BIOL 495 Outline

THE KING'S UNIVERSITY

TERM:	2021-22 Winter
COURSE NUMBER:	BIOL 495
COURSE TITLE:	Biology Seminar
NAME OF INSTRUCTOR:	Dr. Annerieke Wolmarans
CREDIT WEIGHT AND WEEKLY TIME DISTRIBUTION:	credits 1(hrs lect 0 - hrs sem 1 - hrs lab 0)
COURSE DESCRIPTION:	A weekly seminar through the entire academic year, exploring the contexts for the discipline of biology, including historical, methodological, ethical and societal dimensions, as well as current biological topics of interest in basic research, industrial and environmental settings. Ethical and professional responsibilities for biologists in industrial, research and academic settings will be addressed, as well as other topics that explore the interface between biology and society. Students, faculty and visiting speakers will give presentations. This course will meet concurrently with BIOL 395, and from time to time with CHEM 395/495. It is required for third-year biology majors. First and second year students are strongly encouraged to attend presentations. Mark for the course will be pass/fail. Prerequisites: BIOL 397
REQUIRED TEXTS:	Readings will be made available on Moodle. Text purchase is not required. Berry, R.J. (Ed) (2009). Real Scientist: Real Faith. Monarch Books, Grand Rapids. Frankenberry, N. (Ed) (2008). The Faith of Scientists in Their Own Words. Princeton University Press. Numbers, R. (Ed) (2009). Galileo Goes to Jail and Other Myths about Science and Religion. HarvardUniversity Press. Palmer, Parker (1999). Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation. Jossey-Bass. Other selected articles and resources.
MARK DISTRIBUTION :	The course will be graded on a pass/fail basis. A passing grade requires a minimum of 70%. a) Prepare a seminar presentation and lead a discussion about it (25%) b) Write a personal CV and cover letter (25%) c) Make a personal statement of perspective on biology (25%) d) Participate in discussions and provide responses to readings (25%)
COURSE OBJECTIVES:	Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: Appreciate the role of creativity and art in science Articulate the role of scientists in society from a perspective of faith integration
COURSE FORMAT:	The course follows a seminar format, meeting for one hour per week throughout the semester. We will employ an interactive learning approach using readings, class discussion, presentations, cooperative projects, and reflective writing. Students are expected to actively participate in all learning activities in the course. This is a pass/fail course, so attendance at all sessions is required. Please notify the instructor, in advance, if there is a compelling reason for any absence.

Required texts, assignments, and grade distributions may vary from one offering of this course to the next. Please consult the course instructor for up to date details.