Broader Impacts of Science on Society (cross-listed ZOO-6927 and GLY-6932)

Spring 2011, 2 credit hours

There is an increasing emphasis on the relevance of what a scientist does and how we impact society in general.  This is manifested in many ways, for example, NSF now requires “Broader Impact” statements in grant proposals and explicit plans for how these kinds of activities will be accomplished. This course will explore ways in which scientists can increase our impact, particularly to society at large. During this seminar-format course, students will engage in active participation and discussion.  The beginning of the course will feature class discussions led by the instructor and invited speakers.  One outcome of the course is that students will develop a broader impact project based on their own research, which will be ready for implementation when the student is ready.  

Mammalogy (ZOO 5486C)

Fall even years, both undergrad and grad, 4 credit hours

This course will focus on the field of mammalogy, and will contain both a lecture portion and a lab/field component. The lectures will take place M, W, and F mornings (to be scheduled). I anticipate two lab sections of fewer than 25 students each, which will likely meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. The lectures will cover aspects of mammalian physiology, ecology, behavior, and evolution. The lab will focus on mammalian identification (those local to FL as well as a worldwide diversity), specimen preparation, and field collections. The lecture will have 2-3 exams, and the lab will have 2-3 practical exams and an individual project, which must be written up as a report.

Methods of Phylogenetic Inference (ZOO 6927)

Fall odd years, grad students only, 4 credit hours

This will be an intensive hands-on approach to learning about the theory and practice of evolutionary tree building. The first 2/3 of the semester will be spent learning about the various methods/philosophies of treebuilding, accompanied by computer time to learn various software applications for tree building and hypothesis testing. The last third of the semester will focus on the diverse applications of tree building from phylogenetics and phylogeography to phylogenomics, gene discovery, and beyond. Students will be expected to complete a project during the course of the semester, and a midterm and final exam will be given. This course is designed for graduate students and very exceptional undergraduates.