BIO 1 in Dublin
Pat Randolph
Evolution and Ecology
I graduated from UC Davis with a BS in zoology in 1993, worked for a period with the California Fish and Game where studied fish and shrimp populations in the San Francisco Bay. I then went on to graduate school at Purdue University, earning a master’s and PhD in entomology. My focus in graduate school was the biogeography (distributions) and taxonomy of the North American aquatic insect group, the Ephemeroptera (or mayflies). I then started work in the Department of Evolution & Ecology at UC Davis in 2002. Since then, I have been running and helping teach our introductory biology courses, including zoology, and now evolution and ecology.
A Message to Students and Parents
Bio1 is the first in the introductory biology series at UC Davis, which is required by most seeking a degree in biology or related field. We will focus on concepts of evolution and ecology, and in my approach I like to bring real world examples into the classroom to engage students with a wide variety of interests such as those in the health sciences, agriculture, or those not even sure what they want to do yet. Because Bio1 is a required course for many, during the academic year we are normally very large, which limits what we can do. The small enrollment in summer provides opportunities such as field trips that are not possible during the normal academic year. We will use the fieldtrips to reinforce topics learned in lecture.
We will not include the lab during the study abroad session, but I will guarantee a spot during the academic year for students who want to take the lab. Students also will receive credit for BIS98 or BIS198, a course focused on exploring the culture of Ireland.
One of the joys with summer courses and study abroad is the student bring an energy to their learning that is different than what we get in the large course setting. I really look forward to working with the group this coming summer."