Scott teaches a variety of courses in evolutionary biology, ornithology and population genetics. In addition, many postdocs in the lab find that becoming a Teaching Fellow for LS1b is a good way to stretch funds and get some valuable experience teaching in a large survey course in genetics and evolution.

OEB 275r this year will be a first run of a graduate course called a "Survey of Evolutionary Biology" taught by about 12 OEB faculty and covering the diversity of research and topical interests in the Department. During Spring 2007 Edwards taught ornithology (OEB 190) which consists of lectures, laboratory sessions, computer project and field trips, including a spring-break field trip to Mexico. The main emphasis in future years will be on developing the graduate level survey of evolutionary biology as well as developing research courses for undergraduates. Graduate students in the lab are often recruited to act as Teaching Fellows for these courses.

Courses

OEB 275r. A Survey of Evolutionary Biology (Spring 2008)

Catalog Number: 5004
Scott V. Edwards, Charles Marshall • Farish Jenkins • Arkhat Abzhanov •Chris Organ • Martin Nowak • Hopi Hoekstra • Marcus Kronforst • Chris Marx •Brian Langerhans • Anne Pringle • Brian Farrell
Half course (fall term). W., 1-2:30. EXAM GROUP:

A survey of the cutting-edge frontiers of evolutionary biology, delivered by a diversity of OEB faculty. Modules consist of paired Monday-Wednesday learning sessions. Mondays will consist of structured lecture topics. Wednesdays will consist of Professor-led exercises of the Monday topic. Wednesday will include paper discussions, debates on a specific topic, or introduction to novel computer programs in the Science Center Mac lab. Topics include macroevolution (Marshall), vertebrate paleontology (Jenkins), evolutionary developmental biology (Abzhanov) , natural and sexual selection (Langerhans) , speciation (Hoekstra, Kronforst), phylogenetics and the comparative method (Edwards, Organ), evolutionary dynamics (Nowak), microbial evolution (Marx), evolutionary ecology (Pringle) and co-speciation (Farrell). Short homework assignments will emphasize scientific writing and achievement of evolutionary literacy at the level of professional evolutionary biologists and our national scientific societies.

OEB 125. Molecular Ecology and Evolution (last taught Fall 2007)

Catalog Number: 2691
Scott V. Edwards and guest lecturers
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 11:30–1 and two hours weekly of computer laboratory. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
A survey of empirical applications of DNA technologies to the study of evolutionary, ecological and behavioral processes in natural populations. Topics to be covered will span a variety of hierarchical levels, timescales, and taxonomic groups, and will include the evolution of genes, genomes and proteins; evolution of multigene families and molecular clocks; population genetic and phylogenetic principles of speciation and phylogeography; DNA fingerprinting in forensics and behavioral ecology; evolutionary genetics of disease resistance; and conservation genetics. Note: Weekly computer laboratories will introduce the use of the internet and computational software in DNA sequence alignment and phylogenetic and population genetic analysis.
Prerequisite: BS 50 or 52.

OEB 190. Biology and Diversity of Birds (last taught Spring 2007)

Catalog Number: 3870 Enrollment: Limited to 15.
Scott V. Edwards
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 11:30-1. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
An introduction to the biology of birds. Covers the fossil record and theories for avian origins, physiology and anatomy, higher-level systematics and field characters of the ~27 orders, speciation processes, nesting and courtship behavior, vocalizations, mating systems and sexual selection, cooperative breeding, demography and conservation. Optional field trip to the Neotropics during spring break. Laboratories will consist of gross anatomy, bird watching excursions in the Cambridge area, field techniques and specimen preparation, and systematic study of avian groups using the collections of the Museum of Comparative Zoology.

2004-2005 Courses

OEB 362. Research in Molecular Evolution

Catalog Number: 2367
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). EXAM GROUP:

OEB 275r. Natural Selection at the Molecular Level

Catalog Number: 5004
Scott V. Edwards
Half course (fall term). W., 1-2:30. EXAM GROUP:
Through reading of the primary literature, this course reviews recent empirical evidence for natural selection at the molecular level. Topics will vary depending on student interest, and could include host-parasite interactions, balancing selection, geographic variation, molecular clocks, and eukaryotic genome evolution.