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Tag Archives: evolution
What if the undergrads ran their own class with no faculty present?
Earlier this fall we had an excellent presentation about how to make physics classes more interactive. The legendary speaker, Carl Wieman, see this, talked about how students should think first, then get feedback, discuss, then perhaps the lecturer could move … Continue reading
Posted in Teaching, Undergraduates
Tagged discussion, evolution, seminars, study questions, teaching
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Apply for our job in evolutionary genomics!
I hope by now you have your research and teaching statements ready for the hiring season. I hope you are not trying to think about where you might fit, but are leaving that for when you have offers. Just send … Continue reading
The power of study questions, and groups: Class 2
The second day of class with no lecturing has passed. We had no gripping videos today, but we had a lot to do. The students had turned in their photo releases and their get to know you sheets. Their first … Continue reading
Posted in Teaching, Undergraduates
Tagged Dawkins, evolution, quizzes, Selfish Gene, study questions
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Why you should use the word “evolution” if that is what you study
How often do you hear people say evolution when that is actually what they are working on? If you do not use the word, then some people will not get the connection of your work to this unifying theory. If … Continue reading
Big ideas from the famous Guarda, Switzerland course in evolutionary biology
Why is it so hard to come up with a big idea and a way to test it? What if you could choose any idea in any system, then plan an experiment unlimited by funds or manpower? What is your … Continue reading
Why aren’t you an evolutionist?
We have ecologists, economists, sociologists, and biologists. We have Marxists, capitalists, artists, and psychologists. We even have the tongue twisting physicists. Why don’t we call ourselves evolutionists? Well, one of us does, D. S. Wilson. Think what you will of … Continue reading
How getting into grad school in cell biology or neuroscience is different from ecology or evolution
You would think getting into grad school in one or another area of biology would be more or less the same. You might even think that if you went to a better undergrad university, had better grades, more research experience, … Continue reading
Posted in Graduate school, Interviewing, Undergraduates
Tagged admissions, ecology, evolution, Graduate school
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Don’t lose focus on grad student interviews!
It is again time to interview next year’s potential grad students. They have flown in from all over the country and will be spending a few days with us. Our current grad students will let us know how collegial they … Continue reading
Posted in Graduate school, Interviewing, Undergraduates
Tagged ecology, evolution, graduate student, Interview, leadership, self-starter
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Do you think a lot about scientific predictions?
A couple of weeks ago Alex Broadbent gave a talk in our seminar series on the history and philosophy of science and medicine. The point of the talk was a philosophical one, what is a good prediction? He was interested … Continue reading
Posted in New ideas
Tagged evolution, philosophy, Philosophy of science, Prediction, scientific method
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Sociobiology 