Courses

Autumn Quarter

BIOHOPK 325H Scientific Computing for Ecologists, Biologists and Environmental Scientists, 2 units
This five-day intensive mini-course is specifically aimed at providing graduate students and postdocs in Biology and Environmental Science with the computing expertise required to be successful in the present and future highly competitive scientific market. Attendants will learn how to boost their productivity by mastering the computer skills to manage an increasing flow of data, organize code, produce publication-ready figures and work efficiently on collaborative papers. The course will be plenty of hands-on and interactive learning opportunities during lectures and in extensive lab sessions with examples and exercises based on real world case studies extracted from peer reviewed publications in Biology and Environmental Science.

Winter Quarter

BIOHOPK 177H/277H Dynamics and Management of Marine Populations, 4 units
Course examines the ecological factors and processes that control natural and harvested marine populations. Course emphasizes mathematical models as tools to assess the dynamics of populations and to derive projections of their demographic fate under different management scenarios. Course objectives will be met by a combination of theoretical lectures, assigned readings and class discussions, case study analysis and interactive computer sessions. Fulfills WAY-AQR, WAY-FR

Spring Quarter

BIOHOPK 168H/268H Disease Ecology: from parasites evolution to the socio-economic impacts of pathogens on nations, 3 units
This course will lead participants on a journey through the dynamics of infectious diseases that will start at the smallest level from within-host parasite dynamics and will progressively scale up to parasite evolution, disease ecology, public health policies, disease driven poverty traps and the socio-economic impact of infectious diseases on nations. The course will be organized around case studies, including among the others, schistosomiasis, malaria, cholera and sleeping sickness. Participants will have the opportunity to develop a capstone project.

BIOHOPK 183H Introduction to Ecology, 4 units
The course is designed to provide background on key concepts in ecology, familiarize students with key ecological processes and ecosystems, and the methods used in ecological studies. The course will further build students' skills in critical scientific thinking, reading the literature, and scientific communication. A major goal of the course is to train students to ask questions in ecology, and to design, conduct and report studies addressing these questions. Thus, emphasis is also placed, in additional to general ecological concepts, on field observations, experimental design, and the analysis, interpretation and presentation of ecological data (through computer laboratories, written assignments and presentations). Written assignments, presentations and discussions are designed to provide experience in organizing and presenting information and to expose students to multiple perspectives on ecological processes and their applications.nThis course fulfills the same requirement as BIO 81. Requirements: WAY-SMA

Graduate Courses and Mini Courses

BIO 305 Managing your PhD (Autumn, Winter and Spring Quarter)
The course will focus on 5 themes for effectively managing your PhD: professionalism, scholarship, well-being, community-engagement and career development. We will meet every other week and have an active discussion-based class meeting for 2 hours. At the end of the quarter students and instructors will co-organize a departmental half-day workshop on a particular topic relevant to the topics covered in the class.