2013-14 Undergraduate Index A-Z
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Upper Division Science
These offerings may include upper division science credit. See individual listings for details.
| Title | Offering | Standing | Credits | Credits | When | F | W | S | Su | Description | Preparatory | Faculty | Days of Week | Multiple Standings | Start Quarters |
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Dennis Hibbert
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Course | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 4 | 04 | Weekend | S 14Spring | There are so many people — and environmental problems — because we control our food supply. Population growth accelerated as the last ice age waned and agriculture emerged separately in the Middle East, East Asia, southern Mexico, and the Amazon basin. We will study the world at that time and the evidence for agriculture's beginnings, drawing on archaeology, geology, palaeobotany, geochemistry, and climatology. We will then watch the project we began come to be today's world. | Dennis Hibbert | Sat | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | ||||
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Heather Heying
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | What do animals do, how do they do it and why? In this two-quarter-long investigation of animal behavior, a continuation of Genes and Evolution in fall quarter, students will answer these questions through extensive use of the scientific literature, in-depth discussions of the evolutionary and ecological theories fundamental to the study of behavior, independent research projects and several weeks in the field, including a multi-week trip to tropical ecosystems in Ecuador.Animals hibernate, forage, mate, form social groups, compete, communicate, care for their young and so much more. They do so with the tools of their physiology, anatomy, and, in some cases, culture, for reasons having to do with their particular ecology and evolutionary history. In this program, we will begin with a review of animal diversity, and continue our studies of behavior from both a theoretical and an empirical perspective. Students will be expected to engage some of the complex and often contradictory scientific predictions and results that have been generated in this field through lectures, workshops and take-home exams, as well as undertake their own, intensive field research. Some topics covered in this program will include mating systems, territoriality, female mate choice, competition, communication, parental care, game theory, plant/animal interactions and convergent evolution. Several readings will focus on one group of animals in particular: the primates, including Continuing the focus on theory and statistics begun in Genes and Evolution, we will travel to Ecuador to study the differences and similarities between the neotropics and the Pacific Northwest, focusing on the animals and their behavior. Particular attention will be paid to the herpetofauna (amphibians and reptiles) that live in lowland rainforests. In spring quarter, having studied the methods, statistics and literature frequently used in behavioral research, students will generate their own hypotheses and go into the field to test them through extensive, independent field research. This work might be in Ecuador or the Pacific Northwest. Students will return to campus for the last two weeks of spring quarter to complete their data analysis and present their research. | Heather Heying | Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | ||||
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Michael Paros
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 14Winter | Why do humans keep pets and at the same time raise animals for food? What are the psychological and moral complexities that characterize our relationships with animals? What is the impact of human–animal interactions on the health and well-being of people and animals? How do we assess the relative welfare of animals under a variety of circumstances? Anthrozoology is the interdisciplinary study of human (anthro) and animal (zoo) interaction. This topic of inquiry will be used to study general biology, zoology, anthropology and philosophy. Through field trips, guest speakers, reading, writing and discussion, students will become familiar with the multiple and often paradoxical ways we relate to companion animals, animals for sport, zoo animals, wildlife, research animals and food animals. We will use our collective experiences, along with science-based and value-based approaches, to critically examine the ever-changing role of animals in society.We will begin the quarter by focusing on the process of animal domestication in different cultures from an evolutionary and historical perspective. Through the formal study of animal ethics, students will also become familiar with different philosophical positions on the use of animals. Physiology and neuroscience will be used to investigate the physical and mental lives of animals while simultaneously exploring domestic animal behavior. Students will explore the biological basis and psychological aspects of the human-animal bond. Students will then study the science of animal welfare and complete a final project in which they will apply their scientific and ethical knowledge to a controversial and contemporary animal welfare question.Students will be expected to read primary literature in such diverse fields as animal science, ethology, neurobiology, sociobiology, anthropology and philosophy. Student success in this program will depend on commitment to in-depth understanding of complex topics and an ability to combine empirical knowledge and philosophical reflection. | Michael Paros | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | |||||
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Paula Schofield and Andrew Brabban
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 14Spring | The aim of this program is to apply fundamental knowledge and theories of biology and chemistry to practical, real world situations. The application of biology and chemistry has huge impacts on our society, particularly influencing our economy and quality of life. Cutting edge techniques and processes are continually being developed by biologists and chemists to produce the medicines, chemicals and materials we use daily. Products include pharmaceuticals—from synthetic drugs to gene therapies—used to prevent disease and cure illness; biocompatible materials for use in the medical field; fossil-fuel derived synthetic polymers (plastics, fibers, rubbers, etc.); and modern "green" or "sustainable" materials that include biodegradable polymers. These products are widely used by the general public, as well as in a wide array of industries and professions: agriculture, sports, health-care, law enforcement, the military, automotive, food, etc.We will focus on the practical applications of modern biology and chemistry, studying both small and large molecules, natural and synthetic. Based significantly in the laboratory, students will learn the theoretical principles and relevant lab and instrumentation techniques needed to synthesize, isolate and analyze small molecules and macromolecules. We will examine small biological molecules as well as organic molecules, moving to important biological macromolecules (DNA, RNA, proteins) and synthetic polymers (plastics, fibers, biodegradable polymers, green materials). Theory and techniques of molecular cloning, protein biochemistry, biocatalysis and transgenics will be emphasized, as well as synthesis and characterization of relevant organic molecules, polymers and green materials. Seminars on technical literature and student presentations will be significant components of the program. We will also discuss the professional biologist's and chemist's relationship with industry, government and universities, and examine employment opportunities for biologists and chemists. Students will be evaluated based on their laboratory techniques, laboratory reports, class presentations and homework assignments. | Paula Schofield Andrew Brabban | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | |||||
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Rebecca Sunderman
Signature Required:
Winter Spring
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | In previous chemistry work, you learned what the atomic orbital shapes were. In this program, you will explore how we know their shape. In previous chemistry work, you learned what a conductor was. In this program, you will examine the solid-state structural characteristics that indicate a material is a potential conductor. You will explore the "But why?" of chemistry by examining topics in thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, kinetics and materials chemistry. Many of the topics require a strong mathematical foundation and comfort with calculus applications.In the lecture component, faculty will present the laws of thermodynamics, enthalpy, entropy, chemical potential, phase diagrams, Gibbs free energy, reaction spontaneity, solid-state structure, solid-state bonding theories, point group symmetry, applications of symmetry, transition metal complexes, materials synthesis, Maxwell relations, the Schrodinger equation, atomic and molecular energy levels, electronic structure of atoms and molecules, unimolecular kinetics, biomolecular kinetics and current kinetic theories.During fall quarter, students will participate in physical chemistry and materials chemistry laboratory experiments. The laboratory component in the winter will train students to use and to explain the theory of several instruments for chemical analysis. In the spring, students will focus on enhancing skills in experimental design and research methods with the incorporation of team research projects surrounding a historical experiment in chemistry. In addition, emphasis will be placed on the development of technical writing skills and on interpretation and integration of issues pertaining to chemistry and society. | Rebecca Sunderman | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||
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Alison Styring
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 14Winter | Birds are considered important indicators of habitat quality and are often the focus of conservation-oriented research, restoration, and monitoring. A variety of field and analytical methods commonly used in bird monitoring and avian research will be covered. Theory will be applied to practice in the field and lab where students will develop skills in fieldwork, data management, and statistical analysis. Students will demonstrate their learning through active participation in all class activities; a detailed field journal; in-class, take-home, and field assignments; and a final project. An understanding of avian natural history is important to any successful project, and students without a working knowledge of the common birds in the South Puget Sound region are expected to improve their identification skills to a level that will allow them to effectively contribute to class efforts both in the field and in class. | Alison Styring | Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | |||||
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Frederica Bowcutt
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | This two-quarter program allows students to learn introductory and advanced plant science material in an interdisciplinary format. The program is suitable for both advanced and first year students who are looking for an opportunity to expand their understanding of plants and challenge themselves. Students will learn about plant anatomy, morphology and systematics. Lectures based on textbook readings will be supplemented with laboratory work. The learning community will explore how present form and function informs us about the evolution of major groups of plants such as mosses, ferns, conifers and flowering plants. Students will get hands-on experience studying plants under microscopes and in the field. To support their work in the field and lab, students will learn how to maintain a detailed and illustrated nature journal. Instruction will be given in the history and practice of botanical illustration.A central focus of the program is people's relationships with plants for food, fiber, medicine and aesthetics. Economic botany will be studied through seminar texts, films, and lectures that examine agriculture, forestry, herbology and horticulture. Students will examine political economic factors that shape our relations with plants. Through economic and historical lenses, the learning community will inquire about why people have favored some plants and not others or radically changed their preferences, for example considering a former cash crop to be a weed. Readings will examine the significant roles botany has played in colonialism, imperialism and globalization. Students will also investigate the gender politics of botany. For example, botany was used to inculcate "appropriate" middle and upper class values among American women in the 19th century. Initiatives to foster more socially just and environmentally sustainable relations with plants will be investigated.In winter, students will write a major research paper on a plant of their choosing. Through a series of workshops, they will learn to search the scientific literature, manage bibliographic data and interpret and synthesize information, including primary sources. Through their research paper, students will synthesize scientific and cultural information about their plant. | Frederica Bowcutt | Mon Tue Wed Fri | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||
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Martha Rosemeyer and Thomas Johnson
Signature Required:
Winter Spring
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | Spring emphasis: We will study agroecology, traditional agriculture and permaculture in a tropical context. Seminar will focus on international “sustainable development” and its contradictions, successes and challenges. As a final project, students will apply their knowledge of tropical crops and soils to create a farm plan in a geographic area of their choice. This would be excellent preparation for an internship abroad and/or Peace Corps. | Martha Rosemeyer Thomas Johnson | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||
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Michael Paros
Signature Required:
Spring
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 14Spring | This academically rigorous field-based course will provide students with the fundamental tools to manage livestock and grasslands by exploring the ecological relationships between ruminants and the land. We will begin the quarter learning about the physiology of grasses and their response to grazing and fire. Practical forage identification, morphology and production will be taught. Ruminant nutrition, foraging behavior, and digestive physiology will be covered as a precursor to learning about the practical aspects of establishing, assessing and managing livestock rotational grazing operations. We will divide our time equally between intensive grazing and extensive rangeland systems. Classroom lectures, workshops and guest speakers will be paired with weekly field trips to dairy, beef, sheep and goat grazing farms. There will be overnight trips to Willammette Valley where we will study managed intensive grazing dairy operations and forage production, and Eastern Washington/Oregon where students can practice their skills in rangeland monitoring and grazing plan development. Other special topics that will be covered in the program include: co-evolutionary relationships between ruminants and grasses, targeted and multi-species grazing, prairie ecology and restoration, riparian ecosystems, controversies in public land grazing, interactions between wildlife and domestic ruminants, and perennial grain development. | Michael Paros | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | |||||
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EJ Zita
Signature Required:
Spring
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | How is energy harvested and transformed, used or abused? This two-quarter study of energy in natural and human systems is a good fit for students interested in environmental science, physics and sustainability—both mathematical and applied. We start with skill building and background study and finish with major research projects related to energy, climate and sustainability.We will study issues of energy generation and use in society and in the natural world. One goal is for students to gain a deeper understanding of issues involved in achieving a sustainable energy society. A primary goal is to illustrate the power and beauty of physics and mathematics. We will explore topics such as climate change and global warming; energy science, technology and policy; farming and land use, environmental studies and sustainability.We will study alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal and biofuels, as well as conventional sources of energy such as hydro, nuclear, gas and coal. Fundamentals of energy generation will focus on the underlying physics. In seminar, we further explore social, political and/or economic aspects of energy production and use, such as environmental and food production concerns and policies, effects of the Sun on the Earth, energy needs of developing countries, etc. We will have a strong emphasis on sustainability studies. While calculus is a prerequisite, students who already know calculus may deepen their math skills by applying them to program material or research projects, in teamwork. Student research projects are a major part of this program. Students develop a research question that interests them, then design and carry out their research investigations in small teams. Research projects involve quantitative analysis as well as hands-on investigations. For example, research might include fieldwork, energy analysis of an existing system (natural or constructed) and/or design of a new small-scale energy system, possibly with community applications. Past projects have included solar systems, energy generation from waste products, water purification for boats or farm composters, efficiency improvements of campus buildings, analysis of wind and water systems and more. Student researchers from this program have often won grants from the college to work on practical campus projects. | EJ Zita | Tue Thu Fri | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | |||
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Dennis Hibbert
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Course | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 4 | 04 | Weekend | S 14Spring | If it weren't for extinction we wouldn't be here—speciation and extinction frame the history of life. We will take extinction as our topic and study it in the context of the history of animals with backbones, aiming to learn its causes. We will then examine the ongoing accelerated loss of biodiversity, looking to tease out which of the factors causing it are of human origin. | Dennis Hibbert | Sat | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | ||||
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Dylan Fischer and Alison Styring
Signature Required:
Spring
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 14Spring | This program is designed to provide a premier hands-on experience on learning how to conduct field science in ecology at the advanced undergraduate level. We will focus on group and individual field research to address patterns in ecological composition, structure and function in natural environments. Students will participate in field trips to local and remote field sites and they will be expected to develop multiple independent and group research projects. A small group of 16 students will also participate in a 16-day boat trip through the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River where they will conduct individual and group research. Students will be selected for the Grand Canyon experience based on an application available in winter quarter.We will work as a community to develop and implement field projects based on: 1) workshops that will train students in rapid observation and field data collection; 2) participation in large multi-year studies based in Washington and more distant field sites; and 3) student originated short- and long-term studies. Students will focus on field sampling, natural history and library research to develop workable field data collection protocols. Students will implement observation- and hypothesis-driven field projects. We will then learn to analyze ecological data using laboratory and statistical analytical approaches. Students will demonstrate their research and analytical skills via writing and presentation of group and individual research projects. Student manuscripts will be "crystallized" through a series of intensive, multi-day paper-writing workshops. Students will also give public presentations of their research work.Specific topics of study will include community and ecosystem ecology, plant physiology, forest structure, ecological restoration, riparian ecology, fire disturbance effects, bird abundance and monitoring, insect-plant interactions, disturbance ecology and the broad fields of bio-complexity and ecological interactions. We will emphasize identification of original field research problems in diverse habitats, experimentation, data analysis, oral presentation of findings and writing in journal format. | Dylan Fischer Alison Styring | Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | |||||
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Frederica Bowcutt
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 14Spring | This program fosters the skills needed for field work in the fields of floristics and plant ecology particularly vegetation studies. Students will learn how to use Hitchcock and Cronquist's , a technical key for identifying unknown plants. We will spend time in the field and laboratory discussing diagnostic characters of plant families. Seminar readings will be focused on floristics, biogeography and vegetation ecology. Students will learn how to collect and prepare herbarium specimens and apply this knowledge to a collaborative research project. Students will also learn about herbarium curation.A multi-day field trip to the Columbia River Gorge will give students an opportunity to learn about Pacific Northwest plant communities in the field, including prairies, oak woodlands and coniferous forests. Students will be expected to maintain a detailed field journal and will be taught basic botanical illustration skills to support this work. Through the field trip, students will learn qualitative vegetation sampling methods and how to analyze their observations. The field trip is required.Students who successfully complete the course will earn 16 units of upper-division science credit in field plant taxonomy, vegetation ecology of the Pacific Northwest, and floristic research. | Frederica Bowcutt | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | |||||
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Dennis Hibbert
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Course | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 4 | 04 | Weekend | F 13 Fall | We will study the whole span of time for which we have good evidence that people lived in the Americas before European contact. We want to know about when people reached the Americas and where they came from, where they traveled and settled, the societies that developed, the responses of these societies to ongoing environmental changes, and human impacts on the landscape. We will draw on genetic studies, archaeology, palaeobotany, geology, palaeoclimatology, and linguistics. Emphasis throughout will be on learning what kinds of evidence tell us about our past and how that evidence is obtained and interpreted. | Dennis Hibbert | Sat | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | ||||
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Donald Morisato and Heather Heying
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | The theory of evolution is the cornerstone of modern biology, unifying disciplines as diverse as molecular genetics and behavioral ecology. Evolution provides an explanation for the extraordinary biological diversity on this planet. What is the best way to study this process—by focusing on the mechanisms producing genetic variation, by looking at modern organisms for evidence of past evolutionary forces or by generating theory that fits with what we already know? At what level does natural selection act—on genes, on organisms, or on groups of organisms? This program will present and discuss some of the big ideas in evolution and at the same time, examine how we, as scientists, with distinct processes and cultures, approach these questions. We will study several aspects of microevolution—the change that occurs within populations, over time spans that are directly observable by humans—and spend time in the field early in the quarter as a class. Our microevolutionary focus will be animal behavior and students will work in pairs on field-based projects throughout the quarter, while regular workshops in statistics will allow students to conduct their own analyses on their data. On a parallel track, we will consider some of the genetic processes underlying this evolutionary change. We will begin with classical Mendelian genetics and move on to a formal treatment of population genetics and analysis of complex traits. We will be undertaking a laboratory project using . This upper-division science program will have an intensive workload, including reading the primary literature and carrying out experimental work in the laboratory and in the field. Student learning will be assessed by problems sets, writing assignments, statistics workshops and exams. | Donald Morisato Heather Heying | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||||
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Peter Impara
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | How do we manage the habitat of mammals and birds, especially endangered species, in the Pacific Northwest? Mammals and birds are intelligent, complex animals that often have very specific habitat needs for successful living and reproduction. They interact in very elaborate ways with members of their species, other species, and with the landscape as a whole. A detailed understanding of habitat needs and how these habitats are distributed across the landscape is crucial to managing landscape to ensure future survival of particular species.This upper-division program will focus on examining and analyzing the habitat needs of specific species. Students will learn, develop and apply an intricate interdisciplinary suite of knowledge and techniques that include spatial analysis, ecological modeling, integration of scientific, legal and political information, and computer tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to develop habitat conservation plans for threatened and endangered species as listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.Students will learn about the natural history of specific mammals and birds of the Pacific Northwest and other regions. Habitat analysis will be conducted at the landscape scale, integrating the disciplines of landscape ecology with wildlife habitat analysis, wildlife biology, and habitat conservation planning. A final two-quarter project will be to develop and present a formal habitat conservation plan (HCP) for a threatened or endangered Pacific Northwest mammal or bird. Students will be required to understand and apply legal concepts associated with the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (as amended) as well as develop an understanding of stakeholders’ concerns and related issues surrounding resource users that may or may not come into conflict with the conservation of their selected species.Lectures will cover the areas of landscape ecology, wildlife habitat analysis, wildlife biology, evolution, and habitat conservation planning. Guest speakers will present recent case studies and approaches to conservation planning. Field trips to locations where wildlife management and conservation are occurring will expose students to methods of habitat assessment, conservation and restoration. | Peter Impara | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | ||||
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Gerardo Chin-Leo and Trisha Towanda
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | This program focuses on marine life, the sea as a habitat, relationships between the organisms and the physical/chemical properties of their environments, and their adaptations to those environments. Students will study marine organisms, elements of biological, chemical and physical oceanography, field sampling methods with associated statistics and laboratory techniques. Throughout the program, students will focus on the identification of marine organisms and aspects of the ecology of selected species. Physiological adaptations to diverse marine environments will be also be emphasized. We will study physical features of marine waters, nutrients, biological productivity and regional topics in marine science. Concepts will be applied via faculty-designed labs/fieldwork and student-designed research projects. Data analysis will be facilitated through the use of Excel spreadsheets and elementary statistics. Seminars will analyze appropriate primary literature on topics from lectures and research projects.The faculty will facilitate identification of student research projects, which may range from studies of trace metals in local organisms and sediments to ecological investigations of local estuarine animals. Students will design their research projects during winter quarter and write a research proposal that will undergo class-wide peer review. The research projects will then be carried out during spring quarter. The culmination of this research will take the form of written papers and oral presentations of the studen't work during the last week of spring quarter. | marine science, environmental science and other life sciences. | Gerardo Chin-Leo Trisha Towanda | Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | |||
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Brian Walter
Signature Required:
Winter Spring
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | This program is built around intensive study of several fundamental areas of pure mathematics. Covered topics are likely to include abstract algebra, real analysis, set theory, combinatorics and probability.The work in this advanced-level mathematics program is quite likely to differ from students' previous work in mathematics, including calculus, in a number of ways. We will emphasize the careful understanding of the definitions of mathematical terms and the statements and proofs of the theorems that capture the main conceptual landmarks in the areas we study. Hence, the largest portion of our work will involve the reading and writing of rigorous proofs in axiomatic systems. These skills are valuable not only for continued study of mathematics but also in many areas of thought in which arguments are set forth according to strict criteria for logical deduction. Students will gain experience in articulating their evidence for claims and in expressing their ideas with precise and transparent reasoning.In addition to work in core areas of advanced mathematics, we will devote seminar time to looking at our studies in a broader historical, philosophical, and cultural context, working toward answers to critical questions such as: Are mathematical systems discovered or created? Do mathematical objects actually exist? How did the current mode of mathematical thinking come to be developed? What is current mathematical practice? What are the connections between mathematics and culture? What are the connections between mathematics and art? What are the connections between mathematics and literature?This program is designed for students who intend to pursue graduate studies or teach in mathematics and the sciences, as well as for those who want to know more about mathematical thinking. | Brian Walter | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||
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Lydia McKinstry, Benjamin Simon and Clarissa Dirks
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | This program develops and interrelates concepts in experimental (laboratory and field) biology, organic chemistry and biochemistry, thus providing a foundation for students who plan to continue studies in chemistry, laboratory and field biology and medicine. Students will carry out upper-division work in biochemistry, microbiology, cellular and molecular biology, field biology and organic chemistry in a yearlong sequence. This program will also give students many of the prerequisites needed for the following health careers: medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, naturopathy, optometry and pharmacy.The program examines the subject matter through the central idea that structure defines function, integrating a scaled theme from the "cell" to the "molecule" and "ecosystem" levels. We will start with the cell and proceed to the whole organism and ecosystem with the examination of structure-function relationships at all levels. We will examine organic chemistry, the nature of organic compounds and reactions and carry this work into biochemistry and the fundamental chemical reactions of living systems. As the year progresses, the scaled theme will continue through studies of cellular and molecular processes in biological systems.Each aspect of the program will contain a significant laboratory component, some of which may be based on field experiments, involving extensive hands-on learning. On a weekly basis, students will be writing papers and maintaining laboratory notebooks. All laboratory work, and approximately one half of the non-lecture time will be spent working in collaborative problem solving groups. Group work will also include reading and discussion of topics of current or historical significance in science. This is an intensive program; the subjects are complex, and the sophisticated understanding we expect to develop will require students to work for many hours each week, both in and out of class. | laboratory and field biology, chemistry, education, medicine and health science. | Lydia McKinstry Benjamin Simon Clarissa Dirks | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | ||
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Cindy Beck
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 8 | 08 | Evening | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | In our society the human body is often sedentary and overfed, like something on a factory farm. However, it was meant to be active and powered by nourishing whole foods. This is the secret of vitality.We can make daily life more productive, satisfying, and healthy. Using both personal and community health as guideposts, students will embark on a journey of discovery, looking at the body through movement, nutrition, and mindfulness. This program is designed to help students integrate many facets into a healthy lifestyle. Students will learn how flexibility and strength impact the musculoskeletal system on an anatomical and physiological basis. They will understand the impact of exercise on the cardiovascular, respiratory, and nervous systems. Diet will be woven throughout the program, highlighting how our food choices impact our energy, mood, and metabolism. | Cindy Beck | Mon Wed | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||
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Kenneth Tabbutt and Alison Styring
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | , Latin for , is the root of riparian. Riparian zones are the interface between land and stream and are some of the most dynamic and fascinating geological and ecological systems on the planet. They are the boundary between biomes and an area of biological and hydrological diversity. This upper-division science program will focus on aspects of this unique environment. Students will learn about the hydrology of river systems and fluvial geomorphology and the animals that populate these corridors. Field studies and applied project work will be emphasized. Students will learn how to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a tool for analyzing and displaying spatial data. The program will include a week-long field trip around the Olympic Peninsula. | Kenneth Tabbutt Alison Styring | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||||
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Alvin Josephy
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Course | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 4 | 04 | Evening | W 14Winter | In this class we will explore the concepts of inferential statistics. This class assumes that the student has a prior background in descriptive statistics. The class will discuss probability, especially in terms of probability distributions, and move on to hypothesis testing. In this context, the class will work with several distributions, such as t, chi square, F as well as the normal distribution, and work with ANOVA and multiple regression. The class will finish with an introduction to non-parametric statistics. In addition, the students will consider journal articles and research concepts, and will prepare a small presentation using the concepts from the class. | Alvin Josephy | Tue | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | ||||
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Alvin Josephy
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Course | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 4 | 04 | Evening | S 14Spring | In this class we will explore the concepts of inferential statistics. This class assumes that the student has a prior background in descriptive statistics. The class will discuss probability, especially in terms of probability distributions, and move on to hypothesis testing. In this context, the class will work with several distributions, such as t, chi square, F as well as the normal distribution, and work with ANOVA and multiple regression. The class will finish with an introduction to non-parametric statistics. In addition, the students will consider journal articles and research concepts, and will prepare a small presentation using the concepts from the class. | Alvin Josephy | Wed | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | ||||
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Neal Nelson, Judith Cushing, Richard Weiss and Sheryl Shulman
Signature Required:
Fall Winter
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | S 14Spring | The successful completion of large software systems requires strong technical skills, good design and competent management. Unfortunately, unlike hardware, software systems have proven to be notoriously difficult to build on-time, in-budget, and reliable, despite the best efforts of many very smart people over the last 50 years. This is an upper-division program intended to help students gain the technical knowledge required to understand, analyze, modify and build complex software systems.We will concentrate on learning the organization and complexity of large software systems that we do understand, and gaining practical experience in order to achieve a deeper understanding of the art, science, collaboration and multi-disciplinary skills required to develop computing solutions in real-world application domains. The technical topics will be selected from data structures, algorithm analysis, operating systems, networks, information security, object oriented design and analysis, verification techniques, scientific visualization and modeling. The program seminar will focus on various technical topics in the software industry. Students will have an opportunity to engage in a substantial computing project through all the development phases of proposal, requirements, specification, design and implementation.This program is for advanced computer science students who satisfy the prerequisites. We also expect students to have the discipline, intellectual maturity and self motivation to identify their project topics, organize project teams and resources and complete advanced work independently. | Neal Nelson Judith Cushing Richard Weiss Sheryl Shulman | Mon Tue Wed Thu | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | ||
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Alison Styring
Signature Required:
Fall
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SOS | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | Students will work to become specialists on one or more taxonomic groups that occur in the Pacific Northwest. Through field study and literature research, students will develop identification guides and species accounts to post on the Evergreen Natural History websites. Students may conduct specimen-based research using The Evergreen State College Natural History Collections, and projects may also involve a field component. Skills will be developed in taxonomy and systematics, bioinformatics, museum practices, digital imagery for scientific illustration, field ecology and natural history writing. | Alison Styring | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | |||||
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Dylan Fischer and Paul Przybylowicz
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Program | JR–SRJunior - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 13 Fall | W 14Winter | The Pacific Northwest is home to temperate rainforests, among the most biologically complex ecosystems in the world. How did these forests develop? How do they function? How do human activities affect them? Is sustainable harvest a reality or an oxymoron? We will use a biogeochemical lens to examine these forests, their effects on us and our impacts on them. Topics covered will include forest ecology, ecosystem ecology, soils, mycology, biogeochemistry, sustainable forestry and forest conservation.In fall quarter, we will explore how forests “work” through studying forest ecosystem science that includes both global and regional perspectives, with a focus on carbon and nutrient cycling. We will also examine the tremendous fungal biodiversity found within temperate rainforests, particularly the local forests of the Pacific Northwest. We’ll cover methods in forest biogeochemical measurement, fungal biology, taxonomy and advanced forest ecology.Human impacts on temperate rainforests will be the focus of winter quarter. We’ll focus on sustainable forestry, both theory and practice, along with an examination of soils and the life within them, which will deepen our understanding of forest function and the short- and long-term impacts of various forestry practices. These topics will merge as we explore carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems, which is an emerging component of “sustainable” forestry. We will explore current and past controversies in forest ecology related to old-growth forests, spotted owls and other endangered species and biofuels.Our program time will consist of field work, laboratory work, lectures, workshops and weekly seminars. Expect to research topics in the primary scientific literature and to summarize and share your findings with the entire class. We’ll cover various sampling techniques that are used to measure nitrogen, water and carbon in forested ecosystems. There will be ample opportunities for independent directed work, both individually and in small groups.In addition to one-day trips regularly scheduled throughout both quarters, there will be a 4-day field trip each quarter. In the fall, we’ll spend four days doing field research in temperate rainforests. In the winter, we’ll tour through the Pacific Northwest and visit a variety of managed and unmanaged forests. Plan to spend a lot of time in the field (and remember that every field day generates 3-4 days of work once we return). Students who may need accommodations for field trips should contact the faculty as soon as possible. | Dylan Fischer Paul Przybylowicz | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall |