ACADEMIC DEGREES

            B.S.       Iowa State University, 1965

                                    Distributive Studies

            Ph.D.     Iowa State University, 1974

                                    Zoology

CURRENT TEACHING ASSIGNMENT     

BIOL 300  Biology of Aging reviews the aging process from a broad perspective.  Aging is now being studies intensely at the cellular level and new findings are being reported on almost a daily basis.  While the focus in on aging humans, aging is studied from a broad perspective.  Aging is considered from an ecological and evolutionary perspective, aging mechanisms at the cellular level, aging in animals as diverse as fruitflies and birds is studied.  In humans, the consequences of aging on all of the major organ systems is reviewed.  A minimal background in biology is assumed.

ZOOL 301  Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy   Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy is one of the oldest subdisciplines of Zoology.  The core topic is the study of vertebrate evolution through the detailed study of vertebrate morphology.  The course as I teach it has three major themes. (1) Vertebrate Anatomy- detailed dissections of the shark, salamander, and cat are carried out in the laboratory as well as the dissection of selected organs.  Rubber gloves are provided.  (2) Evolution of the vertebrates, beginning with a study of chordate ancestry.  This is a dynamic area of research with many of the new molecular techniques from cell development and molecular genetics now being used to address problems that were formerly studied using only morphological methods.  (3) Functional analysis, why are structures shaped as they are, principles of design are used to determine just what is being selected for in natural selection.

ZOOL 401 Human Physiology  is a rigorous examination of how the human body works, minimally a good background in cell biology is needed, course work in biochemistry and physics is helpful.  The focus is on normal function at the cellular, tissue, organ, and organ system level.  The content of the course is modeled after physiology courses taught in the first year of training in professional schools.  When ever appropriate, the quantitative understanding  of physiological processes is emphasized.  Laboratory activities include classical experiments in physiology, computer simulations, and longer term research investigations.  Charts and statistical procedures using Excel are utilized to summarize and assess data collected in the laboratory.

ZOOL 409 General and Comparative Physiology has a more descriptive approach than does ZOOL 401.   Instead of focusing on the in depth understanding of physiological processes in a single species, the focus is much broader.  All animals have to move, sense, eat, breath, circulate, and eliminate and there are certain commonalities to these processes, hence the term general in the course title.   The term comparative is used in two ways; phylogenetically and ecologically.  Examples from a diverse assemblage of animals, invertebrate and vertebrate, are used to illustrate common and unique solutions to the problem of staying alive.   Different habitats pose different challenges as well as new opportunities.

Ecological Physiology  This course is new course currently under development, and will be taught for the first time in the fall of 2003.   This course will, as the title suggests, focus on the interaction between the environment and physiology.  Adaptation at all levels of animal organization will be explored.