Week 10: Biotechnology

Professor Diane Robertson, Biology, guest lectures on genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Goals:

• Understand some of the science of GMOs.
• Learn about and discuss controversies surrounding GMOs.
• Consider the role of GMOs in the success or collapse of modern agriculture.
• Develop the structure of your research paper and plan how you will use your sources.

Monday, April 6: Biotechnology (1)

Guest lecturer: Diane Robertson, Biology. Ms. Davis will be away.

Read the following short articles on e-Reserve. If you are not able to finish them for Monday, finish them for Wednesday.

• Snell, "Against the Grain"
• Stipp, "The Voice of Reason in the Global Food Fight"
• Sinha, "GM Technology Develops in the Developing World"
• Service, "A Growing Threat Down on the Farm"
• Pollan, "Playing God in the Garden"
• Ehrenfeld, "Cow Tipping Point"

Wednesday, April 8: Biotechnology (2)

Guest lecturer: Diane Robertson, Biology. Ms. Davis will be away.

Thursday, April 9, 11 a.m.: Convocation

If you are able, please attend the following talk about Moore's law and scientific modeling using computers. You may email me a response for 5 points of extra credit.

David Bailey, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory:  "Computing: The Third Mode of Scientific Discovery"

• Talk abstract
• Speaker web page

Friday, April 10 Biotechnology (Discussion)

Friday, March 10, 5:30 p.m.: Prospectus and annotated bibliography due

Submit your prospectus and annotated bibiography to the folder outside my door by 5:30 p.m.

Janet Davis (davisjan@cs.grinnell.edu)