Ecology of Infectious Disease

Graduate

The primary goal of this course is to apply the tools, concepts and approaches of ecological science to the vexing problem of infectious disease. We will begin with careful reading of published case studies to develop both content mastery and strategies for identifying important areas for further work. We will also meet with campus librarians and read materials about leading productive discussions, writing effective research proposals, and providing constructive peer reviews. Each student will then develop an NSF-style research proposal to better understand the ecological aspect of a particular disease or type of disease, practice the art of constructive peer review with others' proposals, and iteratively improve their own proposals. Throughout, we will work together to build communication skills as well as cultivate key academic virtues. Held concurrently with BIOL 50 .02.