Courses

The major goal of conservation biology is to preserve and recover genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity through evidence-based assessment, analysis, and management. This course will integrate evolutionary and ecological theory into resource management, economics, sociology, and political science to explore conservation strategies associated with habitat fragmentation and loss, exotic species invasions, over-harvesting and sustainable development, re-wilding, and other relevant topics across the ever-changing wildlife-human landscape relationship. State-of-the-art tools and methodologies will be introduced and showcased with real examples. Weekly classes will involve discussions of emerging conservation issues through the reading of research papers as well as hands-on learning of methodologies of conservation science through analysis of real data. Seminars and discussion forums with guest researchers and field trips with hands-on data collection will also be offered.