ASIC200 – JAN/APR 2008

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IMPORTANT

Major research assignment is due on April 28th by 4pm. Your assignment (both written and creative components) can be handed in at the Michael Smith Building in my mail slot (on the third floor, by the receptionist). Note that if your creative component is too big, you can also leave by the receptionist. Note that 4pm is pretty strict – as in the reception area locks down at that time. You can also hand your assignment in earlier at the same coordinates.

Final Exam (2 hrs) will be held on April 10th during our last class. 6pm to 8pm. Some sample final exam questions have been posted (Arts questions | Science questions).

Note the following:
- PCR lab will not be tested on (although knowing it would certainly segment your knowledge of replication which will be on the exam)
- No equations!
- Readings beyond the core lecture notes (see pdf files below organized to the day lecture was given) are not required in either the science or arts sections, although maybe helpful for the Arts section.
- Case studies for the Arts section of the exam, again, not required, but may be helpful.

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Template for the major research assignment available (post | pdf)

Lab commentary #2 assignment now available (link)

GMO Lab notes (not examinable) also now available. And here is your data.

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GMO PBL specific info available here. (general PBL information, structure | PBL process pdf)

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COURSE TIMELINE

0. INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT (July 2007)

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1. GENERAL INFORMATION (contacts, course outline, syllabus, grading, etc)

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2. JAN 10/08
[1] Administrative stuff | Warm Up | Global from an Arts Perspective
[2] Global from a Science Perspective | It’s the End of the World…

Please contribute your bit to the site.

Reading for next week:
1) Browse and familiarize yourself with the IPCC website located at: http://www.ipcc.ch/index.htm and read the AR4 “Summary for Policymakers” located at: http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr_spm.pdf

2) Go to the UNFCCC home page at: http://unfccc.int/2860.php and browse the latest news. Then click on “Essential Background” and then “Feeling the Heat” and read the all the sections listed from the Introduction through to the Kyoto Protocol.

3) Browse the Suzuki Foundation website at: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/ and check out the feature bars on the upper left (the ones beginning with the red “solving global warming” box). Read the entries under each feature category (from “Solving global warming” to “Building a sustainable economy”) over the next five weeks.

Some interesting links (just because).
“10 ways the world could end”
Canada’s Clean Air Act: The Solution or the Problem?
That crazy “Humans!” video you saw.
Jargon open thread

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3. JAN 17/08
(pdf file of lecture notes)
[1] State of the world | Scientific Eponym | Climate Change Science start
[2] dU = dq – dw | Atmospheric version | Game [lifespan, divorce] | models

Some of the visual aids used: string theory | what you know you know venn diagram | science flowchart | creationist textbook | Hurricane Katrina movie | Benoit Clapeyron | Carnot’s Piston

Reading for next week:
1) “The Nature of Earth Science” Section 1.2, Chapter 1 (Historical Overview of Climate Change Science) p95 – 99, . [pdf link]

2) “Summary for Policymakers,” Report of Working Group I of the IPCC (AR4) (the science report) p1 – 18 [pdf link]

3) Uncertainty parameters as it relates to language in the IPCC reports. IPCC AR4 Introduction, p3 [pdf link]

4) Working Group I, IPCC AR4 FAQs 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3, p94 – 102 [pdf link]

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4. JAN 24/08
(pdf file of lecture notes)
[1] W vs C | Validation of Models | Units (game) | Energy from the Sun to…
[2] …the Earth | Radiative Forcing numbers | Carbon Dioxide | Papers (game)

Some of the visual aids used: W vs C | butterfly | pizza delivery | sun | exploding man | tshirt 1 | tshirt 2 | inverse square | atmosphere layers 1/2 | cloudy animation | tshirt 3 | greenhouse gas absorption | radiative forcing | tshirt 4 | carbon cycle | keeling graphs | paper 1 | paper 2a/2b | paper 3 | paper 4 | April Fools

Follow up reading Rest of the IPCC FAQs (pdf)

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5. JAN 31/08
(pdf file of lecture notes)
[1] It’s all about ~ being human | Edward de Bono’s hats | ~ economics…
[2] …It’s still all about economics | ~ energy value | ~ domestic politics

PBL sign ups (some information about PBLs – content being added over weekend).

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6. FEB 07/08
(pdf file of lecture notes)
[1] Rio | COPS | Kyoto | Bali and the future.
[2] refer to schedule at the top of this page – PBL or LAB

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7. FEB 14/08
[1] refer to schedule at the top of this page – PBL or LAB
[2] refer to schedule at the top of this page – PBL or LAB

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8. FEB 28/08
[1] refer to schedule at the top of this page – PBL or LAB
[2] GMO Science lecture: preface | genetic traits | DNA, etc | replication
(pdf file of lecture notes)

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9. MAR 06/08
[1] central dogma | “modification” | vectors | some out there examples
[2] making a vector | plant GMOs | Bt/Roundup Ready/Golden Rice
(pdf file of lecture notes)

Some interesting genetics links:
Bt corn | Nude Mouse | Health Canada o Roundup Ready | Golden Rice | Copy Cat | Von Trapp Children speak to a Geneticist | Grimace | Replication ad | Mitosis swimming | Martha Stewart chocolate cake recipe

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9. MAR 13/08
[1] Social Sciences and Humanities of GMOs
[2] Including: life | ethics | politics
(pdf file of lecture notes)

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10. MAR 20/08
[1] Social Sciences and Humanities of GMOs (cont) (pdf file of lecture notes)
[2] GMO PBL start

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11/12. MAR 27/08 + APR 03/08
[1/2] Mixture of PBL session as well as the GMO lab exercise
[lab exercise notes | lab commentary assignment]

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13. APR 10/08
[1] 2 hour final exam! (6pm to 8pm) Sample questions and some logistics noted here and here.
See top of this page for some more details.

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