Time: Mon (seminar meeting, rm 219) and Wed (laboratory meeting, rm 104), 1:15-4:15 PM
Prerequisites: BIOL 2 and BIOL 34 (Evolution), or with permission
Group: III (population-level approach)
Credits: 2

The 2009 iteration of the course will focus on senescence (ageing). Discussions will consider the different theories of the evolution of senescence (mutation accumulation, antagonistic pleiotropy, rate-of-living, etc.) and associated hypotheses about the adaptiveness of maximum lifespan under different constraints. Discussions (and assigned readings) will emphasize non-human model systems. Laboratory meetings will involve independent projects conceived and executed by students working individually or in groups. Students may choose to work on fruit flies, cowpea weevils, plants, or other non-vertebrate organism that is easy to rear and study.

Seminar (discussion) details
Seminars meetings will be student-run, with 4 presenters for a day's topic. These presentations (approximately 20 minutes) should clarify and expand the contents of an assigned paper, but also bring in outside reading (e.g., review papers on the topic, funded grant summaries, background material from text books, and other information that you might find). Presentations may be made with computer-generated projection, overhead transparencies, or chalkboard. Following the presentation, the student will lead a discussion for approximately 20 minutes. Presenters are encouraged to use some of this time for activities that help seminar participants understand a particular concept. A food and beverage break is taken after the 2nd presentation.

Laboratory details
The laboratory component of the course (every Wednesday) will be primarily devoted to an independent project that is completed individually (or, under special circumstances, with a partner). Independent projects will culminate in the production of a poster that will be hung in the hallway.