AEC 203 – An Introduction to the Honey Bee and Beekeeping
TR 11:45am-1:00pm
David Tarpy
A GER course targeted towards non-science majors to provide an exploration into biology and science using honey bees as a charismatic vehicle. Provides an introduction to honey bee biology and management, as well as an examination of the relationships between honey bees and humans from prehistoric through modern times.
AEC 400 – Applied Ecology
TR 1:30-2:45pm
Erin McKenney
Global climate change, over-harvesting, habitat loss, altered nutrient cycles, and the spread of invasive species are among the world’s pressing global environmental issues. Solutions to these problems are complex, but firmly rooted in the fundamental tenets of ecological theory. The field of applied ecology is premised on using these fundamental ecological principles to help solve the environmental challenges we face. This course will provide an overview of the field of applied ecology, based on a series of case studies. Working from the individual to global level, the course will provide a broad perspective on the field of applied ecology.
AEC 441/442/592 – Biology of Fishes
TR 3:00-4:15pm / F 12:50-3:35pm
Ben Reading
Fishes are the largest and most diverse assemblage of vertebrates on the earth with nearly 30,000 described species. This undergraduate level course provides an overview of ichthyology including evolution, classification, and identification of fishes and a comparative examination of divergent fish behavior, physiology, and ecology. The content of the course will emphasize evolutionary relationships between fish groups and their adaptations for life in streams, lakes, and oceans. The course will be organized into three major segments: 1) taxonomy and systematics of fishes, 2) physiology and biology of fishes, and 3) ecology of fishes.
AEC 460 – Field Ecology
T 8:30-9:45am R 8:30am-1:00pm
Erin McKenney
Field Ecology and Methods will expose senior students with interests in Ecology and Evolution to the diverse field approaches used to address ecological questions. The course considers and implements a variety of field approaches ranging from microcosm experiments to global studies of patterns and diversity. Course is restricted to seniors.
AEC 470/570 – Urban Ecology
MW 11:45am-1:00pm
Elsa Youngsteadt
Developing design, conservation, and management strategies to serve humans and biodiversity in urban areas is an ongoing challenge. This course examines cities as unique physical environments and as social-ecological systems: How urban factors drive abundance and distribution of plants and animals, with consequences for biodiversity, ecosystem function, and human well-being. We will address the role of ecology in urban design and management, and emphasize the question of whether urban systems, and the role of humans therein, are adequately described by existing ecological theory.
AEC 495/592 – Environmental Issues in Aquatic Ecology
TR 3:00-4:15pm
JoAnn Burkholder
This course explores the science, policy, and politics of environmental issues affecting aquatic ecosystems from freshwaters to the open ocean. Its overall goal is improved protection of these natural resources and the health of people across the world who depend on them for potable water supplies and seafood.
AEC 502 – Introduction to Biological Research
W 8:30-10:20am ONLINE
Brad Taylor
The main objectives of this course are to introduce and develop the tools and skills useful for excelling in graduate programs in Biology. Topics range from practical skills, such as selecting a committee, communication, data management, generating a thesis topic, and formulating hypotheses, to those that are more philosophical. There is a focus on scientific writing, especially grant proposals, and other professional skills, such as oral discussions of topics related to diversity and inclusivity, collaboration, publishing and reviewing, and developing professional skills and relationships that will be important throughout the graduate tenure of the students.
AEC 510 – Machine Learning
W 9:35-11:25am
Ben Reading
A wide range of high-throughput technologies enable us to evaluate biological systems at various levels—at the genome, epigenome, transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome. These technologies are now being used to generate data to answer an ever-increasingly diverse set of questions. The next great challenge is integrating data analysis in a systems biology approach that utilizes novel supervised machine learning methods, which accommodate heterogeneity of data, are robust to biological variation, and provide mechanistic insight. The course will not focus on detailed mathematical models, but instead on how these machine learning tools may be used to analyze biological data, in particular gene and protein expression.