The introductory courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics at Trinity University have historically been conventional in their scope and approach. In recent years we have begun some innovations that are further extended with funds from HHMI (see table for targeted courses). For example, Biology 1311 serves both majors and non-majors and focuses on topics for understanding the process of scientific method. This course seeks to integrate approaches at the cellular, organismal, and population levels that are advancing the biological sciences. This course along with the subsequent Biology 1312 provides majors the big picture of biology before focusing on the details in their upper division coursework. For non-majors, the topical approach allows us to present some of the most timely and important information in an accessible format. Our CHEM 1318/2319 sequence brings biologically relevant chemical principles to the front of the standard introductory chemistry curriculum, giving students taking these courses as a prerequisite for upper division biology courses. But none of our current courses provide for students the power of interdisciplinary insights at the levels we seek to achieve. The specific goal of our revisions are:

1) to make linkages between biology and other disciplines that are compelling and apparent to our students,
2) to reinforce those linkages at multiple points in multiple courses of our introductory sequences,
3) to teach biology students the ability to apply quantitative methods and reasoning to biology at substantially higher levels than they currently use, and
4) to stimulate an interest in the interface between biology and these disciplines (this applies to faculty as well as students).

Course Revision Process

Postdoctoral Positions