'Most of the environmental challenges we face are complex and interdisciplinary in nature. This course introduces students to the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to both understand the interrelationships of the natural world, as well as to identify and analyze environmental problems and think critically about alternative solutions for addressing them. Key concepts from ecology, biogeochemistry, and other scientific fields inform our study of climate change, water resources, soil sustainability, food production, and other topics.

'In this course we will examine the role of molecular genetic analysis in the study of phenomena such as human disease (e.g., breast cancer), animal development, and gene regulation. We will also study genetic engineering of plants and animals. There will be group discussions of original research articles and review articles.'

'Long considered to be simple 'bags of enzymes,' bacteria are now appreciated to be highly ordered and dynamic cells. Bacterial cells organize their genetic material, assemble cytoskeletons, localize proteins, construct organelle-like compartments, differentiate, and communicate with one another to coordinate multicellular behaviors. This course will explore the exciting new field of bacterial cell biology via the primary scientific literature. Substantial student participation in the form of group work and discussions will be expected.'

A consideration of the physiological processes involved in the control of human body functions. We will study the mechanisms for regulating individual organ systems and how these mechanisms respond to changing needs of the individual. Our examination of the physiological controls will include an analysis of the underlying cellular and molecular processes that drive the mechanisms and integrate the activities of the different systems.

'This course explores the tremendous diversity of the plant kingdom, emphasizing the local flora. Evolutionary relationships are discussed on the basis of comparisons of reproductive biology, morphology, anatomy, cell structure, and molecular biology.'

'Art and music are a part of all human cultures. Is there something about the human brain that drives us to paint and sing? We will examine how the brain simultaneously processes different aspects of a visual object, such as shape, color, and depth, and ask how this processing may affect the way we draw and paint. We will ask whether musical dissonance and consonance are biologically or culturally determined and whether or not different parts of the brain process different aspects of music such as pitch, melody, harmony, rhythm, and the emotional content of a musical piece.'