FHL course: Fish functional morphology
Course description:
The course uses the diverse marine fish community of the San Juan Islands as a tool to explore the relationship between functional morphology and ecology. Students in the course will learn: 1) the evolutionary history and relationships of the major radiations of bony and cartilaginous fishes; 2) basic ecological principles as they relate to fish biology; 3) tools and techniques for collecting fishes; 4) basic morphology of cartilaginous and bony fishes; 5) tools and techniques of functional morphology.
For the first several weeks of the course there are daily lectures and field trips to familiarize students with the basic tools and animals that they will need for the latter portion of the course. For the second half of the course students pursue an independent research project. A variety of projects are suggested but it is also possible to come up with a completely original project based on personal interest. In the past, projects have covered a wide range of topics including ecology, eco-morphology, comparative physiology, comparative morphology and functional morphology. The course culminates in an oral and written presentation of the results of the research project. This course has historically enjoyed a strong place in the training of functional morphological researchers and the learning goals reflect this.
courses at UW
I teach a variety of courses on the UW campus during the regular academic year. They include:
Comparative Vertebrate Physiology
Marine Anatomy and Physiology
Teaching elsewhere
I am available to do workshops and lectures elsewhere. Please contact me about these opportunities and we can discuss options.