Darwin’s Galapagos: Evolution in the Anthropocene is a new course that will be offered by Drs. Ignacio Moore, William Hopkins and Peter Graham in Spring 2019.

Department of Biology/Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Course Number: 3954
Course Title: Darwin’s Galapagos: Evolution in the Anthropocene
Credits: 4
Semester: Spring 2019
Time: TBD

Co-taught by professors in 3 departments:

Ignacio Moore, Biological Sciences
William Hopkins, Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Peter Graham, English

Course Description:

Voyage in Charles Darwin’s wake in the Galapagos Islands and see firsthand what inspired the unifying concept of life on earth: evolution by natural selection.  Gain historical and on-the spot perspectives on how Darwin’s big idea took shape, and learn how current evolutionary processes are influenced by rapid environmental changes caused by human pressures such as introduced species, over-fishing, pollution, climate change, and ecotourism.

The course is open to all majors and is reading-, writing-, and discussion-intensive.  Students will have extensive readings each week followed by in class discussion and reflective essays.  10-day trip to the Galapagos will occur over spring break.  Students enrolling in the course should be good swimmers and not be prone to sea sickness.

 

To Apply – Contact one of the professors: itmoore@vt.edu;  hopkinsw@vt.edu; pegraham@vt.edu