This course relates ecological and evolutionary processes to patterns of life on Earth and real-world challenges faced by our society in the 21^st century. Throughout this course, you will use quantitative reasoning and critical thinking skills to evaluate current theory and practices in ecology and evolution. You will work collaboratively with your peers to construct evidence-based hypotheses, conduct virtual experiments, analyze data, and communicate your findings. You will also practice applying scientific concepts to environmental problems that directly impact humans. This course will help you develop a deeper understanding of the scientific process and gain practical skills in the nature of science.

Through their research, scientists have a unique opportunity to impact society. Scientists are increasingly called upon to share their expertise with the public to inform decision making. Sharing that knowledge successfully requires scientists to be skilled communicators who can engage diverse people in the wonder of science. In this course, you will (1) learn about the principles of science communication and outreach, (2) gain practical experience working with outreach programs, and (3) design your own original, evidence-based outreach program addressing a scientific issue of public concern.

Natural changes in atmospheric composition and climate have had major impacts on individual organisms and ecosystem functioning over geologic time. In addition to these natural changes, human activities have dramatically altered the functioning of current ecosystems, and these anthropogenic effects are expected to increase into the future. In this course, we will discuss global change research with an emphasis on studies that use stable isotope chemistry to evaluate ecological and physiological responses of biota. As part of this course, you will learn fundamental principles of isotope chemistry in natural systems, critically evaluate scientific studies that apply isotope chemistry to global change questions, and conduct authentic isotope research to learn basic methods of isotope sample preparation and data interpretation.

Humans have significantly altered natural landscapes and the organisms that inhabit them. In fact, loss of biodiversity is one of the most rapid forms of environmental change in the modern era. As an interdisciplinary field, conservation biology uses concepts from ecology, genetics, social sciences, anthropology, economics, and other fields to identify, understand, and solve problems related to human impacts on biodiversity. In this course we will explore why biodiversity is so important, the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss, and the application of ecological principles to the management and preservation of biodiversity. As part of this discussion, we will learn about common statistical models, tools, and techniques that are used to conserve biodiversity.

Global change is rapidly becoming one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century. This course will introduce you to the challenges posed by global change through a unique multidisciplinary exploration of the scientific, economic, political, communicative, and even philosophical dimensions of the issue. The course will cover topics such as the current state of scientific knowledge about global change, empirical and modeling approaches to studying global change impacts, competing discourses regarding global change, risk and uncertainty in decision-making, actions taken to address global change issues and the ethical dimensions of these actions.