Biological Sciences

BI 100 Introductory Biology - Thomas Dolan ~ View Section Statements

BI 100 Introductory Biology - Joe Harsh ~ View Section Statements

Katherine Schmid

Since this course fulfills the core requirement in natural sciences, you should expect the content to reflect the physical observations and hypothesis testing that distinguish science from nonscience. At the same time, it is important to realize that humanity's concern with plants reaches deep into prehistory. A knowledge of plants, their uses, and ultimately their cultivation has been key to the development of world civilizations. Description and classification of plants and plant structures, as well as testing of many practical physiological questions, were well underway by the time of Aristotle's student Theophrastus, whose writings even discuss some issues in plant growth and reproduction covered in this class. To what extent have the tools and theories of modern science altered our perception of plant biology? In addition to an overview of our growing understanding of plant structure and function, this class will address some of the changes in plants and the environment brought about by domestication, breeding and genetic engineering of seed plants.

Richard Miller

This class is for students who are not biology majors. Most of you will not take any further biology classes and are taking this course as part of your general education in the liberal arts and sciences. Among the purposes of such an education are personal enjoyment and enrichment. I hope you will find the class enlightening and fun. That is why I teach it.

Teaching and Learning Goals
This set of goals is broader than the subject of biology and involves various teaching strategies that are meant to help you become an active learner. One of the purposes of a liberal education is to prepare you for a lifetime of learning. When you leave college you must be prepared to think and act independently: in your career, in your role as a citizen and in your intellectual life. This class offers various opportunities to develop your thinking and learning skills.

Bob Holm

Why is Environmental Biology in the Butler liberal arts curricula?
Environmental studies are an important part of our curricula because environmental problems are directly or indirectly related to our daily lives. Environmental issues are among the most pressing facing our world. These issues have broad implications for every facet of our life. Our ability to impact the environment causes changes in the quality of life around the world.

A liberal arts program helps you develop the ability to understand concepts related to the environment and our effect on it, to solve practical problems, and find better ways of meeting complex environmental issues. My goal is to provide you with the tools to solve and manage the complex environmental problems that our world faces. Regardless of your future career, it is important to understand how environmental problems affect your life, and the lives of others, and how these problems are managed. I hope to heighten your awareness of environmental issues confronting our world, enhance your ability to think critically, and to become involved in environmental issues on a local, regional and worldwide basis.

Travis Ryan

It would be incorrect to suggest that biology has always been a part of the liberal arts tradition. However, in the Middle Ages, when what we would recognize as the first "western" universities were established, the sciences were a vital part of the program of study. The prevailing science of the day, astronomy, was a critical aspect of the quadrivium, along with mathematics, geometry, and music theory. As the liberal arts tradition evolved, other sciences came to take their place in the curriculum: physics then alchemy which gave rise to chemistry. Biology would not exist as a distinct discipline until Darwin suggested a unifying theme for zoology, botany, and other studies of living things. Despite its relative youth, since its ascension as a formal discipline, biology has become a key component of the natural sciences area of most modern liberal arts curricula.

As a natural science, biology is based on the use of observations, logic and mathematics (both key components of the liberal arts tradition) to propose and rigorously test ideas about the rules that organize living systems.

Travis Ryan

The sciences have been a part of the Liberal Arts tradition since the middle ages. Biology shares with all of the natural sciences a tentative acceptance of current understanding; what we know is subject to revision pending new and more compelling data. As freshmen in the BI 120 series, you used a +1,300 page textbook filled with information on the living world, ranging from the transfer of energy at the cellular level to nutrient cycling on a global scale. It is a mistake to look upon that book as a collection of facts simply being passed unchanged from one generation to the next. Rather the content of that text is the product of research and analysis, the mechanism that generates new information and improved understanding in the sciences. Received wisdom should be abandoned in favor of more trustworthy (not to mention repeatable and verifiable) information and it is only through trained observation, creative thinking, and critical analysis that our canon of knowledge is built. In this course, students will be introduced to a variety of techniques that are commonly used in biological research, demonstrating a range of questions that can be asked and how they can be answered. Additionally, we will cultivate a basic understanding of common statistical methods used in biological research in order to prepare students to make their own contributions to our ever changing understanding of the living world.

Chris Hess

While men and women in lab coats might be the image that comes to mind when thinking about anatomy and physiology, the discipline reaches as far back as Egypt in 1600 BC where the Ebers Papyrus describes ways of treating asthma. The study of the human body counts among its luminaries many "Renaissance men" including Aristotle and Leonardo da Vinci who were able to push the discipline forward in part because of their artistic aesthetic. While we will focus heavily on learning the "book" we will also take time to appreciate the aesthetics of anatomy by drawing structures and also make an effort to think about what we learn in relation to dance and other art forms.

Chris Hess

While men and women in lab coats might be the image that comes to mind when thinking about anatomy and physiology, the discipline reaches as far back as Egypt in 1600 BC where the Ebers Papyrus describes ways of treating asthma. The study of the human body counts among its luminaries many "Renaissance men" including Aristotle and Leonardo da Vinci who were able to push the discipline forward in part because of their artistic aesthetic. While we will focus heavily on learning the "book" we will also take time to appreciate the aesthetics of anatomy by drawing structures and also make an effort to think about what we learn in relation to dance and other art forms.

Shelley Etnier

Zoology is a required course for all biology majors because it is pivotal to understanding our existence within the broader context of all organisms. While humans are an interesting group, they pale in comparison to so many other organisms. This course emphasizes that we do not exist in a vacuum of our own making, regardless of our technological advances. In addition, this course teaches an appreciation of how many different ways there are to solve life's problems of survival.

Kathy Schmid

Biology programs normally require their students to demonstrate some understanding of botany, given the critical roles that plants play in both human economies and the survival of terrestrial life. However, plant biology has been considered an important facet of a liberal education since at least the time of Aristotle's student Theophrastus, who asked many of the same questions covered in this course. One 1797 text is described as claiming that botany "belongs to one's larger education, teaches pupils to think, especially when combined with seeing for oneself rather than relying on the authority of others, and makes its pupils 'happy,' 'useful,' and 'agreeable.'" (A.B Shteir, 1990, Eighteenth-Century Studies 23:313). Or, to quote Berton Braley,

There should be no monotony
In studying your botany;
It helps to train and spur the brain -
Unless you haven't gotany.

Shelley Etnier

This course is about the function of living organisms. Dead animals have all the structures necessary to carry out these same functions, but in living animals the structures work. While the course itself deals with complex details, the basic goal of this course is for you to understand how animals, including yourself, deal with the everyday demands of life (oxygen, food, water, energy). In more familiar terms, this course deals with eating, breathing, excreting, moving and so on. While each of us has passing familiarity with these functions due to our own personal experiences, this course will emphasize the many different ways that these problems can be solved by a diverse group of organisms. Thus, this course deals with the themes that unify living organisms, but also with the differences that occur at all levels. While we are using a human physiology text, we will be discussing physiology from a comparative viewpoint. By the end of the semester, you will have an understanding of the fundamental principles allowing animals to maintain internal body conditions enabling them to survive a remarkable range of habitats. To do well in this course, it is not enough to simply memorize the information. This course will ask you to apply what you know to a wide range of situations, demanding that you learn to think critically and problem solve in the context of novel situations.

Carmen Salsbury

Most importantly perhaps is how this course fits into the "big picture" for you. Being a student in a liberal arts college means something more than being a student in a college geared toward a specific profession. A liberal arts education emphasizes "the whole person" by exposing the learner to a diverse array of subjects with the ultimate goal of creating broadly educated citizens capable of recognizing, understanding, and responding to their social context. As a biologist in the liberal arts tradition, there is perhaps no area more central to achieving this broad understanding than that of evolution. The theory of evolution not only forms the foundation of our conceptual understanding of science but its tenets guide our exploration of world around us and our understanding of our place in it. Because evolutionary theory provides such a foundation to the sciences and offers much with regard to our existence and our place in the natural world, its influence beyond the scientific realm is immeasurable. It has shaped our belief systems, our ways of knowing, our behaviors, and our ultimate understanding of ourselves. Thus, an understanding of the theory of evolution is not only critical as a scientist but it is fundamental to becoming a liberally educated person actively engaged with world around them.

Carmen Salsbury

The main objective of this course is to familiarize students with the ecology and evolution of mammals. A variety of topics dealing with the morphology, physiology, and behavior will be explored from an evolutionary perspective. Additionally, this course will familiarize students with the main groups of mammals and train students to identify several common species of mammals based on key features. Basic taxonomy of the Class Mammalia will be covered during the laboratory sessions and species found in Indiana will be emphasized. The lab will also consist of a field component designed to expose students to various trapping / handling and observational techniques (see lab schedule for more detail). Finally, this course will expose students to current literature in the field and give them experience discussing and evaluating empirical studies.

More importantly perhaps is how this course fits into the "big picture" for you, the student. Being a student in a liberal arts college means something more than being a student in a college geared toward a specific profession. A liberal arts education emphasizes "the whole person" by exposing the learner to a diverse array of subjects with the ultimate goal of creating broadly educated citizens capable of recognizing, understanding, and responding to their social context. To this end, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Butler University encourages its students to take a variety of courses geared toward broadening student perspective and understanding so that they may achieve success not only in their careers but also in their lives. Mammalogy (BI 316) contributes to the objectives of a liberal arts mission by helping to increase our understanding of ourselves and many of the animals living around us. By understanding the basic physiology, biology, ecology, and evolution of mammals, we gain a clearer understanding of ourselves as mammals and our connection to the natural world. Further, this course will strive to educate students such that they may recognize biotic diversity as a valuable resource necessary for human existence and happiness.

Chris Hess

Our primary focus will be the history of life and understanding the processes and events that have led to the diversity of organisms that we now call vertebrates. We will journey through time examining how different groups of organisms evolved and also exploring the "evolution" of scientific thought as it has changed throughout the history of biology. In remaining true to Butler's liberal arts tradition, we will foster skills that are useful across disciplines including writing and oral communication - all while fostering scientific creativity and attempting to understand how concepts we learn apply to the big picture of biology and beyond.

Kathy Schmid

Plant physiology, as the study of how plants function, embraces a wide array of topics. In this course, we will examine current understanding of a few of the processes performed by plants as they harness energy, mine the soil, grow, reproduce, and deal with stress. One of the most important ways that this course fits into a liberal education is in its emphasis not just on the current knowledge base, but on the methods used to build and refine understanding of plant development and metabolism. Early texts embracing the term "physiology," such as Maria Jacson's Sketches of the Physiology of Vegetable Life (1811), advocated the use of careful observation, microscopes, and chemical treatments, while Stephen Hales, author of Vegetable Staticks (1727) and "father of plant physiology," is best known for his use of the techniques then current in physics. During the 20th century, the dissection of biochemical pathways by radiolabeling, increasing ability to study enzymes extracted from plants, and the transformation of plants with cloned genes were among the many advances that broadened and deepened the field of physiology. Although it would be impossible to present all of the work supporting the areas covered in this course, representative examples of methodology will be a regular feature. You will also be asked to apply your growing knowledge of plant physiology to propose approaches by which specific topics could be investigated, and to act on one such proposal.

Travis J. Ryan

The field of ecology is relatively new - having been established in a professional sense in the early 20th century - but it can be clearly traced back to the centuries-old liberal arts tradition. A liberal arts education places a premium on developing thinking and reasoning skills rather than direct vocational training. A goal within the liberal arts and sciences is to develop new ways of looking at and solving problems; in ecology these problems deal with how organisms interact with their environments. In this course, we will focus on ecology of populations and communities. The approach we will take is theoretical; we will use the logical development of mathematical models to explore general theories of what factors regulate populations, communities, and the interactions within them. We will then evaluate these models by looking at real world phenomena.

If at some point during the course you ask yourself (or me, or a classmate, or the pre-health advisor) "when in the world am I ever going to use the Lotka-Volterra interspecific competition equations after I am done with the class?" you are missing the point. You might not ever use the equations on a daily basis…most professional ecologists rarely do*. What you are going to use again (and again and again) is the ability to look at a problem (e.g., how do two species using the same resources affect each other?) and develop a logical basis for arriving at a reasonable answer or expectation, and then test that expectation against your observations. This is the heart of the scientific process and it is dependent on rationality, critical thinking, and creativity which are, in turn, essential elements of the liberally educated person. So there.

* However, don't let this statement mislead you into thinking that the specific topics we engage in the course are not meaningful in their own right. They are, indeed. This is especially true if you have an interest in pursuing these topics in more detail in post-graduate study. And they are also important if you wish to receive a high grade in the course.

Anneke DeLuycker

This course gives an introduction to the biology of nonhuman primates. Nonhuman primates (prosimians, monkeys, and apes) represent our closest living ancestors and with them humans share a place in the evolutionary tree. Primates make excellent models from which to identify our ancestral traits. Thus, primatology is deeply connected with an anthropological perspective. Primates are also a diverse group of long-lived, socially complex animals that provide insights into evolutionary and ecological processes that affect variation of traits. Primatologists attempt to understand the environmental and social conditions under which certain physical or behavioral traits evolved and which may help to explain those variations. Primatology is also rooted in biology and the natural sciences, deriving its methods of study, means of classification, and much of its theory from these fields. By examining the ways in which primates are similar to or different from other mammals and primates, including humans, we can gain a more insightful understanding into primate evolution. Primates can be studied from diverse perspectives and from within numerous fields. The relevance of primatology extends beyond scientific endeavors. Primates represent flagship species in endangered habitats and their study contributes to conservation efforts in their home countries. And finally, their biological similarities to humans have challenged our own sense of what it means to be human.

Carmen Salsbury

This course will address the behavior of animals living in their natural environments. A strong emphasis will be placed on the relationship between animal behavior and the ecology and evolution of various vertebrate and invertebrate taxa. Many aspects of animal behavior including mating, foraging, aggressive, cooperative, social, parental, and signaling behavior will be investigated.

This capstone course is meant to mark the culmination of your experience as a biology major at Butler. To this end, the course follows in the classic liberal arts tradition in that it is seminar- based and it addresses a diverse array of topics within the field of behavioral ecology. Thus, this course will consist of student presentations and open discourse requiring critical thought and an integration of knowledge - quintessential skills of a liberally educated individual. We will explore the primary literature to gain an understanding of the field and students are expected to draw on their backgrounds and diverse knowledge of biology to critique the content and methodology of the empirical studies examined. Ultimately, this course will help students to develop their advanced critical thinking and communication skills while compelling them to take an integrated and broad approach to understanding the topic of behavioral ecology. Further, the skills and knowledge gained in this course will help students to make educated and responsible decisions as active citizens of the natural world.

Rebecca Dolan

This course will contribute to your ways of understanding the world. It will heighten your ability to observe and appreciate the workings of nature, from both a scientific and aesthetic perspective, and may change the way you experience the outdoors.

Carmen Salsbury

Most importantly perhaps is how this course fits into the "big picture" for you. Being a student in a liberal arts college means something more than being a student in a college geared toward a specific profession. A liberal arts education emphasizes "the whole person" by exposing the learner to a diverse array of subjects with the ultimate goal of creating broadly educated citizens capable of recognizing, understanding, and responding to their social context. As a biologist in the liberal arts tradition, there is perhaps no area more central to achieving this broad understanding than that of evolution. The theory of evolution not only forms the foundation of our conceptual understanding of science but its tenets guide our exploration of world around us and our understanding of our place in it. Because evolutionary theory provides such a foundation to the sciences and offers much with regard to our existence and our place in the natural world, its influence beyond the scientific realm is immeasurable. It has shaped our belief systems, our ways of knowing, our behaviors, and our ultimate understanding of ourselves. Thus, an understanding of the theory of evolution is not only critical as a scientist but it is fundamental to becoming a liberally educated person actively engaged with world around them.

Chris Hess

Anyone with a dog or a cat would be hard pressed to argue their animal companions don't enjoy behaviors (e.g. play) that on the surface seem to decrease their chance to survive and reproduce (a Darwinian paradox). Humans take this a step further; pursuing knowledge and aesthetic beauty we associate with the liberal arts, rather than other endeavors that might more directly lead to success in an evolutionary sense. Although not intuitive, there are in fact evolutionary advantages to the play behaviors we see in animals. We will begin the course by studying the mechanisms of how animals perform a full spectrum of behaviors and later shift to why these behaviors exist in terms of natural selection (including many that on the surface seem counterintuitive). The course will culminate with a discussion of why humans behave the way we do, including whether the liberal arts themselves are a product of evolution!

BI 480 - Biology Capstone: Urban Ecology ~ View Section Statements

BI 480 - Biology Capstone: Genetically Modified Plants ~ View Section Statements