computer science
• Identify the orphan genes in orangutans
• Analyze epidemiology statistics for the Zika virus
• Computationally annotate the genes in the genome of a recently sequenced species

Students of any major are welcome.  Class meetings will discuss a research paper, have a guest speaker, or feature progress reports from students working on their projects.  If you are interested in this course, contact the professor directly to obtain the reference number for the course.  

Departmental Seminars (BIOL 495 section GX) - Transcriptome Genomics: An Undergraduate-level Introduction
 

Course Scheduled: Fall 2019, beginning September 3rd and ending October 8th, meeting Tuesdays 5:10 pm to 6:40 pm

Credits: 1 credit

Grading: S/F only

Instructor(s): Xun Gu (xgu@iastate.edu) 

In this BIOL 495 section, students will learn about the cutting-edge progress of comparative genomics of transcriptomes (gene expression) at an introductory level.  It will cover topics such as: 

1. An overview of next generation sequencing (NGS) and RNA-seq
2. Detecting differentially expressed (DE) genes
3. Patterns of transcriptome evolution
4. Case study of brain transcriptome differences between humans and chimpanzees

Students are expected to attend lectures and participate in class discussions.  Enrollment will be limited to 25 students.

Sensory Biology

Course Scheduled: Spring 2017 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:10 pm to 3:00 pm

Credits: 2

Instructor: Jeanne Serb (serb@iastate.edu)

This seminar will explore will explore other animals sense and navigate their environments.  How do bats find their prey by touch?  How do dogs smell time?  How do plants see the invisible? How do migrating animals know what direction to fly in?  How do brainless animals process sensory information?  This seminar will answer these questions and more.  If you would like to know more about this seminar, contact the instructor.

Tree of Life: Survey of the Earth's Living Organisms

Course Scheduled: Spring 2019 on Thursdays from 3:10 pm to 5:00 pm (room 145 Bessey Hall)

Credits: 2

Grading: S/F only

Prerequisites: BIOL 211, BIOL 212, BIOL 315, permission of instructor (intended for juniors and seniors in Biology)

Instructor: Robert Wallace (rwallace@iastate.edu)

This seminar course will be a survey of the diversity of living organisms from all domains and kingdoms, with emphasis on evolutionary relationships, classification, and morphological characteristics of the major groups of the Earth’s biota.  Students will review the primary biological attributes of archaea, bacteria, protists, fungi, animals, and plants and learn about the current general classifications, diversity, evolutionary trends, and phylogeny of these groups.

If you are interested in this course, please stop by the Student Services Office (103 Bessey Hall) to obtain the reference number for the course.  Enrollment will be limited to 16 students total.

Plants, Genes and Agriculture

Course Scheduled: Fall 2018 on Mondays from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm (room 334 Bessey Hall) for the first half of the semester

Credits: 1

Grading: S/F only

Prerequisites: BIOL 211, BIOL 212; course intended for Biology and Genetics majors at the sophomore and junior level

Instructor: Stephen Howell (shh@iastate.edu)

This seminar course is based on the book "Plants, genes and Agriculture" edited by Maarten Chrispeels and Paul Gepts.  The book deals with the challenges of feeding the growing human population on our planet which is expected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050.  The course will address biological, economic, and sociocultural challenges at an introductory level.  It will cover topics such as sustainable food production, plant domestication, agricultural innovations, biotic and abiotic stress, introduced agronomic and consumer traits, and subsistence farming.  

Students will make presentations about the chapters of the book and lead discussions.  Enrollment will be limited to 20 students.  If you are interested in this course, please stop by the Student Services Office (103 Bessey Hall) to obtain the reference number for the course.