Course offerings By Dr. Michael Barresi
Introductory courses.
BIO132: Systems, Cells, and Molecules (One of the two introductory biology courses). (Offered Spring 2024)
First Year Seminar FYS171: The Science of Superheroes
First Year Seminar FYS144: Science and Society (Fall 2022; Fall 2023)
Upper level courses.
BIO302: Developmental Biology (Typically Fall offering)
BIO303: Research in Developmental Biology – a Laboratory course (Typically Fall offering)
BIO323 Seminar: Topics in Developmental Biology – Past Topics: Stem cells, Development and Environment Interactions, Brain Development, Organoids
Past Courses Taught
BIO159Y: From Environment to Embryo – A year long research course for first year students. (offered 2014-15)
BIO159Y: Modeling Human Disease – A year long research course for first year students. (offered 2015-16)
BIO206: Cell PhysiologyBIO207: Cell Physiology Laboratory
By the end of every course I hope my students have become a little more passionate about learning and start to take on a certain responsibility for their own growth as learners. Like all teachers, I feel an inner challenge to foster long-term comprehension of the main concepts so that they remain with the student long after the course has ended. More importantly, I am also interested in my
students gaining a sense of belonging to the scientific community.
In some ways these are challenging and idealistic goals.
However, I feel that my humility as a perpetually evolving teacher has enabled me to maintain an open mind to different pedagogical approaches that can create memorable experiences in- and outside of class. These experiences hopefully facilitate the retention and utilization of key ideas and skill sets later in life. Whether it is the use of medical case studies in intro biology, web conferencing and grant writing in Dev Bio, real and novel research opportunities in a lab course, or the professional production of documentary movies, students are continually challenged and inspired to learn and use Biology.