EEB 5220a, General Ecology  David Post and Eric Slessarev

A broad consideration of the theory and practice of ecology, including the ecology of individuals, population dynamics and regulation, community structure, ecosystem function, and ecological interactions on broad spatial and temporal scales. Topics such as climate change, fisheries management, and infectious disease are placed in an ecological context.
MWF 10:30am-11:20am

EEB 5223Lb, Laboratory for Evolution, Functional Traits, and the Tree of Life  Linda Puth

Experimental approaches to organismal and population biology, including study of the diversity of life.
HTBA

EEB 5225b, Evolutionary Biology  Jenn Coughlan and Brandon Ogbunu

An overview of evolutionary biology as the discipline uniting all of the life sciences. Evolution explains the origin of life and Earth’s biodiversity, and how organisms acquire adaptations that improve survival and reproduction. This course uses reading and discussion of scientific papers to emphasize that evolutionary biology is a dynamic science, involving active research to better understand the mysteries of life. We discuss principles of population genetics, paleontology, and systematics; and application of evolutionary thinking in disciplines such as developmental biology, ecology, microbiology, molecular biology, and human medicine.
TTh 10:30am-11:20am

EEB 5228b, Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease  Vanessa Ezenwa and Paul Turner

Overview of the ecology and evolution of pathogens (bacteria, viruses, protozoa) and their impact on host populations. Topics include theoretical concepts, ecological and evolutionary dynamics, molecular biology, and epidemiology of ancient and emerging diseases.
TTh 10:30am-11:20am

EEB 5255a, Invertebrates  Casey Dunn

An overview of animal diversity that explores themes including animal phylogenetics (evolutionary relationships), comparative studies of evolutionary patterns across species, organism structure and function, and the interaction of organisms with their environments. Most animal lineages are marine invertebrates, so marine invertebrates are the focus of most of the course. Concurrent enrollment in E&EB 5556L is not required.
TTh 11:35am-12:50pm

EEB 5256La, Laboratory for Invertebrates  Casey Dunn

The study of invertebrate anatomy and diversity in a laboratory and field setting. Activities include examination of live animals and museum specimens, as well as local field trips. Some field trips fall on weekends. Must be taken concurrently with E&EB 555.  ½ Course cr
Th 1:30pm-4:30pm

EEB 5264b, Ichthyology  Thomas Near

A survey of fish diversity, including jawless vertebrates, chimaeras and sharks, lungfishes, and ray-finned fishes. Topics include the evolutionary origin of vertebrates, the fossil record of fishes, evolutionary diversification of major extant fish lineages, biogeography, ecology, and reproductive strategies of fishes.
TTh 1pm-2:15pm

EEB 5265Lb, Laboratory for Ichthyology  Thomas Near

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W 1:30pm-4:30pm

EEB 5340a, Microbial Ecology  Martina Dal Bello

When thinking about microbes what comes to mind are usually diseases and unpleasant smells from the fridge or the basement. Nevertheless, microbes and the communities they form are key contributors to our wellbeing and the functioning of the planet. This course provides an introduction to microbial ecology, with an emphasis on how microbial systems differ from their macroscopic counterparts, including defining a microbial species; sampling/experimenting with microbes; principles of microbial growth, metabolism, and death; species interactions and community assembly in different environments; microbial community functions; and elements of microbial evolution.
TTh 9am-10:15am

EEB 6500a and EEB 6501b, Advanced Topics in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology  Vanessa Ezenwa

Topics to be announced. Graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
M 2:30pm-4:30pm

EEB 6545a, Responsible Conduct of Research  Vanessa Ezenwa

This five-week discussion seminar considers issues related to the responsible conduct of research. Topics addressed include research misconduct, plagiarism, data acquisition and management, mentoring and collaboration, authorship and peer review, the use of animals and humans in scientific research, sexual harassment, diversity, and balancing professional and personal life. Graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.  0 Course cr
HTBA

EEB 6901a or b, Research Rotation I  Vanessa Ezenwa

Research Rotation I
HTBA

EEB 6902a or b, Research Rotation II  Vanessa Ezenwa

Research Rotation II
HTBA

EEB 7712b, Foundations of Ecology  Martina Dal Bello

This seminar course familiarizes students with foundational concepts and themes in ecology and how they have changed over time. Each week we read and discuss two papers: one classic paper selected from the recently published volume Foundations of Ecology II: Classic Papers with Commentaries (Eds. Miller and Travis, 2022) covering the period 1970–1995, and one related contemporary paper published after 2010. We discuss how the concepts and themes introduced in classic papers have influenced the field of ecology and consider how new tools, data, and insights have advanced, diminished, or changed their impact. The Foundations book covers many topics, arranged into six core areas. Readings cover all six areas, but the included content varies depending on the interests of the class. Students are responsible for choosing one classic paper from Foundations, pairing it with one contemporary paper and leading the discussion during the class meeting. Students also submit short weekly “reflections” in response to a prompt.
HTBA

EEB 7713a, New Technologies for Biodiversity Monitoring and Conservation  Walter Jetz

With ever-growing threats to species worldwide, decision-relevant information is needed to empower local communities, businesses, governments, and conservation practitioners to deliver biodiversity outcomes. Rapidly advancing technologies such as visual and acoustic sensors, eDNA, UAV-based survey approaches, community science, GPS-tracking, computer vision, and AI-informed organismal detections and identifications are hailed as central to this goal and as avenue to accelerate our understanding of biodiversity across scales. In this course we survey and critically assess novel technological avenues for local wildlife monitoring and species assessment. We explore their potential to support global biodiversity monitoring at large and to advance ecological concepts. Each week, we evaluate a different technology arena and discuss its scalability and potential impact in applied and basic ecological contexts. We focus specifically on the use of these methods in currently understudied regions, such as the tropics, and assess the emerging opportunities, as well as limitations and risks, around overcoming existing information and knowledge biases and inequities. Finally, we identify the opportunities for integrating different technologies combined with remote sensing to support a more robust monitoring of planetary biodiversity change. The course consists of faculty, guest, and participant presentations addressing specific themes, followed by group discussions. Course participants are expected to read literature around both the application and potential broader scientific relevance of new technologies. The course draws on some of our own engagement in the recent XPrize Rainforest Final and the upcoming CBD COP 16 and includes select guest presentations from these arenas. The course is held in weekly intervals and is based on readings from the literature, in-class presentations and discussions, and engagements with guests. This is a seminar course that requires synchronous attendance.
HTBA

EEB 7820a, Darwinian Thought and Society  Brandon Ogbunu

In this seminar, we discuss the work of Charles Darwin and others, focusing on the intersection between their ideas and their social relevance. We examine the fundamental importance of Darwinian thinking, along with more specific concepts such as adaptationism, biological determinism, and discrimination (among others). The course includes substantial reading, writing, and other projects that facilitate a deeper understanding of how Darwin’s legacy manifests in contemporary discourses of social significance.
Th 1:30pm-3:20pm

EEB 7870a, Ecological Genomics  Jenn Coughlan

In this seminar-style course, we discuss current research on the use of genomics in the study of adaptation. The course covers fundamental concepts in biology, including those in evolutionary ecology and evolutionary genomics, as well as important applied aspects of ecological genomics, such as conservation biology.
T 1:30pm-3:20pm

EEB 7930a / EPS 7030a, Seminar in Systematics  Jacques Gauthier

Topics and class time are chosen by the participants, and have included reading books and/or a series of papers on particular topics (e.g., homology; morphological phylogenetics; evolution of egg colors and exposed nesting in dinosaurs/birds; origin of snake ecology; conflicts between morphology and molecules; role of fossils in phylogenetic inference).
HTBA