In this laboratory-based microbiology course students will develop the skills necessary to conduct a meaningful research project from start to finish. Students will gain hands-on experience with media formulation, culturing techniques, and phylogenetic analysis. In the process, students will discover a vast microbial community and possibly previously unknown species.

This course develops skills for designing experiments and analyzing data using standard statistical methods. Work will include the use of some common computer software and programs, such as Excel, R and Minitab. We will use a concise textbook plus other readings, and design and carry out data collection in class, with some data collected and analyzed by students on their own. We will also discuss examples in primary research articles and relevant aspects of the philosophy of science.

Calculus II: This course extends the concepts, techniques and applications of an introductory calculus course. We'll detect periodicity in noisy data, and study functions of several variables, integration, differential equations, and the approximation of functions by polynomials. We'll continue the analysis of dynamical systems taking models from student selected primary literature on ecology, economics, epidemiology, and physics. We will finish with an introduction to the theory and applications of Fourier series and harmonic analysis.

This course covers the principles of microbiology, including cell structure, microbial diversity, growth, metabolism, and physiology; as well as the impact of microorganisms on human health, food, agriculture, and the environment. Students will develop critical thinking and quantitative skills through case-based analysis of the microbiology literature and thus be better prepared to assess the impact of microorganisms on our daily lives.

Genetics is traditionally the study of heredity - the passing of traits from parent to offspring. We have come to know that much of heredity is based on the information encoded in our genes. However, increasing evidence supports the notion that external factors can significantly influence this passing of traits. We will investigate many "traditional" areas of genetics, ranging from basic topics such as DNA structure and Mendelian inheritance to more advanced topics such as regulation of gene expression.

This course will examine the structures and processes that contribute to the inner-workings of the eukaryotic cell. This knowledge is vital in understanding our bodies and helps to inform many other fields. We will develop this knowledge through paired seminar and laboratory sections. Students will complete independent research projects to examine one detailed aspect of the cell, and will communicate the results in oral and written formats so others will learn the breadth of cellular capabilities.

This introductory course will explore the process of doing scientific research in a molecular biology lab. Students will learn numerous techniques in the lab, including DNA isolation, PCR, gel electrophoresis, restriction enzyme mapping, cloning, and basic microscopy. Students will engage in semester-long research projects in which they carryout experiments, collect and analyze data, and report their conclusions in written and oral formats.

Soundscapes will explore the emerging field of eco-musicology -- bridging music and sound studies with ecology. Using primary literature, mixed media and deep listening, the course will address the ways that sound functions in the ecological environment, and the ways sound and music can be used to represent ecological phenomena. We will consider how the landscape is organized and transformed by sound, how noise pollution is impacting ecosystems and how music can enhance understanding of the environment.

This course is an introduction to the structure, properties, reactivity, and spectroscopy of organic molecules, as well as their significance in our daily lives. We will first lay down the groundwork for the course, covering bonding, physical properties of organic compounds, stereochemistry, and kinetics and thermodynamics of organic reactions. We will then move on to the reactions of alkanes, alkyl halides, alcohols and ethers, alkenes, and alkynes, emphasizing the molecular mechanisms that allow us to predict and understand chemical behavior.

Physics II is a calculus-based physics course that covers thermodynamics, statistical mechanics and electromagnetism at a basic level. Project-like labs look at the thermodynamics of Nitinol, building circuits with operational amplifiers and measuring environmental electric fields.