Courses

We provide meaningful experiences for students to engage in the fundamental skills and concepts of biology while they connect with their community.

Biology 13500: First Year Biology Laboratory

In the fall semester, we partner with a local non-profit (GrowLocal) where students propose projects designed to improve growing conditions in urban gardens locally in the Greater Lafayette area. Students monitor the biodiversity of bacteria living in the soil and test the soil quality to ensure that it is optimal for urban gardening.

Here are links to some past project websites: Carrot versus Squash, Straw versus No Straw, Auto shop versus undeveloped land, Apple tree versus Peach tree, Straw versus No Straw 2nd Study, Straw versus No Straw 3rd Study. It is amazing to see all their hard work pay off. Check out some photos of their time in the garden below.

In the spring semester, we partner with Purdue Facilities where students propose projects designed to test the microbiome of rain gardens on the campus of Purdue University. Students monitor the biodiversity of bacteria living in the soil and test the soil quality to ensure that it is optimal for detoxification of the water runoff.

Here are links to some past project websites: Rain Garden versus Non-Rain Gardens, Polluted versus Not Polluted Rain Gardens, Academic versus Residential Rain Gardens, New versus Established Rain Gardens. These projects have laid the foundation for our understanding of the impat that these rain gardens are having on our campus.

Student at the garden with a bag of soil. — Student holding their bag of soil that was obtained from a local urban garden and will be used for soil testing back in the lab.

Students at the garden collecting their samples. — Group of students collecting their soil samples at the local urban garden.

Teaching Assistant helping students. — Teaching team member Madi leading her group of students at the urban garden.

teaching team members holding containers — Teaching team members are great to work with. They provide key mentoring for our students and help them navigate the lab exp

students in lab — Students extract genomic DNA from their soil samples back in the lab.

students smiling and using vortexes — Students using vortexing their soil samples for analysis.

students loading their DNA on instrument — Students use a NanoDrop to analyze their genomic DNA quality.

student using an instrument — Student loading their genomic DNA sample on the NanoDrop instrument for analysis of DNA quality before they are sent off for sequencing.