RNR 170C1 Our Place in Nature: Biology and the Environment

This course involves the study of nature emphasizing humans as a component of it. We learn how living things and physical processes function and interconnect to generate the complex environments of our planet. Our perspective is based on the methods natural scientists use to understand nature. We examine on how this understanding may lead to solutions to challenges in the environment, medicine, and agriculture. Our approach throughout this course focuses on the roles of quantitative information in decision making in natural science and other aspects of modern life. We apply the key elements of the practice of natural science to evaluate and interpret quantitative information and develop hypotheses about biological phenomena relevant in our lives. We locate or collect data, organize and analyze these data, and develop conclusions from these analyses. Finally, we examine communication of our findings to multiple audiences using a variety of representations.