Biology 354: Foundations in Evolution and Systematics

Instructor: Ray Huey and Peter Ward

Teaching assistants: Fran Bonier, Aaron Clark, Noelle Macnicki

Syllabus (with links to lecture PowerPoint presentations AND discussion section assignments, UPDATED OFTEN -- check regularly!)

Course policies (exams, grading, etc.)

Evolution is one of the great organizing principles of modern biology.  Evolutionary theory, supported by experimental and observational data, explain both the phenomenal diversity of life on Earth, as well as the features shared by all living things.  Theodosius Dobzhansky summarized it well: "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution."

Our goals for this course are to help you:

• Learn to think evolutionarily, integrating evolutionary principles with your knowledge from other disciplines to address real-world problems in areas such as medicine, ecology, physiology, and conservation;
• Explore in depth some key concepts in evolutionary biology, moving from observed patterns of phenotypic variation to evolutionary hypotheses, experimental design, and data analysis;
• Understand the historical, theoretical, and experimental bases for contemporary paradigms in evolutionary biology;
• Learn to read, understand, and apply knowledge obtained from the primary scientific literature;
• Prepare for advanced coursework or research in evolutionary biology if you so desire.

This course has two components. (1) The lecture component emphasises general principles. You are responsible for all material presented in lectures, and can supplement this with readings in the text. Two exams will test your understanding of lecture material. (2) The discussion section component will emphasize original papers. You are responsible for reading the articles and coming prepared with questions and criticisms. In many weeks you will submit written assignments at the beginning of the discussion section.