2018 E-term Bulletin

10 “day work,” required in the creation of a fresco. Participation will be evaluated, as will effort and skill. Attendance will be mandatory. Estimated Student Fees: $70 ASIAN STUDIES AN*E299*05 Martial Arts Cinema: Philosophy, Literature, and Art Daniel Coyle Prerequisites: None Open To: All Students Grading System: Letter Max. Enrollment: 14 Meeting Times: M Tu WTh 12:30 pm–3:30 pm This project will explore the emergence and globalization of East Asian martial arts film. Students examine the philosophical roots, classical literature, film art, reception, and global influence of one of the oldest genres in Chinese cinema. We begin by reading selections from primary texts of martial philosophy and early “popular martial fiction” (wuxia xiaoshuo 武 俠小說 ), then trace wuxia film adaptations from the early 20th century into the transnational kung-fu films (gongfu pian 功夫片 ) of recent decades. Emphasis will be placed on distinguishing the early feminine tradition in Chinese cinema, the inadvertent masculinization that accompanied the rise of realistic Hong Kong kung-fu films in the ’60s and ’70s, and the gender bending-transpositioning from the ’90s forward. We will screen, discuss, and write about works by Zhang Che, King Hu, Bruce Lee, and Tsui Hark, Wang Kar-wai, Chen Kaige, and Zhang Yimou. We will have preparatory reading and screening assignments during Christmas Break. Once the term begins in January, students will spend at least 35 hours per week reading, screening, and researching. Evaluations will be based on attendance, participation, quizzes, presentations, and either a 10-page formal research paper or a documented 20-minute oral PowerPoint presentation. Estimated Student Fees: $25 BIOLOGY BI*E499*06 Directed Research II Jason Heaton Prerequisites: BI 470 Open To: Senior Biology Majors Grading System: Letter Max. Enrollment: 12 Meeting Times: M Tu WTh F DHAR This project is an advanced exploration of the practices and techniques of biological research focusing on the design, execution, and presentation of experiments, data analysis, and information retrieval. This project may serve as the second of a minimum of two terms of research required for all biology majors. Students are expected to complete approximately 40 hours per week on this project as they carry out the scientific aims crafted during BI 470. This research will culminate in 1) a 15-20-page thesis written in the format of a scientific article and 2) an oral presentation at the Science and Mathematics Senior Conference in the spring semester. BI*E299*07 Exploring the Galápagos Islands: Wildlife, Ecology, and Conservation Megan Gibbons and Barbara Domcekova Prerequisites: None Open To: All Students Grading System: Letter Max. Enrollment: 18 Meeting Times: On Campus: January 3-12 Travel: January 13-23 This project will focus on the study of the ecology, wildlife, and conservation of the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador. We will spend the first portion of the project on campus (meeting daily from 9:00 am-12:00 pm, and some days until 2:30 pm) studying the history and ecology of the Islands while introducing students to numerous species that are endemic to the Galápagos (i.e., exist nowhere else in the world). On campus activities may include lectures, movies, guest speakers, and discussion sessions. We will then fly to the Galápagos Islands via Guayaquil, Ecuador. The next week will be spent on a private yacht visiting several of the islands. Grades will be based on a) completion of reading assignments and worksheets, b) one written exam, c) a natural history journal, and d) a personal journal maintained during the trip. Spanish proficiency is helpful but not required. Estimated Student Fees: $7600 BI*E299*08 Microbe Hunting: Searching for Novel Antibiotics in Our Own Backyards Kevin Drace Prerequisites: None Open To: All Students Grading System: Letter Max. Enrollment: 10 Meeting Times: M Tu WTh 10:00 am–12:00 pm, 1:00 pm–3:00 pm Scientists predict that by 2050, deaths attributed to antimicrobial resistance will top 10million per year—significantly more than the number of deaths caused by cancer or diabetes. To make matters worse, new antibiotics are increasingly difficult to develop. The encouraging news is that two-thirds of our antibiotics were developed frommicroorganisms, and we have yet to isolate and identify even 1%of the world’s microbial community. That’s where you come in. This project provides you the opportunity to isolate and identify bacteria that demonstrate antibiotic activity against relevant human pathogens. We will also explore the social issues surrounding antimicrobial resistance and develop ideas to increase public awareness of this problem in Alabama. Students will be evaluated based on participation in daily group discussions of required readings, maintaining an accurate laboratory notebook, a final 5-8-page research paper, and a 15-minute oral presentation. Estimated Student Fees: $45 BI*E299*09 Science (pod)class Peter VanZandt Prerequisites: None Open To: All students Grading System: Letter Max. Enrollment: 16 Meeting Times: M Tu WTh 1:00 pm–4:00 pmwith some additional arranged times