Environmental Biology

Prerequisites: Corequisite EEEB UN1111 Study of non-human primate behavior from the perspective of phylogeny, adaptation, physiology and anatomy, and life history. Focuses on the four main problems primates face: finding appropriate food, avoiding being eaten themselves, reproducing in the face of competition, and dealing with social partners. Along with Human Origins - Evolution, this serves as a core required class for the EBHS program.

Prerequisites: EEEB UN2001 Second semester of introductory biology sequence for majors in enviromnental biology and environmental science, emphasizing the ecological and evolutionary aspects of biology. Also intended for those interested in an introduction to the principles of ecology and evolutionary biology.

Prerequisites: Science majors should have completed one introductory course that covers biology, ecology, evolution or conservation priort to taking this course. Non-science majors should have some exposure to these same topics but are not required to have taken courses in advance of this class.

Discover the foundations and contemporary significance of natural history research—from early cabinets of curiosity to museum repositories today. How do these physical—and now digital—spaces help us answer questions around ecology and evolution, especially those on theory, systematics, biodiversity, and conservation? Read the primary literature, analyze and interpret open-source data from platforms such as GBIF and iNaturalist, and visit collections around New York City to answer this line of inquiry and deliver your findings through transferable science skills via conference-style presentations and publication-style writing.

Guided, independent, indepth research experience culminating in the senior essay. Weekly meetings are held to review work in progress, to share results through oral and written reports, and to consider career options for further work in this field.

Prerequisites: the instructors permission and senior standing as a major in The Evolutionary Biology of the Human Species (EBHS). Year-long seminar in which senior EBHS majors develop a research project and write a senior thesis. Regular meetings are held to discuss research and writing strategies, review work in progress, and share results through oral and written reports.

This course builds on an introductory course in statistics and dives deeper into linear regression models, including generalized linear models, mixed/hierarchical models, model diagnostics, and model selection. It focuses on the practical applications of these methods rather than the mathematical complexities. A prior course or equivalent knowledge of fundamental concepts in statistics as well as familiarity with R programming are required pre-requisites for this course.

Prerequisites: the instructors permission. Introduction to the ecology and epidemiology of infectious diseases of humans and wildlife.

This course examines the role and function of the modern zoo in the context of the modern conservation movement. Students will learn about the evolution of the zoological park from an entertainment venue to a reservoir of rare or otherwise endangered species of animals, and as a catalyst for conservation of these species.

Prerequisites: Calculus, Introductory Biology. This course will provide an introduction to theoretical ecology. Topics will include population, community, ecosystem, disease, and evolutionary ecology. Lectures will cover classic and current concepts and mathematical approaches. The numerical analysis laboratory will cover computational tools for numerical and graphical analysis of the models we cover in lecture, using MATLAB. By the end of the course, students will be well versed in the basics of theretical ecology and will be able to read theoretical ecology literature, analyze and simulate mathematical models, and construct and analyyze their own simple models.

Prerequisites: SDEV W3390 or EESC W4050 or the instructors permission. This class provides basic theory in landscape analysis and training in methods for analyzing landscapes, focusing on interpretation of satellite images. The class covers approaches and definitions in landscape analysis, data sources, land cover classification, change detection, accuracy assessment, projections of future land cover change, and techniques to interpret results of these analyses. Students will obtain hands-on experience working with data from a landscape related to his/her research or a landscape chosen by the instructors.

This course trains students to design, implement, and evaluate place-based environmental education materials through an international partnership between Columbia University and Finca Cántaros Environmental Association (FCEA), a nonprofit environmental education organization in rural Costa Rica. Students will engage with foundational theories of environmental education, curriculum design, bird migration and habitat conservation activities. They will then apply these concepts by collaboratively developing bilingual education modules inspired by bird migration and conservation, including activities focused on the Motus Wildlife Tracking System (one of the latest, open-source technologies used to track birds on migration), and tree planting (a hands-on approach to habitat conservation). Modules will be implemented with elementary level youth from Costa Rica, emphasizing reciprocal learning, ethical international engagement, and community-driven science. Local NYC field trips will allow students to compare approaches to audience engagement, interpretation, curriculum design, and assessment across different educational and cultural contexts.

Humans, like other animals, have evolved strategies of parental care, which include traits and trade-offs that enhance development and survival of offspring at the expense of parents. This course addresses questions such as: Why do we care for offspring? What physiological and genetic mechanisms underlie parental behavior? What drives variation in parental care strategies? We will analyze the diverse array of social and  mating systems along with parental care strategies, focusing on primates including humans.

What are the sources and mechanisms of diversity of behavior among individuals and between species and how does behavior evolve at genetic, molecular, and neuronal levels? Readings will span an arc from an introduction to ethology and animal behavior, through studies of animal behavior in nature and in the laboratory, followed by how animals interact with their physicochemical and social environments, and ending with a perspective on the diversity and evolution of animal behavior.

Prerequisites: EEEB G4850. Incoming M.A. students aiming for the thesis-based program are guided through the process of defining a research question, finding an advisor, and preparing a research proposal. By the end of the semester the students will have a written research proposal to submit to potential advisors for revision. Subject to a positive review of the research proposal, students are allowed to continue with the thesis-based program and will start working with their advisor. The course will also provide an opportunity to develop basic skills that will facilitate the reminder of the students stay at E3B and will help in their future careers.

Prerequisites: Required course for first year Ph.D. students and second year M.A. students on academic track. Covers foundational topics and developments in many branches of ecology, including population, community, and ecosystems ecology.

Prerequisites: degree in biological sciences. Lectures by visiting scientists, faculty, and students; specific biological research projects; with emphasis on evolution, ecology, and conservation biology.

Prerequisites: biology, ecology, genetics, and evolution. Introduction to the applied science of maintaining the earths biological diversity, its landscapes, and wilderness. Focus on the biological principles relevant to the conservation of biodiversity at the genetic, population, and community and landscape levels.