Biodiversity Studies in the Anthropocene

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Biodiversity encompasses many more facets than simply the number of species in a location. This course will examine these different types of biodiversity and the ways in which scientists use cutting-edge technologies, such as AI, to study biodiversity. Students will also explore the many challenges facing species alive today and consider the complexity of equitable and ethical biodiversity conservation. Classes will combine lecture with hands-on learning activities using specimens from the Museum of Biodiversity and real datasets to build data analysis skills and critical thinking. Students will apply these skills to develop hypotheses on biodiversity-related questions and interrogate data that they collect on local field trips.