Courses

Anthro 1050: Evolution of Human Nature

Our brains, like the rest of our bodies, were shaped by natural selection. But how much does this matter? Many social scientists would argue that it matters very little, since human behavior is transmitted culturally rather than genetically. This course will entertain a different hypothesis. It will seek to explain human nature---our desires and preferences, our virtues and faults, our similarities and differences---using the theory of evolution. Students are encouraged to be skeptical. After all, rational skepticism is the business of science.

Anthro5471/Biol5471: Fundamental Methods of Evolutionary Ecology

An introduction to the method and theory of evolutionary ecology for undergraduate students and beginning grads. The course will make extensive use of Maple, a computer program that simplifies equations, solves them, and plots the results.

Anthro 4241/5241: Darwinian Medicine

Evolution sheds light on medicine in various ways. It tells us why some pathogens are more virulent than others, why mothers and fetuses show adaptations for conflict (as well as cooperation) with one another, why we age, and why human females (but not those of other species) stop reproducing with years of good health ahead of them. These and other issues are covered in this survey of what evolution has to say about medicine.

Anthro5221/Biol5221: Human Evolutionary Genetics

An introduction to the theory and data of evolutionary genetics. It is about how populations respond to evolution, and also about how evolutionary history can be reconstructed from our genes.

Anthro 636: Preparing Grant Proposals

Biol5410: Molecular Evolution

How biologists go about making sense of genetic differences between species. Team-taught with Jon Seger (Dept of Biology) and Glenn Herrick (Dept of Biochemistry).

Anthro 6200: ProSeminar II: History of Biological Anthropology