Courses taught at University of St. Thomas:
Biology of Sustainability (BIOL 209)
This course is the third in the series of introductory courses for Bioscience majors. This course explores the interactions between humans and our environment. The course strongly emphasizes reading and understanding primary literature, designing experiments, analyzing data, evaluating different viewpoints, and synthesizing various sources of information. Example syllabus |
Urban Ecosystem Ecology (BIOL 490)
This capstone biology course explored sustainability questions by applying the tools of ecosystem ecology to cities. This project-based course has included projects such as calculating nutrient conversion efficiency in a coupled vermicomposting-aquaponics system), exploring the feasibility of using city-owned community gardens as neighborhood composting sites, and a collaboration with the Pilobulus Dance Company turning concepts from ecosystem ecology into coreography. Example syllabus |
Environmental Problem Solving (ESCI 310)
This course is part of the Environmental Science curriculum and emphasizes ecosystem modeling, GIS, and science communication. Last spring, students worked on a project assessing the feasibility of using hydroponic gardens to remove excess phosphorus from an urban lake in Saint Paul. Students from the class competed in the EPA P3/National Sustainable Design Expo in Arlington, VA. Example syllabus |
Darwin and The Origin of Species (IDSC 480)
This Honors Seminar, co-taught by a philosophy professor, explored the historical context of Darwin's Origin of Species and Descent of Man, and analyzed the structure of the argument within the text. Example syllabus |