Courses

Study Abroad in Baja has its perks...

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Fall 2009

• EEOB 567: Empirical Population Genetics

• The focus of this 3 credit course is the use of genetic markers and population genetic theory to address pattern and process in ecology, ecological genetics, evolutionary biology, and systematics.

Spring 2009

• Biology 315: Organismal Evolution
  

• This 3 credit course introduces the modern theory of evolution and is partitioned into five major topics:
  1. Darwinism and evolutionary thought
  2. Mechanism of evolutionary change
  3. Adaptation
  4. Speciation and the history of life
  5. Molecular evolution

Fall 2008

• EEB 585: Graduate Field Trip to Baja California, Mexico

• Team taught with Dr. Jeanne Serb, this 2 credit course will engage ISU graduate students in field research and cultural experiences in the Sonoran Desert of Baja California Sur, Mexico. Research will be team-oriented and will include terrestrial and aquatic components and encompass experimental design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation. The class will meet weekly in preparation for the Mexico trip the week of Thanksgiving.
  

Spring 2008

• Biology 315: Organismal Evolution

• This 3 credit course introduces the modern theory of evolution and is partitioned into five major topics:
  1. Darwinism and evolutionary thought
  2. Mechanism of evolutionary change
  3. Adaptation
  4. Speciation and the history of life
  5. Molecular evolution

• Biology 394: International Study Abroad in Mexico

• Team taught with Dr. Mary Harris, this 3 credit course engages ISU students in field research and cultural experiences in the Sonoran Desert of Baja California, Mexico. Team-oriented research includes terrestrial and aquatic components and encompass experimental design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation (visual and oral).
• EEB 698: Evolution of Genome Architecture
• Team taught with Drs. Dennis Lavrov and Steve Proulx, this 1 credit graduate seminar course explores the evolutionary processes that may have contributed to the structure of present-day genomes.  The seminar will be organized as student-led discussions of individual chapters in the book "The Origins of Genome Architecture" by Michael Lynch.  The book covers many aspects of genome structure, including genome size, intron position, regulatory elements, transposable elements, organelle genomes, and sex chromosome differences.  Instructors will supplement the book with some additional sources to explore the theoretical and empirical basis of genome organization.
  

Fall 2007

• EEOB 567: Empirical Population Genetics
• The focus on this 3 credit graduate course is the use of genetic markers and population genetic theory to address pattern and process in ecology, ecological genetics, evolutionary biology, and systematics. The course involves lectures, reading and discussion of papers, problem solving exercises, and use of analytical software. Writing assignments include a NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant (DDIG) proposal prepared following official NSF guidelines.
  

Summer 2007

• Population Genetics Training Using GenAlEx
• A two-day workshop providing population genetics training using the popular software GenAlEx.
• The workshop was led by Dr. Rod Peakall, author of GenAlEx.
  
• Genetic Analysis in Excel (Peakall and Smouse 2006) is designed as a user-friendly package with an intuitive and consistent interface that allows users to analyse a wide range of population genetic data within a software environment with which most users will have some familiarity (MS Excel). GenAlEx is now widely used by university teachers at both undergraduate and graduate levels in Australia, North America, South America, and Europe.  The software also offers a wide range of analysis options for researchers that have already attracted hundreds of registered users, representing more than 50 countries.