BIOL310 Student Projects |
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| Science & Engineering : Biological Sciences : BIOL310 : Dr Chrissen Gemmill | |||
Science is an exciting, dynamic and creative process. However, too many students are put off from science because on the surface it appears too challenging, too mathematical and simply too mind-numbing. Population genetics is one such area where students are exposed to microevolutionary theory, often expresses in terms of daunting mathematical equations. This is far from the truth, however, and there is far more to population genetics than oppressive equations; population genetics is the lens that allows us to peer into populations to see how they are behaving at a genetic level. We can use population genetic data to study everything from the history of human populations and the evolution of human disease, to assessing populations of endangered species and hence informing conservation management programs. The goal of this assignment was to compel the students to carry out an creative exercise, that used both hemispheres of the brain. Students in the University of Waikato's third year Advanced Genetics course (BIOL310) were asked to first analyze some population-level genetic data and then to weave a story around the results of their analyses, placing their results within a fictional framework based on real or imagined organisms. As you will see some stories are based on real organisms, while others combine science and fiction. The common thread to these approaches however, is that the students had to employ microevolutionary processes. Thus students had to understand microevolutionary processes and meld these with a dash of creativity. Acknowledgements: This assignment was inspired by Joan Slonczewski's talk at the Evolution04 Meetings, Fort Collins, Colorado. The Department of Biology provided financial assistance to attend this conference. Thanks to those students who have given me permission to post their stories.
Disclaimer: These stories are for informative purposes only; Each story has its own merits, but none are to be taken as instructive examples (i.e. pirating the format of any one of these will not guarantee you an "A" mark). This course material may be used only for the University's educational purposes. You may not copy or distribute any part of this material to any other person, and may print from it only for your own use. You may not make a further copy for any other purpose. Failure to comply with the terms of this warning may expose you to legal/disciplinary action by the University. Note: [excerpted from the University COPYRIGHT WARNING statement].
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