An Introduction to Ecological & Micrometeorological Instrumentation – Cheyenne Lei (Session 1) (FULL)
How does a precipitation gauge record rainfall? Do you know how a wind vane measures the 3 dimensional wind vertices? How do we measure plant productivity and stress? How do we determine soil moisture for irrigation? Modern meteorology includes a wide variety of in situ instruments that are designed to observe aspects of our atmospheric environment, yet many of these instruments remain a mystery in their implementation and use. This course bridges the gap in introductory weather and climate, and ecology centered on commonly used micrometeorological instrumentation through hands-on assignments. Topics will include direct and indirect temperature measurements, rainfall, wind, plant chlorophyll and soil moisture. Each section will also discuss how each topic is important to the changing climate, how it ties into STEM careers for students.

Brain and Behavior –  Jen Cummings (Session 2) (FULL)
Ever wonder how that gelatinous blob in your head controls everything you do and think? What exactly are neurons? How do they talk to each other? And to the rest of your body? Have you ever wondered about things like: how does stress affect your body? Is exercise really that good for your brain? What happens if you miss a few nights of sleep? It makes sense that your brain affects your experiences- but can experiences actually change your brain?? We will answer these questions (and more!) in Brain and Behavior, as we explore the amazing field of behavioral neuroscience. We will begin with a section on the basic functionality of the brain and nervous system, and then will go on to investigate how the system can be affected by things like stress, learning & memory, hormones, and neuropsychiatric disorders. We will leave some time for a session on student-selected topics in behavioral neuroscience, so if there’s something else you’ve been pondering with respect to the brain, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered.

Dissecting Life: Human Anatomy and Physiology –  Mary Orczykowski (Session 1) (FULL)
What are the systems of the human body and how do they work together to allow us to exist in the world? How can unique adaptations in animals teach us more about ourselves? In Dissecting Life, students will work together to learn the complexities and wonders of the human body through comparative anatomy dissections, observation of anatomy in action, case discussions, and studying plastinated and osteological anatomical donors within the University of Michigan Medical School’s Gross Anatomy Laboratories. Through this course, students will learn gross anatomy in detail and gain a basic understanding of physiology and histology as a foundation to study form and function.

From Physics through Biology to Medicine – Ari Gafni (Session 3) (FULL)
From its humble beginning in the early 19th century in explaining the mechanics of steam  engines, the branch of physics called thermodynamics evolved to provide a foundation on  which the scientific discipline called biophysics was built. Current biophysicists use a variety of  concepts and tools from physics chemistry and biology to address important problems in basic,  applied, and medical sciences. In this course we will discover how biophysicists approach  scientific problems, what tools they use in their research, and highlight several interesting  areas of current research. The lectures will begin by reviewing the rules of thermodynamics in  a clear and intuitive way, including demonstrations and lab experiments. We will then move to  discuss the intriguing and complicated question of how a protein molecule, initially produced as  a long linear chain of amino acids devoid of biological activity, undergoes metamorphosis into  a precisely folded structure that is perfectly designed to fulfill its specific function. This  question, called the protein folding problem, has been studied by both theoretical and  experimental approaches and therefore serves as an excellent introduction into biophysics.  Using hemoglobin as our protein example, we will explore its biological function in transporting  oxygen from the lungs to tissues and discuss how it performs this task with great efficiency.  We will learn how hemoglobin’s structure was solved and how this knowledge has been used to explain in detail its mechanism of function. Finally, we will see how using purely biophysical  approaches led to the discovery of the molecular origin of the devastating disease sickle cell  disease, a disease that involves an aberrantly folded hemoglobin molecule. This discovery led  to the development of a therapeutic approach to this disease. We will end by discussing  several other protein folding diseases where research to explain their molecular origin is still at  the forefront of biophysics.

Human Identification: Forensic Anthropology Methods –  Isabel Hermsmeyer (Session 2 & 3) (SESSION 2 & 3 FULL)
Forensic anthropology methods are used to aid in human identification with skeletal remains. Applications of forensic anthropology lie in the criminal justice system and mass disaster response. In this course, we will address questions such as: What are important differences between male and female skeletons? Utilizing skeletal remains, how would you tell the difference between a 20-year old and an 80-year old? How do you distinguish between blunt force and sharp force trauma on the skull? In this hands-on, laboratory-based course, you will be become familiar with human osteology (the study of bones] and bone biology. Through our exploration of forensic and biological anthropology methods, you will learn how to develop a biological profile [estimates of age at death, sex, ancestry and stature], assess manner of death, estimate postmortem interval, investigate skeletal trauma and pathology, and provide evidence for a positive identification from skeletal remains. Additionally, we will explore various forensic recovery techniques as they apply to an outdoor complex, including various mapping techniques. Towards the end of the course, you will work in small groups in a mock recovery of human remains and analyze the case utilizing the forensic anthropological methods learned throughout the course.

It’s in my DNA: From Gene to Protein – Anati Azhar and Hector Mendoza (Session 1) (FULL)
Have you ever heard the phrase “it’s in our DNA?”. This inspirational concept is commonly used to describe unique qualities and behaviors that make a person successful: honesty, courage, integrity, etc. But from a scientific perspective, what exactly does this expression mean? In this two-week course, we are going to embark on a journey of discovering exactly how DNA holds the blueprint for an organism and how this blueprint is interpreted. In the first week, we will review the structure and function of DNA during interactive lectures, complemented with exhilarating laboratory experiments that will challenge students’ investigational processes and creativity to maximize comprehension of the material. In the second week of the course, students will be introduced to the processes through which DNA is transformed into RNA and protein. These two molecules are crucial to understand how and why life “looks” a certain way. A great analogy to understand the flow of genetic information is to think of DNA as a cookbook, with many recipes (RNA) that give rise to many different dishes (proteins). Get your aprons and utensils ready, and let’s get cooking!

The Biology of Extreme Adaptations –  Sarah Raubenheimer (Session 2) (FULL)
Earth is full of weird and wonderful creatures and plants. The real interesting thing is why they are how they are! This course will investigate the foundations of life and survival in fauna and flora living in extreme and/or hazardous environments. We will use examples of plants and animals that persist in harsh environments (e.g., deserts, deep seas, arctic regions, caves, volcanoes, within humans and other mammals) to delve into the evolutionary adaptations that have enabled them to move into and persist in these environments. We will also relate these adaptations to global change and elaborate on how living things will need to adapt to a changing climate and how those already adapted to things like drought and extreme temperatures may be at an advantage or disadvantage depending on the system. Students taking this course will have the opportunity to research their own favorite weird and wonderful extreme forms of life, presenting this to the class as a showcase of the organisms’ lifestyle and evolutionary history (a great excuse to learn about something new and to get some experience with research and communicating science to an audience). There are so many amazing plants and animals living in extreme places, and with everything rapidly changing with global change, this creates a fascinating topic to explore as a group.

What Really Happens at Night in a Museum?: Multidisciplinary Approaches for Exploring Ecology and Evolution – Randy Singer (Session 3) (FULL)
Everything we know about our planet has been learned from the collection of biological research specimens. Anytime a new species is discovered, a new behavior is witnessed, or an ecosystem is explored all the data are documented and stored in a museum. Not the type of museum you might be thinking about, but rather a research museum collection. When you visit a natural history museum you are typically only seeing about 1% of what the museum actually has stored away in cabinets, jars and on sheets of paper. These specimens and data are stored for use by researchers to ask and answer almost any type of question. When all the data from all the specimens in every collection across the world are combined we form an irreplaceable network of data that can only be compared to a time machine. Want to go back to the age of dinosaurs and see what they are eating? Want to see how primates communicate with one another? Want to explore the farthest reaches of the ocean, but you don’t have a submarine? Museums can do this and more! Come on an adventure between the shelves, on the pages and in the digital realm of natural history collections and learn about how we can explore our planet and protect its future through the use of museum specimens!