Rivers and streams wind through the landscape moving water, sediment and other materials and provide habitat for a variety of organisms. In this class we will discuss the main processes that occur in rivers and the means for observing them. We will learn to interpret the morphology (shape) of rivers and fluvial landscapes. We will use both field measurements (i.e. get our feet wet in the stream) and computer models to analyze local river systems from both a hydrological and ecological perspective.

Molecular ecology utilizes the spatial and temporal distribution of molecular genetic markers to ask questions about the ecology, evolution, behavior, and conservation of organisms. This science may utilize neutral DNA markers to understand individuals, populations, and species as a whole.

This fermentation science course is designed to familiarize students with the current topics and procedures in brewing science. This upper-level course requires previous course and laboratory work in chemistry and microbiology. The course will focus on the study of the fundamental and applied sciences related to the use of microorganisms as production and processing agents. Specifically, we will examine the technological and biochemical aspects of the brewing process, including raw materials, malting, mashing, fermentation and maturation.

Last semester we began our exploration of organic structure, reactivity, and spectroscopy. This semester will continue that journey, examining aromatic molecules, carbonyl compounds, nitrogen-containing compounds, pericyclic reactions, and organometallic chemistry. The emphasis will be on mechanism and synthesis, along with relevance of the chemistry to biology, medicine, society, and environment. By the end of the semester you will have a solid intuitive sense of how organic molecules react and how to manipulate them in the lab.

Hampshire College has joined the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment with the goal to become "climate neutral" by eliminating or neutralizing all of our greenhouse gas emissions. Students in this class will further develop specific energy conservation strategies to attain this goal. We will focus on raising energy awareness across the campus and reducing energy use through behavioral changes and innovative technical solutions. We will start by learning about the current energy use and carbon emissions of the Hampshire College campus.

Are we alone in the universe? The essence of that question has likely been a source of inspiration since the dawn of humanity. The modern science of astrobiology is a transdisciplinary study of extraterrestrial life in the universe drawing from active research in astrophysics, biology, chemistry, and geology. A microbiologist, an astronomer, and a planetary scientist have teamed up to take you through this inter-disciplinary course, where we will look at the history of extraterrestrial debate and analyze the science behind astrobiology.

Did you ever wonder why Jewish grandmothers who make gefilte fish from Norwegian sturgeon so frequently are parasitized by tapeworms? Maybe not, but who gets parasitized, when, and by what is highly significant to understanding the history of humankind. In this seminar we will read and think about the failure of modern (Western) medicine to eliminate most of the tropical diseases of Homo sapiens. We will also introduce the workings of Hampshire College. We will read R.S. Desowitz's Federal Bodysnatchers and the New Guinea Virus (2002) and P.J.

This course is primarily for a relatively small group of more advanced students to do field studies in terrestrial ecology, field trips, and readings from primary literature. We will use the Hampshire College forests and fields, the canopy walkway, farm center, and off-campus sites as our study areas. We'll be outside as much as possible early on, and visit several habitats and locations of interest.

This course is intended for Div III and advanced Div II students who are committed to proposing, developing, or carrying-through research projects involving techniques commonly used in a molecular biology lab. Students will learn intermediate to advanced approaches, protocols, and strategies for molecular biology.

This course explores life stories and what have been called "testimonials" that have emerged from Latin American contexts. The testimonial often surfaces through a politically urgent partnership of the person who tells her story and another person who records and edits the story. In relation to specific Latin American contexts, this course examines the social implications of these textual productions, draws parallels with the production of ethnographic and anthropological texts, and examines issues of power within these endeavors.