Genetics of Biodiversity

This course will explore how changes at the genetic level lead to organismal adaptation and diversity using recent primary literature to study how modern revolutions in genetic technology have led to a deeper understanding of the diversity of life on earth. Assessments will emphasize quantitative problem solving, critical reading of research articles, and scientific writing for a variety of purposes and audiences. The lab component will primarily consist of bioinformatics and computational biology (programming in R and UNIX) for an independent exploration of genetic diversity in local species.