Seminar in Natural Science
Tentative Course Schedule
See below for important schedule notes
Writing assignments are highlighted in green
Exams are highlighted in yellow
- Week One: Welcome and Introduction
T (1/22) -- Course overview and introductions; the range of the natural sciences
Th (1/24) -- Is the "end of science" at hand? (discussion of handouts); RU bookstore visit
- Week Two: Method and Philosophy of Science
T (1/29) -- Discuss Wilson, Consilience (ch. 4, handout)
Th (1/31) -- Analyzing science in the news (NY Times articles, chosen by class)
- Week Three: Evolution in the Galapagos Islands
T (2/5) -- Discuss Weiner (ch. 1-3)
Th (2/7) -- Discuss Weiner (ch. 4-6); 1/2-hr. discussion of this week's science news
- Week Four: Evolutionary Mechanisms
T (2/12) -- Discuss Weiner (ch. 8, 9, and 11)
T (2/14) -- Science news article summary due; discuss Weiner (ch. 12 and 14); 1/2-hr. discussion of this week's science news
- Week Five: Evolution and Society
T (2/19) -- Discuss Weiner (ch. 15, 16, and 18)
Th (2/21) -- Discuss Weiner (ch. 19-epilogue); 1/2-hr. discussion of this week's science news
- Week Six: The Role of Genetics in Biology
T (2/26) -- Hubbard, ch. 4 from Exploding the Gene Myth (handout)
Th (2/28) -- Genetics, cont.: the Human Genome Project; distribute mid-term
- Week Seven: Biology and Metaphor
T (3/5) -- Mid-term exam
Th (3/7) -- Lewontin, ch. 1
- Week Eight: Genes, Organisms,
and Environments
T (3/12) -- Lewontin, ch. 2
Th (3/14) -- Lewontin, ch. 3; optional revision of news article summary due
- Week Nine: Spring Break (March
17-23)
Possible arrival of Baby Bryson (due date is March 24th); stayed tuned for details!
- Week Ten: Explorations of Paleontology
T (3/26) -- Class does not meet; assignment: research a NY Times science article and related sources for the critique essay project; read ahead in Steingraber
Th (3/28) -- Guest lecture by Prof. Greg Buckley: paleontology and biogeography in Madagascar
Sa (3/30) -- Behind-the-scenes tour of the Field Museum, led by Prof. Buckley; time TBA
- Week Eleven: Writing Workshop via RUOnline
-- Class does not meet this week
-- Assignment: write draft of critique essay; exchange drafts via RU Online and provide concrete peer feedback; continue reading ahead in Steingraber
- Week Twelve: Science and the Environment
T (4/9) -- Fundamentals of environmental science (lecture and class activity); discuss current environmental science news
Th (4/11) -- Doing science in a harsh environment: analyzing an Antarctic ecosystem (lecture and slide show); discuss current environmental science news; Critique Essay due
- Week Thirteen: Ecology, Pollution, and Cancer
T (4/16) -- Discuss Steingraber (ch. 1-3)
Th (4/18) -- Discuss Steingraber (ch. 4-6)
- Week Fourteen: Science and the Environmental Movement
T (4/23) -- Discuss Steingraber (ch. 7-9)
Th (4/25) -- Discuss Steingraber (ch. 10-conclusion)
- Week Fifteen: Course Review and Evaluation
T (4/30) -- Review session; hand out final exam; optional critique essay revisions due
Th (5/2) -- Course evaluations; pizza party after class!
- Week Sixteen: Final Opportunity Session
T (5/7) -- Final Exam; include SASE for return (optional)
Note: The first and last thirds of this tentative schedule are fairly solid; the middle third is tentative due to my wife's due date of March 24th. I have built in some flexibility to weeks 10 and 11 to account for Baby Bryson's arrival, and will update the class on schedule changes as they become necessary. Thanks in advance for your understanding.
I reserve the right to revise this schedule as needed.
Associate Professor
University College
Roosevelt University
Mike Bryson's Home Page
Map of Antarctica, where I did field work as part of a Woods Hole Oceangraphic Institute research group in 1991.
Last updated 05/18/05